After combing your hair do you get worried about the hair that is covering your bathroom floor or sink? Well you should. Why? Because that is a warning sign that your hair is trying to tell you something. It is breaking for a reason. You will need to start investigating as to why your hair is breaking. Does your hair need moisture or protein or do you need to balance the moisture and protein levels.
What is moisture? Why do I need it?
Here is a very detailed article I actually found on two different sites. I am not sure of whom the author is but it’s informative:
Hair Breakage 101: Protein and Moisture
Moisture
Hair needs water to maintain its elasticity, or ability to stretch. Since water is the ultimate moisturizer, water-based products are best for really getting the greatest moisture benefit.
Moisturizers are simply products that are water-based and nourish your hair deep within the strand. Products with moisturizing properties tend to be your conditioners and other specific moisturizer sprays or creams. Moisturizers may also contain large amounts of protein, but these protein based moisturizers do not have the moisturizing benefit that moisture-based moisturizers have. Check labels to gauge protein content. Good moisturizers will not contain cheap, filler ingredients like petrolatum, mineral oil, or lanolin. Avoid products that claim moisturizing benefits and contain these ingredients. There is nothing moisturizing about them! Petrolatum and mineral oil are sealants that seal out the precious moisture our hair needs.
REMEMBER! Oils DO NOT Moisturize
Perhaps words like “nourish” would be better than moisturize. Oil alone will not and cannot moisturize within the hair shaft. An oil (grease) can only coat the outside of the strand, and give it shine- the illusion of moisture. Oil molecules are hydrophobic which means they repel and do not readily mix with water. Remember, if you apply an oil product to your hair before you have added a moisturizing product, you have created a seal on your hair strand that water and moisture cannot penetrate.
Below are a couple of articles that I posted on my blog when I first started my healthy hair journey. The articles proved to be very helpful. I am posting them here in hopes that you can benefit from them.
Does Your Hair Absorb Moisture?
Does your hair feel moisturized and then later on in the day it feel dry like you never did anything to it? Well if you try my miracle product I can promise you lighting fast results! SIKE! I am joking! When I was writing this it seemed like I was getting ready to advertise a product so I just ran with it!
But seriously does your hair feel moisturized one minute and dry as heck the next? What’s up with that? Well what do you know about porosity and your hair? Oh you haven’t heard? Ummm well Porosity is your hairs ability to absorb moisture. This is determined by the condition of the hair’s cuticle layer. The cuticles are fish scale look a things on your hair. If they are wide opened the hair too-readily absorbs moisture and overly-porous hair also releases moisture easily and becomes dry and is easily damaged.
So what products do I recommend? Try: Roux Porosity Conditioner. I used it last night for the first time and so far I can actually notice the difference in my hair. I am going to keep using this for a couple of washes to see how my hair turns out.
Do you “Baggie?”
“The Baggy Method”
…No, no that kind of baggie!
For most of the women who are aware of this method they use a plastic shower cap to baggie but because of my XL head I like to use saran wrap….but that’s besides the point.Why do I baggie?
Right now the temperature in Afghanistan is 120 in the sun and my hair gets very dry. I need to make sure I am keeping that much needed moisture in my hair and my ends are protected. Did you know that your ends are the oldest on your head? This makes them the driest and it makes them more prone to breakage. Imagine how much them bad boys have been through. When I hear my ends whispering in my ear telling me they are thirsty that’s when I run for the moisture. LOL!
Yes, I wear braids but I still need to baggie. Remember its important to treat your hair as if you are not in braids.
How do you baggie?
I learned this method from one of the member’s on BHM who has been very successful with it. Here are the simple steps:
1. First find yourself a good moisturizer.I like to use SCurl. Spray this on the ends of your hair.
2. Next find yourself a good sealant. Most people like to use 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) or other natural oils as coconut. I like to use Jamaican Black Castor oil since I am trying to work on thickness.
3. Next take your shower cap and place the ends of your hair in it and secure it with a “safe to use” scrunchy on top of the bag and hair.Yup, that’s all to it! Using this method you are able to maintain moisture on the ends of your hair while you sleep or through your normal day activates. Uh huh..yup I said it….through your normal day activates. How? Some of the women on the boards like to baggie their ends and style their hair in a bun. This way the plastic shower cap is concealed if you do it right. So you are protecting your hair and looking good at the same time. You do it girl!
Moisture Tip:
Applying a moisturizing conditioner to dry hair for 30 minutes to an hour and following with a warm/cool water rinse can help maintain the hair’s moisture balance and make it more pliable.
What are Silicones and Great Moisturizing Conditioners…
Heres a link for a great article for picking a moisturizing conditioner. SistaSlick talks about silicone’sand everything!
Click here for SistaSlick articleA short list of “Con Free Conditioners”ConditionerAlberto V05 Blushin’ Apple conditioner
Alberto V05 Free Me Freesia conditioner
Alberto V05 Extra Body conditioner
Alberto V05 Kiwi and Lime Squeeze conditioner
Alberto V05 Moisture Milks Strawberries and Cream conditioner
Alberto V05 Peaches & Cream
Alberto V05 Strawberries and Cream
Alberto V05 Sun Kissed Raspberry conditioner
Alberto V05 Tangerine Tickle conditioner
Alberto V05 Tea Therapy Nourishing conditionerAloe Desert Herb Revitalizing Conditioner
Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner
Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing conditioner
Aubrey Organics Island Naturals Replenishing conditioner
Aubrey Organics JojobaAuntie Rhubarb Moisture Bomb
Aussie Conditionernstant Conditioner
Suave Aloe Vera
Suave Juicy Green Apple
Suave Milk and Honey conditioner
Suave Naturals Citrus Smoothie
Suave Naturals Conditioner, Juicy Green Apple
Suave Naturals Conditioner, Tropical Coconut
Hydrating Vitality BlastWeleda Rosemary Phyto Hair Conditioner
White Rain Energizing Citrus
White Rain Extra Body conditioner
White Rain Jasmine conditioner
White Rain Regular conditionerCone-Free Leave
Lately I have been eye-balling my ORS Replenishing Con and temptation finally took over. I untwisted one of my strands applied Oyin Frank Juice, ORS Replen Con and sealed with Coconut Oil.The Results: Very, very soft moisturized hair!Cons: I would not recommend doing this daily but closer to your wash days.
No comments:
Post a Comment