Strong healthy hair needs moisture. It helps with the elasticity making hair soft and flexible, while also preventing breakage. Here we will go over why moisture is important, why your hair may be dry, and how to add hydration to your hair, and lock in moisture.
Moisture retention the ability of your hair to hold on to water. The goal is to hold on to moisture well past wash day to prevent dryness. Hydration comes from water, which enters the hair, while moisture is being able to hold on to the moisture. Using the right products and having a proper regimen help with moisture retention by closing the hair cuticle and sealing it.
Hair can become dry and brittle for a few reasons. You could be using the wrong products, they may not focus on hydration or moisture. The ingredients may be too light weight or too heavy for your porosity. You may be in a climate that evaporates moisture from your hair even if you have the perfect products and routine which is why washing and conditioning on a weekly or biweekly basis is important. Living in a hot and/or dry climate may require more frequent washing and conditioning to put hydration back in to the hair.
Regardless of the reason for you wanting to promote moisture retention in your hair, here are my tips for you to incorporate in your routine:
• Wash and condition your hair every 1-2 weeks. Shampoo removes build up from the hair that can prevent water from entering, and conditioner seals that moisture in. A lot of people struggling with dry brittle hair aren’t hydrating the hair often enough.
• Use products catered to your porosity. Though I believe regimen trumps products, some can benefit from using products that seal moisture perfectly for their hair porosity. Low porosity hair using heavy products can build a residue on the hair making it harder to absorb, while high porosity using light products aren’t sealing the cuticle and locking in moisture.
• Every wash day should include conditioner/deep conditioner, leave in conditioner, Kayhairapy Oil, in some cases butter or cream. These type of products help prolong the moisture in the hair. If you only use regular conditioner, this is okay for someone who washes multiple times a week however if you wash less frequently, the moisture will not be long lasting.
• If you live in a hot and/or dry climate, I highly recommend deep conditions every 1-2 weeks. Deep conditioner penetrates deep in the hair and is created to hold on to moisture for longer periods of time. You must over compensate with hydration and moisture because the climate will evaporate the moisture from your hair quicker (than a cooler humid climate) making your hair very dry.
• Use the LOC or LCO method depending on your porosity. Applying products in the specific order can help with locking in moisture. It can still be beneficial to use the appropriate products for your hair porosity.
• Wear hair styles that allow you to retain moisture. If you are unable to wash your hair weekly or biweekly due to your hair style, then that is not a good style of choice for being able to retain moisture.
• Trim dry/split ends as necessary. All hair is different, so trim frequency depends on your hair. Trims prevent damage from traveling up the hair shaft. If you can follow the steps to promote strong healthy hair, you can prolong trims to every 6-12 months.
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