Six Black women originally come together to build a powerful running community called RUNGRL. They later created a powerful toolkit for Black women, and here are their best natural hair tips for sweaty workouts.
RUNGRL’s Origin
When Ashlee Green and Jasmine Nesi met, they were two distance-runner enthusiasts who had a passion for running. In April 2018, they recruited four other women, Stephani Franklin, Na’Tasha Jones, Natalie Robinson and Dominique Burton. Together, all six of them pulled their talents and resources together to launch RUNGRL, a digital platform devoted to providing resources to Black women who are distance runners.
Hair Care For Black Women Who Run
RUNGRL is particularly unique because it underscores issues that directly affect Black women who run. In its first campaign, RUNGRL honed in on hair care practices for Black runners. In a 2016 study by the Perception Institute , researchers discovered that Black adolescent girls, between the ages 14 and 17 tended to avoid exercise because they were concerned that the sweat would affect their hair, and otherwise make their straightened hair “nappy.”
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Because the women behind RUNGRL lead with the understanding of the difficulties that Black women go through pertaining to their hair, they have provided resources to help Black women navigate it. They have also published articles like “The Importance of Scalp Care for Sweaty Naturals” and “The Best Natural Hair Tips for Sweaty Workouts,” and here are some of their top tips.
Rinse Off
One of the pieces of advice that RNGRL underscores is the importance of rinsing out the hair after running for natural girls. According to their article, the saltiness of sweat can dehydrate the scalp and spell trouble, and so the best thing to do for the hair after a sweaty run is to rinse it out and avoid dehydration.
Moisturize
The next step after rinsing the hair out is to hydrate the hair and replenish the moisture balance in the hair. In this case, deep-conditioning can also be an amazing option. The team at RUNGRL also suggest that edge serum oils like jojoba oil can help to lock in moisture and keep the roots of the hair nourished. For lingering odors or build up, apple cider vinegar rinse is a good item to use.
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Consider A Water Filter
It is true that the quality of your hair can affect the health and growth of Black hair.
Lots of workouts mean lots of showers, so the time you spend under the water matters. There is such a thing as “hard” water, and according to The Water Quality Association, water is considered hard when it contains an abundance of calcium, magnesium, and metallic compounds. An alternative is to consider investing in a shower head with a filtration system.
Protect and Style
Appropriate styling is a godsend for Black women who work out because it protects the hair from unnecessary damage. Protective styling help to keep the hair both strong and stylish. RUNGRL believes that haircare is an integral import of the fitness journey for Black women, and they have dedicated their platform to providing resources that can make the care journey easier. Through their #MyRunningHair initiative, they have vast resources available Black women who run.