These are certainly some trying times. Between the pandemic due to Covid-19, the black lives matter civil rights movement, and financial strains, self care has been on the back burner for all of us. I say if your going to have a bad day, you might as well look good!

You are never without options when it comes to your hair. Even though you may not be as skilled as your hair stylist, here are some hair care tips and tricks for at home care for every skill level to make your life a little easier.

Beginner

"After dedicating the whole day to doing my hair, it looks like the electrical socket won. I know my scarf is around here somewhere?" 

Ok. Now that you have stopped hyperventilating lets come up with a plan to help you tackle your hair. One of the best things you can do to keep things easy from the beginning. Most often beginners skip the ever important step of detangling. Whether you are natural or bleach blonde often times all of the above end up with knots after the shampoo. Before shampooing, use a Denman brush to detangle your hair while dry as this is when hair is the strongest. Start at the ends and work your way up to the root. Next section hair into 4 braids, or twist, in preparation for the shampoo process. Undo 1 braid at a time, massaging the root first and gently sliding the shampoo down the hair shaft (always in the same direction as the cuticle) rebraiding before continuing. After all 4 sections are complete, rinse by squeezing hair until the water runs clear. Condition using this same method. Avoid vigorous motions during this process and during towel drying. Apply styling products, and dry using the same method.

Intermediate

"So the right side is fire! The left side should leave the building." 

One of the issues people run into here is running out of steam. Plan your style before beginning as a time saver. Start in the front, work on both sides simultaneously from the bottom of each section working upward. As you style, be mindful of hand placement, curl direction, and section size. On one side your hand may be under the section, but above on the other. If you decided the curl direction will be away from the face, be sure not to change directions on the opposite side. Whether blow drying, using flexirods, or curling with an iron, all of these steps will help the overall consistency of the final look. If you need a break while styling watch a TV show and come back! Do anything to help you catch your second wind.

Advance

"I've tried it all! I'm surprised i still have hair."

So, you are still posting, video chatting, and everyone is amazed. What could possibly go wrong right? With these skills something the basics are neglected. You have put your hair through so much that you sometimes rely to heavily on the resiliency of your hair. Be sure to pull out a heat protector while blow drying and using hot tools, as well as a sealer to protect your ends from splitting. To prevent dryness while you sleep include either a scarf, bonnet or satin pillow case in your nighttime routine. Since you have most things covered, try something NEW! Try a curly look, play around with some hair accessories, experiment with no heat styling, whip out those clip in extensions, or give yourself a sleek ponytail. The sky is the limit so why would you stop wowing them now!

Final Thoughts

We are all in this together. Some days will be better than others. The key is to remember to take care of yourself. The mental weight can be heavy, so no matter your skill level, remember to do something that makes you feel good.