First and foremost, remember in the post where we talked about hair porosity (you can read it here) and how important it is in knowing how to care for your natural hair? By now, you should know how to check your hair porosity to determine what your hair needs. Have you also ever experienced dry, brittle hair that feels almost like straw and also looks limp and dull? When you try to run your fingers through your mane, it feels like passing through dry grass. Dry natural hair looks dull and without sheen because it is not able to retain moisture. Dry hair leads, inevitably, to breakage which can in turn translate to a noticeable lack of length retention. Some causes of dry hair include excessive washing which can strip hair of its natural oils, excessive heat application, and changes in weather conditions.
Most natural-haired queens have experienced hair dryness from time to time and we are happy to present you with remedies to help restore shine and life into your hair.
Deep condition your natural hair. Deep conditioning hair after every wash is a way of adding moisture back into natural hair and allows natural hair to retain moisture for days after washing. It is an important part of any natural queens hair regimen and should not be ignored. If your natural hair is really dry, you may want to increase the frequency of deep conditioning to once a week, preferably with heat (again, depends on your hair porosity). Otherwise, deep conditioning twice a month is just fine. The benefits of deep conditioning dry hair regularly asides from maintaining adequate levels of hydration in hair include: improving hair’s elasticity which means you can reduce breakage, and improves hairs’ natural shine. Read more about deep conditioning your natural hair here. Shop our African Naturalistas Deep Conditioning Mayonnaise and add the much-needed moisture to your mane.
Review your natural hair products. Sometimes, your hair outgrows the much loved and trusted products you have been using in your regimen. Your natural hair’s product needs may change over time. Hair needs can be affected mostly by external factors such as changes in weather and heat application. In the drier months, your hair will need a lot more moisture than you usually give, therefore, you may need to look for products that act as humectants, with the ability to retain as much moisture in the hair as possible. A thicker, richer deep conditioner is best for combating dry natural hair. You would also want to add a richer leave-in conditioner to your hair product list.
Do a hot oil treatment. Hot oil treatments are very effective in nourishing dry, brittle hair and help to strengthen and protect hair from further damage. Hot oil treatments work by sealing the hair cuticle, thereby protecting your hair from further damage and at the same time, nourishing your hair. Other benefits of hot oil treatments include reduced dryness of the scalp and hair, increased blood flow in the scalp which in turn will promote the growth of healthier natural hair. Perfect options for hot oil treatments include coconut, almond, argan, baobab, avocado, and olive oils. Shop the African Naturalistas range of carrier oils. You can use just one of these oils or a mixture of two or more. To gain benefits from using hot oils on your dry hair, the treatment has to be done regularly.
Seal. Seal. Seal. After you have done all of the above, you definitely need to seal in all the moisture you have packed into your natural hair. Not sealing natural hair after going through the trouble of moisturizing will only lead to frayed ends and dry hair in a couple of days. Thick oils and butters like shea butter and castor oil are perfect options as sealants, especially if you have thick coarse hair.
After infusing the much-needed moisture into your hair, you have to ensure that the moisture is not lost by covering hair with your satin bonnet or scarf while sleeping. Also, you may want to keep your natural hair in a protective style and remember to spray hair with a hair spritz such as the African Naturalistas Daily Hair Mist that is carefully formulated to keep your hair moist and supple.
Which of these tips have you skipped before? Found this article helpful? Don’t forget to like and share. Oh, and leave us a comment, we’d love to hear from you. :)
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