5 Tips to Care For Your Weave

by Christina J. Pollard

While your own hair is well-cared for, your weave is beginning to look worn down and just plain greasy. It has only been two weeks! Sound familiar? This post will share 5 Tips to Care For Your Weave. You will not only learn a good regimen to care for your install but also how to keep away from an oily weave:

5 Tips to Care For Your Weave

How To Cleanse Your Weave

Sulfate-Free Shampoo. Using a sulfate-free shampoo for your weave is best because it is gentle and will clean your weave properly without causing dryness. You should treat your weave with respect as you would your own hair. Try using your favorite sulfate-free shampoo that you would use for your own hair to cleanse your weave. 

Note: Co-washing is not ideal because it will not alleviate all product build-up and Apple Cider Vinegar will leave your weave very clean yet dry.

Work in Sections. (after you have cleansed your hair underneath) Section your weave in 4-6 workable sections. Run warm water DOWN the weave, then run your hands DOWN your weave to loosen up any product build-up. You should notice the water running dark from the color of your weave and the product build-up.

Add a generous amount of sulfate-free shampoo to one section of the weave and run it DOWN the weave. Make sure to be very gentle. Once you are done, clip the section of weave up and out-of-the-way but DO NOT RINSE YET. Allowing the shampoo to sit for a few minutes will allow it to penetrate your weave and fully cleanse it of any product build-up. Continue with the remaining sections of your weave. Once done with all sections, rinse your weave with cool water, especially on your scalp, to close the hair cuticles. Another benefit of rinsing with cool water is it leaves the weave shiny and less tangled.

T-Shirt Dry. Use a clean t-shirt to remove the excess water from your hair and your weave. Using a blow dryer will accelerate the drying process and help your hair to dry quickly. 

When blow drying your hair, you should focus on your braiding foundation first to make sure that it is dry before focusing on drying your weave for many hygienic reasons:

1) If your foundation is not dry all the way and you dry the weave first, the products used on the braid foundation will seep on the weave leaving you with an oily weave, especially with a straight or wavy weave.

2) If your braiding foundation is not dry, mold and mildew will result in not drying your hair completely. Ever seen someone getting their weave taken out and their braiding foundation has mold and looks like it hasn’t been washed? Total opposite! When it looks that way, that means the wearer didn’t dry the braiding foundation fully and mold started to grow.

3) Drying the braiding foundation first will allow the sewing thread to remain in tact. If it’s not dry, the sewing thread will move more than it should and the weave will become loose and not last long.

Tips To Keep Away From An Oily Weave

Add Products to Your Hair First. When you wash your hair, add your products to your braiding foundation before washing your weave. Having a clean braid foundation makes it so that you that you do not have to be too cautious when oiling your scalp.

Dry Your Hair First. Make sure your weave and your hair underneath are FULLY dry before styling. For example, when you wrap your hair at night and your braiding foundation is still wet but your weave is dry, the products on your natural hair will seep to the weave and hence, oily weave.

Don’t waste the money you spent on your weave by taking it out after two weeks. Just because it is oily doesn’t mean it’s time to take it out. Just follow the steps shared within this post to rid yourself of an oily weave and to look flawless for the duration of your style.

5 Tips to Care For Your Weave Pinnable Image!

Be sure to Follow RT on Pinterst!

_______________________________________________________

Author Bio: Christina J Pollard is a healthy hair advocate and has been natural since October 2012. Based on her hair diary (since July 2011), Christina J decided to start her blog, Desire My Natural, to continue documenting her hair journey along with helpful tips and suggestions for women with one goal in mind: healthy hair. Christina J has been featured on Essence.com, CurlyNikki, and many other natural hair community online publications to convey her love for natural hair. As her love grows, she continues to contribute articles for: Black Hair Information, Global Couture, My Hair Crush, and Embrace The Curl Magazine. As she shares, helps, encourages, and supports others in their healthy hair journey, she is continuing her own.

Website: www.desiremynatural.com

IG: natural.desire

Twitter: naturaldesiree