How to Moisturize Natural Hair

As curlies, we are in a constant battle to keep our hair moisturized.
Some of us even go on quests to find the perfect regimen and holy grail
products that will keep our tresses happy for days on end. But having
coily hair that is well hydrated doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s as
simple as understanding your hair’s porosity and knowing what to use for your curl pattern.

Porosity

Your hair’s porosity is the measure of its ability to absorb and hold
onto moisture and thus is the best indicator for how you should
moisturize it. In order to find out your hair’s porosity, take one of
your shed hairs and place it in a glass of water. If it floats quickly
to the bottom then your hair has high porosity. If it takes forever and a
day to sink, then you have low porosity hair. Lastly, if it sinks at a
pace that is neither too fast nor slow, then you have normal porosity
hair.

Low Porosity

Low porosity hair is usually harder to moisturize since it is more
difficult to get the moisture into your strands. In order to moisturize
your hair, you should use more water based, liquid products that will
moisturize your hair without coating it and making it greasy. Also, use a
light oil like jojoba ro grapeseed oil to seal your hair  since heavier
oils like castor oil or olive oil will be harder for your hair to
absorb and will simply sit on top of it and weigh it down.

Also, if you really have an issue with your hair absorbing products,
try to apply them to damp or dry hair since the strands will have
released the water and will therefore be able to absorb the product. A
temporary way to open up your cuticles so your strands can better absorb
product is to do a baking soda treatment on your hair. Because baking
soda is alkaline in nature, it will cause the cuticles of your hair to
raise. Simply mix baking soda and water until it forms an aerated paste,
apply it to the hair and leave it on for 15 minutes then rinse.

Medium Porosity

If you have medium porosity hair then you’re one lucky natural. This
means that you have quite a few options for moisturizing your hair.
However, there is a new method of moisturizing the hair called the
L.O.C. (liquid, oil and cream) method that many women swear by. This
method works so well because each layer of product seals the layer
before it (i.e. the cream seals the oil which seals in the liquid). To
do this method, apply a liquid leave in or moisturizer, then a light oil
to seal it in and finish with your favorite creamy moisturizer or
styler on top and your hair should be happy for at least a couple of
days.

High Porosity

If you have high porosity hair, it probably has a difficult time
holding onto moisture because of its raised cuticles that allow moisture
to be lost to the atmosphere. In order to keep your tresses happy,
apply heavy products to your hair in layers. Try applying a leave in,
then a thick moisturizer then a heavy butter to seal all the moisture
in. To keep your hair moisturized throughout the week, mix your favorite
liquid moisturizer or leave in with water in a spray bottle with a few
drops of oil and spray it on your hair at nights then seal with a
butter.

To help close your cuticles temporarily to better hold onto moisture, try doing apple cider vinegar rinses
when you cleanse your hair. Apple cider vinegar is acidic and will
temporarily help to close your cuticles. Mix 1-2 tablespoons of apple
cider vinegar with 2 cups of water and pour it over your hair after
cleansing it, then dry it and style as normal. You can also try adding
more aloe vera gel or juice to your regimen.

Final Thoughts

The key to moisturized hair is healthy hair so keep a running
appointment with your jar of deep conditioner, go easy on the heat and
treat it gently. As always remember to have love peace and curly haired
bliss.