"Where do I start? What do I do first?" 

These questions run through your mind and it's totally normal as it comes with the territory - to be quite honest. 

My best advise is, do your research!

Yup, good 'ol fashion  r e s e a r c h , sis.

This was and still is the foundation of my hair journey.

I truly believe that taking the time to explore the fundamental categories for a successful journey is key yet commonly overlooked. Today, I'm sharing the top 3 topics to research when you are starting your hair journey.

The Top 3 Topics To Research When Starting Your Hair Journey are:

1. Scalp Health

2. Breakage vs. Shedding

3. Hair Ingredients

Let's get started....

Scalp Health

Scalp Health is major. This is the foundation of where your hair grows. Ensuring it remains healthy should be a priority in your regimen. It's important to find ways to keep your scalp healthy and product-free on a routine basis that works for you. Having a clean yet stimulated scalp is vital for healthy hair growth. Why? Because a dirty scalp can inhibit growth, therefore, it's important to shampoo your scalp on a consistent basis. The only way to know that, is by doing your research. I encourage you to examine your scalp and address its needs, first. Do you have dry, itchy, flaky scalp? Perhaps you need certain essential oils in your regimen, maybe you need to cleanse weekly as opposed to biweekly. Are you looking to promote and stimulate hair growth? Researching the best methods, oils, and techniques for optimal scalp health is vital. 

Breakage vs. Shedding

You would be surprised by the amount of people who don't know the distinct difference between a broken hair verses a shed hair. Why? Lack of research. Breakage is different from shedding and shedding is different from breakage.

Taking the time to understand breakage vs. shedding (the causes and cures) early in your hair journey will better equip you to attain healthier hair and longer lengths. This is huge! Research what breakage is, then go deeper into the types of breakage that can occur (moisture deficiency vs. protein deficiency, mechanical breakage, product build up, split ends etc.) and as a result research the type of remedies that will help minimize that breakage. Same goes for shedding, investigate the possible causes of shedding and use process of elimination to see what could be the cause. Sometimes, the cure can be topical, other times it's an internal issue that requires further digging and/or professional help. Researching will be your go-to!

Hair Ingredients

All to often I hear "My hair is super dry, rough and constantly breaking, what do I do?" 

Usually, one of my first responses/questions would be "What products are you using on your hair?"

Without a doubt, 9 times out of 10 the arsenal of products being used are heavily laden in protein with zero moisture in sight! Protein is important in every hair care regimen, however, too much of it can cause an imbalance making your hair feel rough, dry, and brittle. Without the proper support of moisture, it can cause unnecessary breakage.

This is why researching ingredients is imperative to the overall health of your hair! How can you effectively treat the needs of your hair if you don't know what's in the products you are using? I always say, the best way to start getting familiar with ingredients is to research the top 5-10 ingredients in a few of your favorite hair products. This will allow you to know which ingredients agree with your hair so you can look out for those exact ingredients in future products. Stick to what works - right?

Say you don't have any favorite hair care products at the moment?! Research moisture based and protein based ingredients so you can easily pin point them out when you're on the hunt for new products. This has been a game changer for me! Too, being aware of your ingredients will better prepare you for a wash day hit as opposed to a wash day miss! So instead of picking up products blindly, take the time to explore various ingredients and their characteristics to propel you along your hair journey, in the right direction.

Of course, there's a lot more to learn but I feel as though researching those 3 categories, to start, will help set the tone for a successful hair journey. 

You can't escape the research. There's no shortcuts, sis! 

Do the work, and trust me, it will pay off.

Xoxo