My Post-Braid Wash Day Routine

Over the weekend, I took out my Kanekalon twists after two months of wear. I’ll shamelessly admit that they were in WAY too long, especially since I barely did anything to preserve them. Although single twists and braids (with extensions) protect natural hair from over manipulation and the elements, protective hairstyles can still do damage. Product build-up, tight braids, and heavy braids can cause hair breakage and traction alopecia. So in order to restore my healthy hair after braids, I stick to a routine:

Post Braid Wash Day

1. Removal: I remove my braids with a rat-tail comb to prevent hair breakage

2. Pre-Detangle: Then after all the hair is out of braids I spritz it with a fun concoction of leave in conditioner and water. Then I separate the hair into four individual parts

3. Detangle: I then take my denman brush and detangle my hair, starting at my ends and finishing at the root. I try to make sure that my hair isn’t too wet while I do this because combing wet hair can cause hair breakage

4. Pre Poo: Using either apple cider vinegar and honey or avocado oil, I pre poo my scalp. I leave it in my hair for either fifteen minutes if I go under a dryer or 45 minutes if I just put on a plastic shower cap. Once done, I wash it out

5. Shampoo: With my hair still divided into sections, I apply the shampoo part by part, directly at my scalp and lather it with my fingers. Washing it out completely once I’ve finished.

6. Egg Treatment: After shampooing, I make a mix of raw egg and olive oil (hello, yes it's me, Gordon Ramsay, no you can’t have my autograph) and apply it to every part of my hair especially split ends. Then I put a shower cap on and leave it in for 20 minutes before washing it out. The egg/olive oil treatment restores strength to the hair (so they say)

7. Keratin Treatment: If my hair is in dire condition, I’ll also apply this to my hair for some much needed resurrection. I’ll leave it in my hair for only 2 minutes and then wash it out

8. DEEP Condition: I apply some deep conditioner to every part of my hair. This restores the moisture to it. I leave it in for 60 minutes with a plastic shower cap and 30 minutes if I go under a dryer. Then I wash it out

9. Leave in Conditioner: After washing it out, I section my hair into parts again, detangle and apply leave in conditioner to my hair. I leave that in my hair for 30 minutes without doing anything to my hair

10. LOC/LCO: I swear I’m nearing the end here. With my hair in 4 or 5 parts (depending on laziness), I spritz each part with water, coat it in more leave in conditioner/or styling cream depending on what you’re going for, and lather my hair in coconut oil, making sure I get the ends. This is what really ensures that my hair is moisturized at the end of the day

11. Edge Care: I’ll also coat my edges with Jamaican Black castor oil to promote growth in that area after they’ve been worn down by heavy braids

12. Style or Sleep: If I haven’t passed out because of exhaustion I’ll either prepare my hair for a twist-out that will most likely fail or I’ll cornrow my hair

Wash day is typically grueling with just your good old nappy hair, but add single twists to that and the day is more than an ordeal. No worries though--the final product makes it totally worth the time!