Migos tried it when they released the song “Bad & Boujee,” because we all know that as Black women, our hair doesn’t mix well with raindrops or droptops. But what happens when we choose to completely forgo the gym for laid edges?
Well, it’s 2017, and gone are the days when you had to choose between a healthy body or your hair. As a hairstylist and teen empowerment coach, I’ve heard all the excuses as to why women and teens are choosing not to go to the gym. Who says your hair can’t thrive while going after that summer snatched body?
Below you will find the top 5 “bad and boujee” gym excuses, along with tips and product recommendations for avoiding them:
The Bad:
I hate to sweat out my press out, so I won’t be going to the gym for a while.
The Recommendation:
This is the common excuse I hear from women who spend their hard earned money on getting their hair straightened. The last thing they want to do is ruin it by sweating out the roots.
My recommendation is to prep your hair with dry shampoo on the roots before your workout begins. Dry shampoo is a product that decreases and absorbs the excess oils and moisture from your head. Be sure to either wrap or pin curl your hair to help retain the style!
Here are some of my favorites:
The Boujee:
I want to be cute while I work out because I don’t know who I may run into!
The Recommendation:
The reality is we never really know who we may bump into at the gym, but trust me: there are lots ways to look cute while you work out.
Explore protective braided styles (crown braid, French braid), or try parting your hair down the middle and twist it into a cute bun! If braided styles aren’t your thing, use a dentless hair tie to pull your strands into a ponytail with and wrap it with a cute printed scarf.
The Bad:
I just put this weave or protective style in my head and it’s too tight for a work out!
The Recommendation:
Get your life and don’t lose your edges for a style! I hear a lot about how protective styles and weaves are so tight that clients are unable to sleep properly, getting headaches and not even thinking about going to the gym. On top of the pain from tight styles, you can lose your hair and get traction alopecia.
Be sure to speak with your stylist before they begin your protective style, requesting that the style be secure, but not excessively tight. In the event that you are wearing a too tight style, use a tension spray for pain relief.
If that doesn’t work, it’s best to take that style out!
The Boujee:
I’m not trying to ruin my perfect twist out.
The Recommendation:
Personally, I know how it feels when that first sweat bubble begins to form at the root, but what has helped me is doing one of two things:
1. Dry Shampoo your roots before a work out and gently pull your curls up into a loose high Pineapple style! A dri- fit headband around the perimeter of your hair helps with absorbing moisture and preventing frizz!
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2. Take 5-10 minutes to twist your hair up, just as you would before heading to bed at night. Doing this also helps with maintaining your style and preventing frizz!
The Bad & Boujee:
I hate how the gym smells and don’t want my hair smelling like that.
The Recommendation:
We all know that smell: it’s a cross between everyone’s body odor and the cleaning products uses to clean machines and mask that infamous musty stench! It’s no wonder why some women choose to steer clear of the gym, but that’s not something a couple pumps of fragrant hair mist can’t fix!
A fragrant hair mist is an alcohol-free formula that helps zap away odors. It’s a great way to refresh your hair on the go! I recently received a sample of the Flowerbomb Bomblicious Hair Mist and fell in love.
Bukky is a hairstylist in New York City and runs a non-profit organization. Follow her at @bukks or @haironpurpose.
