Exercise and Natural Hair

It’s the weekend again and there are some crazy people out there going to the gym, including me! Sunday morning and weekday evenings are no longer spent lying on the sofa watching TV and eating popcorn. 

Last year I started to exercise more consistently and this year I have decided to increase my exercise routine to stay fit and healthy as I am getting on in age, lol.
With an increase of exercise I have to be up on my haircare routine to ensure my hair stays fresh, tidy, moisturised and of course always looking great. So I am sharing some of my tips with you guys, on how I manage my hair while doing regular exercise. Keep reading to find out my hair care routine for the gym.
 
Hairstyles
I believe this is the most important starting point. The easiest option would be to adopt a protective style that saves the hassle from re-styling after your hair has sweated out, become messy and frizzy during your work out. Protective styles such as braids, mini-twists or canerows are very low maintenance. After I finish the gym I just need to spray my hair with a leave-in conditioner to keep it fresh and occasionally add some oils to my scalp. Leave in Conditioners are a life saver in keeping your hair smelling fresh until washday. Click here to read my blog post on how to make your own leave in conditioner.
Protective or low maintenance styles save on time and energy, once you go home you do not want to be detangling and re-twisting your hair, give your biceps a rest and adopt a protective style.
 
Washing
Doing regular exercise can cause dirt to build up on the scalp. Sweat combined with product build up can clog up your scalp, which is not healthy for the hair.  Regular washing of your hair is vital to remove the dirt to allow your hair to flourish.
 In addition to regular wash days I use a clarifying shampoo. Every six weeks I use a clarifying shampoo that strips my scalp clean to start a fresh. I am currently using As I Am Curl Clarity Shampoo. This shampoo is amazing; my hair is left clean but still very soft. I find many clarifying shampoos tend to leave my hair stiff and dry, but the As I Am Curl Clarity Shampoo does a great job of keeping my hair moisturised. It also lasts for ages as it lathers up a lot with a small amount.
 
Exercise
Regular exercise can increase blood flow and releases all of those good hormones that improves your mood and reduces stress. This can lead to healthier hair, which we all want. So next time you are in spin class and you are not sure how you are going to make it through the next forty five minutes, just think of how the class is helping the heath of your fro and keep on pushing through.
 
 
Caron X
Please like, share and follow me on social media so you can keep up to date on the blog posts (Instagram heybellissimo/ Facebook Hey bellissimo)