One of the biggest challenges our afro-textured natural hair faces is retaining moisture. This is because it is drier and more prone to breakage than other hair types. Moisture (i.e water) gives your hair its elasticity and the ability to bend and not break under manipulation (combing, washing, styling, e.t.c). For some of us, due to our highly porous hair, we find ourselves having to moisturize repeatedly just to keep our hair moisturized for a day.
Due to the nature of our hair, it needs to be moisturized EVERY SINGLE DAY but most of us do not have that time. We don't even remember which is why we have resorted to moisture retention methods like the LOC variation (LCO, LOCO e.t.c) to keep our hair moisturized for a longer period.
But what if I told you that there's a method to this?
What if I told you that there's a way to keep your hair moisturized for the entire day?
Two words: Vegetable Glycerine.
I feel like Glycerine is such an underdog and has often been overlooked as one of those oils. Meanwhile, it's so powerful that can provide all your moisture needs.
For those who don't know, here's what you should know about Glycerine.
- It is a clear odorless liquid derived from plant oils particularly palm, soy or coconut oil.
- It is a humectant; a substance that attracts moisture to the hair and skin which leaves it hydrated. This also means that it should be used in moderately hot/humid environments. In extremely dry weather like the harmattan period, it actually dehydrates the hair and cause damage and breakage.
At the moment, particuarly in Lagos, rainy season is almost upon us and so, the weather is very humid which makes it a perfect time to use glycerine as a moisturiser.
So, how do you use Vegetable Glycerin as a moisturizer since it can't be used alone?
It's simple. Make a hair spritz of 3/4 part water and 1 part glycerine. If you are feeling particularly fancy, substitute water for rosewater and step your moisture game way up! Pour the mixture in a mist and NOT a spray bottle and use it to moisturize your hair every morning. Don't forget to seal in the moisture with a coating/sealing oil or a hair butter.
I've been using this mixture for a couple of days and I noticed that everytime I touch my hair at different intervals throughout the day, my hair is ALWAYS moisturized. It's amazing!
You can get your vegetable glycerine and oils from the African Naturalistas store.
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