I can’t keep my hands out of it. Some people doodle. Some people tap their feet incessantly. I play with my hair. I can’t stop. I’m aware it can make people think of you as less intelligent, if you’re constantly playing with your hair. I’m also aware that touching and tugging at my hair constantly might be affecting my hair’s growth, and ripping out single strand knots isn’t the best way to deal with the issue. Knowing isn’t doing. I’m a work in progress in this arena.
My mom looks amazing, and has luminous skin and healthy hair that she chooses to relax. She is happy to tell anyone who asks, “honey, I’m 74.” She can be sassy and secure about it because she takes fastidious care of her hair and skin, and consumes up to a gallon of water a day. I’ve seen the benefits of water drinking close up and I’ve read a ton of medical studies about why it’s so important. I’ve got a water drinking reminder app on my phone and it’s helping me stay hydrated, but it remains a struggle.
I don’t do enough deep conditioner/hot oil treatments. When asked, I’ll tell folks that I deep condition every 7 to 10 days. Truth is, I do it when I notice I truly need it. I’ll let my hair get good and parched before giving it what it needs, instead of sticking to a regular schedule. What I need to do, is schedule wash day into my Google calendar and get my mind right.
I need to take better care of my scalp. I recently blogged about this topic right here on Essence.com—scalp care hasn’t traditionally been my forte. My main goal these days is to regularly massage my scalp with castor oil, and other than that to just stop picking at it. Just let it be, and keep it healthy and well tended to.
Those are my main hair issues—don’t be shy. Tell me yours!
Afrobella was the natural hair blogger at AOL’s Black Voices and a writer for Vogue Italia’s Vogue Black website. She has also presented keynotes at several major media expos and seminars.
