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WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!!????
You've just big chopped, hoping to place your hands on some soft, beautifully, curly, puffy hair. But, then notice that it is harsh and very dry. Is this normal? Did the Natural Hair gods somehow curse your scalp into growing hair that seems to be related to a Brillo pad? Or maybe, just possibly, did you make a mistake, and should just go back to the cream crack?
The answer is: Heck naw girl!!! I was just messing with ya! (haha did I get you?)
WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN, WHY IS MY HAIR SO DRY?
Hair that is of afro texture, or very curly, is naturally dry; therefore when left alone and not given any TLC, it can be left feeling like your hair has experienced many droughts, i mean so dry that the tiny spritz of water alone will get dissolved into your strands.
When this happens, your hair is telling you that you need moisture. Moisture = Water. So all of the Black Girl myths about water not being your hair's best friend is not true! Water is your hair's best friends and is one of the main ingredients that will give your hair moisture.
Nonetheless, as we all know, one of the properties of water is that it evaporates. Therefore to trap its moisturizing properties into your hair strands it's recommended to use a sealant like an oil (olive, coconut, jojoba, almond) or butter (coco, shea) to help seal in the moisture. Likewise deep conditioning and use of less heat (i.e. air drying or blowing your hair dry every two months instead of every week) will also help to combat the dryness. Dry some of the recipes provide below to help in your journey to moisture balanced hair!! <3
DON'T MESS UP THE BALANCE
To much of a good thing can be dangerous, as all our parents used to say. And is a very true principle that can be applied to every situation including the of the topic of moisture! Along with being conditioned and only applying heat to the hair sparingly, it is also a good idea to incorporate protein into your hair. Before you start yelling into the screen that "My hair already feels like it has loads of protein!" , know that if the hair is not balanced you will experience major breakage, and who wants that? Especially those of us who's hair is thinner, but dense giving off the appearance of thicker hair when in all actuality it is the most fragile of all hair types. With that being said, every other week or once a month, treat your hair to a protein treatment to ensure that your hair is balanced, keeps its elasticity, and won't break off!
RECIPES FOR MOISTURE ENHANCING HAIR PRODUCTS
Moisture Rich Hair Spray/Detangler
What you'll need:
- Spray Bottle (enough to atleast hold 16-32 ounces)
- Olive oil (1/4 cup)
- Honey (2 teaspoons)
- Lemon Juice (1 teaspoon)
- Water (1 1/2 cups)
(Of course the recipe can be upgraded to your liking)
Put all of the ingredients into the spray bottle and shake until the honey becomes dissolved. The oil will not dissolve (oil and water don't mix).
SOOOOOOOooo Soft Deep Conditioner
What you'll need:
- deep/regular conditioner of your choice(try to use on catered to dry hair) (1 cup)
- Coconut oil (1 tablespoon)
- Olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- Shea Butter (1 tablespoon)
- Coconut Milk ( 1/2 cup)
Prepare the coconut milk by heating on the stove in a pan on medium (about 10 mins) heat until it becomes thick , let cool some before adding the other ingredients. Mix oils and shea butter together to form a paste the mix in warm coconut milk slowly until well blended, then add conditioner. Apply to hair and sit under dry for 30 mins (with shower cap/plastic bag on).
Trap Me In Hair Butter
What you'll need:
- Container to put mixture
- Shea butter ( 1/2 cup)
- Coconut oil (1/2 cup)
- Olive oil (1 tablespoon)
-Fragrance oil (a couple of drops, shea butter has a strong smell)
Put all ingredients into a bowl and use a hand mixture to blend the oils and the shea butter together until smooth, then put in container for later use!
I hope that you enjoyed this blog post! What do you do to help you hair maintain moisture?
XOXO,
See you next time!