My li'l sis asked me the other day about tips for keeping hair moist. She complained that her hair seems to have been really really dry no matter what she does. I gave her some general tips such as moisturizing and sealing and deep conditioning but she said she already did these things. I was stumped because that's basically what I do. But then I thought about it and realized there are a lot of other things I used to do some of which I still do. I'm not combating a dryness problem the way she describes so I've been very minimalist with my moisturizing but for those of you in dire need of moisture, try these tips:
1) Pre-poo/Hot oil treatment: Dampen hair with spray bottle. You can include leave in with water but plain ol water will do fine. Warm mixture of any of the following oils: castor oil (can' say enough about it), coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil or whatever you have. I love castor oil because it is thick and viscous and really coats the hair as opposed to jojoba oil which is relatively light. But again, any oil will do. Completely saturate hair, be sure to get roots to end instead of just ends. I then section my hair with little clips and cover with plastic cap. If your hair is too short to section you can skip this step. The sectioning just keeps it from shrinking and serves as a preparation for washing. You can keep this on overnight, or for a few hours. I would say at least an hour for very dry hair. If you're sleeping with it, definitely section, maybe in plaits, to prevent matted tangled hair in the morning!
2) Co-wash instead of shampoo (most of the time): Everybody's hair needs a good shampooing sometimes to get rid of buildup but I have found that shampoos, (even the sulfate-free kind) can really strip your hair. Use a conditioner that is light but has good slip. There's not much else to say about this. If you choose to shampoo, either dilute the shampoo or use very little of it as not to strip the hair then up the deep conditioning and use a leave-in.
3) Bentonite clay and oil: I used to swear by this. It was the first product/mixture that I tried that I saw dramatic and immediate results. You mix bentonite clay with olive oil to form a paste (the consistency of a mask you would spread on your face). Slather it through hair root to tip. I do this on wet hair after washing as the last thing or second to last thing before I style. Some people say not to let it dry but I let it dry most of the way to ensure the hair absorbs it. Then rinse thoroughly making sure you get all the residue out. It seems to clarify AND moisturize at the same time which I've never found another product that does that. You will immediately notice hair feels cleaner with more curl definition and less dryness. Bentonite clay is cheap and can be found at Whole Foods among other places. It also makes a great facial mask and it lasts a while. I've had my jar since before my Big Chop, granted I have not been using it much lately.
4) Leave in conditioner: I use Shea Moisture leave-in but I'm sure there are other good ones. Go for a thick creamy one instead of a watery one if you have dry kinky hair.
5) Go easy on the protein: I do a protein treatment only every 6-8 weeks. Protein can strengthen hair but it can also dry it out. There has to be a protein-moisture balance. Too much protein and it's hard to maintain moisture. I would use a moisturizing conditioner weekly and a protein one as needed but no more than every 4 weeks depending on how intense of a protein treatment it is.
And of course like I mention, moisturize and seal daily. You don't have to do all of the above. But try them all and see which works for you and which doesn't.
Her other question was preventing breakage. My advice was this:
1) Low manipulation. If you have brittle hair, never comb it completely dry. My hair has to be at least 50% saturated before I try to run even a wide tooth comb through it. Then again my hair is so thick that I couldn't run a comb through it dry even if I wanted to!
2) Finger detangle GENTLY when needed between washes instead of combing or brushing. PUT AWAY THE COMB!
3) Protective styling: It's hard when hair is short but if you can find a decent protective style (a style that will last a few days at least before it needs re-doing), then do that most of the time. Push comes to shove, braids, sew-ins come in handy. Just put it away and regroup! I'm actually considering a protective style for a couple of months in the winter myself.
4) Moisturize and cover hair before you sleep: If you must sleep with it uncovered, invest in some satin pillowcases. Try not to sleep with hair out, put large plaits or just section and pin hair to keep from matting. Anything that will prevent tangles and frustration while detangling helps.
5) Keep hair stretched when you can. That means, try to avoid shrinkage. Adding any kind of moisture to your hair when it's out will lead to shrinkage which kind of makes it hard to moisturize and seal. That one's a toughie which is why I only wear my hair out a couple days out of the week although I'd love to have it out all the time.
Hope this helps. All these things I've learned through other blogs and everything I listed I've done and tried myself and it worked for me. So the gist is be gentle and patient. Only detangle your hair when you have time and energy because if you're in a hurry you will tear through your hair because you're impatient. I'd rather put off washing and detangling than do it in a hurry.
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