Dry brittle hair is the number one hair complaint amongst black women. Some women have a hard time getting their hair to retain moisture for more than one day. Although they use moisturizers, it seems as though their hair soaks up the product and becomes dry and brittle, hours after application. There are many reasons women experience dry hair issues, the most common reason for dry hair is an unhealthy hair cuticle. Each hair strand is made up of layers, which look like fish scales. You want these layers (your hair cuticle) to lay flat, so that moisture will seal into your hair strands. When the hair cuticle lays flatter, your hair stays moisturized for longer periods.
The correct way to seal your ends is to get your hair cuticle to lay flatter, this locks moisture into your hair strands.
How you cleanse and condition will dictate how dry your hair will become and how quickly it will dry out. So give your shampoo and conditioning regimen a make over.
Shampooing and conditioning properly
1. Allow medium hot water to run over your hair strands for 2 minutes as you gently smooth your fingers from the scalp to the ends of your hair. Saturate the hair with water really good before you add a non sulfate shampoo or conditioning cleanser.
2. Rinse with medium temp water removing all product. Apply a generous amount of a moisturizing deep conditioner, cover with a plastic cap and sit under a hooded dryer for 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Begin rinsing the conditioner out with warm water, then switch to cool water. Allow cold water to run over your hair for 2 minutes after rinsing.
4. While hair is still wet apply your leave in conditioner.
5. Blot excess water, style and allow to air dry only.
Using the medium hot water will make your hair cuticle open wider to be cleansed and to receive the moisturizing benefits of your deep conditioning.
The Ultimate Dry Hair Test
So you feel your hair is moisturized properly huh? The ultimate test of properly moisturized hair is to take 2 inches sections of your hair and pull it apart with your fingers. When you separate the hair do you see the hair sticking together? Do you notice what I call the "webbing effect"? Do this throughout different sections of your hair and if you experience webbing then your hair is not properly hydrated. Webbing will continue to make your hair tangle excessively and create single strand knots.
Hydrated hair, creates the best styles and grows the best, therefore hydrated hair should be your healthy hair goal. In order to maintain maximum hydration your hair cuticle must function properly. Your hair cuticle should open when you need it to and close when you need it to. The majority of the time you want your hair cuticle to lay flatter. Understand that the hair cuticle never completely closes. The weather, your hair products, hair tools, and certain chemicals you use are just some of the things which greatly affect your hair cuticle. Practice healthy haircare steps to maintain healthy hydrated hair.
Characteristics of dry (dehydrated) hair:
- Hair feels hard and sometimes straw like.
- Your hair styles turn out frizzy.
- Your twist outs lack definition.
- You have no coil pattern
- You have single strands knots on a daily basis.
- Hair lacks sheen and body.
- Hair is hard to manipulate
- It feels rough when you rub your hands through it.
- You experience breakage daily.
- You have a hard time retaining longer lengths.
Characteristics of hydrated properly moisturized hair:
- The hair is soft and flexible.
- Hair coils are more defined.
- The hair styles better.
- Hair keeps styles for a longer time.
- You do not need to apply a creamy moisturizer daily.
- You do not need to spritz with water daily.
- Hair grows better.
- Hair retains more length.
- When you run your finger up and down the hair shaft it feels smooth.
- Hair has sheen and a deeper richer color.
- Your hair does not snap and pop when you manipulate it.
- You have less hair shedding.
Do not waste time on the LOC method or the LCO method these methods are not necessary. You need to get your hair cuticle to lay flatter that is your goal, not piling products on top of your hair. The Loc or LCO method gives you a false sense of moisturized hair.
How to repair dry hair
Your regimen should fall in line with this checklist. Create changes in your hair regimen so this list is true for your regimen. You will see immediate improvements and more improvements in 30 days.
Make the changes above to your regimen then start the Coily Queens Regimen today. You will not have anymore dry hair issues on this regimen. No knots, excessive tangles or slow hair growth. You will get beautiful hair as your reward. Find the link above that says, Coily Queens Haircare regimen and start today.
Some ingredients to avoid:
METHYL
PROPL
BUTYL
ETHYL PARABEN (ALL PARABENS)
(All Glycols)
PEG Polyethylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol
(ALL SULFATES)
SODIUM LAURLY SULFATE
(BAD ALCOHOLS)
ETHYL
ETHANOL
DENAT
SD
ISOPROPYL
Good leave in conditioner suggestions:
Gold Star
Cantu shea butter leave in conditioning repair cream
shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie
Afro stretch creme (4Naturals)
Cantu curl activator
Other mentions:
Luster Scurl
Silk Elements megasilk leave in conditioner
Neutrogena triple moisturizer
Curl Junkie hisbiscus/banana honey butter.
Tired of not reaching your hair length goals? Tired of having hair setbacks? Tired of seeing others with long beautiful hair, but not yourself? If any of these describe you, then you could benefit from a personalized Hair Growth Coach. Start today! Here!
