With fall comes cooler temps, back to school groans, and for many of us…drier weather. Not everyone is coastal living and while many fight with humidity year-round, some of the curlies fight with dryness. Fall is a beautiful time of year, but the cooler temperatures often bring drier hair to many naturals. It can become a constant battle of hydration reinforcements and keeping that moisture locked in, especially if your climate has little precipitation on a regular basis. I live in Denver, so I understand the struggle it can be to keep my hair moisturized with the thinner air and dryer climate, so when JoneC from Curly Q&A inquired about keeping hair moisturized in a drier climate, I had to help her out.
Question
Anyone from Canada? It’s so dry here, how do you keep your hair moisturized throughout the day? I’d rather not be slapping a bunch of product in my hair and then have a product buildup. Any suggestions? What do you use? I have 3c hair.
Answer
I know the feeling. Drier climates are not a reality for all naturals, so some of the land-locked curlies have to do extra work to get those curls moisturized and keep them that way. Here are a few ways to keep your hair moisturized in even the driest climates from Canada to Colorado and everywhere in between.
Moisturize
Water is your friend and there is no better moisturizer than good old-fashioned water. Water is essential to life, including your hair. Hydration must be implemented inside and out for healthy hair and body. It is unfortunate that for years when some of us used to have relaxed hair, we believed that water was our hair’s worst enemy and we could not have been more wrong. Yes, water reverts straightened hair but it brings the natural coils and curls back. Many of us were unaware of how to care for our hair in that hydrated and natural state. Step forward to today and we are leaving that antiquated belief behind and embracing water and what it does for our hair. Water and water-based products should be used regularly to ensure to keep dryness at bay and reduce breakage.
Condition
A moisture-rich conditioner is also necessary year-round and especially during the drier months or in those drier climates. Oils, humectants, and fatty alcohols should be in the ingredient list and if not then add some!
Fix Dry Damaged Hair w/ Glycerin Mix
Ulovemegz may have relaxed hair but she knows the importance of maintaining moisturized hair with this quick fix to decrease dryness. It is simple, cheap, and surely a new tip to try as we begin to embrace cooler temperatures.
Sealing
No better way to ensure you are sealing all that moisture that you have reinforced than the beloved LOC method and LCO method. Haven’t heard of them? Well, if not then you will be singing praises soon enough. Check out these two videos that show exactly how to implement them and what they can offer in drier climates.
The LOC Method
Naturals have long been talking about using and loving the LOC method. The liquid hydrates the hair and most naturals use water or a water-based product like the leave-in conditioner AlleySinai uses in this video. AlleySinai gives clear instruction and it is easy to see just how simple this process can be. The variance of products depends on your hair’s needs, so use what works best for you!
The LCO METHOD
I had to share the LCO (liquid + cream + oil”> method, as it is used almost as often as the LOC method. Some love this one better and find it more effective. MyThriftedCloset shares her technique along with her products to complete this method perfectly. Honestly, it is a preference and as long as water or a water-based product is first applications of both methods, then you will seal effectively.
Proper Nighttime Routines
No need to ruin all the hard work you have put into your hair care moisture techniques by messing up with a bad nighttime routine. Ditch the cotton pillowcases for satin or silk ones. Even if you sleep with a satin scarf or bonnet, they can come off during the night, so ditch those linen pillowcases. As I just mentioned, sleep with a satin or silk scarf or bonnet, especially if you are still using cotton pillowcases. Depending on your style, you may need to do some prep work at night like retwisting, rebraiding, or just lightly moisturizing your hair for the morning. If your room is extremely dry, invest in a humidifier to keep moisture in the air, especially as it gets colder. It can be just as dry indoors as outside when it gets colder. One or more of these nighttime routines will help with keeping the dryness away from your moisturized strands.
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