I’m Giving My Hair a Break

I’ve got to admit, when I booked my Carra Hair Coaching session I went in with a bit of a big head. Having worked in the hair and beauty industry for over 15 years, I thought I knew all there was to know about hair. But oh boy, was I humbled by the end of it.

I booked my sit-down with Kemisade with the intention of addressing the sudden dryness that my hair had been experiencing over the last year. I’d been noticing breakage and a failure to maintain moisture. What I came away with was a wealth of new knowledge and a new found confidence around stepping up for myself and moving forward in my hair love journey.

Here are a few gems that were dropped by Kemisade:

1. My hair needed a break. After years of continuously getting braided into extensions, my hair was in desperate need of a break. I’m quite lazy when it comes to caring for my hair—trims twice a year, moisture treatments every 6-8 weeks, and braids. This had been my routine for over a decade and it wasn’t doing my hair any good. Kemisade explained that whilst protective styles like braids can be a benefit for the hair, repeating the style back to back without any relief can result in damage. Between the constant weight of the extensions, infrequent cleansing, and limited opportunities to properly absorb moisture, my braids had become the opposite of “protective”.
2. Follow the instructions on the label. I know I’m not the only one who leaves their deep conditioner in for hours, or even overnight. I personally tend to do so out of laziness (theme here), but I know some who feel that the longer it gets left in, the more benefit to their hair. WRONG. Deep conditioning treatments have usage times on the package, and they’re formulated to work as stated. Overusing deep cons by leaving them on longer can lead to a condition called hygral fatigue, where excessive moisturization causes stress to the strands, leaving hair brittle, dull and ironically, dry. If you find that your deep conditioner isn’t working when used as advised, you may need to use a better clarifying shampoo, or find a new deep conditioner altogether.
3. Don’t skip the clarifying shampoo. Before lockdown, I hadn’t washed my hair myself in well over a decade. So when the salons closed and I had to start washing at home, I assumed that a regular shampoo and conditioner/deep con would be sufficient. However, Kemisade suggested a new routine to help with some scalp issues I’d been having. It turned out that the products I used were causing buildup on my scalp, and I needed a clarifying shampoo to get my hair properly cleansed. My new routine is now one wash with clarifying shampoo, one wash with a hydrating shampoo, and a conditioner or deep conditioning treatment. Thinking back on pre-lockdown days when I went to a salon for my hair care, I did get three washes each visit but I’d never before questioned why.

Since my session with Kemisade, I’ve followed her tips to a tee. I took my braids out to give my hair a rest (at least for awhile), ordered the products she recommended for my hair’s needs, and started my new wash and moisture routine. I must say, not only is my scalp feeling and looking healthier, but my hair is finally absorbing products and no longer so damn dry—exactly like I wanted.

Head here to see me talk about my hair coaching experience on IG Live with Carra’s founder, Winnie, and head to the Carra Hair Diagnostic to get started with your own hair coaching journey.

Happy Hair Caring!