Ineffective Ways to Moisturize Natural Hair

One of the major components of maintaining healthy hair is moisturizing. This is also a challenge among naturals. If it seems that no matter how much water and hair products your hair is still hard, dry, and brittle, perhaps you are ineffectively moisturizing your hair. Here are the common mistakes and some tips to bring your curls and kinks to life. 

1. Moisturizing dirty hair that has product buildup

• When your hair has product buildup, this means all the styling products and gels are sitting on top of your hair and building a barrier from letting any moisture in. Any moisturizing agent will not be able to penetrate the strands and do its work. 

2. Using butters or oils as moisturizers

• The purpose of oils and butters is to serve as a sealant and trapping the moisture to keep in from escaping. Oils and butters normally do not offer moisturizing properties. One exception to this rule is coconut oil

3. Using water-based products without sealing

• Water-based products will add moisture to your hair but if the cuticle of your hair is not properly sealed. It will not hold in any moisture. Without a sealant for the cuticle, moisture will escape and it will feel as if you have not added anything at all.

4. Under-moisturizing 

• This maybe a common problem among newly naturals. At times, we don’t realize how much moisture our strands really need. To find the proper balance, moisture your hair everyday. If it is wet after a few hours then cut back on and if you find your hair dry and hard increase the moisture to 2 times a day.

5. Neglecting the re-moisturizing process after a shampoo

• Shampoo strips your hair. When shampoo strips your hair it takes along with it, dirt, oil, and of course, moisture. If you do not re-moisturize your hair the hair washing process will do nothing but clean the hair. It is important to add moisture back in your hair. This means deep conditioning, adding a moisturizing and finally sealing those curls.

6. Using styling products as moisturizers

• More products that are being put on the market are claiming to have moisturizing properties but not all of them do. The fundamental purpose of styling products is to assist you in achieving certain looks. This can be a gel, mousse, custard, pudding, soufflé, or any other dessert sounding products.

7. Focusing on roots instead of ends

• The ends are the oldest part of your hair and the most vurnerable to breakage and splits. The ends need extra “TLC” to prevent it from damage. If you focus on adding moisture to your roots it will never make it down the hair shaft to the ends.

8. Over moisturizing

• Sparying your hair with water every hour may not be the best way to retain moisture. Saturating your hair with too much moisture is similar to a water logged mop. The extra moisture leaves your hair limp, weighs the hair down and has no where to go.

9. Deep conditioning/steaming for hours 

• The appropriate amount of time to deep condition is about 30 minutes. Any longer than that will just be conditioner sitting on your hair because the strands has absorbed all the moisture it can take.

- The Natural Travelista