Washday Routine for Type 4 Natural Hair

Today I’m sharing my wash day routine. The steps of my wash day routine rarely change but the products that I use do change from time to time based on what I have in my stash or any new finds. 
Also, I generally wash my hair weekly though sometimes twice a week if I've sweated a lot from training and unless I have a protective style such as braids in (I try to stretch wash day when I am wearing braids). 
I try to follow the six steps below every week. 

Step 1 – Pre-Poo (Pre-Shampoo Treatment)

Wash day starts with a pre-shampoo treatment (pre-poo). This helps protect hair from the stripping effects of shampoos and also helps with detangling. 
For my pre-poo treatment I usually use pure oils such as raw coconut oil in the warmer months. This week I opted for Vita Coco Coconut Oil. I picked up this cute little pot at Holland and Barret. I do need to get a bigger tub as this one is designed for on the go and will only last me about two uses as a pre-poo… I apply the cocconut oil to dry hair in sections and cover my hair with a shower cap or cling-film. 
Sometimes I use an intensive pre-shampoo treatment like the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer
(on damp hair) which has ingredients such as Olive Oil and Castor Oil. 
I leave the pre-poo in for about 10mins (sometimes I leave it in overnight). 

Step 2 – Shampoo

Next, I used the new Palmer’s Coconut Oil Zero Break Cleansing Oil Shampoo which is packed with lots of nourishing oils like Macadamia and Jojoba. The slip of this shampoo is unreal and it smells so tropical too! 

Step 3 – Deep Condition

I then proceed to conditioning (my fave step of wash day). Usually, I use a deep conditioner or hair mask but this time round I used the Palmer’s Coconut Oil Zero Break Strengthening Oil Conditioner which has Sweet Almond Oil and Avocado Oils. This product also has Cermaides which help support your hair’s cuticle and help replenish the ceramides which get depleted due to overstyling and damage. Again this product smells soooo tropical and coconutty and has great slip! 
I wrapped my hair in cling-film and left the conditioner in for about 15 minutes (it does say leave on for 3-5mins on the pack…) but I wanted a little extra conditioning and the ingredients to penetrate my hair for a little longer… I always work in sections and detangled with a widetooth comb. One thing I did as well was use a pair of disposable vinyl gloves for added slip (you’ve got to try this next time on wash day). I then wrap my hair in a t-shirt or microfibre towel as both help limit frizz.  Next, still working in small sections, I proceed to the LCO method to moisturise and seal my hair.

Step 4 – Leave-In (Liquid/Leave-In)

For my Leave-In, I used the Palmer’s Coconut Oil Leave-In Conditioner. This product is also a great sprits by the way… It’s lightweight and has Monoi Oil which nourishes and hydrates your hair as well as Silk Amino Acids which help with detangling. The Manuka version of this leave-in is also Bae by the way…

Step 5 – Cream (C)

I thought I’d keep this a mostly Palmer’s wash day because I’ve used this combo of products many times before and know it won’t leave my hair flaky so proceeded to my hair cream. For this, I used the Hair Milk Smoothie which is a hair lotion but it has quite a creamy consistency and for me is thick enough to use as a cream. I do use a fairly generous amount for each section of my hair. It has Coconut Milk and Shea Butter in the formula too and like the others have really good slip. 

Step 6 – Oil (O)

Lastly, I apply a little oil to my hair and then plait. 
The Oil of choice and one of my top 5 favourite products is Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil which is made with Soyabean Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Peppermint Oil. I love how lightweight this oil is plus you can feel the peppermint oil doing it’s magic. 
I take down the plaits and comb my hair out with a widetooth comb and flush. I left my hair out in a classic afro this time round. 
I would definitely recommend a wash day regimen like this. It might seem a bit long but it helps keep hair soft and healthy. 

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @NaturallyKrista for more on my hair care routine and latest finds! 

Thanks for stopping by! 
Krista x