The Best Natural Hair Tips for Sweaty Workouts
Photos: Bri Williams for RUNGRL
by Nicole Lockhart, Contributor
#MyRunningHair
Even as the seasons change and bring cooler weather, our best workouts still leave us hot and sweaty every time. Many are ramping up their training for fall race training, adding to their workout schedules and committing (or re-committing) to fitness goals. While the cooler temperatures definitely offer a welcome environment for running, the one thing that matters in all seasons is the health of our hair.
To the uninformed, hair might seem like a trivial concern in relation to health and wellness. However, we know that there is much more to these concerns that make them valid. In 2017, the Perception Institute’s Good Hair Study found that “one in three Black women report their hair as the reason they haven’t exercised, compared to one in ten white women.”
Much of the anxiety related to hair maintenance, the study found, can be linked to “a greater financial and social burden for Black women,...which may affect choices about various activities.” In other words, it’s not only time consuming to maintain healthy hair for Black women, there is societal pressure and consequences attached to the practice of maintaining a certain look.
So how, then, can we make regular workouts a priority and keep maintaining our hair as Black women? Whether you jump out of bed in the morning, find an hour mid-day, or save it all for the evening wind-down; we’ve got expert advice on how to keep your crown protected while fitting it into an active lifestyle.
Sweat It Out
Sweat is the enemy of the blow out. The slightest bit of humidity can undo hundreds of dollars spent at the salon. Sweating is the natural bodily function for temperature control. In other words, it’s normal to sweat. But the saltiness of sweat is what makes it dehydrating for your strands and scalp. The best thing to do for your hair and skin after a particularly sweaty workout is to rinse it. This will prevent build up that may cause irritation or dehydration.
Photos: Bri Williams for RUNGRL
Holistic guru and curly-girl-athlete Shani Hillian shared her go-to post-workout style tips with PopSugar, citing a cool water rinse as her secret weapon. “By sealing strands with cool water, you're preventing dirt from entering and accumulating...More moisture means less frizz.”
Adding a cool water rinse can work on it’s own, or it can be used to help seal the hair after a quick co-wash (conditioner-only wash session).
However, we know there’s really no such thing as a “quick” wash for most Black women, even if it’s a wash-and-go situation. Leave-in refresh products such as Sunday II Sunday ROOT REFRESH Micellar Rinse spray are another option to help refresh the scalp and take care of that salt residue between washes.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
If you’ve got a little time after your post-run rinse, double up on the hydration by replenishing moisture. Try deep conditioning by placing the leave-in conditioned hair in a shower cap. I like to do this after a weekend run when I have an hour or more around the house. Always be sure to show edges some extra love with an edge serum or your favorite oil, such as jojoba oil.
If you’re experiencing a lot of build up or noticing any unusual odors, try giving your hair an apple cider vinegar rinse. ACV has been known to reduce odors and also restore pH balance in the body. If currently rocking a protective style like cornrows or box braids, ACV can be used in place of a traditional shampoo to gently cleanse the scalp without stripping it of moisture or ruining the protective style.
Water Quality
Lots of workouts mean lots of showers, so the time you spend under the water matters.
You’ve probably heard someone complain about water being “hard”. Hard water refers to water that contains dissolving compounds of calcium and magnesium, and even sometimes metallic elements, according to the Water Quality Association. Those minerals make the hair “harder” for moisture to penetrate and often make hair more dull as a result. Try switching your shower head for a filtering version or get the water in your home tested.
Already damaged?
You don’t have to feel embarrassed. All hair can become weakened overtime. If your hair has been exposed to heat, been color treated, laid on a non-silk pillowcase, rubbed on clothing fabrics - the chances are there is some damage there. Celebrity hairstylist Nikki Nelms reminds us to “be mindful of tension levels when styling and braiding. Being too snatched is damaging to your follicles.” While you don’t want your hair too loose while working out, you don’t want to put stress on your tresses either!
In addition to using minimal heat tools, Nelms also recommends regular trims. “Split ends aren’t cute and will keep on splitting,” she says “keep your ends trimmed.”
Protect the Crown
The thing we love about protective styles is their durability. Protective styles have endurance, making them an ideal low-maintenance look that will keep you stylish with proper care. My go-to style usually involves a braided ponytail and baseball cap. Here’s another protective style that really goes the extra mile:
This up-do with an elastic headband works because it keeps your edges locked-in place. Your coif has a chance to breathe without damaging the ends. Remember to go easy on the tension if possible.
Photo: Bri Williams for RUNGRL
Another alternative is to choose headwear that will support (not harm) your hair as you sweat. On your next run, try swapping out your baseball cap for a visor to allow heat to escape the top of your head. This will allow the roots to get the air circulation they need and discourage trapping the humidity on top of your head. A visor can also be easily worn with protective styles like box braids, making it simple for you to keep the sun and sweat out of your eyes during outdoor runs.
Post-workout Styling
RUNGRL’s 2018 #MyRunningHair Survey found that 66 percent of the active Black women surveyed appreciated easy-to-maintain hairstyles and prefer to spend 15 minutes or less on their hair each day. It’s important to remember, then, that doing your hair post-exercise doesn’t have to be its own workout.
Sometimes it’s best to keep your styling simple, like a wash-and-go or a bun. Instead of reaching for your hot tools every time, style your hair naturally whenever possible. If you did manage a run with straightened hair, give those roots time to fully dry and use a heat protectant before touching up your roots with a flat-iron or blow dryer. Use low heat settings to prevent damage.
On the other hand, a protective style like box braids is all about ease, but that doesn’t mean they don’t require care as well. Monitor your tresses for odors. A smell may signal that it’s time to rinse or refresh your style as mentioned above. Check in on the health of braids and similar styles regularly to make sure scalp and edges get some love, and there isn’t any strain or breakage on a particular area.
Making your haircare a part of your fitness routine can be almost as rewarding as the run itself. We hope these tips will help make your hair the least of your worries when working out. Now you can enjoy your run knowing your hair will be protected, moisturized and breakage free.
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Read more about maintaining healthy hair while pursuing an active lifestyle through our #MyRunningHair initiative.
Have hair topics you’d love to read more about? Let us know! Shoot us a DM on our Instagram page or email us at rungrl@rungrl.co.
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Hello, World!
Nicole Lockhart
Contributor
Nicole Lockhart is a writer and runner living in NYC. She’s run races in support of such organizations as the Black Lives Matter, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, and CaringKing: Athlete's to End Alzheimer's. She is the writer and producer of "All My Black Sons," which debuted at the Harlem International Film Festival in 2016. Her current project, "The Interior Creatures," is a poetry collection written while in quarantine on a 100-year old Corona typewriter.