Winter Healthy Hair Tip || Retaining Moisture During Washes

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Switch out every other shampoo for a co-wash.  Doing this will help to remove some of the gunk without stripping your hair dry.

Don't like to co-wash?  Here are some other options:

• Use a cleansing conditioner, which is designed to clean the hair better than a regular conditioner.
• Apply conditioner to your strands and only shampoo your scalp.  This way your ends are protected from moisture loss.
• Pre-poo with an oil and/conditioner.
• Use a mud wash or clay. 

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