It is no question that having natural hair is difficult in general, but adding the dynamic of living in a communal-style college dorm simply makes it that much harder. With such unruly hair and such timid water pressure, we women need to find ways to lessen the strain.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
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Adopt an easy, but manageable hair regimen
Upon going to school, many of us will be leaving all our “helping hands” back home, meaning all the salons and grandmothers who helped us tame our natural hair will no longer be around to help us. Because of this, we must adopt a regimen that will be easy enough to keep up with, but also work for our hair types.
Sample regimen:
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Wash every other week
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Deep condition every four weeks on a non-wash week
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Trim every two months
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Style daily incorporating a cream, lotion or grease every other day to regain moisture loss
*pro-tip: communal dorm bathrooms usually have a handicapped shower with a removable shower head, if it is available, the shower head can be detached to get the water and shampoo out of your hair more effectively. Make sure no one actually needs access to the shower before using it.
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Use the right tools and products. It’s hard enough to take care of our hair, but the right products will make all the difference.
Regular products aren’t necessarily formulated to work well for our hair, here are some affordable options that are tried-and-true:
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Cantu Shea Butter
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shampoo ($4.99, Target)
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conditioner ($4.99, Target)
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Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie ($6.99, Target)
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Goody® Detangle Comb ($2.39, Target)
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Protective hair styles can be helpful for those who live agitated or busy academic and professional lives.
Some styles include faux locs, cornrows, twists and braids. They require less maintenance than natural hair as is. Blow drying hair can also makes it easier to manage and brush through.