Leave In That Leave-In Conditioner!

The Kim Love of Kimmaytube: Natural Hair Guru!

I must have been fifteen years old when I asked the question, "why do black women need to work hard to grow healthy long hair?" Kim Love, one of YouTube's natural hair care gurus, epitomizes that. For a long time caring for her hair was a full-time job. Like her, there are many women who devoted (and still devote) as much time to their curly crowns- some successful, others not so much. Anyway, I looked online and learnt a little about how we ended up with high maintenance locks, while women of other races can get away with torturing their hair for months on end. Follicles. Whoever thought something microscopic who be so important? Turns out, our follicles are flat and oblong, resulting in curly hair. In addition to that, the at the base of our hair strands, where nobody looks, the hair strand is hooked. In conjunction, these two anatomical differences result in the tight curls that have been called frizzy and nappy for years. Ever noticed how the roots of your hair always looked more virile than your ends. That's not just because they are newer. It is also because the oil secreted by glands on our scalp has trouble making it to down the coils that are your hair strands.

Many of you know the benefits of leave-in conditioner, so I should not have to say what I am about to say. But I do. Countless black women women overlook those benefits and don't realize that when they comb their hair and notice thick hair near their scalps and straggly, thinning hair at the ends, the reason is they have parched their hair for too long. The fact is "if you're not leaving in that leave-in conditioner, you are getting left behind." Mull over this for a second: you drink at least four glasses of water everyday, do not moisturize your fore-arms, yet they still look smooth and moisturized. Shouldn't hair be the same? Those of you who do not use leave-in conditioner frequently or practice some other moisturizing regimen have this mentality. The answer to that self-destructive question is NO. Your hair may be an extension of your body but their no blood vessels going to the tips of your locks. It's your responsibility to help that hair so it doesn't look dry and brittle. Leave-in conditioner is the way to go about that. 

Leave-in conditioner is a lot lighter than the regular conditioner you use when washing your hair. They are totally different products and that is one reason why. If you used your regular conditioner as a leave-in, you would end up with an unnaturally alarming amount of product build up and a sticky, disgusting mass on your head- fact. That's why it is so important to thoroughly rinse your regular conditioner when your done washing your hair. Leave-in conditioner should be applied after patting your hair to a damp state. Then you can let it air dry. Many women who have gone natural recommend locking in that moisture, and that is done by using a little bit of natural oil like coconut oil, jojoba oil or castor oil. Steer clear of anything with petroleum jelly or mineral oil in it. 

"If you're not natural, you're not you"

The frequency of your leave-in conditioner use varies from person to person. Some people have oilier hair than others and you should consider that before designing your hair care regimen. One black woman who grew her natural hair to the middle of back told me that she would use a little leave-in conditioner on her ends daily and then apply a small amount of coconut oil. The result was that her hair was thick from top to bottom. Many recommend doing it once every 2-3 days. That's where I stand. At the very least, you should be using leave-in conditioner after you wash your hair and if you are going more than a week without washing your hair then you are doing yourself an injustice. In between washes, it's a good idea to try applying leave-in conditioner once every 2-3 days and doing so to the hair closer to your ends. I use the half-rule: the half that is near the ends of your hair should get the regular (between washes) moisturizing. Naptural85, another successful natural hair YouTube vlogger told her subscribers that she spritzes her hair with water daily and then uses a natural oil to seal it in. That's an equally effective natural method, and so naturally, I approve. However, when using water, more frequent moisturizing is requisite and the natural oil application is more important that before. 

Finally, make a regimen. If you do this once in a month and then abandon the routine for two months, it is not going to work. Never underestimate the value of consistency and regularity. They promotes health and leads to success. Below are some leave in conditioners that I approve.

    

Great Leave-In Conditioners:

1. Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In Conditioner (the best!)
2. Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream
3. Giovanni Direct Leave-In Conditioner
4. Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC) Leave In Conditioner

Your hair care regimen should include a leave-in conditioner