Why Soft Hair Doesn’t Always Mean Moisturized Hair

by Geniece

I have often been asked to give advice on how one might achieve moisturized hair. I learned fairly quickly that the person asking the question wasn’t only interested the moisture of their hair but, more often than not, achieving soft, supple hair. I have been clear in this blog that hair may feel dry to the touch even if it is in fact moisturized. It is therefore important to focus more on healthy hair practices and monitoring how your hair responds to those practices over time than how it feels. In this article I’d like to focus on the distinction between “soft” hair and “moisturized” hair since it’s an issue I used to grapple with and one I know some women still face.

In the same way an individual may confuse dry hair with hair that is not properly moisturized, it is not uncommon to think that achieving “softness” means that your hair is moisturized. Moreover, soft hair is sometimes used as a proxy for one’s ability to retain hair length over a long period of time. Without understanding that your hair may be able to feel soft without the necessary moisture you might find yourself frustrated if you remain stuck in your hair journey.  So, what are some reasons your hair may feel soft  without actually being moisturized?

1. You may be using a product containing ingredients designed to smooth the cuticles of your hair without adding any moisture to the strands.
While smoothing the cuticles of the hair may diminish frizz and give the illusion of soft hair, you are actually coating the hair with a  product that may temporarily prevent your hair from absorbing moisture. We often think of heavy, greasy products with loads of mineral oil as coating our strands and blocking moisture. However, glossers and anti-frizz serums are light weight silicones that can give the hair an almost silky feel. Don’t get me wrong. Those products serve a purpose if you are wearing your hair straight and want to maintain the style. However, if you use similar products on a regular basis you may find that your hair feels good and even looks shiny but is actually depriving your hair of moisture.

2. It may be over moisturized.
Wait, did she just imply there’s such a thing as too much moisture? Yup, I did! Just as dry, brittle hair can weaken your hair so too can hair that is overly moisturized. Now, using a moisturizer every day or spritzing with water likely won’t lead to damaging results. However, if your hair rarely has time to dry and a section of your hair is constantly damp or wet it can be more prone to breakage when manipulated. I found this to be a problem if I chose to wear a bun the day after I washed my hair. My dense hair takes about 12 hours dry (I have to dry my hair in 12 large twists to prevent tangling). While the ends of my hair would get dry the section tied with the hair elastic would remain damp. If I re-moisturized my hair every morning my hair would spend far more time damp than dry, making the hair prone to breakage.  The hair felt soft and quite frankly met my ideal of what I thought moisturized hair should feel like but it was weak and prone to breakage.

KID CURLS: HEALTHY HAIR CARE TIPS FOR CHILDREN

by Bee of 83toinfinity.com

of ThreeNaturals 

Do you have memories of sitting in between your mother’s legs while she parted your hair, oiled your scalp, and styled you up in some plaits and twists, perhaps with pretty clips and bubbles and elastics? Are those memories fond or fearful? For me, they’re all warm and fuzzy. Having my mom wash and braid me up for school was usually something I looked forward to – her hands were gentle, I loved the smell of the African Pride scalp oils she used (remember the yellow ones filled with petroleum and “herbs”?), and we had fun watching TV or talking while she got me ready for the next day of school.

I know that for others, the memories aren’t so sweet. Hair being scraped back and torn with rough combing, singes from irons used to “tame” naps, and harsh comments about how tough, nappy, and bad one’s hair was. I’ve seen the after-effects of negative treatment pass down much more visibly than the positive – mothers who were told their hair was “bad” have practiced the same with their own children, especially their daughters. Seeing 4 year olds with relaxed hair makes me sad. Hearing mothers talk about how terrible their child’s hair is in front of the child makes me cringe. I have heard Black women admit to choosing fathers of another race in order to ensure that her daughter didn’t have “nappy-ass hair” like she did. I’ve spoken with White mothers who have children with Black men, but have absolutely no clue what to do with their baby’s hair.
If you’re a parent struggling with your child’s hair, you aren’t alone! I’m no hair professional, but here are some tips I’ve acquired to help create more happy, healthy memories when it comes to little ones and their hair.

• Moisturizing is the key: kids’ hair can get extremely dry. From wearing wool hats in the winter, to going to swimming lessons, to a general rough and tumble lifestyle, so many things can zap the moisture right out of your little one’s hair. If they also have tight kinks and curls, you’ll want to pay even more attention to this. Adding a bit of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or jojoba oil to shampoos and conditioners is always a good move. Stick to water-based moisturizers to keep hair soft and supple in between washes and natural oils like coconut oil, argan oil, and shea butter to nourish and lubricate your child’s hair before styling.

• Detangling doesn’t have to be torture: the keys to detangling are tools + technique. Use a wide-tooth comb to gently but thoroughly detangle hair section by section, and if you have extra time, use your fingers as a comb to remove any tiny knots or tangles. Never detangle your little one’s hair when it’s dry! The best time to do so is when their hair is soaking wet and full of conditioner – this helps your comb to move through the hair much easier, and less painfully too. If their hair does dry before you’ve been able to detangle, keep a spritz bottle of water and leave-in conditioner handy to wet the hair again before running through with the comb.

• Young scalps are important: Are you concerned with the rate at which your child’s hair is NOT growing? It all starts at the scalp. School-aged children are prone to getting a little bit of everything in their hair, and if yours also sweats in their scalp, you’ll need to shampoo more frequently. Scalps need to be able to breathe in order for hair growth to flourish, so keep that in mind. Also – don’t gunk your child’s scalp with petroleum based oils and greases. While some use mineral oil-based products to protect their strands from mechanical damage, these products can sit on top of the scalp without providing any nourishing properties. Try applying castor oil to your little one’s scalp to nourish and promote growth.

• Styles matter: Most parents I know limit “out” days and keep their children’s hair in mainly protective styles. Smart move, as this could save you the tears and extra time to detangle at the next wash day. In the same vein, don’t be afraid to try your hand at some new styles! Buns, braids, twists, cornrows – the options are endless! If you aren’t as skilled as you’d like to be, or if your busy schedule makes it hard to recreate fresh and fab styles, hit up your friendly neighborhood braider to get a style that may last your child a week or 2 at a time! Whatever route you take, remember that young hairlines are sensitive – don’t cause damage by braiding, pulling, or combing too tightly. Also, take care of exposed ends. Try applying shea butter or coconut oil to the ends of hair to protect from dryness and splitting.

(don’t the above tips reflect the same things we adults do for our natural hair care? Get the kiddies started off right!)

• Watch your words: I have colleagues and acquaintances in their 50s who remember, clear as day, the way their mothers used to disparage and criticize their hair – those memories don’t easily fade away. Remove the negative speak when taking care of your child’s hair, and replace it with positives. Children first develop their self-esteem through what they’re taught and told at home – besides, there are sufficient messages in the world to tell your child why they aren’t good enough. Do you want to add to that, or help to strengthen your child against it? Use your words to instill pride and love in your child’s hair, so that they can absorb that pride and love for themselves. Instead of teaching them how to “fix” their hair, teach them how to take care of it. “Fixing” indicates that something is wrong – and as long as your child’s hair is healthy, it’ll be alright!

Stimulate Your Growth!

By CreativeliCoiled

 

Hey Naturalistas!

Do you want your hair to grow at a rapid speed? I know how it is when you’re transitioning to natural and want your hair to quickly grow so you can chop off those relaxed ends. Or after you’ve done the big chop and you’re anxiously awaiting your hair to grow so you can rock a twist out. Well instead of buying excessive products that claim to make your hair grow, stick those ten fingers in your beautiful hair for a stimulating scalp massage. I know how much we love massages ladies!

Why Massage Your Scalp?

Scalp stimulation is an important key to great hair care but many times it is over looked. Just by simply using the tips of your fingers you can stimulate blood circulation in the scalp, which will cause blood to flow to the roots of your hair, delivery oxygen and nutrients, allowing the hair follicles to produce hair more quickly. The rubbing motion also, increases relaxation, decreases stress, conditions the scalp and boosts the strength of hair roots. The best part about it ladies, is that it only takes five minutes for a great stimulating scalp massage.

How Do I Massage My Scalp?

First start by using a carrier oil such as coconut oil, grape seed oil, or jojaba oil, these oils promote hair growth and thickness. You can also add some essential oils to your carrier oils for even more TLC. You can apply these oils to your fingers or directly to the hair.
Next, start at the front of the head using all ten fingers in a circular motion, working your way around the entire head.
Now concentrate on each section of the scalp (Front, Left Side, Right Side and Back) separately, using the same circular motion as before.
Next place your fingers firmly on your scalp and rub vigorously. Cover the entire scalp in this manner as well. Now you’re all Done!
I massage my scalp daily and have added it to the end of my nightly moisturizing routine. Have fun with it ladies, have your hubby or boyfriend to massage your scalp, I know I do! Wink, Wink!
 

Then and Now



The was my BC 15 months ago and then 15 months later. It's been a work in progress and I'm still learning. I had my ends clipped twice in that time to, a total of about 3 inches.