I’m about to type something so revolutionary, so incredibly unbelievable that… well… you might not believe me.
Get ready… prepare your minds for the fact that…
There may or may not be, technically, any such thing as a moisturizer. *gasp*
No, for real, the way we commonly use the word leads to a lot of misconceptions regarding the nature and process of locking moisture into ones strands. Essentially, there is no one product that can moisturize your hair.
WATER moisturizes your hair!
The things that we use as moisturizers are really sealants, i.e. products that lock the moisture into your hair by creating a lubricating barrier between your hair and the environment that will help keep moisture in whilst simultaneously allowing your hairs to slip past one another with ease. Funny thing is, they are still technically “moisturizing” in the sense that they may or may not contain ingredients that draw moisture from the environment to your hair or simply contain water themselves. This is why some sealants/moisturizers contain glycerin, a substance that draws water to itself from it’s immediate environment. This is also why you should know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em when it comes to moisturizers in different seasons: glycerin isn’t picky about where it gets it’s water from, and if there’s no humidity in the air from which to siphon water, it’ll take it from your hair.
Yep, glycerin is something like a moisture mercenary.
But that doesn’t make it bad by any means; I personally love glycerin and use it on my transitioning tresses daily!
My points are…
- Know your ingredients and when to use them!
- Focus less on finding a product that “moisturizes” and look for something that will seal the moisture into your hair
- Water is your friend. Keep you hand strong and your spray bottle at the ready
But wait, SuperCoils! What exactly is sealing and how do I do it?
Glad you asked. It’s basically the same concept as putting lotion on right after you get out of the shower, while your skin is still moist and… well… not ashy. While your hair is wet or damp, put something: shea butter, cocoa butter, your favorite Qhemet Biologics or Bee Mine butter (yeah, we’ve got some thangs to discuss), coconut oil… SOMETHING on your hair and allow it to dry. Your hair will be softer and hold on to moisture longer because the moisture was locked in with a product (or butter or oil). It’s as simple as that!
As far the word “moisturizer” in reference to hair… well… the debate continues in the hair community. I’m just giving you my take on the issue.
Sorry for writing such a long post… I daresay this hair addiction is getting the best of me. Don’t worry though: I’m like Amy Whinehouse…
I’ll NEVER go to rehab!
Love, Peace, and Sealant,
–SuperCoils
It's a Crazy, Coily Life 