Hair and Moisture - How Much Do We Really Understand?

I can't stress enough the importance of reading your hair.  And this goes, not just for Naturals but for those with all types of hair. Many of us, (and I too have been guilty of this) become so in love with or lazy about our routines we just mechanically keep doing the same things and then wonder weeks later why our hair are still dry or limp, or why our scalps are still flaky.

Moisture OverDose
The other thing, and one of the reasons we should pay attention to our hair, is that it is possible to over-moisturize our hair.  I have read so many crazy suggestions around moisturizing.  One person recommended applying a deep moisturizing conditioner mixed with some other water-based ingredients, and baggying the hair overnight. Every night!
Now if you happen to have hair that is not receptive to water, as in does not seem to absorb water well, this may be ok advice, I don't know.  But if you notice your hair feels limp and super-soft, but maybe too-soft, is brittle and is not holding a curl, then maybe you have been leaving too much water in your hair for too long.

Like I said, we all have different hair with different needs.  Hair's absorption rate for water varies individually but, on average, hair does not  need to be doused in copious amounts water 24-7, I mean we are not mermaids.  (Think of this: Hair and nails share similar properties and needs. What happens to our nails when we have our hands in water for a long period of time ie. that delicious but super-long bath?  )
Sealing in the water moisture when we do apply water is the key.  There are numerous amounts of good sealants provided by oils or butters. Some people say their hair does not like oil.  I am going to dispute this. I have found that to some degree, the hair has to be used to oil.  My hair seemed to hate oil when I first started this journey.  It would just sit on top of my hair.  But I didn't give up.  I just learned what kinds of oils my hair responded favorably to and what kinds of oils it didn't.  For me, I found that thicker oils like castor oil worked well on my kinky curls.  I got creative and started mixing butters (just oils that are solid at room temperature) with thin oils to get that thick-oil consistency my hair loves.  And I stopped applying oils to dry hair - made sure to dampen hair first.  But dousing the hair in water spritz's throughout the day, never giving it a chance to dry?  Well if nothing else, creates a breeding ground for bacteria and a recipe for over-moisturized hair.

Does Your Deep Conditioner Match You?
We love our deep conditioners. We rave about how much our hair adores them - me included.  But do you know what your deep conditioner does for your hair?  Do you know that there are different kinds of deep conditioners?  There are reconstructors/protein conditioners that attempt to restore protein to the hair shaft and there are moisturizing conditioners meant to seal moisture in the hair shaft.  These all, of course, provide only temporary protection for the hair.  Did you also know at different times your hair may need different types of conditioners?
Here is a key:
If your hair feels over-moisturized - very limp, fragile, and super-soft, won't hold a curl or breaks when you touch or gently pull on it, then you probably need a strengthening/reconstructing conditioner, generally a protein treatment.
If your hair feels dry, hard, and brittle, then a moisturizing conditioner is the answer.  Our individual hair types  (I'm not referring to the 1a-4b typing system)  kind of lets us know which type of conditioner we may need as the staple but changes in the hair's behavior (usually responses to stress, diet or your regimen) will also indicate that you may need to switch it up.
For example, protein treatments should pretty much be a must and a staple for relaxed heads because the hair cuticle's integrity is compromised and protein links have been broken and so are impaired.  You will notice after a relaxer, hair is super-soft and may be limp.  To prevent breakage, a protein treatment temporarily restores the protein lost during relaxing - temporarily (which is why you have to keep it up).
Natural heads, unless you have colored or apply heat regularly or genetically have super-fine hair that's prone to breakage, you are generally   in more need of moisturizing treatments because natural hair tends toward dryness.  But this does not mean from time to time, especially if you have a regimen based on almost constant water moisturizing, that your hair will not need a protein treatment to restore its strength. Just remember, all treatments are temporary.  It should also be a sign you need to adjust your regimen and probably reduce how often you wet your hair.

Glycerin is Two-Faced
I have noticed that some Curlies swear by glycerin and its become a staple of mine too.  But some use glycerin undiluted, applying directly to hair. Especially if you live in a hot, or cold, dry environment, this is a recipe for constant hair dryness.  Why?  Glycerin is a self-serving water-absorber.  It works great for our hair because diluted, it actually will pull water out of the air, thereby acting as a humectant for hair. But glycerin does not distinguish where it pulls moisture from.  So undiluted glycerin on hair plus dry air means glycerin will likely make your hair even drier by pulling moisture away from your hair.  A bit of glycerin added to water goes a long way and adding a few drops of oil helps to prevent glycerin from drying out your hair in dry climates.
I hope this post shed some light on some of our most common misconceptions about the products we use. The takeaway: listen to your hair, always. She is telling you what she needs. 

The Low-Down on my Current Regimen

There have been some minor changes to my haircare regimen, especially as she is growing, growing, growing!
Here goes:

Washes
Since my hair is growing out, which means more detangling, I have reduced my co-washes from every day to about every other day, sometimes I go even two days. Of course I de-tangle in the shower with a wide tooth comb while conditioner is in my hair. When I don't co-wash, I still let steam and water get to my hair by leaving it out in the shower or I spritz with this mixture:
Glycerin
Water
few drops of jojoba oil
a drop or two of tea tree oil (to prevent my mix from mold)

I poo-wash once a week, sometimes I'll go a week and a half. I no longer use shampoo.  I have successfully transitioned to my homemade shikakai hair cleanser.  It's awesome and my hair responds well to it which makes me happy! *happy*

When I use the shikakai to cleanse my hair, I detangle after the wash, with my commercial-brand deep conditioner in it.  The shikakai mix does not provide slip so I don't try to de-tangle until the conditioner is in my hair so I have some slip.  More slip equals less breakage.
If I feel buildup, I will shampoo once a month with Organix Coconut Milk shampoo, but only if I feel like I need some clarifying that an acv rinse or bentonite treatment is not providing.  If I shampoo, I apply my daily conditioner before the shampoo and detangle with the conditioner in it, then add a bit of shampoo on top of the conditioner to cleanse.  I rinse then deep condition.

Conditioning
My daily conditioner (used for my co-washes) is a pretty generic one from Whole Foods.  It's called Everyday Shea, is natural, and most importantly, is gentle enough for everyday use.

My commercial-brand deep conditioner is still my Kerastase Oleo-Curl but I plan to mix that with DevaCurl Heaven in Hair (right now its just Kerastase).  I recommend Kerastase only if you don't mind paying alot for your conditioners, and its why I'm switching to DevaCurl which I've heard rave reviews about.  I'll let you know how my hair responds to the mix.

Of course there are my homemade deep conditioners, some of which I have shared with y'all.  Some of these have changed, for example, my bentonite clay hair treatment now includes marshmallow root powder  which acts as a humectant (and adds slip).  I will share new recipes and changes to posted recipes in later posts.

My homemade deep conditioners can be broken into four categories which I alternate based on how my hair is behaving:

Clarifying Treatments
Right now, my homemade bentonite clay treatment does the trick

Protein
This is my Braggs Liquid Aminos treatment that I shared in an earlier post (I'll add the link here).  This is great for those who do not need or whose hair does not respond well to protein treatments (like mine).  It is a 'lighter version' of a protein treatment.

Moisturizing
Usually for this, I just use my commercial-brand deep conditioners but when I feel like treating myself I do treatments like my chocolate treatment  (add link here) or a caramel treatment.

This also includes my pre-poo hot oil treatment (recipe provided in an earlier post - will add link).

Strengthening and Growth
This includes my henna and brahmi clay treatments which I have yet to share - but will, definitely.

I generally do deep conditioning treatments no more often than once every two weeks and I might cut back to once a month depending on my hair needs.

Daily Care

Scalp Moisturizing. I have a scalp oil concoction which is a mix of the most nourishing oils I know of:
Here is what is included in this mix:
Hemp seed oil
Castor oil
Jojoba oil
Macadamia nut oil
Kukui nut oil
Few drops of Tamanu oil
Spearmint essential oil (to cut the nutty smell from the macadamia nut oil and the castor oil. Nutty smells drive me crazy!)

I think olive oil but I can't remember.  Anyway, I massage a bit of this mix into my scalp at least every other day, and if I'm home all day, I do this more often.

After Wash
After a wash, I apply a pureed mix of gel, butters and olive oil.  It provides the hold to define my curls but doesn't make me choose between curl definition and moisture.

When I don't want any gel in my hair, usually if I will be home all day, I apply my super-moisturizer:  Its a pureed mix of the following:
Mango Butter
Shea Butter
Kukui Nut Oil
Coconut oil
Glycerin
Fragrance (I add almond fragrance oil with vanilla and it makes this mix smell super-yummy!)

If I am going out, getting dolled up, I will do a leave-in like Knot Today and gel, usually Eco Styler and big, loose, messy twists.  Its my current NSTWA going-out look. :)

That's the full scoop. If I left anything out, I will add it later.