Dry climate - what to do?

poemaXX · 06-22-2012, 04:31 PM

Hi there!

I'm used to being in a humid climate, but now I'm in California for the summer.

I'm wondering if there are any changes I should make in my routine so that my hair doesn't suffer? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

mhen76 · 06-22-2012, 09:02 PM

When I'm in a dryer climate, I usually need to increase the moisture for my hair - richer products, leave-ins, deep treatments. Nothing drastic, just a little extra.

Auntie Bubbs · 06-24-2012, 07:14 PM

I have always been in CA so I'm not sure what I do that is different, exactly, but I have dry hair, so I can tell you what I do. Which is use a rich conditioner, and either use a LI, or else not rinse out my RO (I'll pass my head under the cold water once on my way to turn off the shower instead).
If I feel I need to, I will use a sealer between the LI and the styler. I've been using Vitamin E oil lately, but I've used Apricot Kernel Oil too. These are both light oils.
Sometimes if I think oil is too much, I'll not rinse out my RO, and then use a LI, instead of using an oil, and then style. Summer is drying weather, so my hair can always use more moisture.
My FSG has oil in it, and I put two oils (both of them light oils) in the last batch I made just as an experiment.
I also use a deep conditioner at least once a week after I do an ACV. On average once a month, maybe once every 3 weeks, I do a very deep conditioning pre-wash treatment, which is pure oils, more like a butter, that goes on my hair ends. I wrap my hair and let that soak for at least an hour, two hours if I have the time, and if I can apply heat to my hair, that is even better. This deep treatment is the bomb; you can make your own DT out of oils, avocado, proteins (like egg, mayonaise, banana, etc.) and let it set for an hour or so too. I buy mine from Ojon and it's super rich and makes my hair super soft.

Basically, in this climate, I baby my hair but don't over-do it because I don't want overconditioned hair.

I take it easy on the heat styling - but I don't flat-iron or use heat directly on my hair. Use cool or medium heat and low or medium setting on the diffuser when possible, etc. Air dry if I'm not going anywhere special.
My hair is used to the climate here because I was born here but whenever I travel to other climates, I haven't had to adjust my routine that drastically, so I know it's not that bad here.

poemaXX · 06-26-2012, 03:27 PM

Thank you both so much! I've started using some of my rinse-out as a leave-in under my gel and noticed a positive difference from my gel-only routine. I've also been sealing with oil as recommended. <3 I got the Giovanni Direct Leave-In today, so I'll add that in. Thanks again!

curlytrees · 06-27-2012, 09:44 AM

I used to live in Aruba and I think I survived quite well. Next to deep conditioning once a week I would use two kinds of gels (aloe vera gel which was quite light) and one hard hold gel. I would apply these on soaking wet hair. After drying them with a cotton t-shirt I would apply a small amount of KY jelly all over. The jelly really really helped me with frizz. Then I would let it dry and I would touch it as little as possible. My hair would be kinda shiny afterwards because of the gels but I would scrunch out the crunch and it would be fine. After scrunching I would usually have nice frizz free soft curls with good hold. The only thing that would ruin it would be the insane sea breeze down there

Good luck!