Hello Spring, Hello Moisture! If you’re like me, your natural hair regimen is most likely centered around retaining moisture between wash days. When I started my natural hair journey, retaining moisture was the biggest hurdle and the most challenging mystery to solve. Here are 4 tips that help me retain moisture in my low porosity natural hair.
1. Start with a clean canvas!
Properly cleansing your hair of product buildup and dirt is a very important step in your hair care routine. When cleansing your hair, you are removing all barriers and blockages created from products and your cuticles are now open and ready to receive moisture. It’s important to find a cleanser that will get your hair squeaky clean. I wash and style my hair weekly, giving my cuticles and strands a much-needed clean slate. I’ve noticed that cleansing my hair often has helped tremendously with retaining moisture because I’m not layering more product on my hair and clogging my cuticles. If you notice that you are having to re-moisturize your hair every two days, something in your routine is not working. For me, it was product build-up that needed to be cleansed in order for me to begin retaining moisture again.
2. Use a well-formulated conditioner.
It’s essential that you have a well-formulated conditioner to pack your hair with the maximum amount of hydration and moisture. I use the Heal & Renew Intensive Hair Masque by Uncle Funky’s Daughter on wash day! This conditioner is perfect to use with a heating cap so that it can really penetrate your hair. Especially if you have low porosity hair like me, a heat cap will really soak that conditioner into your hair in about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Try using water-based stylers!
I use water-based well-formulated stylers to help retain moisture in my natural hair for the week. My favorite stylers to layer are Supercurl and Curly Magic by Uncle Funky’s Daughter. I’ve found that this combination provides tons of moisture that lasts me all week. I apply these products once a week on wash day and throughout the week I will spray a little water on my hair to reactivate them. With this routine, I no longer struggle to retain moisture in my hair. I use the same method on my daughter’s hair and it works great for her as well!
4. Protect your hair at night.
As we all know, protecting your hair at night prevents breakage and helps to retain moisture. I cover my hair with a satin/silk bonnet or scarf every night and I sleep with a satin pillowcase for extra protection…just in case it’s one of those wild sleeping nights! This step in your hair care routine is non-negotiable and key to keeping your hair fresh and moisturized throughout the week. Without it, all of the work you did on wash day will not matter because those cotton pillowcases or sheets will immediately strip your hair of the moisture you added.
Retaining moisture in your natural hair is not as mysterious as it seems and usually requires a very simple routine. I hope that these tips help keep your curls healthy, moisturized, and strong for the Spring.
xoxo
Crystal (@crystalclearcurls)
