We all have our days where doing our hair is either too much work or pointless. I can actually count on my two hands how many times I’ve actually worn my hair out this summer because, let’s face it, it’s too hot for all of that. Being a stay at home mom, I pretty much don’t have to do anything to my hair unless I plan on leaving the house, and even then I still don’t.
It’s horrible, I know. I’m just never in the mood for any of it. Washing? Detangling?? STYLING??? Like, ugh…
Continue!>>>It’s too hot for Afros, blowouts, twistouts, braidouts and everything in between. As a matter of fact, unless your hair is in a TWA, chances are you’re out here struggling right along with me. Do I attempt a wash & go? Should I get crochet braids? How long can I wear a bun before my edges start thinning out? I wonder which setting these clippers need to be on for a tapered cut…
If you literally have NO stamina or patience for this whole overrated “having hair” situation, then pay attention. Don’t worry, we’ll make it through this summer together without completely neglecting our hair. With that being said, here are 5 easy tips for the lazy natural this summer…
Invest in some HeadscarvesWearing headscarves is a highly effective, low-maintenance way to leave your house looking presentable. Aside from hiding the fact that your hair has been neglected yet again and you’ve decided to neglect it even more by slapping a scarf on it, you’re actually protecting your hair from the harsh UV rays from the sun. Also from other environmental elements such as pollution, bugs, branches, pollen, and a host of other things that get caught up in there on the daily.
I’ve been relying on my scarves to mask the twists that I haven’t taken out since wash day. There are PLENTY of easy tutorials on how to tie headscarves in a multitude of different ways, so be sure to note this during your next YouTube binge.
If you do plan on wearing headscarves regularly this summer, be sure to spritz your hair with some type of leave-in and seal with oil every couple of days. Depending on what type of headscarf you buy, the fabric can suck the moisture and oils out of your hair after a while.
4 Quick & EASY Headwrap/Turban Styles (Short Natural Hair & TWA Friendly)
Stick to BunsIf you’re anything like me, anytime a style doesn’t work out it becomes a bun by default. Not only is a bun easy to maintain, but there are actually a lot of different ways to style it. I pretty much stick to a simple high bun with some baby hairs poppin’, but you can style it high, low, to the side, in two…whatever floats your boat. This style is perfect, especially for those of us who don’t have the luxury of wearing headscarves on the daily. Be sure to not pull your buns too tightly because you don’t want to risk damaging your edges.
Purchase Hair Products with UVA/B ProtectionDuring the summer, we tend to spend a lot more time out in the sun which can actually cause damage and bleaching. In order to prevent this without having to think about it too much, purchase a leave-in with UV protection or use an oil that's protects hair from UV rays like Sesame oil or Raspberry Seed Oil. Whatever you do, do NOT apply conventional sunblock to your hair as they tend to contain alcohols that dry the hair out.
Don’t Skip the Shampoo after Swimming(This is less of a tip and more of a reminder of what you cannot skip.) No matter whether you swim in the pool or the ocean, a lake or a pond, you need to cleanse that hair afterwards. Not only will the moisture be drawn out of your hair from the salt and chlorine, but a host of different bacteria will be sitting on your hair and scalp until it is cleansed. I know it’s easy to say you’ll just do it in the morning, but you don’t want any of that staying on your hair and scalp for too long. Just think of it this way: more people pee in pools than we’d like to believe… Just get up and do it.
Get Your Hair BraidedIf you really don’t feel like doing anything to your hair, put it away in braids, twists, faux Locs, etc. The less you have to deal with it the better, right? Protective styling with braids offers low-maintenance without compromising the way you look. You can, literally, get up and go without a second thought, which is PERFECT for us lazies. Just spritz the hair with a leave-in and seal with an oil maybe once or twice a week to prevent your hair from drying out too much. Don’t leave your style in too long, though or you may wind up doing more harm than good.
While nobody needs to follow these tips to the “t,” they’ve proven helpful for me to get through my summer without looking [too] crazy or compromising my hair’s health.
What are some summer hair care tips that you can come up with for the lazy natural?
