I know many curly girls love moisturized strands when it is wet but once it dries, many suffer from dulling dryness that feels brittle and hard. Quite often frizz is accompanied with the dryness and you really have a look you are not happy with. I know I have struggled for years to get moisturized and soft coils once my hair was dry. I used to literally carry a spray bottle in my purse to aid in my challenge. Those days are over for me but quite a few curly girls are still struggling and looking for the Holy Grail of products and techniques to have softer hair once dry and Divah.Roseau inquired in the Curly Q&A about this common problem.
Question
How do girls have their hair out, and it stays moist? I don’t know what to do to be able to keep my hair out, and not have it dry out! Help?
Answer
Believe it or not but the solution starts on wash day. To obtain optimal moisturized hair make sure your wash day is on point. Properly washing, deep conditioning, and sealing the moisture in is step 1 for keeping hair moisturized after it dries, but there are still other tips that will help along the way.
Hydrate your hair
Number one way to getting moisturized hair after it dries is to properly hydrate your strands, and that does not just mean on wash day. Many curly girls hydrate their hair daily or a few times a week due to climate, handling, or just because their hair needs it. I spritz my hair quite a few days a week with my lavender and water mix, but some days just a good steam from the shower helps too. There is no need to saturate your hair, especially if your wash day routine is spot on. I know hydration gets mentioned a lot but there are still curly girls not using the power of water.
Try steaming
Hand-held steamers like the Q-Redew are great for hydrating your hair in-between washings. The steam from the shower is awesome and a cheap way to rejuvenate your hair and enhance your natural coils, curls, and waves. Dry hair breaks and becomes weak but hydrated hair has elasticity and strength. Once you have hydrated your strands, seal with a light oil of your choice or with an oil-based cream to seal it in. It is never just enough to hydrate as you have to capture it to keep hair pliable and soft.
Try LOC or LCO
When using the LOC (liquid, oil, cream”> method or the LCO (liquid, cream, oil”> method many curly girls have found ideal ways to keep hair moisturized even when hair has dried. They have trapped the moisture into the hair strand and it keeps hair softer and conditioned. I make sure to do this on wash day and it protects my hair throughout the week until the next wash day. If I wet my hair in the shower then I do it again because the method works at keeping my hair soft and elastic to prevent breakage.
Steer clear of drying products
Not everyone loves gels and for many they make the hair hard after it dries. Styling products like creams or mousse are popular for holding the curl without making the hair hard or stiff. I love gels but only certain ones like Kinky-Curly Curling Custard, and I make sure to scrunch out the gel cast to leave my hair soft and my coils distinct. There are several amazing styling creams that will help keep hair from becoming hard as it dries like DevaCurl Styling Cream or Garnier Fructis Style Soft Curl Cream. They are light, soft and will not weigh your curls down or dry your hair out.
Read more: Top 12 Styling Creams for Those Who Hate Gel
Maybe it is time for wash day
Often our hair may be bogged down by products, pollutants, or dirt and no types of moisturizing is going to work, as it is just time for a good washing. If it is really weighed down, then use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of all the grime or even try a shampoo with charcoal to make sure all the dirt and products are being fully removed. Wash day is out of necessity and not always on a set schedule, so if you feel your hair is harder or dryer than usual with a lot of buildup, then clean it good, condition the heck out of it, and seal in all that moisture.
