Glycerin and other humectants during the fall/winter...

[Arian]

Anyone still use them? Glycerin and water, castor oil, and Qhemet AOHC are the only products I can use that actually make my hair feel soft. After much trial and error, I have realized this--I keep trying different things and I end up disappointed everytime. Right now, my hair is hard, crunchy and GREASY from running Grapeseed oil through my strands to preserve a twistout. I feel knots too. This past weekend, I washed, conditioned w/ Aubrey Organics GBP, then followed with a moisturizing condish of Silk Elements and some cheapie conditioner w/ oil. I twisted my hair with Qhemet AOHC and tried sealing with a grease (to try something different). Now my hair is dry. It's getting cooler around these parts and I'm wondering if I can still get away with using my humectants since they make my hair feel so nice. Is this a dangerous concept? Would purchasing a humidifier for my home make a difference?

My hair regimen has been a trade off since going natural. During my relaxed days, I could just wrap my hair and not worry about all of these other things. On the other hand, I can do my own hair now and I don't have to spend $$ going to shops. In my siggy, I am one year post BC, so I hope I am progressing as I should. I am excited to see where my hair goes, but I don't want to lose anything due to knots and dryness. Baggying worked for a while, but I hate sleeping in a shower cap. I must add though, that I have not had a trim since chopping

I think I am going to co-wash again tonight and re-do my twists using my usual three products (mentioned above). Sorry, I've gone off on a tangent...back to the original questions, if you can find them within my post!


ADD: I do have permanent color in my hair as well, if that makes a difference.

 

[choctaw]

I just keep a spray bottle with rosewater, castor oil and conditioner to moisturize my hair. I use rosewater or rosewater with glycerin (what ever is available), castor oil and a conditioner (Infusim 23, Hawaiian silky 14-in-1, Tigi Moisture Maniac, Giovanni SAS, etc.). The combination works for me.

 

[Aveena]

My hair is the same way... subbing

 

[Arian]

choctaw, and you do this in the winter time as well? I think castor oil is a humectant. If I am wrong, someone will correct me. I guess I can just take a stab at it and if I notice something different, I'll switch products.

 

[choctaw]

choctaw, and you do this in the winter time as well? I think castor oil is a humectant. If I am wrong, someone will correct me. I guess I can just take a stab at it and if I notice something different, I'll switch products.

Arian

This combination works for me year round. I was in NYC last winter and had no problems (rose water & glycerin, Giovanni SAS or Tigi Moisture Maniac, castor oil). I have 4a/b hair, natural, henna for dc. I co-wash or oil rinse daily so that might make a difference.

 

[Tyra]

I'm a year round user of vegetable glycerin.
I live in Baltimore and the winter air is harsh on my hair without my glycerin.
It's been said that as long the humidity percentage is decent the glycerin will have a positive effect.
While our temperatures here may drop our humidity levels pretty much remain moderate.

 

[Arian]

I'm a year round user of vegetable glycerin.
I live in Baltimore and the winter air is harsh on my hair without my glycerin.
It's been said that as long the humidity percentage is decent the glycerin will have a positive effect.
While our temperatures here may drop our humidity levels pretty much remain moderate.

Tyra, thank you! This makes sense...for some reason, I associated COLD with dry and humectants....not necessarily thinking of where I live...the winters in Alabama aren't too harsh...

 

[silenttullip]

I use it year round in tx but we barely have a winter I think if humidity is under 30 I'd worry but I could be wrong

 

[curlyhersheygirl]

I use products that contain glycerin and other humectants year round and I live in the NE with no problems.

 

[NappyNelle]

I use castor oil and Qhemet year round with any problems. I am on the east coast. I believe the dryness you are encountering is from your color job. How often are you washing and deep conditioning? To me, your hair needs more moisturizing products, rather than oil sealants.

 

[Arian]

NappyNelle, not as often as I should. I know I need to do better!

 

[LilMissRed]

I used glyercin in the colder months last yr as well (Im in GA) my intentions are to use it again this winter unless theres something else in my cabinet useable

 

[NappyNelle]

Arian Colored hair needs extra care... I had to cut off my colored hair because it was too much. Please try to up your moisturizing so you don't cut away progress like I had to.

 

[Arian]

NappyNelle, I understand. I promised myself that I would take extra care once I got it done, but I got lazy. I haven't noticed any breakage thank goodness. I will take better care of my hair after the horror I experienced this weekend.

 

[sherrimberri]

I know I may sound silly but why can't you use glycerin in the winter? W
How do humectants work with hair?

 

[ms-gg]

Yep, I still use them.

 

[mg1979]

Op, I've been thinking a lot about this too. It seems like humectants are in everything left after I've already eliminated cones & mineral oil. And I'm protein sensitive. What's left without any of these ingredients?


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[GaiasDaughter24]

I stop Scurl come the winter months. I live in MN and the winters here are HARSH on my hair with humectants. So come winter I will be using Giovanni Direct Leave-In like usual.

 

[Arian]

@sherrimberri, when humectants like glycerin or castor oil are put on the hair, they draw moisture from the air on days when there is enough humidity in the air. However, if the air is dry, your hair will subsequently get dry because the humectants won't have any moisture to draw from in the air. (I think) In some areas, the air is drier in the fall/winter months, so I was wondering if anyone still used them during this time.

mg1979, I have no idea! I haven't found a product yet that doesn't contain glycerin. However, I read in The Science of Black Hair that one should still use humectants in the winter months...so I'm a bit confused.

 

[EbonyCPrincess]

I do not. I go to Bee Mine Luscious Balanced Cream moisturizer and/or Deja's Hair Milk. I didn't realize castor oil is considered a humectant...in the winter is when I switch to using it! I find that its heavier and seals moisture in better than lighter oils in the winter.

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[mg1979]

@sherrimberri, when humectants like glycerin or castor oil are put on the hair, they draw moisture from the air on days when there is enough humidity in the air. However, if the air is dry, your hair will subsequently get dry because the humectants won't have any moisture to draw from in the air. (I think) In some areas, the air is drier in the fall/winter months, so I was wondering if anyone still used them during this time.

mg1979, I have no idea! I haven't found a product yet that doesn't contain glycerin. However, I read in The Science of Black Hair that one should still use humectants in the winter months...so I'm a bit confused.

Wow, I'm confused too. The dew points get really low here in winter, so I don't know what to do!


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[ItsMeFre]

I read the theory that humectants draw moisture from the air and in the winter months, if there is not enough moisture in your area, the humectant will draw the natural moisture out of your hair.

 

[bronzebomb]

Tyra - Girl, Thanks! I used Oyin's Juices and Berries during the winter and my hair loved it. I don't have the time to look at dew points and humidity each day.

 

[Napata]

Dry, porous hair needs humectants, irrespective of the weather. Most moisturizers that contain glycerin also contain water, which provides the moisture the glycerin binds to, and oil, which seals in the moisture. Although some people suggest following a moisturizer with an oil to seal, it's not always necessary, especially with heavy duty moisturizers which already contain a high ratio of oil. Listen to your hair. If your hair does well with products that contain humectants then continue to use them. Of course, some hair just doesn't like glycerin, irrespective of the weather so if this is the case, avoid products that contain it. There's an article about this here.