Versatile Hair Styling Tips for Active Naturals on the Go

by Vecoya Banks, Contributor

There are so many challenges with maintaining natural hair at home without salon help. Of course, wash day can be a chore during normal times, but maintaining healthy haircare has especially been a challenge during this ongoing pandemic. With no definitive end in sight, the prospect of long stretches away from our stylists has left many of us to fend for ourselves.

There are times that I have gone days without touching my hair and, when it’s not in a protective style, this is a big no-no! Through trial and error, though, I’ve found a few things that have worked well to keep my hair protected and still fit into my busy schedule.

Versatile Hair Styling for Maximum Results

I get the best results from styles that can be “re-styled” in multiple ways. My favorite easy ‘dos icurrently in rotation are wash-and-gos, twists or a bun style.

Of these three, leaving it in twists is the easiest. If the twists are small enough, they can then be styled in several more ways--half up/half down, a twisted bun, a twited up-do, etc., so that I can switch it up throughout the week and still look fresh. Then, when I take them out, it makes for a BOMB twist out. The key is to make sure to keep the twists moisturized the entire time before taking them down.

Keeping Natural Hair Fresh

Another important factor for natural styles that last is how you keep them fresh between washes. This is especially important for those of us that are active and working on our fitness. Keeping your hair fresh and cute through a workout is a constant struggle, so having a stay-fresh routine is crucial.

After a long run or workout, my favorite way to refresh my curls is with Alikay Wake Me Up Curl Refresher. This product gets my curls to bounce right back after the sweat from running takes over and threatens to ruin my hair. The ingredients list shows that it is filled with fortifying ingredients like aloe vera juice and almond oil. My hair feels amazingly fresh after every use. Plus, it’s not too heavy and doesn’t weigh down my hair, so my style is preserved until the next use.

When it comes to hair maintenance through workouts, nothing beats protective styles. When my salon re-opens, I’ll be getting box braids, which are perfect for running because they are so low maintenance. I only need to oil my scalp and use products like Girl + Hair Refresh Plus after sweat sessions and I’m good to go. I like the Girl + Hair line because it’s specifically designed to maintain natural hair underneath hair extensions using fortifying ingredients. Because box braids protect your natural curls, you don’t have to worry about your hair getting tangled and matted, which can often happen when natural hair moves around during vigorous workouts and repetitive movement.

As a bonus, both Alikay Naturals and Girl + Hair are created by black women entrepreneurs! On top of their amazing products, that’s another reason I love to support them.

What are your favorite versatile styles to keep your natural hair looking fly on the go? What products have you found most helpful in your natural journey as an active Black woman? Be sure to share your faves in the comments below!

Vecoya Banks is the founder and host of Love the Hair You Wear, a uniquely curated conference for natural beauty enthusiasts to directly connect with natural hair brands that support the multicultural community. This year’s conference event is taking place virtually on July 12. Learn more and register at LTHYW.com.

Note: Items in this post are based on the author’s own recommendations. Some links in this post are affiliate links and RUNGRL may receive compensation for your engagement with them. See full terms of use for details.