“This is the first time where I play a character that is so quirky and so off-beat and so close to who I am that I don’t get to show,” Good says. “Every single character is someone that I haven’t quite seen represented this way. Even though it is a show that is centered around Black women—and there are a few of them—they’re really, really unique.”

For this edition of Wash Day Diaries, she walks us through her favorite products to keep her natural hair healthy and moisturized.

Shampoo

My hair is currently blonde. I’m using a shampoo and conditioner from a young Black woman who owns her own company, OrganiGrowHairCo. She has the best products. The purple shampoo is so amazing because it keeps my hair super hydrated and protects against breakage.

Deep Conditioner

Dr. Kari, who does my goddess locks, and Jasmine Ashley, who does my blonde looks, both have products from their lines and have deep-conditioning treatments. Jasmine’s is called Bathe Oil, and she puts that in the actual bowl with the bleach that she uses for blonde hair. And then afterward, I use it once in a while as upkeep. During the pandemic I was really trying to grow my hair out to bob length. I used the Bathe Oil, and my hair started going like crazy—it was insane. She makes it at home and does everything in her living room. It’s dope.

Hair Tools

I usually will blow-dry my hair a little bit. Hot Tools has a lot of great products that have worked for me. And then I will use my pressing comb to get my edges and my flatiron, which is from Jasmine Ashley.

Edge Control

The Bed Head stick is really amazing when I want to lay down my sides. I don’t use a lot of products, but it’s nice to use something where you can use a very little bit and it’ll just do the job you want it to do.

Baby Powder

I try not to put too much product in my hair because I like it when it’s natural and not necessarily clean. I love when it collects it with natural oils, but I try not to put too much in it. When it starts to collect oils, I use straight up a little baby powder to pull the oil out of it, and an open bristle brush. A lot of dry shampoos are sprays or they have a wetness to them, but I can’t really do that because my hair is naturally curly.

Hair Wrap

I came up with the idea for Good Girl Wraps after I found a headwrap that was probably 15 years old that I had never used and was like, “Oh, this might be able to little hold my locs.” I was struggling with working out. Every time I put my hair in a bun, it would come down when I did certain workouts and get in my face. At night, I couldn’t sleep comfortably; or, if my hair got in my face, it would break out my forehead or cheeks. So I used this wrap, and it just fit the bill. As I was doing workout videos, people were like, “What, what is this wrap? Where did you get by? Where can I get one?”

That conversation persisted for about a year, and I had no idea where I got it. So I decided to create my own in the same shape, but I created it so that it could acclimate to your body’s temperature. If you’re hot because you’re working out, it will cool your head down. If you’re cold, it’ll warm your head. I wanted it to be satin and silk, and something that would prevent breakage and lock in moisture and all of these things. It really took off during the pandemic because so many nurses had dreads, locs, braids, and even just curly hair that is big. They needed to tie it up in a way that was comfortable and wasn’t going to hurt their head or give them a headache. 

Paulina Jayne Isaac is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. Follow her @paulinajayne15.

So how does Yaya DaCosta maintain it all? For this edition of Wash Day Diaries, she walks us through her favorite products to keep her curls healthy and moisturized.

Pre-poo

I wash my hair on average once a week. If I decide that I’m going to wash it, when I have time, I use a scalp treatment beforehand. I’ll take some oil and put it all on my scalp. It’s usually some mixture of ingredients that are stimulating to the scalp, since it could be like a castor oil base with some tea tree or even cayenne—just not too much. Those ingredients tingle and activate the scalp and promote hair growth.

Shampoo

I tend to use a simpler brand, like what you would buy at Whole Foods or a health food store. When I was living in New York, where I’m from, I would use Carol’s Daughter products back in the day before they blew up into a huge brand. I used to go to the original little small shop in Brooklyn and get different shampoos and hair moisturizers. 

Conditioner

After shampooing, I immediately go in with the conditioner. My favorite thing is actually to soak it on. I use the same brand as the shampoo from Whole Foods. I have to buy bottles and bottles, because I have a lot of thick hair and I like it to be fully saturated in conditioner. If I have time, then I’ll just tie it up in a top knot and cover it with a shower cap or a plastic bag and then put a head wrap over that and go about my errands for the day for maybe a few hours. I’ll keep it on anywhere from an hour to five hours. I don’t tend to do that in the winter as much because I don’t like a wet head outside in the cold; but if the weather’s warm enough, I like to do that.

Detangler

Then when I go in to detangle, it’s so slippery and so easy. Sometimes I use a brush, like a Denman brush, and I’ll even go in with smaller sections with a Tangle Teezer, especially if I’m going to do a twist out or do braids. Then I just rinse it over and over and over again to make sure that all the product is out. 

Hair Oil/Gel

I go in with some oil. Usually, I like Camellia seed oil. I like Argan oil. Castor oil is very thick, so I only put that on my scalp—not the actual hair. I also like shea seed oil. I just make sure that it’s super moisturized and the oil is locking in the moisture.

I make my own flaxseed oil. I’ve been doing that for many years. There are so many things that have that slip effect. The main ingredient is flaxseed, and there are a bunch of other proprietary ingredients. Sometimes I’ll add a marshmallow root or slippery elm, all those kinds of things that have slip to them, and use that as a gel. It’s much easier on the hair if you do it right. If you add a little oil, it doesn’t flake if you’re changing styles and don’t want to rinse the product out. It can just be reactivated with water and then reset again. 

Curl Cream

If I’m doing a twist, one of my favorite products is the Jane Carter Solution curl defining cream. I like to use that. My main thing with products is that I can’t deal with strong smells. The first thing I do when I’m in a store shopping is to see if the container opens enough to be able to smell the product. If it’s sweet or fruity or flowery, I can’t do it. I try to use unscented. I find the Jane Carter products to be very versatile and mild in terms of scent.

Paulina Jayne Isaac is an editor and freelance writer based in Philadelphia. You can follow her on Instagram @paulinajayne15.

Rebecca Allen is currently rocking her defined, natural curls, but the entrepreneur and founder of her eponymous shoe line has gone back and forth on the decision. She first went natural in her early 20s while studying abroad, before letting her hair grow out and then eventually chopping it all off into a shorter ’fro. When she pursued her MBA and entered her job in finance at Goldman Sachs, she was concerned that her hair would speak for her.

“I didn’t want my hair to be a thing,” Allen tells Glamour. “I knew the perception was that it kind of has its own identity. It just wasn’t worth having to deal with that, frankly. That was a choice I made. Honestly, sometimes having a relaxer and just being able to easily pull it back in a ponytail or go and get it blown out is very easy, right?”

Allen wore her hair relaxed into her mid-30s, when she became pregnant with her daughter, Barbara. During her pregnancy she became more conscious of what chemicals she put on and in her body, so she let her hair grow out once more. Raising her toddler didn’t leave much room for treatment beyond the occasional trim, so Allen saw her first curl specialist in September of 2020. The modern shift in the perception of natural hair helped give her confidence to rock her curls.

“When I went natural in my 20s, I did very much feel like the perception was almost militant,” Allen says. “That was in the early 2000s. I think it’s interesting to see just how much of a shift there’s been in that 10 to 15 years or so. Now it certainly doesn’t feel the same way that it did back then.”

Another concern for women of color in the workplace led to the development of her footwear line: Rebecca Allen Shoes. As a vice president at Goldman Sachs, Allen was wearing business formal to work every day—and not having a proper nude shoe was absurd.

“The nude shoe was this kind of classic pump that totally eluded me, because it was just made for white ladies,” Allen says. “It looked ridiculous on me, but it was literally an indispensable wardrobe component. This was the shoe that lived under everybody’s desk, because it went with everything in your closet.”

Noticing a void in how footwear brands marketed to women of color, Allen set out to create timeless styles in a set of nude shades: the new pump, the skim (a flat), and their top seller, the two-strap heel. With these shoes, Allen wants to give her customers a sophisticated silhouette at an approachable price point, achieving attainable luxury.

Between taking care of Barbara, who’s now two (and a half!) years old, and providing attainable luxury to her customers, Allen is way too busy to spend forever on her hair.

Whenever someone asks me what it’s like taking care of natural hair on wash day, I liken it to learning a new language. Pre-poo, deep condition, high vs. low porosity—all that was gibberish to younger Janae, who was used to getting a Brazilian blowout every three weeks and avoiding the rain like it was cursed. 

Three years ago I had a come-to-Jesus moment with my own internalized racism. Years of growing up in white suburbia created an unconscious need to straighten my own hair—a tale as old as time for Black women everywhere. My Big Chop anniversary is March 31, 2018, when, after a sleepless night, I went to a 6 a.m. hair appointment and told my stylist to just cut off the damage. I haven’t let a flat-iron touch my head since. My hairstyles usually exist in cycles. When I have busy work days or swim-filled summers, I go for a protective style. Crochet locs and box braids allow me to experiment with color without the bleach damage.

Going natural is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my self-esteem, but that doesn’t make it any easier to navigate a brush though the storm that is my hair. It’s a science, and I’ve nailed down a pretty good method after plenty of experimenting and practice. Below, read about my wash day routine and my holy grail products. 

Shampooing

The longest, and easily the most important, step. The shower is where I practice my singing, where I have my epiphanies, and where I tangle with detangling—which I used to be terrible at because I’ve inherited my mother’s tender-headed-ness. Then I found the magical elixir that is Design Essentials Honey Creme Shampoo. It smells heavenly and turns my tangled knots into smooth, slippery strands that I can almost finger-detangle. Though it’s still better to have a sturdy comb for those extra-stubborn knots—I’ve lost many a comb in battle.

Conditioning

After battling with my hair to get it combed out, it needs a little TLC. I already swear by Design Essentials for shampoo, so when my hair stylist introduced me to the Almond and Avocado Conditioner three years ago, I didn’t question a thing. It hasn’t let me down since. It hydrates my low-porosity curls and replenishes my hair’s nutrients after any damage I did with the comb. 

Moisturizing

Ever since I went natural, I’ve been thinking about how badly I want Yara Shahidi curls. The long, flowing, vibrant curls of a woman unbothered. So to protect my growing tresses, I use growth oil just before my hair has dried to lock in the moisture. Whether my hair is moisturizing or deep conditioning, or if I just have disorganized twists for the day, The Slap cap’s satin lining prevents flyaways and keeps me cute while doing it. My days of wearing a bonnet in public are over. 

Braid Maintenance

I can’t say enough good things about protective styles. For the most part they’re low-maintenance, but a little extra help really makes them shine. When it’s too tense at the roots (those first few days of a new style), this scalp tonic is refreshing and provides instant relief, like aloe on a sunburn. If the synthetic part of my braids starts to get a bit out of hand, a couple spritzes from this braid spray is enough to tame it. 

Styling

Sometimes I welcome the challenge of styling my natural hair! After all that work protecting it and making it grow, it’s fun to let it shine. For a looser, bouncier curl pattern, this mousse is perfect. Its texture is like hand soap, and it dries lightning fast, which is extra helpful for busy days. For heavier holds, the curl enhancing smoothie is my favorite product. Plus, it makes me smell like Hawaii. 

After building a career as a senior communications analyst, Tanaye White made the decision to pursue another passion – modeling. In 2018, after being named a finalist in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s 2018 model search, she pivoted full-time and hasn’t looked back since. 

Recently named a 2021 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Rookie, White has worked for brands including Fenty Beauty, Urban Decay, and Victoria’s Secret, all while continuing to advocate for greater diversity and representation in the industry. For her Sport Illustrated shoot, she made a point of wearing her hair out in a natural afro to showcase that Black hair is not only beautiful, it’s sexy too. 

For White, the journey of going natural started in 2016. “For pretty much my entire life I was getting my hair straightened with a hot comb,” she tells Glamour. “I got my first relaxer at six, so I actually never knew the true texture of my hair until I  cut it all off in December 2016. I was just ready for a change and had been slowly growing out the relaxer so I could already see little curls coming in. I was like, Okay, let me just go full throttle. And it has definitely been a journey of self love in and of itself.”

White describes herself as being “very diligent” when it comes to her wash day routine. “I set aside either Sundays or Mondays, always washing my hair at least once a week. If I have a photo shoot where I have a lot of extra products in my hair I might even do it twice.”

After a photoshoot back in 2018 that left her hair significantly heat damaged, the model has been working on restoring it’s natural bounce and softness which takes patience and consistency. To strengthen her curls, she does a rice water treatment at the start of each wash day. “I wash the rice, then I’ll soak it for two to three days. I’ll like to add an orange peel in it just to make sure the smell doesn’t get too bad. Then, before I go through my wash and conditioning process, I spray the water in my hair section by section and let it sit in my hair for one to two hours before rinsing out.”

For the latest Wash Day Diary , White breaks down the rest of her routine, from the shampoo and conditioner duo that have left her curls feeling soft for years to the curl gel she swears by for avoiding white flakes post-twist out. 

Shampoo

For my washing and conditioning, I really love the Shea Moisture Manuka honey line, the one with the blue label.  I’ve been using it for the last few years and I just love how soft and bouncy my hair feels afterwards. 

Conditioner

Deep Conditioner

 Sometimes, if I really need a deep treatment, I will go ahead and apply Camille Rose’s deep conditioning cream and I’ll let that soak in my hair for an extra 10 minutes before I rinse it out.

Hair Moisturizer

My favorite go to style is a bit of a twist out are or finger shingling  – there are a few different names for it. I section my hair in four quadrants and then I start with moisturizing. I love the Curl Love Moisture Milk by Camille Rose, it has rice milk in it, as well as macadamia oil. I add a small amount to my hand and start to apply to each section. 

Hair Oil

Then I’ll follow up with their Cocoa Nibs & Honey Growth serum, which has helped my hair maintain moisture. 

Curl Gel

Then finally, to get really defined curls, I will go ahead and use Camille Rose’s Curl Maker, which has  marshmallow and agave extract. I really love this particular gel simply because it doesn’t leave a cast on my hair. A lot of times, with other brands that I’ve tired, if I put the cream in my hair and then pick it out, I’ll start to notice these white flakes after it’s dried down. And I’m just like, Oh, this is so sad because I worked this hard and now it looks like I have dandruff all over me which defeats the whole purpose.

Edge Control

I feel like in the last five years or so, baby hairs have become a thing again. And I’m a person who was, for a long time, against them. But during quarantine, I was able to master the art of baby hairs – adult hairs that just happen to be small and in the front of your head. 

For lot of girls who have 4C hair, I feel like they think they can’t achieve the look because they feel like it’s for a specific texture. And I want to combat that idea, because it’s not true. My two favorite brands to use are Ebin’s 24 Hour Edge Tamer and Style Factor’s Edge Booster –I get the white one, which is coconut and banana. What has worked for me is using a  toothbrush to lay down the edges on the side or the front, however you like it, and then laying your edges with a silk scarf or wrap for about 20 minutes.

After giving it some thought, the actress recently decided to switch up her look and shaved the side of her head. “Right now I have the side shaved in the back, shaved cute.” While her thick, full hair was “very beautiful,”  Pratt felt like it was starting to become a distraction. “I kind of got to the point where I realized that I was hiding behind my hair,  I would, like, add hair to cover my arms and I was like, you know what? If I cut my hair, my face is going to be the main focus.” An added bonus – less hair means less room for tugging. 

For this edition of Wash Day Diaries, Pratt walks us through her favorite products for the tender-headed gals who want to get a deep clean and walk away with healthy, moisturized hair for days. 

Shampoo

I combine Taraji’s shampoo and conditioner that come in the  blue bottle. And then I get a little extra and do a deep cleanse with her Master Cleanse treatment. Being a young woman who has had to wear a lot of weaves in my day, working in the industry, I make sure I get to the root. These little prongs get that minty, peppermint feeling to the scalp and it feels amazing. 

Scrub

Taraji has this sugar scrub that I apply after sectioning my hair. Oh my goodness, I absolutely love it.

Mask

When I was younger and working on a show, they colored my hair blonde and I didn’t realize that they were actually bleaching my hair because it was my first time. I just knew that they were doing something crazy. So I was like, OK, after every episode we shoot, I’m going to go to the house and wash my hair thoroughly, then I’m going to sleep with a hair mask on. And it’s something I continue to do. 

I like to switch between TPH’s Mother Earth clay mask and a natural one I make at home. After I use Mother Earth, my hair just feels so moisturized and rich and and healthy the next morning, and that’s all you want. As a woman, when your hair is not feeling right, you just don’t feel good.

For the natural mask, I follow a recipe I got from a friend. I mix up some avocado, mayonnaise, castor oil, olive oil and an egg. This one I don’t leave on overnight. I’ll leave it in for maybe, like, an hour then wash it out. You do want to make sure you get all the food out, because, you know, that’s a little scary.

Leave-In Conditioner

I love the company Pretty Strands,  I actually saw them on a friend’s page. I had never heard about them before but my friend’s daughter has very long and beautiful hair so I’m always like, what are you using? Oh, let me see, you know. 

I sleep with my leave-in conditioner even though some will tell you to leave it out. But it helps protect my hair which is being touched and tampered with so much. 

Heat Protectant

There’s only one that I use and it’s this one by Tresemme. I didn’t really learn about heat protectant until I got older and had kids. People would say, oh, now that you’re blow drying their hair make sure that you protect it from the heat. I wasn’t doing that for myself but this spray is now a staple.

Styling Tools

I use the Yellowbird blow dryer that I stole from my friend’s Instagram. Then I go in with my flat iron, the baby blue BaBylissPRO. I’ve had it for a while and it straightens the hell out of everything. 

Gabrielle Union has played some of the most beloved characters on screens both big and small with classics like Bring It On and Being Mary Jane, and during the past year the actor and trailblazer shook up the beauty space with her hair-care line, Flawless.

An advocate for diversity and representation in Hollywood, Union remembers growing up and longing for the bone-straight hair she saw in magazines. “When I was eight, I begged my mom to get a relaxer,” she tells Glamour. “I wanted hair that swished and moved and all of that. I wanted my hair to be straight, presentable, and pretty.” Today she likes to experiment—from blowouts full of body to gorgeous fros—and wanted to develop products that would not only encourage Black women to play with our looks but protect and strengthen our hair while we’re at it, as hair health is of the utmost importance to Union. 

The actor created Flawless with longtime hairstylist Larry Sims to celebrate and nurture every beautiful kink and curl whether it’s in its natural form or heat styled. Some of the star ingredients include Brazilian bacuri butter, coconut oil, biotin, Amazonian pequi oil, and Himalayan moringa oil, which work together to repair and hydrate all natural hair textures. 

For hair inspiration, “I pay a great deal of attention to black women on the street and on social media,” she says. “The new trend in DIY hairstyling is fascinating, creating such a unique and innovative community of stylists, and I am here for all of the creativity.” 

When she isn’t breaking down natural-hair-care tips as part of Sally Beauty’s new DIY University, Union is taking time for herself, to make sure her mind and body feel the love too. Below, she shares her Wash Day Diary, for days when she wants to let her curls be “free and healthy.”

Shampoo

I begin with cleansing my hair with a generous amount of Flawless By Gabrielle Union Hydrating Detangling Shampoo. I love its scent. The Brazilian bacuri butter and acai palm oil smells so good and makes my shampoo wash invigorating.

Conditioner

After two washes, I apply the Flawless 3 Minute Restoring Conditioner in my hair to condition and bring back moisture. Moisture is key for my natural hair. It does the trick in three minutes, but I generally keep it on a bit longer. I always want to do everything to protect my hair from breakage. When I want to give my hair some extra TLC, especially in between my protective styles, I apply the Flawless Repairing Deep Conditioning Masque treatment. It’s infused with a biotin and rice oil complex to rebuild and restore strength while repairing damage. I generally sit with it for 15 to 20 minutes. Then I rinse out and follow up with the Flawless conditioner.

Leave-In

Once it is all rinsed out, I’m now ready for styling, but before we start the look, I spray the Flawless Leave-In Detangling Conditioner all over my hair. The bacuri butter and coconut oil takes me to a tropical place, but most importantly, it does three things all in one to my hair: detangles, hydrates, and softens.

Heat Protectant

Finally, depending on my desired look, I set my hair under the dryer, then air-dry or blow-dry my hair using the Flawless Smoothing Blow Dry Cream. A tip I learned from my friend, business partner, and stylist, Larry Sims, anytime the hair and scalp are exposed to heat or the sun, use the Flawless Shine Enhancing Heat Protection Spray to protect hair from damage. So I make sure it’s always part of my routine.

Styling Tools

My favorite styling tools are the Ion Carbon Rat Tail Comb, Evolve Triple Styler Edge Brush, GymWrap. I’m a natural-hair girl, and they all do a great job of ensuring minimal or no breakage when styling my hair. And of course, they are Black-owned businesses, so I must support. For headwear, Grace Eleyae makes the best turban and headbands in literally every print. Smartly designed, the silk lining gives my hair needed extra protection.

There’s no denying that having grace for your natural texture can be a challenge, but nailing down a wash-day ritual that works for you is a huge step in the right direction. Ahead, Mouzon Wofford breaks down the secret sauce for her biweekly ritual, from her affinity for cold showers to braiding as a meditation practice.

Cleansing + Masking

Whenever I notice my hair is quite dry, I know it’s time to get it back in shape. I use Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar to cleanse—it gets rid of any product buildup without stripping my hair, and it also makes my hair really smooth and shiny. I start out by pouring about an ounce of ACV into a mason jar and diluting it 1:1 with water. I use it to wet my hair completely as a pre-rinse, and on days I want a deeper cleanse, I’ll turn it into a hair mask with bentonite clay.  It’s messy as hell and such a process—but it’s really incredible for a deeper weekend treatment.

Conditioning + Detangling

After the ACV, I twist my hair into into four to six sections, depending how lazy I’m feeling. I take one section at a time and soak them with water. Then I use Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Avocado + Quinoa Co-Wash (the directions say four to eight pumps for your whole head, but I do like 10 pumps per section). After I fully saturate my hair with that, I run my hair briefly under water again to make sure it’s fully saturated with the product and water to get a really good slip, and then I finger-detangle before twisting each section. I don’t use a brush or a comb because they disrupt my curl pattern—my curls just don’t look right after. Finger detangling allows me to be more gentle, so I don’t feel like I’m ripping tangles out.

When finger detangling, I start at the ends, and work my way up to the root. It takes around 20 minutes, which is enough time to really let the product sink in and help my curls form. If I use a heavier deep conditioner that comes in a tub, it’s too thick and buttery, and I don’t get that good slip. But if I do anything that’s too lightweight or too curl-enhancing, it dries my hair right out, and my curls don’t really form. So this is like a Goldilocks product for me.

A Cold Rinse

Once that’s done, I rinse my hair with extremely cold water because it helps to lock in shine and cut down on frizz. It’s not my favorite thing to do in the wintertime, but it’s really, really good. In the summertime I take totally cold showers. It’s so good for your body to immerse yourself in that cold, and it tightens everything up, so I feel very energized and like I just did a crazy workout after. Even if I go out for a walk on a really cold day, my skin always looks great. When I rinse, a good amount of the product washes out but not necessarily all of it. There’s definitely still product in my hair, but not, like, visible white conditioner.

Drying + Stretching

The next thing that I do is grab the softest cotton T-shirt I can find, and tightly wrap my hair up in it as if it were a towel, and tuck it in at the nape of my neck. It combats frizz while my hair dries, while stretching the curl pattern. I’ve found that the biggest difference in being able to manage my hair has been getting it relatively stretched, rather than a straight wash-and-go (otherwise it’ll get super frizzy). This is when my hair is in its most fragile state, so I leave it alone and let it dry about 80% in the shirt, and get dressed while I wait. Ten or 15 minutes later, I remove the T-shirt and my hair is mostly dry and somewhat stretched.

Locking In the Moisture

Next, I apply some kind of oil to lock in the moisture. Lately I’ve actually been using this body butter by my friend’s company, Yesfolk. They mostly make kombucha, but they have this crazy awesome product that’s totally natural. No fragrance or anything. It’s just a really nice natural blend of butters and oils, and I realized it’s great for my hair. I just dab my finger in there and rub it between my hands to melt it, smooth it through my strands as much as possible, and get to my next step of stretching by letting my hair dry 100% in braids. I divide my hair into two sections down the middle, rub the product in, and make sure to get my baby hairs, my ends, and up near my roots, where I tend to get a halo of frizz. I’ve found that the more natural it is, the better it will work for my hair, but if I really want to slick things down, I’ll use a little bit of Jamaican Black Castor Oil before adding a scarf.

Braiding + Maintenance 

I’ve really come to love the braiding portion, which used to be a point of frustration. I used to be so resentful at the fact that I couldn’t just do a wash-and-go, because I’m very low maintenance. But the braiding part is actually so cathartic. I aspire to have a meditation practice, but at this point, braiding my hair is my meditation. I tightly wrap my hair up in this satin scarf I’ve had as long as I can remember to help prevent any fizziness (my biggest culprit) on top as it dries. I leave it on for at least 20 minutes, and then I have my hair in the two braids, fully dry, and I usually just leave it for few days before I wear it out. Or I’ll rebraid it into small individual sections—almost like box braids, but minus the extensions.

Healthy hair is beautiful hair. And for Black women, wash day is often a sacred act of self-care, since our kinks, coils, and curls require a little more TLC. In our series Wash Day Diaries, we’re asking influential women to break down exactly what goes into their routines so you can copy their tips, tricks, and products that work for your texture and style.

While hair care has morphed into a form of self-care for many—especially during the pandemic—for Black women, the two haven’t always gone hand in hand. Historically, we’ve had incredible strain placed upon our hair to look and behave a certain way. And no one understands that more than Taraji P. Henson. 

“I don’t want women with natural hair to think their hair is chore. It should be self care,” she tells Glamour. “We have special hair. It’s beautiful. It’s delicate. I know people think it’s strong because it’s thick, but we have very delicate hair that requires us to put it away. That’s why we’ve been wearing protective styles since we’ve been on this earth.”

But with the shortcomings of mainstream hair brands, Henson found she didn’t always have the tools to give her curls the care they needed. So she took it upon herself to cook up her own 17-piece hair line called TPH. “I know what works on my hair and what to stay away from,” she says, noting it’s taken a heavy amount of trial-and-error as well as a lot of dedication and attention. 

Now, one year into being a business owner, Henson has turned that attention to her customers. The resounding feedback she got: Create more deep conditioning products that provide extra hydration. Henson went to work, and this week, she’s introducing her new TPH Intense Moisture + Care line: Mask On (a moisturizing conditioning mask), Curls 4 Days (an intense moisture-rich curl creme), Twist & Set (a moisture-rich twisting cream), and Keep Shining (a lightweight dry oil mist).

In a time where many Black celebrities are revolutionizing in the hair industry—like with Tracee Ellis Ross’s Pattern and Gabrielle Union’s Flawless—Henson’s unique position is at the essence of scalp care. Her formulas are especially game-changing for those, like her, who often wear protective styles such as wigs, braids, and weaves. 

“I’ve always been a hair chameleon,” she says. “I grew up changing my hair and the color every other week. That’s my shit—my personality.” So here’s to all the Black women rocking braids, Bantu knots, body waves, Senegalese twists, Afros, sleek bobs, blowouts, and everything else that helps to showcase our dopeness and beauty. In a testament to how effective her products are, the hair chameleon herself gave Glamour a step-by-step of her wash-day routine. Read on.

Pre-poo Scalp Prep

I usually start by saturating my hair, get it real wet, and then I’ll towel dry, but making sure it remains damp. And then I’ll section it off and apply my Never Salty to the scalp and let it sit for five to 10 minutes to get a good activation. It feels like a peppermint patty with a cooling sensation. Then I wash that out and go back in with the Master Cleanse on my scalp. Again this is still the scalp treatment—I haven’t even gotten to washing my hair yet. By this time, I feel the tingling refreshing feel. And once my scalp is feeling squeaky clean, I go back in with my Mint Condition to add back moisture and finish with that.

Shampoo

After all that’s done, it’s time to start washing my hair. Sometimes I’ll switch it up by following the Master Cleanse with one of my shampoos, whether it’s the Serene Queen or Honey Fresh, for extra moisture and hydration—and then go in with my Mint Condition for my scalp. Then I wash that out, and then we’re ready for conditioning. 

Conditioning

I’ll go in with the creamy Make It Rain for conditioning, which I can quickly rinse out after detangling or leave longer for deeper hydration. For detangling I also have to have my Felicia Leatherwood brush. If I can’t find it, I will run around the house with soap in my eyes looking for it. And there are times—like every two weeks, depending on how my hair feels—I’ll give myself a mask. I like to wash day into a spa day with Mask On. 

And some days, my wash takes two days. I’ll sleep in After Dark for extra moisture because I give my hair that kind of attention. 

Ruhama Wolle is an associate editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @ru_wolle. This interview has been edited and condensed.