How to keep natural hair moisturized!!

One of the biggest problems most naturals face is moisture!! Many naturals complain that their hair is dry and brittle, and feels more like a Brillo pad than fluffy cotton. Moisturizing natural hair can be tricky at first, but its simply a 2 step process. 

Believe it or not, WATER is the best moisturizer for your hair!! Water is a natural moisturizer that keeps our hair hydrated and soft, BUT you must LOCK the water in your hair with some type of SEALANT. A sealant is usually an oil or butter, such as Shea butter, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and Castor oil. Sealants are used to seal the water in your hair, which keeps its soft and moisturized. You can also use a cream base sealant, mixed with oils and butters to lock moisture in as well. My favorite cream based sealant is Qhemets Alma and Olive heavy cream!! 

Now if water doesn't seem like enough for your hair (especially if your strands are thick like mines) you can also use a water base moisturizer or a leave in conditioner. The first ingredient on a water based moisturizer is usually water. Some naturals use this instead of plain water because it has other ingredients mix with the water to add a little more moisture. My favorite water base moisturizer/leave in conditioner are: Oyin Greg Juice, Oyin Shine and Define, Jane Carter Leave in Spray. 

So that's it!! Water, a water base moisturizer, and a sealant is all you need to keep that fro soft. Now the tough part is finding a sealant or moisturizer best suited for your hair. For example, my hair HATES coconut oil! It does nothing for me, and leaves me with dry crunchy hair. But my hair adores EVOO and Shea butter as a sealant!! Many natural say sealant such as Shea butter and Castor oil are too heavy for their hair, and rather lighter oils such as coconut oil and jojoba oil. So it may take some experimenting, but find what works best for your hair!!

This may seem like a lot to remember so here is an easy acronym that can help you remember how to moisturize your strands L.O.C.

L: Liquid 

O: Oil 

C:Cream (moisturizer) 

FIRST/LIQUID: spray water or use a water base moisturizer

SECOND/OIL: Apply an oil to seal the moisture in

THIRD/CREAM: Apply an oil based cream moisturizer.