Curly hair struggles to maintain moisture and becomes dry because the structure of the hair cuticle makes it difficult for sebum and the natural oil produced by the scalp to flow down the hair shaft.
The symptoms of dryness brought on by moisture loss include frizz, split ends, hair breakage, and damage. For the curls to grow into healthy, more attractive curls, hydration and more moisture are needed.
How can we provide what our curls require? Use these tips to keep your curls hydrated.
1. Sulphate-free shampoo
In shampoos, sulfates help remove product buildup and grime from the hair. The only negative is that because they do their jobs so efficiently, they completely remove the moisture and oils that the hair needs to stay healthy.
Your hair will benefit from switching to a sulfate-free shampoo because doing so will rid your hair of the components that dry it out, giving your curls a hydrated and defined appearance.
2. Squish to Condish
Squish to condition, or S2C as it is commonly known is a technique for adding more water to curls. It involves putting water in your palms, cupping your conditioned curls, and giving them a firm squeeze. If you don’t hear a squelching sound, you may need to apply more conditioner.
Give your hair a thorough rinse following the squish to condish.
3. Know your Porosity
Knowing your hair type and porosity can help you choose the proper products and, in the end, put you on the right path in your curly hair journey.
Low, average, and high porosity are the three divisions of porosity. Porosity refers to a hair’s capacity to take in and retain moisture. When the hair is badly damaged, it becomes more porous, which causes the cuticle to be raised. Hair with higher porosity absorbs moisture faster but also loses it. Normal porosity hair has little damage and can accomplish both adequately, but low porosity hair has trouble absorbing moisture but retains it pretty well.
A lot of combing or brushing, heat styling, chemical processing, sun exposure, and environmental factors can damage hair. The technique of determining your hair porosity is simple and can be carried out in the comfort of your own home.
4. Follow The LCO or LOC Method
The LOC method refers to steps you take when using the products that seal moisture in your hair. Liquid or leave-in conditioner, oil, and cream are all denoted by the letters L, O, and C, respectively.
The phrase means to begin with the lightest weight and end with the heaviest, the cream. You might also employ the LCO approach, which stands for liquid, cream, and oil.
The leave-in conditioner
Add a leave-in conditioner after washing as the following step. Your hair may be moisturized and kept in good condition all day long with a leave-in conditioner and doesn’t need to be rinsed off.
If your hair tends to weigh down easily, use a light leave-in conditioner. For hair that is dryer or denser in texture, use a heavier moisturizing leave-in conditioner. Conditioners are great for repairing split ends, avoiding hair damage, detangling hair, eliminating frizz, and improving hair health.
The best way to apply a leave-in conditioner:
For improved distribution, separate your hair before using the leave-in conditioner. Leave-in conditioner comes in cream, spray, or gel varieties each using the same application procedure. Apply the leave-in conditioner working your way upward, beginning with the ends of the hair, which are more prone to damage.
Oils
Emollients like oils work to hydrate the hair by forming a film-like layer that traps moisture. Oils keep the hair moisturized and serve as a barrier against hair breakage and damage because their tiny oil molecules can replace protective oil in the hair and pass through the outer cuticle.
If you have low porosity hair or an oily scalp, you might want to use less fatty oil. Jojoba and almond are fantastic choices since they are absorbed quickly.
Cream
The cream should be selected based on your hair’s type, texture, and porosity. All the moisturizers in your hair strands are sealed in by the cream.
5. The Bowl Technique for Maximum Hydration
The bowl method is popular for a reason and has been believed to work best for wavy hair types, but it’s worth giving a try if you want to obtain the most hydration possible.
You’ll need a bowl, freshly washed hair, and upside-down hair in the bowl for this procedure. Leaning over your bowl, you pour water from a jar into your hair while rinsing off any remaining conditioner from your scalp. Then you squish to condish three to four more times, apply your leave-in conditioner, and a gel, and repeat the process. Your back would hurt using this method, but your hair would feel light, soft, and moistened.
6. Do not touch your hair
Avoid touching your hair to keep it moisturized because doing so could cause you to lose some of the style products you’ve used and spread germs, which would cause frizz and mess up the way your curls are formed.
Curly hair should generally be handled with care because the more you touch it, the worse it could get.
7. Limit heat usage
Although heat takes hair styling to a whole new level. It can also dry out your hair cuticle and modify the way your hair proteins are structured, which causes moisture loss. It takes time for natural oils to re-moisturize your hair when this occurs.
Here’s what can be done in the majority of situations where employing heat can’t be avoided:
- By continually moving the blow dryer while holding it 15 cm away from your hair, you can minimize damage.
- Use a heat protectant. These products are intended to protect the hair and avoid split ends.
- On any product, use the lowest heat and temperature settings.
8. Get a Trim
How do split ends affect your hair? As the shaft of your hair gradually splits, hair growth is slowed and hair breakage is increased.
Since split ends are the driest portion of your hair, preventing them would eventually encourage hair development and retain moisture.
When you trim your hair, you get rid of the parts that are more detrimental than advantageous. Starting to grow thick, healthy hair is made possible by this.
9. Sleep with a Silk
Because your sheets absorb the natural oils in your hair, your hair loses moisture while you’re sleeping. To keep your hair hydrated and looking healthy, invest in a silk scarf, head wraps, pillowcases, or sheets so that you can wake up to vibrant curls.
Silk keeps your hair moisturized because it doesn’t absorb moisture and natural oils like fabrics like cotton do, in addition to being inherently immune to many other allergies. Additionally, it won’t absorb any of the nighttime creams, products, or treatments you use to repair and maintain the health of your hair.
10. Deep Condition Frequently
Deep conditioners are engineered to function thrice better than regular conditioners and can give the hair the moisture needed. Deep conditioners can penetrate the hair’s inner layer working the magic inside out as opposed to a regular conditioner. The
L’Oreal Oleo Therapy Deep Recovery Mask is a great option to try out!