I don’t like the term wash day. I hate the idea of spending the whole day doing my hair. That’s why I’ve worked to get my wash routine down to one and a half to two hours. It took a lot of work and fine-tuning to find the right combination of products and methods. But, it was worth it to make a whole day event a two hour one.

1. Pre-poo

I only do this once every three washes. It seems like the right balance for my hair. For my pre-poo, I like to make a simple mask that detoxes my scalp and moisturizes my hair. First, I make a mixture of bentonite clay, apple cider vinegar, and water to create the mask. The ratio is one part clay to one part ACV to two/three parts water. Adjust the amount of water to your hair and scalp’s sensitivity. Apply the mixture to wet hair and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t let the mask dry. Once it’s time to remove just rinse it out.

2. Wash

I usually hop in the shower to wash my hair. I get water everywhere, so the shower is the most comfortable place for me to do my wash routine. Once I’ve rinsed out my pre-poo mask, I divide my hair into four sections. I like to only use shampoo every other wash. If it’s a shampoo wash, I use the Giovanni Deep Moisture Shampoo. While keeping my hair sectioned off, I go in with my Giovanni Deep Moisture Conditioner. I got both of the large bottles pictured in this post from Marshall’s for only $12.99 each. I finger detangle each section of my hair slowly using the conditioner to help protect my hair. When I’m done detangling, I rinse all the product out and wrap my hair in an old cut up T-shirt.

3. Styling

I rarely style my hair when it’s wet. I like to stretch it and let it dry first. To stretch my hair, I use one of two methods: flat twists or a heatless blowout. No matter which method I’m using I apply the same couple of products after washing. First, I spray my hair with a rosewater and castor oil mixture. After that, I apply a bit of aloe then comb through my hair with a wide tooth comb. I do my stretching method and I’m all done!