Keeping natural hair moisturized is imperative for healthy and beautiful hair. Our tresses require more protection, natural oils and moisture to keep hair from getting brittle and damaged. Too often, newbies assume slathering hair with any old oil or hair grease will be a sufficient hair moisturizer for their hair but in reality, only a few natural oils are moisturizing oils.
Unfortunately, the kinkier or coilier your hair is, the drier it can be and moisturizing should be a vital component in your haircare regimen. Not everyone wants to use a product like a hair moisturizer to moisturize their strands. I’m one of them and prefer using natural ingredients that are simple and work well with my hair. Here are five ultra-moisturizing and natural ingredients for moisturizing your strands.
Water, a natural hair moisturizer
Water! Good old-fashioned water is the best and simplest moisturizer on the planet. Natural hair needs water to maintain its elasticity or the ability to stretch. It nourishes our strands and many if not the majority of products for our strands have water as the very first ingredient.
It is also a great refresher in a spray bottle by itself or even with a leave-in conditioner or a natural oil like lavender. Water also needs to be hydrating your hair from the insides so drink plenty of it throughout the day. I try and carry my water bottle with me from room to room and when on the road as nothing is a better hydrator for you body AND your hair!
Sabrina’a Spray Bottle Winter Concoction
Ingredients
Distilled water (enough to fill spray bottle up to 3/4 if bottle
Glycerin (few drops)
lavender (few drops)
Leave-in conditioner
Method
I’m not one for true measurements so forgive me for this but I usually just add water until 3/4 full, drop in some glycerin and lavender before filling the rest of the way with a leave-in conditioner. Shake it up and that’s my refresher for the winter either at night or in the morning if my hair needs it.
Aloe Vera, a popular hair moisturizer
Aloe Vera is a perennial succulent plant that acts like a humectant (retaining or preserving moisture). Many naturals use Aloe Vera Gel to pre-poo, shampoo and even condition their strands. The more than 20 amino acids that are found in Aloe Vera Gel and they promote moisture and condition the strands.
Aloe Deep Conditioning (Moisturizing)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed in the microwave for mixing
Method:
Blend both ingredients together using method of your choice. I get a creamier mixture if I use my hand-held blender than my personal chopper. Apply to hair according to our instructions for deep conditioning. BGLH
Coconut oil is a beloved carrier oil that is excellent at moisturizing our strands as it actually penetrates the hair shaft and expertly improves the health and vitality of textured hair. Coconut oil helps to add shine to hair, fights frizz and even helps with detangling. This is an powerhouse natural oil that most naturals love and it even penetrate the hair shaft and moisturizes from within. It is one of the few natural oils that can moisturize and seal hair.
Moisturizing Coconut Hair Mask
Ingredients:
2-4 tbsp. Coconut oil
5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil or blend of essential oils
Plastic or thermal heat cap
Method:
Mix coconut oil and essential oil (or blend) together in small bowl. Massage into your hair and it it not necessary to apply to scalp but it won’t hurt! Cover with plastic cap or thermal cap for 30-60 minutes. Wash out and style as usual.
Babassu Oil
Babassu oil is much like coconut oil as it is a palm oil and contains the same vitamins and fatty acids. One of the biggest differences between the two is that Babassu oil is much lighter than coconut oil, won’t clog your pores and soaks into the hair and skin faster. Babassu oil can penetrate the hair shaft and mixes well with other carrier oils. It’s also an excellent deep conditioning oil that many products are now adding to their formulas.
Babassu Deep Conditioning Treatment
Ingredients
Favorite deep conditioner
Few drops of Babassu oil
Method
Simply warm oil to liquefy before adding to your deep conditioner as usual. Make sure to use a thermal cap or get under a hooded dryer to get maximum benefit of the oil with your deep conditioner. Can also be added to your shampoo to boost it’s moisturizing capabilities.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a humectant designed to bring moisture in and retain it. It can be natural or synthetic and if natural it will usually be mentioned on product labels coming from vegetable oils or animal fat. It is water-soluble and can easily be added to water or hair care products to add moisture in your strands.
The Power Of Tea For Natural Hair
Glycerin needs to be mixed with water, 1 part glycerin to 3 or 4 parts water but since it can feel sticky adding other ingredients like oil and/or a conditioner is necessary. A little goes a long way so a few drops to a spray bottle with other ingredients like oil and conditioner along with the water is perfect. Glycerin is great for natural hair because it can prevent breakage while combing but not on relaxed hair. (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists pg 39-52 1985)
Shake’s Whipped Shea Butter
Ingredients:
8oz pure yellow unrefined Shea butter
can of coconut milk
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Vegetable Glycerin
Method
Use a hand mixer and put all of the Shea butter in a large plastic bowl. Add a few large spoonfuls of coconut milk and whip until smooth. Add more and more, bit by bit, mixing after each addition until it’s light and fluffy. Add a spoonful or so of each oil and mix again. Add a healthy squeeze of Glycerin, and voila! CurlyNikki
If that seems like too much refer to my refresher recipe under “water” where I add glycerin.
Shea Yogurt Moisturizer
Shea Yogurt Hair Moisturizer delivers moisture and more moisture to hydrate even the driest hair while using quality ingredients. This specially-formulated moisturizer leaves your hair softer, shinier and more manageable than ever.
The yummy smelling cream base is light and fluffy so it won’t cause build-up. Shea Yogurt is also infused with the highest-quality moisturizing botanicals and oils to hydrate your hair from the inside out, leaving it stronger and healthier.
Design Essentials Deep Moisture Milk Souffle For Dull, Dry & Thirsty Hair
Design Essentials Deep Moisture Milk Soufflé is a a nourishing styler for lightweight, luminous, frizz-free curls. This is a moisture-boosting formula that delivers growth-stimulating botanicals, the smoothing power of shea butter, plus reparative milk protein that makes hair thrive.
African Pride Moisture Miracle Coconut Oil & Baobab Oil Leave-In Cream
African Pride Moisture Miracle Coconut Oil & Baobab Oil Leave-In Cream moisturizes hair using a nourishing blend of Baobab & Coconut Oil to add lasting hydration while protecting against breakage; leaving hair manageable & strong. Enriched with Coconut Oil: Deeply conditions, hydrates and helps repair; Baobab Oil: Restores and helps strengthen damaged hair, locks in moisture.
tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer
Enriched with shea butter, cocoa butter, and Vitamin E, tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer will give your strands the moisture they need and crave for soft, shiny, manageable hair. No parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, lanolin, artificial colors, or animal testing.
Oyin Handmade Hair Dew Daily Quenching Hair Lotion
One of my favorites, Oyin Handmade Hair Dew is excellent at keeping hair moist and refreshed. A perfect leave-in right after cleansing, or to refresh thirsty hair between washes. Created with castor oil and olive squalene and this creamy formula will nourish, moisturize and bring pliancy to dry hair.
Which one are you ready to give a try Newbies?
Sabrina
