Let’s be real: wash day can feel overwhelming. You might end up putting it off, or skipping steps, or avoiding your hair altogether because your routine just feels like too much.
Pre-poo — with a homemade blend of juices and berries, of course.
Detangle.
Shampoo — but only with sulfate-free shampoo…or should you co-wash?
Deep condition. Sit under the dryer? Maybe.
Leave-in conditioner.
Detangle again.
Gel or twisting butter? Or both…or maybe styling foam?
Braid or twist.
Try to style — but by this point you’re honestly exhausted, and you feel like your hair will be dry and stiff again in two days.
Does any of this sound familiar?
If you’re tired of dreading your wash days, tired of the pile of half-used products under your sink, and tired of spending hours on YouTube trying to copy routines that still leave your hair feeling dry, crunchy, or just not the way you envisioned, this is for you.
It’s not your fault if you’ve struggled to build a consistent routine that works for you.
Most mainstream hair advice wasn’t created for highly textured, kinky, high-shrinkage hair in its natural state. You can have a natural hair routine that fits your life and actually works. One that leaves your hair feeling healthy, moisturized, and styled the way you like. Where you feel confident, and even excited about your hair, because you know what to do and you’re actually seeing results.
How to get started:
This post walks you through how to build a regimen that’s tailor-made for your unique kinky coily hair. One that can be quick and easy when you need it to be — and include those bonus “juices and berries” steps when you have the time and want to treat yourself.
Step 1: Get to Know Your Hair
Before you do anything else, you have to understand your unique head of hair — not just your curl pattern (although that’s part of it), but also your hair’s…
- Porosity
- Density
- Texture
- And how it responds to different products or weather
This is where we tend to skip ahead, thinking we can just find an internet “hair twin” and follow their routine. But this step makes all the difference.
Knowing your hair means you can stop guessing and start choosing products, techniques, and styles that actually address your hair’s needs.
Inside my Natural Hair Journal, I walk you through exactly how to identify and document your hair’s key characteristics. You’ll learn what signs to look for, how to assess things like porosity, and how to keep track of what works (and what doesn’t) over time.
Becoming the expert on your own hair is a game-changer.
Step 2: Use the Scientific Method
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or don’t know where to even begin with a natural hair routine, this step will help you get started.
Using the scientific method gives you a simple, low-stress way to test one thing at a time — so you’re not changing a bunch of things at once and praying it works. It helps you zero in on what actually works for your hair, and from there, you can start building a consistent regimen that supports your goals.
I’m getting a little nerdy with this one (former Biology major here), but hear me out.
When you have a million product options — and even more opinions online — the best way to cut through the noise is to treat your regimen like a science experiment.
Here’s how:
- Define a question:
Does this new leave-in help my hair retain moisture longer? - Make a prediction (your hypothesis):
If I use this leave-in daily, my hair will stay moisturized for 2–3 days without reapplication. - Gather data (this is your experiment):
Track your moisture levels daily for a week without the product, then again for a week with it. - Analyze the data:
Was there a difference? Did your hair feel softer? Have more sheen? Stay moisturized longer? - Draw a conclusion:
Based on the results, does this product stay in your rotation?
A real-life example from me:
I had stopped using clay washes a few years ago. I wondered if bringing them back could cut my wash time and help with hard water buildup.
My hypothesis was that clay washes could replace shampoo for some washes and simplify my routine. I tested it, and based on the results, I decided to make it a permanent part of my regimen.
From there, I’ve continued to test updates to my routine and tweak over time.
If you’re just starting out, I recommend testing one change at a time, sticking with it for at least two weeks, and tracking what you see, feel, and notice.
Inside my Natural Hair Journal, you’ll find dedicated pages to record your results — so you can start seeing patterns, avoid repeating mistakes, and build a regimen rooted in your real-life experience.
Step 3: Repeat and Refine
Building your regimen isn’t a one-time thing. Your hair might need different things in the summer vs. winter, when it’s colored vs. not, or after coming out of a protective style. That’s completely normal.
What matters is that you continue with what works, skip what doesn’t, and keep building.
A solid regimen doesn’t have to be complicated — it just has to work for you.
And when you keep track of what’s actually working, you’ll start seeing progress:
- Healthier hair
- Less breakage
- Better length retention
- Easier styling
- Compliments from strangers
- Peace with your routine and your hair!
Inside the Natural Hair Journal, you’ll find weekly and monthly tracking sheets that make this process easy and even enjoyable. You’ll be able to keep everything in one place, and have a clear way to reflect, adjust, and refine over time.
“Do I really need this journal?”
You can try to remember everything on your own. I used that method for years myself.
But when life gets busy, it’s easy to forget what worked — and what didn’t.
My Natural Hair Journal is thoughtfully designed to keep you organized, on track, and encouraged. It helps you actually see your progress, stay focused, and feel confident in your regimen.
This is the journal I created for myself when I wanted to dial in my routine. Using it to track and tweak over time made a huge difference in my hair — from moisture levels to length retention, to simply not having to carry all that information in my head. I just go to my journal, review my notes, rinse and repeat.
Your action plan:
- Step 1: Get to know your hair
- Step 2: Use the scientific method to test and track
- Step 3: Repeat and refine until you have a routine that works for you
When you take the time to build a regimen that fits your hair and your life, you’ll stop wasting money on products that don’t work, stop dreading wash day, and start loving your beautiful and unique natural hair on a whole new level.
🎉 Ready to stop guessing and start seeing results?
Order your copy of the Natural Hair Journal and start building a regimen that’s rooted in your real life – that makes your wash days smoother, your hair healthier, and your routine actually doable.
Click here to get all the details and order your Natural Hair Journal now.
