What is moisturizing
Moisturizing
is the process of introducing water to the hair; note that the emphasis is on
water. No matter what cream, lotion or spritz used on the hair, water is
essential. Our hair thrives when it is well moisturized and it craves moisture
to stay hydrated at all times.
Keeping hair well moisturized is important for length retention as it prevents hair from getting brittle and breaking.
How to moisturize
The path
to well moisturized hair starts on your wash day sessions when you drench the
hair in water before, during and after cleansing and also deep condition the
hair to introduce moisture. While deep conditioning is done at least once a week,
in between these sessions the hair will still require hydration. This can be
done through the use of moisturizers which may be referred to as;
- Milks
- Spritz
- Creams
- Lotions
- Smoothies
When in
a protective style such as braids, weaves etc a liquid spritz (either bought or
DIY) is more suitable for moisturizing.
To
qualify as a moisturizer the first ingredient of a product should be WATER,
sometimes it may be in the form of some herb-infused solution, but the presence
of water is paramount. Plain water is the ultimate moisturizer and this can be
used on its own or in a Do-it-yourself mix.
At the
start of your hair journey it is advisable to moisturize twice a day to build
up moisture levels however as your hair gets healthier once a day should be
sufficient. You may however find that your hair may stay hydrated and allow you
to go more than a day between moisturizing sessions. Again, this depends on
your own hair; another reason why it is important to understand your hair.
Seal in the Moisture
After
the application of the hair moisturizer or water, it is important that the
moisture is sealed in to prevent the hair from drying out in the shortest
period of time. Look at it this way; the hair has been moisturized but as you
know the atmosphere and weather conditions can draw out the moisture just like
it would from any other material that was drenched in water. To keep the
moisture in it is recommended to SEAL after moisturizing, kind of placing a lid
on a bowl of water to prevent evaporation.
Sealing
involves the application of an oil or mix of oils over the hair strands after
moisturizing. Butters such as shea butter, mango butter etc can also be used as
sealant for hair. The oil or butter serves as an occlusive agent preventing the
loss of moisture to the environment. Natural oils are preferred as sealants
because of the unique properties which they pose that serve to promote healthy
hair.
Moisturizing methods
In hair
forums and blogs you will come across several methods of moisturizing hair
including;
- Moisturize and Seal (M&S): The is
involves the application of moisturizer and then sealing with an oil or
butter.
- LOC Method: L.O.C stands for Liquid, Oil,
Cream; in this method the products are applied in this order, a liquid
product, followed by an oil based product before the application of a
cream based product. For example L: Water O: an Oil and C: a styling cream
or butter.
- LCO Method: This is a modification of the
LOC method as it was argued that oils should be the final step as they
serve to prevent anything from entering the hair cuticle. For the method
the liquid based product will be applied first, followed by a cream based
product and then finally it is all sealed with oil.
It is advisable
to experiment with all methods and find what works for you considering your own
hair and the products you are using.
Points to note
- Water is the number one moisturizer; it must
be present as the first ingredient in any moisturizers.
- Moisturizing is incomplete without sealing
in the moisture with an oil or butter.
- Oils are NOT moisturizers.
- Water moisturizing method being used; the
process of keeping hair hydrated is incomplete without the sealing in the
moisture.
