Beginner's Guide to Moisturizing Your Hair

Moisturizing your hair is the key to maintaining luscious, healthy locks. Whether you're flaunting straight, wavy, curly, or coily hair, keeping it hydrated is essential. Yet, myths and misconceptions about hair hydration lead lots of humans down the wrong path to healthy hair. In this article, we’re going unravel the truth about hydration so you can get your hair the moisture it craves.

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Understanding Hair Types

First things first, let’s talk about hair types. Straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair all have different needs when it comes to moisture. And then there's hair porosity—how well your hair absorbs and retains moisture. High-porosity hair tends to absorb moisture quickly but loses it just as fast, while low-porosity hair repels moisture, making it harder to keep hydrated.

Signs Your Hair Needs Moisture

Sometimes your hair feels a bit off, which is completely okay. But other times, when your hair doesn’t feel its normal amount of healthiness, there could actually be something wrong. Here are some telltale signs it might need a moisture boost:

• Dryness and Brittleness: If your hair feels like straw, it's time for a hydration intervention. This isn’t normal for most people and can lead to serious breakage and damage if left untreated.

•  Lack of Shine: Dull hair is often a sign that it’s thirsting for moisture. This factor is often combined with a bit of brittleness, so don’t obsess over whether your hair can reflect light or not. 

• Increased Frizz and Breakage: Excessive frizz and breakage signal that your hair is lacking essential hydration. Frizzy baby hairs aren’t the problem in this case. We want to look for frizz that looks like you stuck a helium balloon next to your head. 

Choosing the Right Moisturizer

Now, let's find the right moisturizer for your hair. The market is brimming with creams, oils, and leave-in conditioners, but it’s often unclear on how to choose the right one. You can find some tips on choosing the perfect moisturizer by following the guide below. It’s great for getting started in your hair-hydration journey.

Types of Moisturizers:

• Creams: Great for thick or curly hair that needs a heavier product. Typically these creams can be used daily, but make sure you read the directions closely so that you do not apply too much product and end up damaging your hair. Also, these aren’t the best moisturizers to mix with other products (especially oils), so make sure you keep an eye on the ingredients in all of your products. 

• Oils: Perfect for sealing in moisture and adding shine. Think argan oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil. This is great for straight, wavy, and other types of thinner hair. But never use too much… unless you want your forehead to shine bright like a diamond. I would always use oils in combination with other products since they’re mostly good for trapping in the moisture your hair already has.  

• Leave-In Conditioners: Ideal for a light touch of hydration throughout the day. This is great for all hair types, but especially those with thick or curly hair. And if you really want to get sassy, you can moisturize your scalp with your favorite oil, apply a bit to the lengths of your hair, and then follow it up with your leave-in-conditioner. It’s amazing, trust me!

• Deep Conditioners: This is great for all types of hair, but it should never be a daily moisturizer for you. I would suggest using this every week at the most. So if you wash your hair once per week, it would be every wash day for you. For the best effects from your deep conditioner, I recommend using a foil conditioning cap to trap in the heat so you can get the full effects of its hydration.

How to Moisturize Your Hair

Moisturizing your hair is a step-by-step process:

• Washing: Start with a gentle shampoo that suits your hair type. Avoid products that include any alcohols that may dry your hair out. If you’re prone to sensitivities to chemicals, definitely stay away from hair products with those chemicals. It’s great to use shampoos that are already hydrating-- like the TPH Make it Rain Shampoo-- so that your hair doesn’t lose too much moisture when washing.

• Conditioning: Apply a hydrating conditioner to replenish moisture lost during washing, just in case you didn’t opt for a hydrating shampoo (which is completely fine, you do you). The Make it Rain set by TPH is amazing for both washing and conditioning as it is made for all hair types and truly does make your hair feel hydrated (I should know, I can’t get enough of these products)

• Deep Conditioning: As I said before, deep conditioning should truly be a part of your washing routine (assuming you wash once per week or less often). And yes, you can use a deep conditioner right after a regular conditioner, I do it all the time! It’s just a great way to ensure that your hair is ultra-moisturized before blow-drying or air-drying (by the way, I do not recommend air-drying for those with curly or coily hair). 

• My favorite deep conditioner is the ORS Olive Oil Max Moisture Deep Conditioning Treatment. I genuinely swear by this product and have kept it in my arsenal for the past two years! And you don’t even have to take my word for it. There are plenty of helpful reviews you can find by simply following my link above.

• Applying Moisturizer: After rinsing out your conditioners, apply your chosen moisturizer while your hair is still damp for straight and wavy hair. For those with curly or coily hair, you want to apply your moisturizer after blow-drying. And ALWAYS apply a heat-protectant before blow-drying. 

Either way, for all hair types you should focus on the ends of your hair, where it tends to be driest. If you are using oils in combination with your moisturizer, apply the oil (primarily) to your scalp first and then your ends. After that, go on as usual with your chosen moisturizer.

• Frequency: Adjust how often you moisturize based on your hair type. Curly and coily hair might need daily hydration, while straight or wavy hair can go a few days between moisturizing sessions. This only applies to your regular moisturizers, not to your washing routine (I don’t suggest that you wash your hair every day). 

Maintenance Tips for Moisturized Hair

Keeping your hair hydrated is an ongoing commitment. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end at the washing process. You should also worry about keeping your hair in its hydrated state. So here are some tips to maintain that moisture:

• Protective Hairstyles: Styles like braids or twists help retain moisture and reduce breakage. Also, they’re great for allowing your hair to grow uninterrupted!

• Regular Trimming: Trim your hair every 6-8 weeks to remove split ends and prevent them from traveling up the hair shaft. There won’t be a point in moisturizing your hair if it’s damaged. 

• Avoiding Heat Damage: Limit the use of heat styling tools. When you do use them, always apply a heat protectant. When using a heat protectant, make sure your hair isn’t drenched with it. To combat this, grab a microfiber towel or an old T-shirt to get out all the excess moisture. 

Now Go Moisturize Your Hair

To sum everything up, moisturizing your hair is essential for its health and vitality. By understanding your hair type, choosing the right products, and following a consistent routine, you can keep your locks hydrated and happy. 

And don’t be afraid to experiment with different products and techniques to find what works best for you. You may not get it right the first time and that’s completely okay. Oh and remember that even though everybody may not like me, they have no choice but to love me because I’ll always be there for them and accept them for who they are. Happy moisturizing!