Contrary to popular belief, when your hair is feeling dehydrated, cleansing is the best place to start. Reviewing what you cleanse with, how you cleanse, and the frequency at which you cleanse is important. First, let’s address the frequency. Although dry hair may lack moisture, it is probably not lacking product. Buildup from excess sebum, products, and debris need to be removed from the hair and scalp regularly, because it prevents moisture penetration. Women with textured hair often worry that over cleansing the hair is the concern when it is actually a combination of all the reasons listed above. Stop dryness before it starts by evaluating these three steps in your wash day regimen.
Before You Cleanse
Shampoos are great for removing dirt and priming the hair for deep conditioning. They are formulated with surfactants that contain a negative charge to efficiently cleanse the hair. To maintain a balance of removing dirt without depleting moisture, look for cleansers with the ingredient cocamidopropyl betaine (CAB”> like Macadamia Nourishing Moisture Shampoo. According to CurlChemist, “CAB can effectively remove most dirt, oils, and silicones from the surface of the hair. It is gentler and less irritating than surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate.”
If moisture is still an issue with sulfate-free cleansers, then try alternating your cleanser with a cleansing conditioner like Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner. Another option is to do either a pre-poo treatment or add an oil like the Macadamia Nourishing Moisture Oil Spray to your cleanser. This oil has macadamia oil, argan oil, and vitamin E oil in the top five ingredients, which is full of nourishment. When unsure of what kind of oil you want to use, you can never go wrong with a blend. Like jojoba oil, macadamia oil resembles the sebum on your scalp, which is great if heavy oils weigh down your strands.
While You Cleanse
How you cleanse your hair is just as important as what you cleanse with. I know the sexy shampoo commercials are full of straight hair tousled in lather, but that it is not healthy for curly hair and actually no one’s hair for that matter. Stroking your hair in a downward motion while cleansing helps to smooth the hair shaft, impart shine, and lessen damage. You want to go with the grain, not against it. To prevent your hair from shrinking and tangling, hold the ends taut while scrubbing the scalp and smoothing the lather down the length of your strands.
After You Cleanse
Now that your hair is gently and thoroughly cleansed, it is essential to follow up with a deep conditioning treatment. The top three elements that all curlies look for in an effective deep conditioner are premium ingredients, slip, and moisture. Premium ingredients because our curls benefit the most with quality formulations, slip because consumer experience (i.e. ease of detangling”> is just as important as the science, and moisture because if your strands are not rejuvenated after the conditioner is rinsed off then that defeats the core purpose. For nourishment and tangle-free curls, try Macadamia Nourishing Moisture Masque, which is formulated with water (moisture”>, cetearyl alcohol (fatty alcohol“>, glycerin (moisturizer and humectant”>, macadamia oil, and argan oil as the top ingredients. Apply the deep conditioner to freshly washed, wet hair, cover it with a plastic cap, and allow it to sit for 15-20 min. to receive the conditioner’s maximum benefits and combat dryness.
Here are three quick and easy elements to revise in your cleansing regimen when trying to revive your dehydrated hair.
What are your quick fixes for dehydrated curls?
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This article is sponsored by Macadamia Professional.
