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Sorry, I cant hang out this weekend.
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I have to wash my hair.
Many of us barely made it out of that era with the will to stay natural.
The lazy natural wants to live a soft life that includes not spending hours on their hair routine.
As far as were concerned, the word lazy in this context is value-neutral.
Stylists agree that it ultimately comes down to a desire for ease.
But your best hair is often code for defined curlsand not all textured hair is naturally defined.
(throw in 4 haircertainly isnt.)
Fellow 4Cers can try a chunky twist or braid out instead of a wash-n-go.
One of Smallwoods go-to techniques is putting hair into sections while you apply deep conditioner.
Coat one section in the conditioner, detangle, and then twist it.
This way, when youre ready to start styling, your hair is alreadydetangledand sectioned out.
I recently tried thePattern Hand Held Steamerand it shortened my washday by about 30 minutes.
This allowed the mask to penetrate while I used the prong attachment of the steamer to detangle.
It took about 10 minutes total.
I love theDyson Supersonic Hair Dryerwith theWide Tooth Comb Attachmentand theKristin Ess Blow Dry Hair Brush.
Both allow me to dry and stretch my hair in less than 30 minutes.
If youre feeling particularly lazy (I have those days), try theRevAir Reverse Air Hairdryer.
However, many stylists we spoke to, including Atlanta-based hairstylistNicole Taft, are rejecting the lengthy process.
A moisturizing gel that doubles as a styler and a leave-in conditioner is a great start.
The best part: Neither leaves any residue on your curls.
Styles like braids and twists minimize daily manipulation and simplify styling, says Los Angeles-based hairstylistCoree Moreno.
After about six weeks, experts recommend taking down the style toproperly cleanse and moisturize your hair and scalp.
The biggest one is leaving your conditioner ormaskin for hours, says hairstylist and Aveda global artistic directorRenee Gader.
Dont leave them in for too long, she says, and you definitely shouldnt leave them in overnight.
An hour is the longest I ever recommend, says Dr. Asempa.
This will not only allow the product to work effectively but itll also make your washday shorter.
Dont use a conditioneranda mask in one washday
According to Smallwood, doing so is redundant.
If your time allows for a deep conditioning treatment, thats all you need, she says.
There hasnt been a framework on how to care and live in ones natural hair, Dove says.
It requires a lot of independent navigation.
According to Smallwood, you should reach for it only when you need it.
Many naturals use pre-poo treatments before shampooing to help retain moisture.
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