I often hear naturals complain about how dry and dull their hair is — especially if they have 4C hair, which can be tightly coiled and prone to dryness.
You may be thinking, “If I am no longer relaxing my hair, then why does it feel drier than when I used chemicals?”
The one thing you need to know about natural hair is that the kinkier (tightly coiled) it is, the drier it will be in many cases.
When your hair has more kinks, it’s harder for your scalp’s natural oils to travel down your strands. You also may have less shine/sheen.
That is why some people who have looser/straighter curl patterns don’t have as much of a problem with dryness.
Your pattern can also explain why your hair has a very low sheen and no shine. Shine comes from light reflection. That’s why relaxed hair appears shinier. Straight hair reflects the light better.
Natural hair has more of a sheen when healthy and properly moisturized.
So if your hair is very kinky (4B/4C curl patterns), it will be harder for it to reflect light and your hair may appear dull.
But there’s good news…
No, you cannot change your hair’s texture. However, with proper TLC you can still bring out your strand’s natural sheen and revitalize your tresses.
AAAAND…. as you’ll see below, you CAN do a successful wash and go on kinkier hair. You just need moisture and the right steps.
So let’s jump to it…
Know Your Hair’s Porosity
Porosity refers to how open your cuticles are on your hair shaft. If they aren’t open enough, moisture can’t get in (low porosity). Your hair may feel dry and straw-like if you use too much protein.
If the cuticles are too open, your hair can frizz and tangle easily (high porosity). High porosity often comes from heat or chemical damage.
Take the hair porosity test here.
Buy Water-Based Moisturizers & Good Sealants!
Unless the first or second ingredient is water, it’s not a true moisturizer. Don’t be fooled by products that claim to moisturize your hair, but don’t even have water (or it’s listed as one of the last ingredients.)
The term “moisturizer” is used so loosely and incorrectly on natural hair products. Now you know the secret to discovering if it’s REALLY a moisturizer or not.
Sealants contain oil and/or butters that seal in water (moisture). So if you twist your hair while it’s damp (water is your moisturizer) and apply a good sealant, that will keep your hair moisturized and soft for a long time.
See how to make your own shea butter sealant.
Here are some good moisturizers and sealants for natural hair that I really like…
1) Jane Carter Nourish and Shine (This is a sealant. When you use with water (damp hair), it keeps your hair moisturized for a long time.) You can buy online or at Target.
2) Shea Moisture Products (They have tons of moisturizing products. You can buy at Walgreens, Target or Amazon)
3) Shea Moisture Leave In Conditioner (I believe this is an older Shea Moisture product, but I can only find this at Amazon. Nevertheless, it’sGREAT! Check out how it moisturized my puff.)
4) Qhemet Biologics Amla and Olive Heavy Cream (Another great sealant.)
5) Oyin Hair Dew (A light moisturizer.)
6) Oyin Burnt Sugar Pomade (This sealant smells sooooo good and will make your twists very soft and luscious!)
NOTE: I rarely use a thick sealant and moisturizer together because it’s too much product and I’ll have build up.
If I use a thick sealant like Qhemet Biologics, I use water as my moisturizer. So I will spritz my hair first and then use the Qhemet Biologics as my twisting cream. The product holds the water/moisture in and my hair will be soft for several days.
See some of the best rated natural hair moisturizers at the bottom of the page.
NOTE >>> When searching for moisturizers for kinky, dry hair, look for thicker, creamier products.
