Whew y’all. Listen, I’m not even gonna patronize you by providing a lot of information on what I know you are already inundated with daily—the coronavirus. What I will say is, since the news is changing on an almost hourly basis, if you are looking for data that you can trust, a great resource is the World Health Organization. Also, because every state is affected by this pandemic differently, it’s also a good idea to put your own city and state into your favorite search engine to see what both your state and local officials are doing to keep the virus under control in your area.
That said, if you’re like me and your mayor has currently ordered that you remain at home, that might have you going a little stir crazy; especially if you’re someone who is used to going to a salon to get your hair done. Although these are challenging times (to put it mildly”>, social distancing and self-quarantining don’t mean that you have to let yourself totally go. In fact, if you commit to doing certain things from the comfort, convenience and safety of your own home, it can help you to save money, to destress and to also keep your hair pretty healthy in the process.
Are you ready to learn how to maintain those beautiful curly tresses of yours during a pandemic? If so, here ya go.
Image:@sardis.g
1. Try some aromatherapy.
Going through a pandemic can put a real toll on your mind, body and spirit, to say the least. And when you’re anxious, nervous or tense, that can actually lead to hair loss. The reason why is because stress can literally stunt the growth of your hair by putting your follicles into a state where they no longer produce new hair strands. That’s just one of the many reasons why you need to keep your stress levels under control. One way to do that is with aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is proven to relax you, decrease your cortisol levels (which is a natural stress hormone in the body”>, make you feel more content and peaceful and it can improve your quality of sleep too. Whether it’s via a soy candle, diffuser or some essential oil, scents like lavender, rose, chamomile, orange, jasmine, bergamot and patchouli can bring a sense of tranquility to your being which can definitely benefit you from head to toe.
2. Dust your ends.
Even if you’re not daring enough to actually trim your hair (and I totally get that”>, if you’re noticing that your hair has more tangles or fairy knots than normal, something that you can do to reduce those is to dust your ends. Basically, it’s the process of giving yourself a “tiny trim”; one that is so small that you’ll barely even notice the difference once you’re done. If you’ve never even attempted to put shears to your hair before, try dusting and watch a video on how to do it, you can check one out here.
Read more: How to Give Yourself a “Dusting” Trim
3. Grease (and massage”> your scalp with shea butter.
If your scalp is itchy, flaking or extra dry, something that you might want to do is “grease it” with the help of some shea butter. Its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties make it the perfect kind of butter to soothe and heal your scalp without clogging up your hair follicles or leaving a super oily feel to your tresses. Also, thanks to the vitamins A and E that are in shea butter, it’s the type of butter that can help to reduce hair breakage as well. Start by parting your hair into sections and applying a small amount of butter to your scalp. Then gently massage your scalp for 5-10 minutes. You will feel so much more calm and relaxed right after you do it. That is a guarantee.
4. Add a little milk and honey.
Something that will deeply nourish your hair and scalp is milk and honey. The calcium, protein, fatty acids and vitamins A and D work together to moisturize your hair while honey acts as a powerful humectant by pulling moisture from the hair into your hair. Simply mix a cup of milk with two tablespoons of honey. Wash your hair and then apply the mixture to it. Place a plastic bag on your hair and let the milk and honey penetrate your hair strands for 45 minutes. Then rinse, condition and style like usual. You’ll immediately notice the difference.
5. Drink some infused water.
During a pandemic, it’s important that you keep your immune system in optimal condition. A refreshing way to do that is to drink some infused water. One, because water helps to regulate your body temperature, flush out toxins, cushion your body tissues, deliver oxygen to your body, keep you hydrated (and regular”> and so much more. As far as your hair goes, water helps to keep your hair follicles moisturized which reduces breakage. The reason why infused water is such a wonderful kind of water is because you can add some of your favorite fruits (or even a few veggies like cucumbers”> into it to add a bit of flavor along with whatever nutrients that they provide. For some awesome DIY infused water recipes, check out “14 Flavor-Packed Fruit Infused Water Recipes”, “11 Delicious Infused Water Recipes (& Benefits”>” and “10 Infused Water Recipes And Their Benefits”.
6. DIY a hair mask.
If you’re looking for a way to reduce frizz and, at the same time, create volume, something that you might want to try is a homemade hair mask. At the end of the day, it’s another way of saying “a really really deep hair conditioner”. A favorite of mine is a combination of banana and olive oil. Bananas are cool because they are filled with potassium, natural oils and folic acid to keep your hair hydrated and well-moisturized. Olive oil is always a winner because the high amount of antioxidants that are in it will be good for your scalp and hair’s overall health. All you need to do is put one ripe banana and two teaspoons of olive oil into a blender. Wait until the combo turns into a frothy texture. Apply the mask to freshly washed hair. Leave it for 15 minutes, then rinse and style like you normally would. Your hair will feel super soft. It will smell pretty delightful too.
Read More: Best DIY Recipes for Naturally Curly Hair
7. Subscribe to YouTube naturalista videos.
You know what they say—knowledge is power and, I’m telling you, when it comes to invaluable natural hair information, YouTube has a bevy of naturalistas to choose from. Some that you might want to check out include Mercy Gono BSN, RN, Curly Chemistry, StarPuppy, Shanique Buntyn, Janae Mason, Tiana Michelle, DisisReyRey, Kimberly Cherrell, Kendra Kenshay, Amber Ansah, Laurscurls and Millicent Swift—and y’all, that’s only 12 channels. There are literally hundreds out there in YouTube world, but this is a great starting point if you’re in need of tips for washing, styling or hair length retention tips, along with what products to buy.
8. Use a humidifier.
Now that we’re in our homes a lot more than usual, there’s a pretty good chance that your central air is producing hair that is pretty dry. When it comes to your hair, that can result in moisture being pulled from the air, and your hair, which could lead to brittle locks and breakage. Something that can prevent this from happening is putting a humidifier in your bedroom while you sleep. If you don’t have one and money is tight, a hair steamer is a wonderful alternative. Amazon has steamer caps that are pretty affordable.
I know this is a trying time, but we’ll get through it. Stay calm. Relax. And definitely make sure to pamper yourself and your hair. When all of this is over, you’ll be oh so very glad that you did. Stay safe out here, curlfriends.
How are you prioritizing self care during this time? Let us know in the comments below.
