Cleansing and Conditioning Your Natural Hair

The foundation of building a hair care regimen is healthy scalp and hair.  Making sure to properly cleanse/condition hair on a regular basis; also having a good balance of moisture/protein in your regimen.  Dirty scalp and hair with build up; will cause pores to be clogged and hair follicles that can’t thrive in an unclean environment.  I recommend cleansing hair weekly, bi-weekly, or every 7-10 days whichever works for you.
 
Cleansing your hair
Shampoo primary function is to remove dirt, skin debris, oil and product build-up off the hair and scalp.  The scalp and hair need to be cleansed regularly, from the accumulation of oils, perspiration, and dirt that will create a breeding ground for bacteria to grow. 
 
The second ingredient in most shampoo you will find a primary surfactant ingredient, surfactants are cleaning or active surface agents that remove debris, oil, and dirt off the hair.
 
It’s also good to use a clarifying shampoo at least once a month to remove any product build up that maybe on the hair.  Especially when you take down a weave protective style that’s been in for an extended amount of time.
 
Conditioning your hair
Adding conditioner to our hair is the second step in the cleansing process.  Conditioner is a special chemical agent applied to the hair to deposit protein or moisture to help restore the hair’s strength to give hair body and to protect hair against possible breakage.
 
Conditioners protect the hair by smoothing down the cuticle, which reduces the chance of damage and makes the hair shaft softer and more manageable.