When products are being applied daily to the natural hair there is a high risk of product build-up on the scalp and natural hair shaft. The products that we use to moisturize, condition and style create these build-ups which later leave our hair looking dull, feeling weighed down and make it even harder to style.
This also prevents products from penetrating the hair cuticles and cause dryness which leads to hair breakage from product build-up.
What are the signs of product build-up?
The first noticeable signs of product build-up are:
- hair strands become heavier
- the hair is weighed down or too oily
- build-up can be seen on the scalp, hair, in your comb and or fingernails
- scalp is not cleaned properly
- over using heavy silicone products
- not rinsing the hair thoroughly on wash days after shampoo and/or condition
What causes product build-ups?
Product build-up occurs when products are being layered on top of product each day on the hair or scalp. Gels, DIY and store bought products are not an exception to this. When used on a regular basis there is a high chance of flakes left on the hair.
How to prevent product build-up?
- Use minimal product
- wash hair weekly
- less is more (remember this technique while coating product on hair)
How to get rid of product build-up?
Consider doing a pre-poo by combining ginger, onions and aloe vera
- Gather ingredients: ginger, onions and aloe vera
- Peel off excess skin from the ginger and strip the onion
- Chop the onion into pieces
- Extract the gel from the aloe vera plant
- Combine all (ginger, aloe vera and onion) and place into a blender; blend until it forms a smooth paste
- Extract the juice from the paste by using a small strainer or a cheesecloth
- Pour the extracted juice into a spray bottle for better usage
For best result divide hair into sections, spray the extracted juice from roots to ends. Cover hair with a plastic cap and a deep conditioning heat cap for up to 1 hour. Rinse thoroughly after use with a sulfate free conditioner. Style hair as usual.
Note: For effectiveness, repeat this DIY treatment once a week to rid the hair and scalp from product build-up. If you have a busy schedule consider doing it according to your hair wash day routine.
