By Crystal N. Willingham

I was at the gym with my girl, Teryl doing a cardio workout. As we got into our work out and began getting our sweat on, Teryl started thinking about the work involved in keeping her hair up. “What do sistas do working out every day?” she asked. “I know they must have issues sweating out their perm.” She laughed. “I just did my hair and now I gotta do it again to get this sweat out of it!”

Now, me - I’m a fan of all things hair, including wigs, pieces, weaves etc. So I said, “Easy. Just rinse out the sweat, put a leave in conditioner in it and throw on a wig or ¾ piece. That’s what I do!”

Having hair that always looks great is easier than ever. With so many options today for color, length, style, texture and construction, wigs and pieces are a fantastic option for today’s busy woman, whether she is in the gym everyday, running a busy household, or working long hours. The added benefit is protecting your natural hair from damage caused by over styling! Plus, there are ways to keep the hair clean and conditioned without the use of shampoo and conditioner!

The quick weave (¾ wig is Mambo by Sepia)

So I suggested to Teryl that she invest in a couple of ¾ pieces (also called half wigs and quick weaves) that match her bob hair style. Then, after her daily workout, she can rinse her hair with an aloe vera rinse, spray on a leave in conditioner or run a natural oil through it and allow her hair to air dry while she gets ready for work. Once dry, a few moments putting on the piece will complete her hair do. These hair pieces are my favorite because they allow you to leave your hair line exposed, either styling the front in with the piece, or wearing a headband or scarf to conceal the edge of the piece. Application of this kind of wig takes minutes and looks extremely natural.

The lace front wig (Lace front wig is Boa by Sepia)

Another option is the lace front wig. I love these wigs. The wigs also give the appearance of a natural hair line, but they can also be worn with a little of the natural hair pulled out in front for added realism.

Clip on Ponytails

If your hair is long enough to pull into a ponytail, there is always the option of using a clip on or drawstring pony. This also reduces the need for heat appliances on the hair. Again, options for color, texture, length and style are limitless. However, I don’t recommend ponytails as a daily option due to the potential for breakage of the natural hair.

Even workout divas with a weave can keep their natural hair fresh between washings. The aloe vera rinse is a great way to refresh the hair and scalp. With antibiotic and anti-fungal properties, aloe vera can also help cut down on odors and itchiness. To keep the ends of the weave dry, part the weave in sections and using a spray bottle or squeeze bottle apply the aloe vera rinse directly to the hair and scalp under the weave. The aloe vera rinse does not have to be rinsed out. With a weave, you want to avoid washing with shampoo too frequently, once a week should be often enough. A good tip is to dilute the shampoo with filtered water and make sure to rinse the shampoo very thoroughly to avoid buildup of product in the hair and on the scalp. You also want to make sure your hair and scalp dry completely between workouts, rinses and washing. Summer months may not be a problem but pay attention to this in the winter.

DIY and recommended products to make the aloe vera rinse, check out: Aloe Vera hair rinse on food.com

And just so you know, aloe vera has for the hair.

I’m also a fan of products that leave out all the excess chemicals and use botanical ingredients, especially organic. Here’s a couple options for leave in conditioner that are botanical and promote healthy hair.

• Giovanni Direct Leave in Conditioner
• Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave in Conditioner

And finally, natural oils are a great addition to any hair regimen, especially if the hair is dry, color treated or permed. The best natural oils are from a plant source and are still in an edible state. The ones I use most are coconut oil which also has antimicrobial properties, olive oil which promotes hair growth and jojoba oil which is not a food oil but is super good for skin and hair.  Of course there are others but these are my favorites.

So Divas, now you can put your hair care concerns aside when deciding whether or not to join the gym and get your fitness on! As the Nike commercials used to say - Just do it!

Crystal N. Willingham, New Media Marketing Maven and
owner of Just Hair by Crystal