The optimal way to retain moist tresses is to shampoo the hair 2 to 3 times a week. I know many of you may be thinking, this man dun’ bumped his head! Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Because, I know that this is not practical for the naturalista who wants to preserve her style and avoid extensive drying time, I am more than happy to share with YOU, the My Hair Ain’t Nappy® Moisture Retention Credo™. By implementing these hair laws into your regimen, you will have happier experiences with your hair as well as avoid initiation into “The Bald Head Clique™. No offense if you are already there. Embrace it! Short hair is just as beautiful as long hair.
Credo 1: I will not enter the Bald Head Clique™ unless it is by choice, hormonal imbalance or illness. I will accept and embrace myself as beautiful with or without hair.
Wash n Wear Natural Styles:
Sealing wet strands with a light oil, creamy leave-in conditioner, or pomade (also known as grease) will lock moisture into the hair and scalp. I know that some of yall may be throwing me the side eye for mentioning grease. Please don’t get all brand new on me. Don’t forget that back in the day when grease was all we had, nobody had breakage or dryness. We might’ve had bumpy foreheads, but moisture was never an issue.
Credo 2: I will not throw shade on the use of hair grease. Before there was leave-in conditioner, there was grease.
Straight Natural Styles:
I know that shampooing the hair once a week is not what many Straight-n-Natural Sistas want to hear. Once that hair is bouncing and behaving, you ain’t about to mess up your “wrap” for nothing and nobody. I get it! Nevertheless, the best way to retain moisture on this natural style option is to infuse a straightening serum onto wet strands to seal the hair cuticles. This will lock in moisture during the blow-out process, while also keeping the hair soft and lustrous.
Credo 3: I will always seal my strands before straightening to avoid admission into the “Thin Wrap Clique™”. Nobody wants to see the tattoo on my neck through my wrap.
Color Treated Natural Styles:
Once the hair has been treated with color, it is inevitable to not experience some level of dehydration. Just like any chemical treatment, colored hair requires moisture supplements to replenish what was lost in the process. Frequent conditioning treatments with cuticle sealing solutions such as glossing serums, pomades, oils or thick creamy leave-in conditioners can fortify your strands. Now, don’t go crazy with the leave-in conditioner. I’ve heard many sistas complaining about having severe conditions of dry hair and itchy scalp that were later discovered to be side effects of product build up. So your hair may not even be dry. You probably just used too much honey soufflé curly pudding casserole custard on your head! Over use of conditioning products can sometimes have the opposite effect of it’s intended use.
Credo 4: I will not create the illusion of dry hair by using too much honey soufflé curly pudding casserole custard on my hair.
Drier Set and Twist-Out Natural Styles:
Using a spray glosser will help to maintain moisture as well as shine to twist-out and drier styles such as rod sets. Many people have adopted the misconception that using oils and grease will help to create a shine to these styles. Although they will assist in moisturizing the hair, the only solutions that will offer hydration and luster are the glossing sprays. Please note, I did not say oil sheen. Using oil sheen on natural hair can have dehydrating effects and leave those unwanted shine bubbles on the hair. Unless you are #teamshinebubble , please refrain from the oil sheen.
Credo 5: I will not walk around with oil sheen bubbles on my hair. I am aware that this is unacceptable.
Locs and Loose Braid Styles:
If you are sporting locs or braids, you can best retain moisture by frequently spraying water infused with an essential oil onto you tresses. Using heavy oil-based products can cause the locs/ braids to become heavy which could lead to traction that could escort you right into the “Bald Head Clique!”
Credo 6: I will hydrate my locs/braids with water and essential oil. I understand that using heavy oils on my loc/ braids can make them heavy and pull them back to the top of my head, leaving my forehead naked and all alone.
Stay Happy and Stay Hydrated Beautiful People!
Peace
For more helpful natural hair tips, visit www.myhairaintnappy.com or follow @darriuspeace on Instagram
This article was hilarious but true! Just helps me to remember that not everything old-school is bad! Just do what’s best for you 🙂
This is the best hair-related post on the internet. The rest of you hair bloggers can stop writing things now.
Hey! I just had a question as to how to keep my hair moisturized. I’m going through the dreadful transitioning stage and after I wash my hair and it dries, my hair is just super dry and thick. It gets tangled easily even after I detangled it when it was wet. I was just wondering how I can keep my hair moisturized and soften it a bit so that it’s manageable because usually after I wash it, I end up walking around with my hair in a bun which is still difficult to do bc my hair is so…..thick.
I’m with you on this article. This is really good info, especially for the naturalistas. I’ve seen people looking for ways to keep moisture in their hair and have problems with it being so dry.
I would like to know more info on hydrating locs such as what essential oil should i use. How much water to how much essential oil. The ratio like 10 drops of oil to an 8 oz. spray bottle of water? Can a little jojoba oil be put in it?
I love this article! The wording was too funny
I loved this review, funny wordings. Yeah right short or long hair it’s still a hair.
Why not shea butter instead of grease? (I know, I know…I’m breaking a credo)