Building a Natural Hair Care Routine for Type 4 Hair

Building a natural haircare routine is not as stressful as it sounds, well, at least when you get used to it. 

This article is for you if you're considering going natural or if you've recently transitioned to natural hair and are unsure how to care for your hair on your own. 

Let's begin by defining what a natural hair care routine is. 

What is a Natural Haircare Routine?

A natural haircare routine refers to a personalized regimen or practice of haircare that prioritizes the use of gentle products and methods to nurture, protect and enhance the health and appearance of your natural hair.

Notice that we have 4 words in bold? That's because they are essential to a good natural haircare routine.

You need a regimen and practices that work for your hair based on your circumstances or lifestyle. 

Choosing gentle products suitable for type 4 hair and gentle methods that support the health of your hair.

Does having a natural hair routine mean a rigid set of rules?

Absolutely not. When we say build a routine, we mean a regular practice. A consistent pattern in which you care for your hair. 

You can switch things up as your hair needs but you must have a set of non-negotiable basics in your haircare. That is what constitutes your natural haircare routine.

The right natural hair care routine will set you up for a great start and a satisfying hair journey.

For a good routine, you need the right tools and products, let's look at what you need to build a basic haircare routine, think of it as building your haircare kit.

What You Need To Build A Basic Natural Hair Care Routine

The items listed are must haves you need to build your basic natural haircare routine. Let's begin with: 

Products for your natural hair care routine

1. Shampoo- meant to wash your hair clean, this is a non-negotiable item for your haircare kit. Always choose a sulphate-free shampoo (sulphates are harsh on type 4 hair, and remember we are going for gentle products). 
2. Moisturizing rinse out conditioner - this is a regular conditioner that goes hand in hand with your shampoo. The use of this? To moisturise your hair and nourish it immediately after washing. Some people also use this as a pre-shampoo for their hair. 
3. Deep conditioner- this one is a must-have. Some naturals may not use a rinse-out conditioner, but you see a deep conditioner, it's always a fixed product. The importance of this conditioner, as the name says, is for deep nourishment. Also, depending on your hair needs, it can play other roles. Read more about deep conditioning.
4. Leave-in conditioner(LIC) - now this is for continuous nourishment of your hair. So after you wash and condition, this product continues the job of supplying your hair with needed moisture and nourishment. 
5. Hair butter or cream- think of this as hair food. It partners up with the leave-in conditioner to supply your hair with needed nutrients. So think cocoa, mango, shea butters or already prepared hair cream mixtures (with gentle ingredients) that keep your hair nourished.
6. Oils- these are non-negotiable in haircare. Oils seal in your moisture from the LIC and butters, think of them as wrapping up the goodness nicely, and infusing it carefully into your hair. Different oils serve different purposes, some are heavy, others are light. Some essential and some carrier, all playing different roles. So based on your hair needs, porosity, density and preference, use any you prefer. Examples of oils are: castor, avocado, coconut, tea tree, Argan, ylang-ylang etc. Read all about oils

Keep in mind that these products are the simplest products you need to build your haircare routine. 

As you master your hair and feel more adventurous with your hair, you can add:

1. Detangling products
2. Hair masks and teas
3. Styling products etc

Now, let's look at:

Tools you need in your hair care routine

1. A wide-tooth comb - this is a non-negotiable tool for your hair care kit. A wide-tooth comb makes it easy to detangle your natural hair without snagging and dragging your hair strands.  If you aren't a fan of detangling brushes, a wide-tooth comb is your best bet. 
2. A rat-tail comb- this mainly comes to play for sectioning or styling your hair. 
3. Ouchless band- this is a replacement for rubber bands. They are softer and less likely to grab strands of your unlike rubber bands. And they don't really hurt, hence, their name. You can use them to hold sections in place or use them to style your hair. 
4. Crocodile clips- now these may be replaced by ouchless bands, especially if they are only used to hold sections in place. But, they can also be used for styling, depending on the shape of the clip.

Now that we know what tools and products you need, how do you build a natural hair care routine? 

How to Build A Natural Hair Care Routine

This hair care routine includes both washday and post-washday activities 

1. Examine your lifestyle/ circumstance 

This is an important step because you want your routine to fit into your lifestyle, so you can be consistent with it. If your routine doesn't fit into your lifestyle, you'll end up struggling to keep up and may give up altogether, and we really don't want that. 

So, what's your lifestyle? Is your schedule tight, booked and busy? Do you have more time on your hands on certain days? Are you free, with a lot of time to spare? Do you like wearing your hair out often? Or you like to rock your hair once in a while? Are you a wig girlie? 

The answer to these questions will determine what your wash day would be like? What is the duration between one wash and the other? What kind of products to use? What kind of protective styles to wear? etc. 

The bottom line? To create a personalized regimen, your lifestyle plays an important role.

2. Ensure your washday includes the basics

What are the basics of washday? Detangling, washing, deep conditioning and moisturising. 

When you build your natural haircare routine, ensure that none of those steps are missing on your washday, whether you do it yourself or a stylist does it for you. 

3. Stick to a washday timeframe where possible

Now, we know things can get busy and sometimes, putting your hands in your hair might be the last thing on your mind.

 But as much as possible, choose a washday timeframe and stick with it. It could be bi-weekly or monthly. Whatever you choose, be regular. 

Don't let your hair to go so long without washing it.

4. Cultivate good hair practices to support your natural hair care routine

 Every natural agrees that moisturizing is a key practice to keep your hair healthy. Make sure you moisturize whether your hair is in a protective style or not. The frequency of moisturizing depends on you. 

Eat healthy foods that promote healthy hair growth.  Read about healthy foods that nourish your hair from within

Where possible avoid heat, but if you must, use heat protectants and low to medium heat. 

Use satin or silk scarves or bonnets to keep your hair protected. If you're all about extra protection (or you wake up to your bonnet on the other side of the bed😉) feel free to use a silk pillowcase.

5. Create a balance between protective styles and allowing your hair breathe

For us at The HairTalk, protective styles refer to styles that keep your hair protected without extensions.

But, there are styles that include extensions that can also keep your hair protected. If you are a natural girlie that likes extensions, please learn to allow your breath in between styles. 

Create a schedule that allows you to balance protective styling and leaving your hair alone.

6. Study your hair to build a good natural hair care routine

When you build a natural haircare routine, the aim is to take care of your hair, give it the TLC it deserves. 

What if your routine is not working for your hair? How'd you know? By studying your hair. 

Take time to see how your hair thrives when you make a new hairstyle, when you try a new product or even when you skip your routine. 

These little things help you understand your hair and treat it better to good health.

When you put these 6 things together as they apply to you personally, and stick to them over time, you’ve successfully created a natural haircare routine for your type 4 hair.

Wrapping up

Building a haircare routine for natural hair can be a smooth ride, you just have to do it right. 

Would you like us to create a personalized hair care routine that suits your lifestyle? Join the HairTalk community  

Feature image: Image by wayhome studio on FreePik