Natural 4a needs help! Dry hair galore -_-

Niapb

Niapb

New Member
I am convinced I have the driest hair on the planet! I don't know what to use I've tried EVERYTHING and it just feels like I will never have soft hair while my hair is in it's natural state. The only time it feels soft and moisturized is when it's straightened. Any suggestions on how I could soften up/moisturize my hair? Conditioners, regimens, techniques, ANYTHING. Please help!
 
This is what I do and I works great for me .. prior to this I had the driest hair ever.

Hairolics Egg protein treatment (check siggy): twice a month on dry hair ... put plastic cap on for at least an hour

Shampoo
With sulphate free shampoo. I use creme conditioning shampoo

Deep condition one a week over night: I use ors replenishing pak I a variety of oils

On wet hair apply kimmaytubes leave in .. Mine differs slightly to hers. I dont use knot today.

Then I mouisturise with mango butter

Then seal with crisco. The crisco is great!

AIR DRY IN TWISTS

Try this regimine ... You dont have to use the exact products I use but substitute them for a similar kind if thing. I would say try the crisco shortening to seal with because things like olive oil n coconut oil are far to thin for dry natural hair especially in winter.

Mouisturise n seal daily.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Long Hair Care Forum App
 
Are you using natural or organic products? DCing overnight with Aubreys conditioner really helps to combat dryness in my hair. Also using Giovanni conditioners as a leave in combined with coconut oil and Shea butter make a world of difference for me!
 
I struggled with dry hair after going natural but finally think I have it unfer control. I've been doing the aloe / coconut oil pre treatment. I also don't use poo.


It took a lot of trial & error but I finally found a leave in that my hair likes. It doesn't have a hair smell when I work out AND out of all the products i've purchased, it's actually one of the least expensive. I like WEN but Panteen dry to moisturized for curly hair is my go to leave in.

I also seal with 75%shea 25% UNSCENTED Coconut oil.

i'll most likely go back to juicing in the summer months though.
 
co washing, water-based products, and moisturize twice daily. get a spritz bottle for throughout the day to refreshen your hair.
 
I'm still experimenting but things that have been working for me:
-steaming
-using a leave-in while damp and sealing with a heavy butter
-airdrying in twists or by banding
-twisting as a protective style, spraying with water and sealing with coconut oil.
 
Moisturize on wet hair and again once dry moisturize again
This time of year especially dc 2x/wk
Natural and/or organic products work best for my hair at least
That pre poo in that thead is on point!
 
Are you a new natural? I have noticed that sometimes (not necessarily you) naturals aren't used to what their hair feels like and think it is dry because it is not smooth. What indicates that it is dry? Also straightened hair is easier to moisturize. How do you apply your moisturizer, sometimes it's not the product but technique. Maybe you aren't properly distributing the products. I know my hair feels cotton and soft when it is moisturized. My hair seems to do well using leave-ins and oil and also Taliah Waajid moisturizer. DCing is also something I can't skimp on. What DC do you use?
 
I've been natural for 15 years (I use no direct heat at all and I color with henna and indigo) and I've realized that my hair will never feel "soft" when compared to straight hair. I'm mostly 4a with a mixture of fine and medium strands and my hair feels wiry and looks dry (my natural hair color is dark ashy brown). If I didn't know any better I would assume (based on my natural hair color and the way it feels) that my hair is dry and damaged but it's not. That's just the way my hair is. Conditioners, butters, oils, etc. can soften it up for a while, but the moment I wash them out, it feels wiry again. I have almost no breakage, very few knots, and my hair retains length very well. So IMO that soft feeling is just that, a feeling. If your hair is healthy and not breaking off then maybe that's just the way your hair is.
 
Are you sure you aren't confusing the texture of your hair with softness?

I did this for the longest time until I realized they are two separate things....
 
Two words: oil rinse! In my five years as a natural, ihad only just been introduced to this and the aloe juice/coconut oil pre poo. Before that, my hair always felt hard. It even felt very stripped under water. No conditioner or deep conditioner ever helped Me. And trust me, I started threads just like this-asking the same question. Then I went out & bought every conditioner under the sun. Used heat/steam, overnight...etc.

Some people w/4ab hair just don't respond to market conditioners. If u are one of those ppl like me then try searching for the thread: "don't sleep on oil rinses". I will try & link u to the 2 threads when I get to a computer. Shea butter & mango butter & coconut oil on ur dry hair only temporarily soften. So ur gonna need something to lock in moisturize while Your hair is wet (i prefer castor oil rinses) and something to prevent the shampoo from strippiing any moisture (search for thread titled "moisture drenched pre poo"). These oil rinses should help your hair respond to the conditioners everyone mentioned alot better.

Sent from my SPH-M920 using Long Hair Care Forum App
 
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The winter and indoor heating does a real number on my hair.

Usually when I am at home I keep my ends baggied. Also if you notice your lips are drying out alot chances are your hair is too.

I use EVOO mixed with a water, and I spritz my hair 2 times a day
and at night, I spray it up real good and baggie at night.
 
When I first joined the board, I was so confused by people saying their hair felt "soft". I had no idea what "soft" meant, cuz my hair had NEVER felt soft. It was wiry, dry and coarse. And maybe "oily" if I put too much product in, but NEVER soft.

My regimen now consists of regularly co-washing with oils, weekly DCs with oils, moisturizing and sealing daily, shampooing rarely and when I do include a moisturizing pre-poo beforehand, and using a moisturizing leave-in after all washes. I've FINALLY conquered my dryness problem, but it took me months of experimenting. Sometimes my hair is so soft I can't belive it's mine lol.

1 other thing I've started recently doing is an ACV final rinse after I wash (16 oz of water with 1 tablespoon of ACV). Initially I stayed away from this because my hair felt so weird immediately following the rinse, but later I realized that's because the rinse actually sealed my hair cuticle, and that was a feeling I wasn't used to at all. This has also REALLY helped me with moisture retention as well.

Hope you find something that works for you. Keep us posted!
 
virtuenow said:
Two words: oil rinse! In my five years as a natural, ihad only just been introduced to this and the aloe juice/coconut oil pre poo. Before that, my hair always felt hard. It even felt very stripped under water. No conditioner or deep conditioner ever helped Me. And trust me, I started threads just like this-asking the same question. Then I went out & bought every conditioner under the sun. Used heat/steam, overnight...etc.
Click to expand...

Co-sign on the Oil Rinses... changed my dry hair life :D

Also don't sleep on L'Oreal Hydra Gloss Conditioner... it contains royal jelly and it gives my 4c hair bells moisture...

HTH

Sent from my DROIDX using Long Hair Care Forum App
 
OP I just saw a post of yours in another thread that mentioned you are heat training. If you are using heat very regularly and adding a silicone heat protectant (I hope you are using one) this can leave you hair feeling dry.
 
What is your regimen? I'm pretty lazy with my hair and I don't use organic products, but I find when I dampen my hair and put a little conditioner on my hair it softens it up. There will always be a difference of how straight hair and kinky hair feels. Sometimes soft natural hair isn't possible, it just is what it is. Just make sure you stay on top of your conditioning treatments.
 
Ms Lala said:
Are you a new natural? I have noticed that sometimes (not necessarily you) naturals aren't used to what their hair feels like and think it is dry because it is not smooth. What indicates that it is dry? Also straightened hair is easier to moisturize. How do you apply your moisturizer, sometimes it's not the product but technique. Maybe you aren't properly distributing the products. I know my hair feels cotton and soft when it is moisturized. My hair seems to do well using leave-ins and oil and also Taliah Waajid moisturizer. DCing is also something I can't skimp on. What DC do you use?
Click to expand...

I've been natural my whole life and I've always had dry hair. My ends break and my hair snaps and pops when I rub my hand through it. I've been deep conditioning weekly but I think it might be because there is protein in my conditioners? This week I deep conditioned with a homemade conditioner with avocado, banana, olive oil and coconut oil. Surprisingly, my hair felt DRIER after that. Afterwards I moisturized with Shea butter and coconut oil, and sealed with Vaseline(a technique i found on the board.) braided to sleep and wore a braidout today, I just feels dry and greasy. Dont know what I'm doing wrong.
 
AimWard said:
I've been natural for 15 years (I use no direct heat at all and I color with henna and indigo) and I've realized that my hair will never feel "soft" when compared to straight hair. I'm mostly 4a with a mixture of fine and medium strands and my hair feels wiry and looks dry (my natural hair color is dark ashy brown). If I didn't know any better I would assume (based on my natural hair color and the way it feels) that my hair is dry and damaged but it's not. That's just the way my hair is. Conditioners, butters, oils, etc. can soften it up for a while, but the moment I wash them out, it feels wiry again. I have almost no breakage, very few knots, and my hair retains length very well. So IMO that soft feeling is just that, a feeling. If your hair is healthy and not breaking off then maybe that's just the way your hair is.
Click to expand...

No, it's dry AND breaking "/ I can't retain length for anything.
 
Niapb said:
I've been natural my whole life and I've always had dry hair. My ends break and my hair snaps and pops when I rub my hand through it. I've been deep conditioning weekly but I think it might be because there is protein in my conditioners? This week I deep conditioned with a homemade conditioner with avocado, banana, olive oil and coconut oil. Surprisingly, my hair felt DRIER after that. Afterwards I moisturized with Shea butter and coconut oil, and sealed with Vaseline(a technique i found on the board.) braided to sleep and wore a braidout today, I just feels dry and greasy. Dont know what I'm doing wrong.
Click to expand...

I have heard some of the other ladiess on the board say that coconut oil sometimes mimics protein in their hair. One of my DDs who is protein sensitive cannot use it cuz it makes her hair feel "crunchy". This may have been the culprit in your homemade conconcoction.

What about trying a super-moisturing regular conditioner as your DC? One of the WL ladies suggested this a few months ago and its a great way to save $$ and works just as well IMO. I sometimes use HE HH mixed with EVOO & castor oil as a DC on my DDs hair, and it comes out SUPER soft and moisturized.
 
Niapb said:
I've been natural my whole life and I've always had dry hair. My ends break and my hair snaps and pops when I rub my hand through it.
Click to expand...

sounds like your protein/moisture bal is jacked up.....

Niapb said:
I've been deep conditioning weekly but I think it might be because there is protein in my conditioners?
Click to expand...

some protein is great, but overdoing the protein can cause issues, imho.

Niapb said:
This week I deep conditioned with a homemade conditioner with avocado, banana, olive oil and coconut oil. Surprisingly, my hair felt DRIER after that.
Click to expand...

the avocado and banana are great for moisture, but the oils are protein.....Have you tried alternating your dc? moisturizing dc suggestions: aubrey organics honeysuckle rose conditioner, DPR-11 are 2 of my fav dc for moisture. If you have a steamer you can steam with the product in, or you can apply product to dry hair, then wrap in a wet heated towel, or just sleep in the dc overnight, there's like a million ways you can dc.

From Chicoro's book, protein dc = dry heat ie, under a plastic cap, but moisture dc= steamer or wet towel method. This has worked wonders for me. Personally of what you have explained, you have a LOT of protein in your reggie, but where's the bal of moisturizing. OILS only seal moisture, not create it, while plain water, or water based products give the moisture needed, then seal with oil.

Niapb said:
Afterwards I moisturized with Shea butter and coconut oil, and sealed with Vaseline(a technique i found on the board.) braided to sleep and wore a braidout today, I just feels dry and greasy. Dont know what I'm doing wrong.
Click to expand...
Again, shea butter and coconut oil are SEALERS, you need water/water based product, THEN seal with the oils. So using the shea and coconut, then sealing with petroleum oil, will leave most with a crispy oily mess.

IMHO, I DO NOT use vaseline to seal my hair at all. That is petroleum oil, and I prefer not to use that on my hair, however if you are using product like that, be sure to clarify your hair with shampoo very often. Those type of ingrediants can sit on hair, and block out any moisture ( ie. water ) making the problems worse.

Soooooo, over all, my 2 cents are these:

1. Use a clarifying shampoo to rid your hair of all buildup/product. Suave has a cheap one that works, neutrogena has a moisturizing clarifying poo that's not bad at all.

2. Once the hair is clarified, then use a moisturizing conditioner ( aubrey organics or dpr-ll ) and dc for at least 30 min.

3. Once dc is done and hair has been rinsed and detangled, making sure your hair is moist not dripping, add your kimmaytube leave in.

4. if you can, with only the kimmaytube leave-in on your hair, allow it to air dry. I like to braid or fat twist my hair during this step, to not only keep the sections detangled, but to also stretch my hair out.

5. then start your styling process. Again mist the hair with water, then add your oil based product sparingly and style.

For me, this process has worked wonders. I also shower steam to get to my hair daily while in twists, mist my hair with water every night, and wash/condition weekly while my twists are in. This has made all the difference for me!

I have also sent you a pm :D

Ms-gg gave some great advice that stands out from the crowd!
 
stay away from all of those oils and focus on moisturizing with water-based products. clarify your hair first,then cowash daily and dc once a week. moisturize your hair daily. leave the heat alone for a minute.
 
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