wash & go for type 4 afro with alopecia | hair as art ep. 15
When I first started my natural hair journey, I struggled to find wash & go for type 4 afro with alopecia routines. There are so many amazing videos online that give great tutorials. But oftentimes it was hard to find a video with someone who had short hair like me and alopecia. Which is why I am making this post. My youtube video releasing this sunday goes over mistakes I made in this process because oftentimes, we see the end product but don’t see how long it may take for someone to get it right.
This video is evidence that caring for our natural hair is truly a journey! It’s not always going to be perfect. But since making this video I think I have finally figured out what works for me! So here are my step by step tips.
(Disclaimer: Just because a product doesn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. I feel like learning about our natural hair takes trial and error – so take my reviews on products like a grain of salt)
1. Shampoo
Use a shampoo that works best for you! I started using Amika’s Hydro Rush Shampoo and I really like it! (Now for the conditioner? I talk about this in the video – but let’s just say I am not a fan unfortunately). Yar Sudani’s video does such an amazing job at teaching how to lather shampoo well unto our hair. Basically it involves putting our hair between our hands and smoothing our hair between our hands. She also recommended using a massage scalp and I 100% agree! It’s so amazing, I use the Pacifica Clarifying Scalp Massager.
2. Conditioner
After I realized Amika’s Hydro Rush Conditioner didn’t work well for me, I went back to using Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Detangling Conditioner. (Disclaimer – I recently found out that this is amazing for detangling our hair but over time, it might prevent your hair from holding in moisture well. So in the future I will try out and give my review of other products that might be more beneficial in the long term)
I apply Aussie conditioner to my hair, then finger detangle my hair and using a detangling brush starting from the ends of my hair. To ensure that my hair is as wet as possible, I use a water spray bottle to continually wet my hair during the process.
Another thing you can do for the detangling process is making flaxseed gel. In my youtube video I explain how I do this but in a future blog, I will give more detailed steps about that process. This gel is not necessary to do a wash & go for type 4 afro with alopecia routine BUT I do feel like it has helped my hair detangle more. I usually apply this throughout my hair as I am applying the conditioner.
3. Style With Gel
After washing the conditioner and flaxseed off my hair, I use the detangling brush in one section of my hair, apply X-treme gel to one section and finger detangle my hair. Then I continue this process throughout my hair. Once again to really have this wash & go for type 4 afro with alopecia routine pop off, it’s important to keep water nearby. You want your hair to be soakkkedd during this process! I know it sounds like a lot but time actually goes by really fast as you’re doing it. Especially if you put on a show as you do it. I want to give a lot of credit to Isimeme Edeko for her phenomenal video that goes over this process well.
4. Drying
My hair stylist taught me the imprtance of drying your hair under a hooded drier. This might be the most important step if you are doing a wash & go for type 4 afro with alopecia routine. Because this step locks in that moisture and the curls. I’ve used a diffuser but to be honest it doesn’t dry my hair fast enough for me. Plus my hand gets tired holding my dryer for so long. Ideally you want a hooded dryer but I’ve also used the Bonnet Dry Attachment that you can attach to your dryer. This is good and great for travel but it’s hot! So I am currently trying out a hooded dryer but will report back on whether or not I like it in the future.
I hope this helps you as you start your type 4 natural hair journey! I know I said in Hair As Art Ep 11 that I was going to do only creative braids when I wasn’t rocking out my natural hair. But now I am changing that challenge to only creative hairstyles – including my natural hair. So stay tuned for more 👀
