Meet the Experts
Keep reading to learn how to add moisture back into dry natural hair.
“The most damaging is heat above 350 that doesnt require any chemical services.
Experiment withwet sets, wraps, and air-drying instead.
Getty Images / Design by Michela Buttignol
If you might cut outall heat styling, your hair will recover much more quickly.
Plus, you’ll get to explore gentler options in styling that you might not have tried before.
Keep Your Natural Color
While hair color agrees with many people, sometimes it can disrupt moisture.
According to O’Connor, the culprit is generally ammonia found in color products.
Put that bleach on top ofrelaxers, and dry hair is sure to be the result.
Try sticking to rinses, which are gentler, or avoid color altogether until your hair is less dry.
The more you stray from your natural shade, the harsher the process is on your hair.
If you must color, try a semi-permanent dye like Clairol’s Professional Beautiful Collection Semi-Permanent Color.
which contains aloe vera, jojoba, and vitamin E for long-lasting, deep conditioning results.
Becausedry endsoften split and break, you’ll experience hair loss.
Satin caps andsilkor satinpillowcasesare much gentler on hair than cotton pillowcases or scarves.
(Your hair glides against silky fabrics while it clings to cotton).
Plus, cotton may suck moisture out of your hair, leading to, you guessed it, dryness.
Skip the Shampoo
Black hair does better if not shampooed daily.
“Don’t wait too long between washes and use a co-wash for mid-week cleansing,” says O’Connor.
Conditioner washes are good in between shampoos for keeping your scalp and hair clean without over-drying your hair.
Unwash Bio-Cleansing conditioner was rated aByrdie top pickin our list of best cleansers.
Always Condition
It’s very hard to over-condition Black hair, especially if you wear yours natural.
Regular deep conditioning can restore the moisture levels you need.
For excessively dry hair, deep condition once or twice per week.
You don’t need a hood dryer for this.
Wrap your head in a towel for additional heat to soften your hair.
Any heat may help the conditioner penetrate your hair cuticles more effectively.
Don’t forget to apply a rinse-out conditioner after each shampoo and a leave-in conditioner after that.
“TheMoisturizing Creamis infused with manuka honey extract to quench parched strands.
