How to Keep Your Hair Moisturized in Dry Heat

Unlike moist heat, dry heat can leave our hair super parched.  In the following video, Ambrosia discusses how she keeps her moisturized in dry Arizona:

Mixology || Homemade Coconut Aloe Leave-In Conditioner

Do you want to create a natural homemade leave-in? I have yet to try this recipe but it certainly looks interesting.  Try it out.

Ingredients:
2 cups of aloe vera juice
3 cups of coconut water
25 drops of honeysuckle essential oil

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a spray bottle.  Store in a refrigerator until ready for use. (Recipe Source)

Study || Hard Water Impact On Hair

Hard water metals concentrate primarily in the cuticle layer.  A study published in 2011 indicated that these metals can affect certain hair properties, which include:

- stiffening of hair strand
- reduction of combing forces
- improvement of ability to hold a style in virgin hair
- reduction of ability to hold a style in bleached hair

Additionally, certain variables affect the uptake of hard water metals by the hair, such as the:

- condition of the hair (e.g., chemically damaged)
- pH of the water
- level of water hardness


ABSTRACTS:
STRUCTURAL IMPLICATIONS OF HARD WATER METALS (2011)
UPTAKE OF HARD WATER METALS BY HAIR (2011)

When The Satin Bonnet (or Scarf) Is Not Enough

You have heard it before ... "Make sure you sleep with a satin scarf or bonnet to protect your hair while you sleep."  Well, have you ever awaken in the morning with the scarf or bonnet on the other side of the bed or with the moisture sucked out of your hair in spite of wearing one?  If so, you are not alone.

So, just how can you protect your strands and retain moisture at night when the satin scarf or bonnet is not enough?  Here are a few ideas:

1. For added protection, sleep on a satin pillowcase.  If your scarf or bonnet happens to slip off at night, your satin pillowcase will become the next line of protection against dry, frizzy, snagged hair.  Even if your scarf or bonnet stays on at night, sleeping on a satin pillowcase on top of that can do wonders for retaining moisture in your hair at night.

2. Purchase a better quality satin scarf or adjustable bonnet.  Not all satin scarves and bonnets are created equal.  Some are constructed from very thin and poor quality fabrics and threads.  What is considered a good quality satin? Well, first let me explain that the word "satin" is used to describe the type of weave.  There are "satin" polyesters and "satin" silks, for example.  Among the polyesters, "charmeuse satin" (or, sometimes called "satin charmeuse") is a smoother, better quality weave for the hair.  Purchasing a "charmeuse satin" scarf or bonnet is a good investment.  Also, look for adjustable bonnets (as opposed to purely elastic ones) for better stay at night.

3. Better yet, get a silk scarf or silk adjustable bonnet.  If you can afford to do so, silk is a much better material for the hair than polyester.  When searching for silk scarves or bonnets, look for those that say "charmeuse satin" (or, sometimes called "satin charmeuse").  This type of weave is the most luxurious of all the weaves.  Again, look for adjustable bonnets (as opposed to purely elastic ones) for better stay at night.

4. If you suffer from dry hair, turn on the humidifier.  The humidifier can provide extra vapor in the air thus creating a moisturizing environment for your hair while you sleep.

Reader's Question: Moisturizing Twist Extensions

For questions, use the "Contact Me" tab OR leave a comment!

Reader's Question:
I have twist extensions... How do I keep my hair moisturised?

My Answer:

In my opinion, the best way to moisturize twists (or any other braid) extensions is to use a water-based spritz followed by sealing with an oil.  This method allows for sufficient moisture without contributing to meshing, loc-ing, or severe product buildup.  Heavier products, especially thick butters, can build up near the roots and facilitate meshing or loc-ing, especially in kinkier strands.  If you REALLY want to use them, though, I suggest staying as far away from your roots as possible and only using the butter once or twice between washes.

That being said, what are some good spritzes and oils to use?  Well, let us start with the oils.  Light and somewhat odorless oils, such as grapeseed and jojoba, are my top suggestions.  Coconut oil may be used, but be aware that your extensions will smell of the oil (and that may or may not be okay, depending on how you feel).  Olive oil is less odorous but heavy.

Now for the spritzes:  A water-based one is a good start.  A water- and glycerin-based one may be even better, depending on what your hair likes.  I list a few spritz recipes in this post.  If you would rather buy one, I suggest looking for those geared towards braids (e.g., African Pride).

Finally, the moisturizing regimen while wearing twist extensions: Spritz anywhere from daily to weekly, depending on what your hair requires.  I would not suggest going beyond a week (particularly in the later stages of the wear) because the extensions themselves may be drying.  This is especially possible if you used synthetic hair for braiding.  As for sealing, that can occur anywhere from every few days to weekly.  Sealing daily can attract dirt to the hair quicker than usual thus leading to increased frequency in washing.

I hope this answers your question!

Topic of the Day || Dry Hair

Here are some previous posts addressing "dry hair":

1. Reader's Question: More on Moisture ... Dry Ends
2. No Poo Review: Baking Soda with Conditioner
3. Chapt. 6: Moisture, Moisture, Moisture
4. Oh Honey, Honey ... Deep Conditioner Recipes
5. Winterize Your Conditioner!

For more, check out the labels "Dry Hair" and "Moisture".

Mixology || Baking Soda and Avocado Shampoo Recipe for Dry Hair

Looking for a simple, homemade natural shampoo that is cleansing but non-drying?  Check out this recipe:

Ingredients:
avocado
baking soda
distilled water

Directions:

1. Skin an avocado, remove the pit and mash it in a bowl;
2. Add 2 teaspoons of baking soda;
3. Add 1/4 cup of hot distilled water; and
4. Mix the ingredients into a paste and massage the homemade moisturizing shampoo into your hair and scalp.
5. (Optional) You may or may not want to follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse for pH balance.

Remember to refrigerate the unused mixture. To customize this or any of the other recipes, add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant scent. Popular oils include lavender, sandalwood, jasmine and rosemary.

For more moisturizing shampoos, check out Suite101: Shampoo Recipes for Dry Hair and Scalp.

Hair Issues || High Porosity (and Low Porosity)

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Porosity.  What is it?  It is a measure of how easily water and other substances can enter and exit the hair strand.  Depending on the condition of the hair's cuticle layers, the porosity can rank from low (i.e., the result of flat, tightly bound cuticles) to high (i.e., the result of gaps or lifted cuticles).  Highly porous hair, in particular, is more susceptible to moisture loss and breakage.  If your hair is highly porous, read the following article on how to combat the issue:

ADDRESSING HIGH POROSITY

For low porosity or more on porosity in general:
POROSITY EXPLAINED

Protein Moisture Balance Solved

Are you trying to perfect the protein moisture balance?  Many women who have relaxed and/or colored hair face the issue of maintaining a proper balance between protein conditioning and moisturization.  (A few non-colored naturals face this issue as well.)  If the scale is tipped too far to the "protein" side, the result can be dry, brittle hair with little elasticity.  On the other hand, if the scale is tipped too far to the "moisture" side, the result can be mushy, stretchy hair. Audrey Sivasothy, the author of "The Science of Black Hair", discusses how to set the protein moisture balance in the following articles:

http://www.blackhairscience.com/hair-breakage-101-protein-and-moisture/
http://www.blackhairscience.com/protein-and-moisture-balancing-in-black-hair/

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Friday's Length Retention Tip!

Do you want to reach your goal?  Then ...

seal those ends.  Regular moisturizing is insufficient for some people.  Sealing may be necessary to lock in the moisture and keep the ends supple.

The sealing process: Begin by moisturizing the ends of your hair with water (or a water-based moisturizer).  Then follow up with an oil (e.g., coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil) and/or a butter (e.g., shea).  That's it!  Be sure to seal after every wash as well.

Moisture: An Oldie But Goodie

Here is a repost from July 26, 2009!!  Just in time for the Fall.

What causes these dry ends?

Sebum is the hair and scalp's natural conditioner. In straight hair, this oily substance can generally move down the shaft to the ends fairly easily because of the direct path. The hair's close proximity to the scalp as well as continual brushing and combing also aid in the transport process. As for textured hair? That is another story.

The coilier your hair, the harder it is for sebum to travel down to the ends. Here's my analogy: Imagine oil running along a straight road versus a path full of turns and twists. In the latter case, the oil may slow down or even get caught at each curve. By the time it reaches its destination, only a fraction of the oil will remain. There is also the possibility that it may never reach its destination. This process is basically what curly, coily, and kinky hairs experience. Additionally, factor in a minimal brushing/combing routine and the reality that some natural hair works against gravity (i.e., stands up and out away from the scalp). We ultimately have a case in which sebum just barely reaches the ends of our hair, if at all.

Now the explanation above is just one of many causes of dry ends. Other reasons are listed in this post on moisture and length retention.

How do you stop dry ends (due to inadequate sebum)?
Since sebum may barely, if at all, reach the ends of textured hair, it is necessary to quench and condition those ends. Here are some methods that work for me and may hopefully work for others:

*Discard harsh regular shampoos
Shampoos with SLS and other strong ingredients strip my hair (including my ends) of their natural oils. The shampoo I use on a regular basis contains more gentle substances. Other options to explore are conditioner washing or using homemade natural cleansers instead of a shampoo. Some people also do a treatment with oil at a warm or room temperature prior to washing to minimize sebum loss from their strands. (Click here for hot oil treatments.)

*Lather once when you shampoo
Minimal lathering equals minimal loss of whatever sebum is on my ends.

*No direct shampoo on the ends
I rarely expose my ends to direct shampoo. I just focus on the scalp and let the water and lather run down the rest of my hair.

*Saturate the ends with moisture and conditioner
Pay the most attention to your ends while conditioning and moisturizing.

*Invest in good products
Each individual head of hair is different, but this post may be a place to start in terms of what sealants, moisturizers, and conditioners to try.

*Eat foods containing omega-3 and vitamin A
Few people realize that foods, such as salmon, cantaloupe, and flaxseeds contribute to sebum production. For the omega-3 post, click here. For the vitamin A post, click here.

*Airdry the hair in a protective style
Protective styling isn't reserved for the protection of the ends. It has the added benefit, in my case, of helping my ends absorb and retain moisture post a washing session.

*Sleep with a silk scarf/pillowcase
The same added benefit applies here too.

How do you stop dry ends (due to porosity)?

I believe that another major contributor to dry ends in black hair is high porosity. What causes high porosity? Well, a number of things including gradual wear and tear of the hair. I really encourage anyone who believes they might have this issue to read this extremely informative article: Part 1 . For solutions to the porosity issues, do check out Part 2 as well: Part 2 .


SOURCES & MORE READS:
SEBUM
SEBUM & TEXTURED HAIR 1
SEBUM & TEXTURED HAIR 2: Randy Schueller, Perry Romanowski. "Conditioning agents for hair and skin".
SEALING (OILS & MOISTURE RETENTION)

Label of the Day: Moisture

Here are some posts on "Moisture" in case you've missed them:

1. Winterize Your Washes!
2. Winterize Your Conditioner!
3. Retaining The Hair You Grow: Chapter 6
4. Reader's Question: More on Moisture ... Dry Ends
5. Oils, Aloe Vera, and Whipped Butter
6. Whipped Hair Butter Recipes Galore!
7. Retaining the Hair You Grow: Chapter 7
8. Grapeseed Oil, Linoleic Acid, & Body Butter Mix
9. Reader's Question: When Shea Butter Doesn't Work
10. Moisturizing Spritz Recipes

Winterize Your Washes!

With winter weather practically around the corner, how does one minimize the dryness that can come with washing?  Here are a few tips:

1. Wash less often
Rather than washing 2x a week, try washing 1x a week.  Rather than washing weekly, try washing biweekly.  Opt for a dry shampoo in between washes.

2. Add oils to your shampoo
Some have minimized the drying effects of shampoo by adding a little oil.  Recommended oils: olive, jojoba, grapeseed, safflower, or castor oil.

3. Pre-poo with oils and/or conditioner
Before washing your hair, pre-poo (i.e., pretreat) with a concoction of oils and/or your favorite conditioner.  Allow the mix to sit on your hair for at least 20 minutes.  Then proceed to wash as usual.  Recommended oils: olive, coconut, castor, or soybean oil.

4. Focus on the roots and scalp rather than the strands
While cleansing the hair, apply shampoo to your roots only.  Massage your roots and scalp then rinse.  Allow the water (mixed with shampoo) to run through your strands.

5. And, of course, follow up with a good conditioner
A "good" conditioner is one that helps to retain the moisture in your hair.  (Optional: a "good" conditioner will also strengthen the hair.)

6. Speaking of winter - Dry hair completely before ...
Going outside.  Freezing cold weather + wet hair = not a good outcome.  Let your hair dry completely before opening the door.

Other tips: dilute your shampoo, perform your final rinse with cold water, use a shampoo created for dry hair

Moisturizing Spritz Recipes

The moisturizing spritz is ideal for those with fine hair or those who prefer a lighter alternative to thick butters.  Additionally, it may be used to revive twists or another style that has gotten dry over time.  Below are a couple of quick, easy recipes.  Feel free to tweak to your own liking!

H2O Spritz
- water
- few drops of essential oil (your favorite)

ROSE-GLYCERIN Spritz
- 4 parts rosewater
- 1-2 parts glycerin

LEAVE-IN Spritz
- 5 parts water
- 1 part conditioner (your favorite)

THE WORKS Spritz
- 3-4 parts water
- 2 parts aloe vera juice
- 2 parts glycerin
- 1 part coconut oil
- 1 part olive oil
- few drops essential oil (your favorite)

NOTE: Some of these spritzes have a short shelf life (few days to a few weeks), so be sure not to create too much in one sitting.  Refrigeration may extend the shelf life a bit.

Winterize Your Conditioner!

Okay, it's not officially Winter yet, but it doesn't hurt to prepare ...

My obsession with shea butter does not stop at hair and body butters but extends to deep conditioners.  A few tablespoons will infuse an inexpensive conditioner with moisture and slip.  Try adding some melted shea butter to V05, Suave, or White Rain ... or mixing it with honey, egg, oil, or avocado to deep condition your hair this Winter ... and even Autumn!

Reader's Question: When Shea Butter Doesn't Work

Post inspired by a reader! Thank you for your question. 

For some people, shea butter is not an effective moisturizer (or sealant).  In order to enhance its moisturizing properties, oils (e.g., olive oil), aloe vera gel, or other substances are added and the final mixture is applied to damp (not dry) hair.   However, even this technique does not work for some.  So now what?

Add Honey

Honey is a natural humectant, or substance that aids in moisture retention. Adding 1-3 teaspoons of honey to a cup of shea butter may do the trick. However, if this option does not work, try ...

Alternative - Glycerin and Water

Vegetable glycerin, like honey, is a natural humectant. Mix a teaspoon of vegetable glycerin with a cup of water to start.  Spritz on damp or dry hair. Add more glycerin to your mixture if desired. 

Alternative - Products Containing Propylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol is yet another humectant.  If you are familiar with jerri curls and leisure curls, then you are aware of the wet drippy look of these styles.  Well, this "wet drippy" look is achieved by products called activators, which usually contain propylene glycol as well as water and glycerin.  Activators can be applied to all hairs, natural or relaxed, to aid with moisture retention.  (Propylene glycol in this form is safe.)


Alternative - Kokum Butter and Honey

Kokum butter is stocked with fatty acids (e.g., oleic acid, stearic acid, etc.).  It is used in certain natural hair care products to aid in moisturization.  It is also very firm.  Try mixing kokum with another butter, such as mango or avocado, to make it usable.  Add some honey to improve moisture retention.

Oils, Aloe Vera, and Whipped Hair Butter

It's that time of year again to mix another whipped hair butter!  (My batch ran out this weekend.)  

Ingredients (all are moisturizing):

• unrefined shea butter (softening)
• coconut oil (protection [1] [2])
• olive oil
• safflower OR grapeseed oil (high in fatty acids)
• aloe vera gel
• essential oil (for fragrance, optional)

Instructions:

Read my earlier post on the body butter mixture; the instructions are very similar.  For every cup of shea butter, use 1/4 a cup of olive oil, 1/8 a cup of coconut oil, 1/8 a cup of safflower/grapeseed oil, and a few tablespoons of aloe vera gel.  Of course you can tweak this mixture for a creamier or firmer consistency.  Feel free add drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance!

FOR THE MIXOLOGISTS:

More whipped butter recipes can be found here.

Retaining the Hair You Grow: Chapter 6

Moisture, moisture, moisture!

Dry hair translates into hair that is more susceptible to breakage. Hair that has a sufficient level of moisture is more pliable and more able to withstand mechanical manipulation (combing, styling, etc.). Thus, moisture is a key factor to retaining length.

How do you know whether you hair is dry?
If your hair feels supple, then it has a good moisture content. Think flexible, elastic, and pliant. Rough, brittle, crispy, hard hair could be an indication of dryness and/or another issue (e.g., structural damage, etc.).

Is your dryness linked to a problem with moisture retention?
A healthy strand of hair will retain moisture really well for a good period of time. I have heard a stylist mention 48 hours as the magic number; whether this is true or not, I am not sure. Given my personal experience with my hair in damaged vs. healthy states, the number seems feasible. In my opinion, if you find yourself experiencing dryness within one day of a fresh wash & condition, you may want to:

1) evaluate your products and/or regimen,
2) review your diet,
3) assess whether you have hard water,
4) determine if the dryness is medically related,
OR
5) investigate high porosity as a potential issue.

A lot of articles and sites address the importance of porosity as it relates to moisture retention, protein/moisture balance, and more. View the links below for just a handful of these sources. In the mean time, keep in mind that if you want to retain the hair you grow, you must maintain a proper moisture level.

MORE READS:
POROSITY (all you need to know)
PROTEIN/MOISTURE BALANCE
SEALING (OILS & MOISTURE RETENTION)

----------------------------
This is a repost. Originally posted July 6, 2009.

No Poo Review: Baking Soda with Conditioner

Definition of no poo: cleansing of the hair using an alternative method to shampooing.

It's going on two months since I switched to a no-poo regimen, and so far it's been going well; my hair feels clean, softer, and requires less moisturization. There are numerous ways to go the no-poo route, but what's been working for me is the combination of baking soda and conditioner diluted with water for washing + minimal use of products. Here are the main benefits of a no-poo regimen:

*eliminates the drying, harsh effects of shampoo (particularly commercial shampoos containing sulfates)
*in some cases, eliminates the deep conditioning step
*inexpensive - your wallet will be happy

What I like about this baking soda technique over other no-poo methods is a) it removes buildup, dirt, etc. from my scalp and hair really well while b) retaining the moisture and softness of my tresses. Here's a rundown of what I do:

1) Mix 3 parts water, 2-3 parts conditioner, and 1 part baking soda in an applicator bottle
2) Rinse hair under lukewarm water for 1-2 minutes
3) Apply diluted baking soda conditioner to scalp ONLY
4) Massage scalp thoroughly for 5 minutes
5) Rinse scalp and hair thoroughly
6) Follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse, if necessary

Afterwards, I condition with V05 for 2-5 minutes, rinse, then moisturize as usual. A no-poo regimen is ideal for hair that is prone to dryness. With this method, it is important to minimize, or even eliminate, the use of heavy products which require the use of a shampoo for removal (e.g., products containing silicones). An occasional clarifier or shampoo may still be necessary , but it depends on the person and actual technique used.

*********************************************
TUTORIAL, ETC.:
YOUTUBE VID OF BAKING SODA WASH: (She uses baking soda, conditioner, water, & oil)
ACV RINSE RECIPE & EXPLANATION
EXPLANATION OF NO-POO METHOD
EXPLANATION OF CG METHOD