Wash days tend to be a mountain that a lot of people don’t want to climb and if you're new to creating a hair wash routine for your natural hair it can be scary. Put in the query how often I should wash my natural hair (or something along those lines) in your internet search bar. You will get some answers that you do not totally agree with. Some will say once a week. Some articles will say twice a week. Some will say as infrequently as bi-monthly. Other articles will tell you it depends on different factors like hair length. Regardless of the exact number of washings you do, you can pull some instant wisdom from it and the process can be simple. One, you need to make sure you are not washing your natural hair every day. Two, there is a lot of information out there to sort through.

You also may notice that a large number of articles are geared towards women with natural hair. While many have tie-ins with ladies' styles and fashions, they also feature vital tips and pointers about natural hair care. While styles are different, the nature and maintenance of natural hair are not. At the core of looking your best clean, healthy hair will require periodic hair washing.

Hair washing is part of the process. For natural hair, especially in men, washing is a critical step. You do not want to overdo it. That could be said for anything. The key is to understand not just how often to wash but a host of other factors. These include the length of your hair. 

Beyond that, there are things to consider about the process. This includes why it is so important. It also has other facets of hair health beyond just cleansing and shampooing. Things like what to do following shampooing. We should also look at the warning signs when your hair or scalp is in trouble. What is the point of a regular shampoo schedule? If you are missing indicators, your hair health is in trouble.

First Things First..Understanding Natural Hair

Natural hair, especially type 4 hair, has a unique makeup with specific needs. While some people might refer to natural hair as certain styles, we refer to it for a particular classification of hair based on the hair structure. While most people have a mixture of different hair types, hair formations follow four general patterns. They are straight, wavy, curly, and coily. All of these hair types fall under natural hair. Natural hair encompasses any of the hairstyles you might choose, including:

• Waves
• Braids
• Locs
• Twist
• Simple Afro

Regardless of how you style it, natural hair follows specialized characteristics. As mentioned above, this type of hair is coiled. It is porous and requires constant moisture. Additionally, it is prone to shrinkage and breakage, especially when it gets dry. When this hair is overly dry, it gets brittle. Prone to tangles; you do not want to over-shampoo it. Likewise, you still need to make sure your hair and scalp are periodically cleansed of oils and impurities. 

So figure once a week is a good rule of thumb for your hair washing schedule. This is not a hard and fast rule. Some wash bi-weekly. Others push it to every two weeks. One factor for many to consider is hair length. The other is activity level. A more active person will notice more sweat build-up on the scalp. Both factors can require you to shampoo a little more than someone with short hair that is less active. Other factors that can influence your shampoo schedule are:

• How you wear your hair
• How often do you see the barber

So Why Is Washing So Important?

Keeping your scalp free of impurities and build-up is one of the most critically important things you can do for hair health. Build-up on the scalp and hair is not just a byproduct of product choice. It is inevitable as sweat and oils are naturally produced by your body. These can accumulate and cause problems in several ways.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle is one way you can increase build-up through a natural process. Intense exercise and an active lifestyle are good habits for the body, But even a high activity level is not without some cost. Just like muscles and joints feel sore from overexertion, they are not the only body parts that react to exertion. The amount of sweat and natural oils can increase with the higher activity level. If you have an active lifestyle, this can increase the rate of build-up.

Scalp Build-up

Regardless of how it happens, the product of excessive sweat and oil is scalp build-up. An unfortunate effect of build-up is the development of flakiness. Another is the build-up of dead skin. Both are unpleasant. Additionally, both are detrimental to healthy hair. Likewise, they can be balanced by proper and regular shampooing and cleansing. Natural agents are, of course, not the only type of build-up to worry about.

Even natural products with oils, butters, and moisturizers can leave a residue. This build-up can block or alter your scalp's ability to reach the right balance. This leads to the need for some interval of cleaning. While you don't want to overwash, you want a schedule of regular cleansing.

Luster SCurl Free Flow Mint Charcoal Shampoo

Luster SCurl Free Flow Mint Charcoal Shampoo is designed to help you safely cleanse your natural hair and scalp. While it offers several benefits, one pertinent ingredient is charcoal. Charcoal is an organic ingredient that helps draw out impurities on the scalp and hair without harsh chemicals.

DON'T OVERWASH EITHER.

Hair Balance

The key is to maintain a balance of natural oils in the hair. Too much or too little can cause damage and other unpleasant consequences. Additionally, the build-up of natural products or chemical additives is also not desirable. A good rule of thumb is to pay attention to the hair and scalp. Dryness, itchiness, or flaking are common warning signs that the balance is off and time to make changes.

Other Shampoo Considerations

Non-Natural Ingredients

Beyond a schedule for shampooing, there are other considerations to think of for your hair. It doesn't do any good to shampoo the optimal number of times if you shampoo with the wrong ingredients. Chemicals and unhealthy additives can be downright destructive to natural hair.

Sulfates

You have probably heard of sulfates. Sulfates are an additive used in a host of cleaning and grooming products. One product you will see this in is hair products and shampoo. The reason is simple. It is a powerful cleanser that can strip away dirt, sweat, and other build-ups. The problem is it can be stringent and harsh on hair. It can potentially strip away even a healthy amount of natural oils. The result is dry or damaged hair. So why use it?

Well, some hair products manufacturers do not put it in their products. Luster SCurl Mint Charcoal Shampoo is free of sulfates. As mentioned before, charcoal is used to cleanse the scalp, in place of a chemical substitute.

The Big Picture And Shampooing

Knowing how much or how often to shampoo is pointless if it is not part of a full regimen of healthy hair habits. Natural hair requires several things to keep you looking your best. Shampooing is part of the process. It does not, in and of itself, guarantee optimal scalp and hair health. It is a key step though.

Once cleansed, you need to take the next step to protect that washed hair. The next step is to infuse your hair with moisture. Moisture is essential to natural hair. Natural hair is porous and prone to two things that will derail any hairstyle; one is dryness. As hair loses moisture, it gets dry and brittle. This leads to the second thing, which is hair breakage. Simply put, dry, weak hair can break.

Leave-In Conditioner

Circling back to that next essential step after cleansing and a new question comes up. The question is what to do to begin putting moisture in the hair. A natural leave-in conditioner is a great way to protect your hair from moisture loss, dryness, and unwanted breakage.

SCurl Leave-In Conditioner

SCurl Free Flow Leave-In Conditioner is a perfect product to infuse moisture into hair after shampooing. Like the shampoo, it is free of harsh additives. In their place it is formulated with:

• Certified Organic Shea Butter
• Coconut Oil
• Olive Oil

This gives your hair a healthy shine while leaving it protected,  lush and nourished, it is easier to detangle and style. 

Supplemental Moisture Beyond Conditioning

Beyond conditioning, you want to find ways to add additional moisture as needed into the hair. Luster SCurl Free Flow Instant Moisturizer is a practical and simple way to quickly get moisture into the hair. The daily battery of wear and tear can sap your hair of nutrients and moisture. A moisture supplement is indispensable as your hair loses hydration.

The Next Step For Your Hair