Think you have your hair routine down? Well you may want to reconsider after reading these three common mistakes before you reach your next wash day.

USING TOO MUCH PRODUCT

Conditioner, masks, leave in conditioner, oil, cream, butter, serum, frizz-control spray, gel, and the list goes on. It can be a struggle finding products we like, but most of the time we can't decipher which products work best because we pack them all on at the same time.If you're using more than three of those products together, you are most likely suffering from product build-up.

Product build up occurs by applying too much product onto your hair. Over time these products will establish coats that block necessary moisture, nutrients and oils from entering and penetrating the hair. Eventually, your hair will start to look limp, lifeless and dry. Try to limit your products to a maximum three, separate into sections when applying, and only apply a recommended dime size amount, maybe a quarter for the thick hair curlies.

CONDITIONING TOO LONG

Conditioning is key in the curly world and I'm sure most of you have been told the longer you keep the conditioner the better it is for your curls. Well whoever suggested that may have mistaken super soft hair for healthy hair. Truth is, hair can become too soft, soft to the point where it is then weak and will easily break off.

If it is written to leave the conditioner on for 20-30 minutes, than that is all the time it takes for the conditioner to stick to all the strands of the hair. Depending on how dry or coarse one's hair is, some may want to leave the conditioner on a little longer to soften the hair. Otherwise, the hair is not absorbing any more conditioner because there are no more open places it can stick onto. Just as your nails become fragile from being in water too long, so does your hair and that's due to a change in keratin. If you find that your hair is extremely too soft and weak, try using a protein treatment to balance out the hair.

WASH AND WEAR

That countdown to wash day can be a little rough. Sometimes we need to physically prepare ourselves with a couple push ups before detangling, especially if you are one of the curlies who only lets water touch her hair once a week or longer. We understand the maintenance is high and requires a couple of hours out of the day, but in that you should understand moisture comes first with natural or curly hair.

How many times you condition your hair all depends on your texture and what you believe your hair requires. However, moisture should still be present throughout the week. This includes sitting in bathroom steam while the moisture finds its way to your locks or sprinkling some water on your hair in the morning. One of your greatest natural/curly hair investments should be into a spray bottle. It is an easy way to get some moisture without soaking the hair. You could also mix it with some conditioner or your favorite product to keep definition.