6 Tips To Help Keep Your Weave Fresh After Workouts

It may not seem like it, but maintaining great looking hair while working out regularly is a huge hassle. For a long time now, women have been trying to find a way to be healthy and fit without compromising stylish and expensive hairstyles.

Although natural and relaxed women alike have found a few ways to keep their hairstyles fresh during a workout, those who wear weaves and extensions* may still struggle with keeping their hair looking-and smelling-like a million bucks.

From sweat buildup on your scalp to frizzy and unkempt-looking edges, wearing a weave while getting fit can prove to be high maintenance and even disastrous!

Do not worry, all of these things are completely avoidable and can easily be prevented and fixed!

Below are 6 ways you can keep your weave looking, feeling, and smelling fresh after your workouts

Blow Dry on Cool

More likely than not, when you get home from an intense workout your head is dripping in sweat. This means that your extensions*, tracks, and braids must be drenched as well.

If you feel that the hair underneath your sew-in is damp or wet, you need to dry the area immediately. If you allow your hair and scalp to stay moist and sweaty, it can cause buildup, a foul odor, or something even worse-mildew.

To begin the drying process, grab your blow dryer* and check if it has a “low heat” or “cool” setting. By drying your hair on “low heat” or “cool”, you are avoiding the use of unnecessary heat as well as protecting your real hair and scalp from heat damage.

After you’ve turned your blow dryer* settings to “cool”, section off your hair track by track and begin blow drying until your hair is completely dry.

Wear A Headband or Scarf

Next to tight ponytails and microbraids, sweat might be your edges’ worst enemy. No matter what product you use to lay your edges down, sweat will leave your hair frizzy and dry if you do not take the proper precautions.

Before you begin your workout, tie your hair back into a ponytail or bun, and slide a wide headband* or scarf over your edges. Make sure the band or scarf is secure enough to stay on during physical activity, but loose enough to not cause friction on your hair.

Go for a material like satin or silk opposed to cotton when picking fabric to cover your edges because cotton scarves tend to dry out hair and cause hair breakage at the nape.

A headband* will not only protect your edges and/or leave out from becoming saturated with sweat, but it also helps to lay down your edges while you’re working out.

Try Dry Shampoo

In ethnic haircare, dry shampoo is most often used to help you manage your hair between washes as well as to take unwanted shine out of weave and wigs*. It is not a product that is needed daily, but it is great for a quick fix.

Dry shampoo works best on barely damp hair that can easily be air dried. So if you are someone who fits short workouts into your busy schedule and cannot always get in a thorough hair wash, dry shampoo may be just what you need.

From a little closer than arm’s length away, spray the dry shampoo into your hair and comb it through. Be very careful about not getting any on your scalp because this can cause a thick white buildup on your braids-and you do not want that.

Wash Your Hair Underneath

Washing your hair while it is braided up under your weave may seem a little bit sketchy at first, but it can actually be beneficial to hair health in the long run-especially if it is being adversely affected by your workouts.

If your hair is sweaty, stinky, and/or has too much build up, do not be afraid to cleanse your scalp and braids with a water based solution.

Mix two parts water and one part shampoo into an applicator bottle* with a narrow tip. Apply the mixture to your scalp, gently wash around your braids, and thoroughly rinse your hair in the shower.

To avoid moisture related problems, blow dry your scalp and braids until they are completely dry.

Don’t Forget to Moisturize and Seal

There is a great amount of salt in your sweat and if you do not properly rinse the sweat from your hair, it will create a layer of salt on your scalp that will dry out your hair and eventually lead to breakage.

On top of that, water will not keep your hair moisturized for a long period of time so you must continue to moisturize and seal your hair under your sew-in.

There is a big misconception that when you are using weave as a protective style, you do not have to care for your real hair until the sew-in is uninstalled. This notion is false.

You must continue to moisturize and seal no matter what; so, grab your handy dandy applicator bottle* and add “scalp nourishment” into your post-workout hair regimen

Opt for No-Heat Hairstyles

When working out, no-heat hairstyles are often easier to maintain opposed to those that require flat and curling irons* for styling.

For an example, if you are wearing a Wet N Wavy hair weave, then you may not be so worried about getting your weave or leave out wet because your desired styled requires moisture.

Using flexi rods*, perm rods*, textured hair, and curl enhancing products may be the best option for you on days that you hit the gym.

If you absolutely must wear your straight hair, it would be best to wrap it around your head and put on a secure stocking cap before you start your workout. If you are worried you might look just a little crazy stepping outside in a stocking cap, place a hat or scarf over it to conceal it.

Weave Fresheners and Sprays

Like dry shampoo, weave fresheners and sprays are for the times where you had absolutely no time to give your hair a good thorough wash. The sprays do not only eliminate any odor that may be coming from your head but they are also anti-bacterial.

Yes, such an amazing product exists; No, this does not mean you can skip a bunch of post-gym hair washes. Products like these are in no way, shape, or form a substitute for shampoo and water. Instead, they allow you to hold off on washing your hair for one more day.

Weave fresheners and sprays are not always easy to find but great versions like Organic Root Weave RX Hair Freshener and Salon Pro 3 Seconds Anti-Bacterial Weave Spray can be found at select Sally’s Beauty Supply stores and Amazon.