A lot of ladies start out by trying to do too many things to their hair at once. They buy a ton of products, constantly tweak their regimens, experiment with new styles each week.... only to end up frustrated and exhausted.

I think a better plan is to commit one project at a time. This will help you stay focused and will provide you with a sense of accomplishment when you hit a milestone. Allow yourself 1-3 months per project and you may find this method fun, exciting and a lot more rewarding.

Here are a few projects I focused on in my journey to healthier hair (in order):

Finding your Staples

Products don't make the hair but there are definitely some products that will work better on your hair than others. Some will make it feel soft, moisturized and healthy while others make it feel dry, dehydrated and coarse.

Try to find a shampoo, conditioner, protein treatment, oil and moisturizer that you like. Since these are the items you will use on a regular basis, it might be best to really focus on finding the best products in each category. Then, move on to the "important, but not used regularly" products like clarifying shampoos, setting lotions, etc.

Whenever a product works, keep it! When a product doesn't work, chuck it immediately. In the past, I have been guilty of trying to force a product to work because of its brand name, amount (14 oz is a LOT of conditioner) or cost. But, if its damaging to your hair or your progress, its really not worth it. If it only works sometimes, chuck it. If it only works in conjuction with other products, chuck it. A good product will stand on its own. The results will be predictable and consistent.

That said, I know its tough to chuck a $35 conditioner! If you have left over products and want to recoup some of your investment, click on the Internal Forum - Marketplace and list your items for sale. Even getting a couple of dollars back can make you feel a lot better :)

Finding Your Go-To Style

The second project is finding your go-to style. This is a style that is easy to create, is healthy for the hair and looks good. This way, if you don't have time to complete your normal regimen, you still have a quick style that can looks presentable.

Check out our Air-drying challenge tutorials for quick styles that take little time and enegry. Even though its winter, the hair can be styled in braids, buns, knots and dried under a hood dryer. These styles are quick, easy to create and look polished. Find one that you can create in under 30 minutes and looks good!

For me, this is the Pocahontas Braid or BantuBun Style - I can wash my hair at the gym, slick back in a bun (weekdays) or make two braids and cover with hat (weekends). When I get home, I can then sit under a dryer or air-dry overnight. This prevents me from putting too much pressure on myself to rollerset each week and prevents me from relying on intense heat to style my hair when my schedule gets a little hectic.

Finding Your Hair Remedies

When things go wrong, this quick-fix will save the day. It could be learning:

• How to do a quick bantu-knot set on roller set hair to take out some of the fullness or "helmut" look

• How to quickly bun the hair to protect it from an unexpected rainstorm

• How to quickly french braid the hair on a humid day for sexy waves when you get back inside.

The main idea is always to have a plan when something unexpected happens. This will prevent you from relying on flat-irons and curling irons to save the day!

Finding your "Show Stopper" Hair Style

This style make take time and effort but it creates "show stopper" hair. Even if you bun or style your hair in updos on a frequent basis, this style will help you show off your progress and hard work.

This is the one style you know will get you noticed! It could be super sleek hair, sexy waves or a sophisticated updo.

For me, this is a basic roller set but I pincurl the curls and flat iron the roots for sexy Victoria Secret hair. Or, a flexi rod set as a way to completely change my look for an event or special occasion.

The idea here is to have a style that celebrates your progress and allows you to dress up without relying on a stylist or a salon (making it perfect for last minute affairs and/or out of town events).

Finding your Healthiest Hair Regimen

If anything goes wrong, a couple months of this regimen will bring your hair back to life! This regimen may be more intensive, including pre-poos, deep protein treatment or protective styling, but it is garunteed to get your hair back to life.

When my hair started thinning and drying out from excessive Dominican blow outs, this regimen helped me:

• Pre-poo with ORS Mayo

• Shampoo with Keracare Hydrating Shampoo

• Deep conditioner 30 minutes under heat

• Roller set and wrap

• Moisturize nightly with Keracare Conditioning Creme Headdress and wrap.

• Wear up in twists or butterfly clips

Within 3 months, my hair was full, thick and moisturized from the low heat/high moisture regimen.

I truly believe that focusing on one project at a time can really help you reach your goals! So, I hope this article was helpful!

Have you already completed any of these projects? Do you have your own projects you are working on? If so, do share!

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