Keeping Moisture in Your Hair

Freshly washed hair, no product...YET!

Most of us Kinky Curly Coily girls LOVE how our hair look and feel when it's been freshly washed and is still soaking wet with water. But what happens after it dries is just down right wrong,  IF you don't know how to lock in all of that moisture and keep the good feeling going!  Natural hair is very prone to dryness, and dry hair breaks! If  healthy hair and length retention is a goal for you, then you have to keep your hair moisturized. Make no mistakes  moisturized hair "FEELS" Moisturized. It took a lot of trial and error but I can truthfully say that I have learned how to KEEP my natural hair consistently moisturized and so can you!   Here are some tips that  work for my naturally dry hair.  

• Deep Condition with a natural deep conditioner after every wash (This improves the integrity of your cuticles, it takes moisture and/or  protein deep into the hair strand, and cold rinses locks this in, rinse with cold water) 
• Limit the use of shampoos or how often you shampoo, especially sulfate shampoos (Shampoos are made to remove dirt and OILS.. Our hair NEED oils, so if you shampoo too often, this could cause your hair to look and  feel drier. Other options are Apple Cider Vinegar rinses, or Co-washes)
• Limit heat styling (Tools like blow dryers and flat irons pulls moisture out of your hair, so if you are using them regularly you will experience dryer hair, and eventually splitting and breakage) 
•  Always deep condition after Henna, with a MOISTURIZING deep conditioner.  Henna or any type of Ayurvedic powder use to treat your hair can leave it feeling dry. (Put on a plastic cap and sit under a heat cap,  hooded dryer, thermal wrap, use whatever you need to get a good deep conditioning in after using these powders). 
• Use a Leave in Conditioner( All of mine are water based, creamy and natural. If your hair is very thick and/or coarse some of the thinner leave ins will not be moisturizing enough.  
• Apply a Water Based Moisturizer( I use natural moisturizers,  all water based. Oils and butters are not moisturizers)
• Apply oil after you moisturize, to lock in moisture(I've found that Extra Virgin Olive oil works best for my texture, its light enough to penetrate into the strand of the hair, and heavy enough to leave enough on top to lock in all the moisture that I just applied. ) 
• Finally, I add moisture to my hair every single day, at least once a day, and lock it in again with my oil. EVERY DAY.

Braid out that had been moisturized all week

*The key for me is to not let  my hair dry out.  How do you know when YOUR hair needs moisture? Just reach up and feel it?  Don't feel like you have to stick to a moisturizing "schedule." Let the way your hair feels dictate when it needs to be moisturized. (or you can add it every day to ensure it never goes dry)   Some women suffering from dryness have shared with me that they will go 2 or more days without adding moisture to their hair, and then wonder why it feels dry.  Our hair NEEDS moisture added, OFTEN.

How do I keep the good feeling going? 

Throughout the week when I am re-moisturizing my hair, I will sometimes spray my hair with a little water, add a  little leave in, moisturizer, and oil before bed.

If you really want to get a handle on dry hair, try these tips, and I can almost guarantee  that your hair will NOT be dry!

Well, Until Next Time!