Working Out with Curly Hair: Experts Share Their Best Natural Hair Tips
For many Black women, myself included, the time and cost associated with hair care is enough to keep us away from the gym. When I joined my university’s track team, my training became more intense and frequent. I struggled to maintain my curls while working out and would leave the gym a sweaty, frizzy mess. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out what works best for me. That’s why I was curious to see what curly hair tips I could learn from an Olympic athlete, a curly hair specialist, a fitness influencer, and a dermatologist – because you shouldn’t have to choose between being fit and being fly.
Natasha Hastings
Olympic Athlete
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Natasha Hastings is no stranger to working out. In fact, her life revolves around it (she’s currently training for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics). As a new mom and elite athlete, she is an expert at low-maintenance styling hacks. Her first tip is a simple one: “Embrace your curls. Embrace that your hair is who it is and allow it to shine.”
When she trains she likes to wear her hair in braids or twists because they are low maintenance and not distracting. On weekends, she will take them out for a bit more style. She says, “finding what works for you will take some trial and error but be patient.”
NATASHA’S PRODUCT Pick: Fiber Keratin Smooth Hair Masque ($16)
Lorri Jennings
Curly Hair Specialist
Lorri Jennings is a Toronto-based curly hair specialist with over 20 years of experience in the industry. She’s worked across the US and Canada blessing every curl and kink she touches. (Fun fact: She was a lead hair stylist on the Netflix show Self Made!)
“No matter how you choose to wear your hair [natural, perm, or weave] you want to keep it away from your skin and anywhere that will get super sweaty,” she says. For naturally curly or kinky-textured girls, a wash and go tends to be the best option because it allows you to reactivate your curls or layer product if needed. Braids and twists are good for naturals who prefer to have their hair tucked away into a protective style that can be easily retouched post workout if needed.
If you’re working with a perm, sew-in, or silk press, she recommends putting your hair in a ponytail, and loosely wrapping the ends in a bun to reduce the chances of them getting wet. “Your main goal should be to reduce the chances of the hair reverting, especially at the roots,” she says.
Post workout Lorri recommends a dry shampoo for wavy hair that gets limp and sweaty. For those of us with curly and kinky textures, embrace the moisture and choose products that rehydrate the curls. She recommends products with aloe, agave nectar, and glycerin as they retain the hair’s moisture.
If you feel the need to wash your hair after every sweaty session, you may want to consider co-washing or using a leave-in spray. “Depending where you are in your wash cycle, the best option for you may be to rehydrate your curls with a leave-in or water. If it’s mid week and you’ve had a very sweaty session or don’t have time to do a full wash, a co-wash can definitely make you feel refreshed,” she says. Make no mistake though, “co-washes are great for a quick easy rinse if needed, but should never replace a good shampoo session.”
LORRI’S FAVORITE PRODUCT: Redken frizz dismiss Instant deflate oil-in-serum ($19)
Deonna Jeffries
Fitness Influencer
If anyone knows how to look good while working out it’s Deonna Jeffries. She’s a Miami-based online health and fitness coach and influencer and always looks on point in her workout videos.
Her favorite hairstyles to wear when working out are braids or knot less plaits because they are low maintenance and allow her scalp to breathe while still giving a polished look. She also loves a loose ponytail or bun. “It’s important to keep your scalp as open as possible while working out not just to protect the style but also so sweat can dry and doesn’t get trapped,” she says.
DEONNA’S PRODUCT Pick: Savvy Swapz Moisture Wicking Sweatband ($10)
Elyse Love, MD
Dermatologist & Avid Runner
Dr. Elyse Love is one of our favorite dermatologists, and she also happens to be a fitness enthusiast and avid runner. Her go-to workout hairstyle is a low bun or ponytail and a hat to protect her strands from the sun. After each run, she cleanses her hair with a clarifying shampoo then follows with a deep conditioner, “there's this myth in the natural hair community that kinky hair can not be washed often, but it's not true. It’s important to be able to wash the scalp properly when doing high sweat activities. Otherwise, the sweat will build up on the scalp and cause itching, flaking, and possibly inflammation.”
DR. LOVE’S PRODUCT Pick: Ouidad Curl immersion Hi defining custard ($28)
As I mentioned above, it’s taken me a lot of trial and error to figure out what works best for my hair. Here’s what I do: Before I workout, I spray my hair with a leave-in conditioner from Love Ur Curls ($18) and put my hair in two loose Dutch braids (secure enough to keep my hair out of the way, but not enough to crush my curls). Post workout, I spray my hair with Bumble and Bumble Dry Shampoo Mist ($30) and blow dry my hair on the cold setting to cool my head down and dry up sweat.
You can watch my routine in this video:
How to you maintain your curly hair while you workout? Share your tips in the comments below.
