I have always struggled with keeping up with my hair. I have had super curly when I was little. It was so thick and curly it would get tangled pretty easily. I remember my mom trying EVERYTHING and ANYTHING to make my hair more manageable. I also remember the detangling shampoos, the screaming and crying every morning before school. As I got older, I started to experiment with my hair on my own. This experimentation took a huge toll on my hair. My curls started to loosen and my hair started to thin. After having Azlan, postpartum hair fall was no joke.
My hair was amazing when I was about to have Azlan and a couple months after as well. Then at around 4-5 months PP, things started to go down hill. My hair was falling out in chunks. I would cry each time I had to wash my hair. Honestly, I was scared to wash my hair. I feared combing it because of the amount of hair that would fall out. When you are a new mom, your self care kind of takes a back seat. That is what happened here. I was so busy with Azlan. I did not have time to properly take care of myself. Like most things postpartum, that was just a phase and thankfully it is over now. But now I am stuck with the hair growth coming in. The frizziness, flyways, baby hair, dryness, etc.
Now that I am about 20 months postpartum, I will admit that my hair has significantly improved. Still, as I mentioned, the baby hair coming in is INSANE. I wanted to share my hair care journey with you all. I hope it will help others who are struggling to create a routine for themselves. It also help those struggling with hair loss.
Hair oiling
Growing up, I use to hate getting my hair oiled. Mostly because of the smell and also because my hair was curly and detangling would be such a pain. As I have gotten older, I have learned to appreciate it and also enjoy it. It makes a huge difference in your hair health honestly. I have made it a priority to oil my hair at least once a week. I like to apply it the night before and leave it on overnight or at least 1-2 hours before washing my hair (at least). Now, the key is to know what oil works best for your hair type and to combat whatever problem you are having. For me, I use Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil for All Hair Types and Dabur Amla Oil. I rotate between these but they have helped my hair grow significantly! I have noticed that my hair has gotten softer, longer, and thicker.
The rosemary/mint oil I try to focus more on my scalp and really massage it in. The mint really helps to sooth my scalp and helps with any dandruff or redness. I apply it all throughout my hair. Still, I mainly focus it on my scalp. The Amla oil, I just apply all throughout my hair. I usually try to massage the oils into my hair for 10-15 minutes or until my arms give up.
Picking the Correct Shampoo
The products you use in your hair make a hell of a difference as well. I picked up LifeBuoy shampoo on my most recent trip to Canada. This shampoo is from Pakistan and I had used it before and remembered I really liked it. I was right- it made a huge difference for my hair compared to the shampoos I was using here.They have a huge variety of shampoos, all for different hair types and problems.I do want to add that I did pick this up from Iqbals in Canada but I am sure these are available at the local south Asian grocery store in your area!
Besides the lifebuoy shampoo, I wanted to find a shampoo that was well suited for my hair. I tried them all- different brands and prices. Nothing seemed to suit my hair type. Until I found the Aussie curly hair shampoo and conditioner. This is THE shampoo and conditioner to use if you have curly hair. It does not weigh down my hair and gives my curls so much life. Other shampoos would leave my hair super oily after a day and would weigh my curls down. But this duo makes my curls last for days. The best part is that it is super affordable and easily accessible.
Hair Masks
This one really made a difference for my curls. When my hair starts to really fall apart, I notice my curl pattern change. I have really curly hair and it starts to get wavy and frizzy. I started using the Vatika Egg protein hair mask. I use it about once a week instead of conditioner. I have noticed a huge difference in my overall hair health. My curl pattern is more defined now. I have shared this product before but I just wanted to share it again because it is JUST SO GOOD.
These are some of the things that have helped me regain some of my hair back. But I will be honest, there is a lot more that went into getting my hair back. Your diet, stress level, hydration level- they all play a role in your hair health. Here are some low maitence things that I did that have also contributed to my hair health.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink lots of water throughout the day and make sure you are hydrated at all times.
- Use a widetooth comb to detangle your hair post shower- less hair fall and easier to entangle.
- Microfiber towel: I use a microfiber towel to dry my hair after I comb it out. So much healthier than rubbing your hair in your towel which causes breakage.
- Healthy Diet: Eating a well balanced diet do help to contribute to healthier hair. Foods rich in Vitamin B ( leafy greens, salmon, eggs) have shown to help with hair growth and overall health.
- Silk Bonnet: one thing I have recently added to my hair routine is sleeping with a silk bonnet. I find that my curls stay defined even if I don’t wash my hair for 1-2 days. I have noticed less frizz as well. The friction between my hair and pillow used to make my hair oily. It would become frizzy and rough just one day after washing. I have noticed less of this since I started using it.
I hope you found this helpful. I know it is rough both physically and mentally dealing with hair fall. But, there are simple ways that can help us improve it.
Also here is a Link to my most recent Tiktok where I share my entire hair care routine! This one is a little bit fancy with my diffusing my hair but still all the same products used!
Kainaat&CO 