So much of what we do to our hair is about moisture. I would estimate that 99% is about it, but don’t quote me on this there is no empirical study just hands on experience. It’s funny (it’s actually not), but before I transitioned to natural hair I didn’t do anything to keep my hair moisturised. I know this may be a shocker to some of you, and then again maybe not, but so many of us didn’t know how to properly take care of our hair before starting this journey, and some are still learning. I thought my hair was well taken care of, but I have to admit it wasn’t.
When you decided to transition to natural hair I am sure one of the first things you were cautioned about was to pay close attention to the moisture in you hair. Yes, we’re always working hard to keep that moisture in. Know that satin bonnet or pillowcase you use every night, or those protective styles you keep your hair in most of the time or even that pre-poo you do before shampooing? Yes, those are all meant to keep that precious moisture in.
It’s horrifying for me to think of what I did to my hair when I relaxed it. I clearly didn’t have any knowledge of my hair or its needs, the only moisture my hair saw was on my washing day. It’s not because I was careless, it’s because I didn’t know any better. But, “when you know better, you do better” as Maya Angelou would say.
If ever your hair needs a mid-week boost of moisture there are quick and easy ways you can do this without having to spend much money. Here are 3 ways to quickly add moisture to your transitioning hair.
1| Water
C’mon you knew water had to be the first one coming up. Although water is not enough to keep you hair healthy it is what it craves most. So, if you find yourself in the middle of a desert island and water is the only thing you have to moisturise your hair, then your hair will probably be fine.
Of course, if you’re a bit of a mixtress you can be a dear and crack open some coconuts or use some avocados and do some magic in that dessert island! Anyway, spraying your hair with water may only be a quick fix, but one good enough to spare you some future problems. Nevertheless, you can always improve on it and use it as a basis for other solutions.
2| Water + Vegetable Oil
The only problem you have with using just water to moisturise your hair is that it evaporates fairly quickly, especially if the weather is hot and dry. This is why mixing some water with coconut oil or any other vegetable oil can be a match made in heaven.
As said previously on other posts here, oils are not moisturisers they are emollients they can make your hair feel soft and look shiny due to their fatty acid content, however, when mixed with water they retain moisture in your hair for a longer period of time. They can do this by creating a protective layer outside the hair strand which seals all moisture in or they can penetrate inside the hair structure and retain it there. Read more about Penetrating or Sealing Oils.
3| Water + Aloe Vera Juice/Gel
Mix some water and aloe vera juice or gel and your hair will probably be drinking the nectar of Gods. Yes, this mixture is that good for your hair! There are many benefits to the use of aloe vera in your hair regimen and this simple mix can be a quick-last-minute-out-of-the-door-moisturiser or a leave-in as the basis for your hair styling process. Either way, your hair would be doing flips if it had any life (get it?! Had a life ’cause it’s actually dead?!).
Aloe vera is a great humectant, meaning it attracts water molecules and, in this case, it retains them in your hair. Aloe vera is also good to balance the pH of your scalp and hair, to soothe itchiness, to help heal scalp irritations, to moisturise your hair or to reduce dandruff.
As you can see the benefits are many, however, you do have to be careful when using it as it is an humectant. On high or low humidity conditions aloe vera can either draw too much water into your hair (hygral fatigue) or it can actually take moisture from it leaving it dry and brittle. Always check weather conditions.
4| Water + Conditioner
This little mixture is quick and easy, and you can use your regular conditioner. There’s no need to buy a new one although you can if your heart shrinks a little everytime your favourite conditioner is diluted in water (I feel your pain!).
Adding just a teaspoon of conditioner to 100ml of water can make a difference on how your hair feels and behaves. You’ll have your hair hydrated, conditioned, softer and more manageable. Who doesn’t love some quick and easy DIY?
5| Water + Conditioner + Vegetable Oil + Essential Oil
You can also, improve on the previous options. I, for instance, like to mix purified water with some conditioner, vegetable oil and a few drops of an essential oil for fragrance and other beneficial properties (such as hair growth stimulation, itchiness or dandruff control or anti-fungal properties).
You can also substitute water for black or green tea. There are a lot of advantages in doing this! You can read Tea Rinses For Natural Hair to know more about it.
As you can see moisturising your hair doesn’t have to come at the cost of one arm or a leg, you can do it at home with a few simple ingredients. For those who say going natural is expensive, you can see that is certainly not the case here. These moisture solutions can be used as a part of your hair routine. You can use them to quickly hydrate your hair, as a leave-in in your LOC method or a curl refresher. Here’s an infographic you can pin for a quick recap.
See, there’s really no excuse for not going natural or not taking care of your hair, I only wish I knew this years ago. It’s so quick and inexpensive.
What is your solution to quickly moisturise your hair?
