Saturday, January 8, 2011

How I Moisturize My Natural Hair

Moisture is one of the most crucial aspects of any hair regimen.  This is especially true for all hair that falls under the "4" category. To some extent I think that the hair itself becomes drier as the curl pattern becomes less distinct. 4a hair is probably less dry than 4b and 4b is probably less dry than 4c. I'm sure the moisture difference isn't that noticeable, but I still think it's true.

For ME, a 4b gal, moisturizing can be a little complex. I do NOT want dry hair and I'm sure you don't either. The main thing to remember is that water is the only true moisturizer for hair. The goal of moisturizing is to keep the water from escaping the hair shaft. That means that one must seal the hair.

This is the process that I use on my hair year round and in every hairstyle.

  1. Section hair into four parts.
  2. Start with water. Spray 1st section with water. Another option is a leave in conditioner that is  WATER BASED. Water MUST be the first ingredient in the ingredient listing.
  3. Apply any oil of your choice to your section. Examples include but are not limited to : olive oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, vatika oil, etc.
  4. Last, apply melted pure shea butter. DON'T OVER DO IT. You'll quickly realize if you've put too much on your section if the hair has a white cast or appearance. But don't worry if that happens. Your hair will absorb some of it overnight and if the hair still looks white the next day, a quick blow dry on low heat should remedy the problem.
  5. Repeat on remaining sections.

The main thing to remember is my moisturizing mantra 'Water. Oil. Shea.' For some, shea butter is too heavy for the hair or there may be allergic reactions.  In that case, I would substitute shea butter with plain ole conditioner or aloe vera.

This method makes my hair extremely soft and manageable. I've had very little breakage and I'm very pleased with the result. I hope this helps any moisture problem you're having.


Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi





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