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What to look for in a hair moisturizer

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Matty4eva

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My hair is a TWA at the moment and it is sooooo dry. It painful to brush and manipulate because its so dry. I don't do anything to my hair at all which is the problem. Mainly because before I couldn't afford to buy anything because of a very low paying job. Now i want to buy/ make a moisturizer for my hair so that its more easier to manage.

I've done a little reading about hair moisturizers and I have heard that it should contain panthenol for the moisture and glycerin because its a humectant. What else should I be on the look out for in a hair moisturizer.

Also is it true that you have to wet your hair before you put a moisturizer on otherwise it will just sit on the outside of the hair shaft?

Thank you for your time
 
WATER either in the first or second ingredient. Your hair needs water for moisture, oils and butters seal in water but doesn't really truly moisturize. Glycerin can either bring in moisture from the atmosphere or release water to the atmosphere so how dry the atmosphere can greatly affect your hair. I think it is important to find out your hair porosity←this could greatly help with controling the dryness of your hair.
 
Sounds like a moisturizer isnt the first thing you need to be concerned about sweetheart. Whats your regi? I know youre saying you dont do anything, but do you really mean nothing at all?? If so, you need to prepoo, shampoo, and do a nice DC. Silk Dreams has some great ones. If you want to get sonething on the ground, try ORS. Dry hair often needs protein before it can accept the moisture properly. This isnt a steadfast rule for any and all situations (or heads of hair). But thats where I would start. You next need to find out your porosity. Youve been here quite awhile I see. What were you using/doing prior to your BC?
 
I use crisco (vegetable lard in a can) to seal in moisture. Use a leave in conditioner, then seal with a little crisco. it works really well for me. It's cheap too compared to commercial hair products. (Like $3 for a good size can). It keeps my hair moisturized for DAYS! Before, I had to moisturize daily with other products but this works so well. I was skeptical (bc I don't even use Crisco to cook) but it works like no other.
 
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here's what i believe to be the best moisturizers:

claudie's revitalizer: isha, quinoa-coffee balncing, balancing ends insurance

komaza care: aloe my hair spray and califa spray (be diluted as califa is very concentrated)

^^^^ they have sales multiple times per yrs, claudie's has 25% off till Sept 2nd and you just missed komaza's 25% off sale.
 
OP, you should list your hair properties, so other members can give you targeted recommendations. What each person looks for in a moisturizer is going to vary depending on their hairs needs etc.

Of course, you need water. Everything else depends of your needs i.e. you want AVJ or AVG to be in the first 3-5 ingredients if your cuticles need help laying down. Hair Dew by Oyin Handmade would be an example.

If your hair is fine, you may need wheat or silk protein at least mid way through the ingredient list for reinforcement of your strands and to help them hold the moisture from the H2O. Silk Dreams Wheat Germ Butter Condish or SD Mocha Hair Milk Silk.

Ceramides are good for every hair type. Silk Dreams' LI products are high in ceramides.

As the previous posters requested, please post your reggie, hair issues and properties.

Good Luck!
 
Op I would just buy a few affordable ones and use one at a time for a month to determine what works best for your hair.

Everyone's hair is so different.

For three years I've been using and liking CJ smoothing lotion as my moisturizer- it does a great job on my hair.
 
@Matty4eva: you wrote you want something affordable. Some affordable options that I have read about: Tresemme Naturals, Trader Joe Tea Tree Tingle, Aloe Vera Juice or Gel, or S-Curl as leave-ins and sealing with shea butter or any oil you use regularly to cook - olive oil, sunflower oil, etc.

I believe naptural85 on youtube uses just aloe vera juice and seals with her oil/butter mix.

Here is her video of her favorite products:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GEAkGKGYSA
 
Really cheap stuff include:

Cowash/Rinse out
Suave Naturals
Suave Professionals
VO5 Moisture Milks
Herbal Essences Hello Hydration

Leave ins:
Aussie Moist conditioner
Tresseme Naturals
Cantu Shea Butter leave in cream
Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer
Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine leave in

Deep Conditioners
Organic Root Stimulator Repleneshing Pak or HaiRepair
Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle
Creme of Nature Professional Nourishing and Strengthening Treatment (protein based)
Silk Elements Mega Silk

A cheaper natural line is Hairveda, especially with a sale. You can buy Shea Moisture products right from Target. They are more natural but relatively inexpensive
You can use natural oils and butters. Lots of ppl make their own whipped shea butter oil mixes. Some make their own leave ins by mixing good natural leave ins with AVJ and oils. This helps save the relatively expensive leave ins.
 
kupenda said:
Sounds like a moisturizer isnt the first thing you need to be concerned about sweetheart. Whats your regi? I know youre saying you dont do anything, but do you really mean nothing at all?? If so, you need to prepoo, shampoo, and do a nice DC. Silk Dreams has some great ones. If you want to get sonething on the ground, try ORS. Dry hair often needs protein before it can accept the moisture properly. This isnt a steadfast rule for any and all situations (or heads of hair). But thats where I would start. You next need to find out your porosity. Youve been here quite awhile I see. What were you using/doing prior to your BC?
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My hair was relaxed before the big chop and then it broke off so i cut the rest off. I literally don't have a regime. I just wash my hair with head and shoulders.Put a head band in my hair and just go.
 
Holla said:
I use crisco (vegetable lard in a can) to seal in moisture. Use a leave in conditioner, then seal with a little crisco. it works really well for me. It's cheap too compared to commercial hair products. (Like $3 for a good size can). It keeps my hair moisturized for DAYS! Before, I had to moisturize daily with other products but this works so well. I was skeptical (bc I don't even use Crisco to cook) but it works like no other.
Click to expand...

I live in England so I don't think i can get Crisco here. So does that mean when I moisturize I have to seal with a heavy moisturizer.
 
Matty4eva said:
My hair was relaxed before the big chop and then it broke off so i cut the rest off. I literally don't have a regime. I just wash my hair with head and shoulders.Put a head band in my hair and just go.
Click to expand...

This is the reason your hair is so dry. I believe head and shoulders is a sulfate shampoo, so you are sucking all of the moisture out of your hair without doing anything to counteract it. I personally prefer to avoid sulfate shampoos because they are too drying for my hair. Some people use them with success. However, if you are going to use a sulfate shampoo, I would highly recommend using lots of conditioner.

If you are low on funds, get one that you can use as both a rinse out and leave-in. You can add honey and kitchen oils to it to boost it for a moisturizing deep conditioner, and add mayo or an egg to boost it for a protein deep conditioner.

I can't really recommend anything because I don't know your hair properties and I don't know what is available in England; but you may want to check out FusionofCultures on Youtube. I know she is in England and uses some cheaper products. I saw Herbal Essences in her video. Here is her 2013 products video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn33_1WFyZ8
 
Sorry. I meant to also tell you how to figure out your hair properties. There are three main components that determine how a product will work on your hair:

1. Hair porosity - There are a few tests to determine hair porosity. The most popular is the water cup test. Take a clean strand (i.e., no products on it) and place it in a clear cup of water. If the strand sinks to the bottom, it is high porosity. If it floats in the middle, it is normal. If it floats on top for a lengthy period of time, it is low porosity. Low porosity hair also usually takes a long time to dry. Low porosity doesn't need much protein, and you really have to work to get moisture into it because the cuticles on the hair shaft like to stay closed. With high porosity hair, it's easy to get moisture in, but the trick is keeping it in because the cuticles like to stay open.

2. Hair Texture - This is the thickness of each hair strand. Fine is thinner than a piece of thread. Medium is about the same diameter as a piece of thread, and coarse is thicker than a piece of thread. Fine is usually more fragile, and cannot use "heavy" products. Fine hair tends to like protein.

3. Hair Type - Some people would disagree with me on whether this is important, but I think it is, just not as much as hair texture and porosity. There are a number of hair typing systems. The most popular is the Andre Walker system. I'm not going to type it out, but here is a link to good guide on the system - http://www.naturallycurly.com/hair-types
 
Matty4eva said:
My hair was relaxed before the big chop and then it broke off so i cut the rest off. I literally don't have a regime. I just wash my hair with head and shoulders.Put a head band in my hair and just go.
Click to expand...

Your hair is so dry because you are using Head & Shoulders and not conditioning and moisturizing afterward. Not only is Head & Shoulders not sulfate free, but it is also not even the most moisturizing sulfate shampoo. Get a shampoo that says for "very dry hair" or "moisturizing" on it. Better still, get a sulfate free shampoo. Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo is a good one that can be found on the ground or online.

21Y-MSMvbSL.jpg


Try only using a shampoo on your hair once per month. The rest of the weeks, try co-washing or "washing" with conditioner. Lots of people use the Tresseme or V05 Moisture Milks for this.

After washing/cowashing, go ahead and use a moisturizing leave in and seal that in with an oil. Olive or coconut oil are good starts. You have a twa, so you shouldn't need much.
 
All great advice!

Dont forget to drink water! If u r dehydrated ur hair will be too

Half your body weight in ounces is the general rule - daily
 
Go to Boots or super drugs, or any store really, and pick up Tresemme naturals. Use that to condition after shampooing, leave a little in and seal with any oil you have at home.

I have heard good things about the L'oreal Eversleek shampoo and the Dove Intensive repair shampoo. You can dilute them to begin with and gauge how your hair reacts. Doing an ACV rinse is also a great affordable option.

Good luck. You can keep your hair soft and moisturized at very affordable prices. You don't need to buy a lot unless you want to and enjoy it.

Keep us posted with what you tried and how it worked.
 
Hi you

One thing that may help is the LOC/LCO/LCOB method? Its basically layering your hair with products to maintain moisture. It means liquid, oil cream and butter. I use wave nouveau moisture spray, keracare buttercream, cream of nature argan oil and Karen's Body Beautiful Butter Love on some days (looking for a replacement as its not longer sold over here). Apart from kbb, the products are pretty cheap.

Also, you could try an apple cider rinse between shampoo and conditioner just in case your dryness is due to hard water.

Best of luck.

Btw, crisco can be found in tesco wherever they sell American products or tesco online.

Sent from my iPod touch in Doctor Who's Tardis
 
Not just water as first ingredient-- it needs to be watery. Moisturizers come best in liquid formm. You can then seal it in w/hair lotion or cream; then seal it all in w/final layer of a natural oil. You see, watery products moisturize, but without a sealant our dry natured hair gets sucked dry . The lotions n oil help to trap the moisture and cause it to go deeper. This process is as described above L-C-O
 
Tracichannel, I know you were not asking me but due to using the LCO version of the LOC method, I only have to M&S 2-3 times a week. Basically, every other day, or so. Everyday, or twice a day would be overkill. Because your layering your moisturizer and sealing with oil, it last for a couple of days. You don't want to weigh your hair down.
 
MileHighDiva said:
Tracichannel, I know you were not asking me but due to using the LCO version of the LOC method, I only have to M&S 2-3 times a week. Basically, every other day, or so. Everyday, or twice a day would be overkill. Because your layering your moisturizer and sealing with oil, it last for a couple of days. You don't want to weigh your hair down.
Click to expand...

I do the same LCO method TraciChanel and it works really well. I did it Saturday night and didn't have to do it again until today (Tuesday). I didn't really have to do it, but did it anyway.

Please excuse my iPhone; it's trying to get it together
 
TraciChanel said:
@virtuenow, about how long does the LCO method last? IOW, do you do this process once a day or twice a day?

TIA.
Click to expand...

Moisture by LCO is best when done daily. All you need is a tiny bit of product. You can do twice a day judging by the feel of your hair. Daily contact w/a water or mist is very nurturing for the hair-- I guess even if you don't seal it. But hair needs water daily to thrive at its best. ETA: when I want to go really light, I spritz my moisture spray into my hands and run my fingers through my hair. Then I seal w/just a few drops lotion, or skip the sealant; but I almost always LCO, it's the best.
 
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virtuenow said:
Moisture by LCO is best when done daily. All you need is a tiny bit of product. You can do twice a day judging by the feel of your hair. Daily contact w/a water or mist is very nurturing for the hair-- I guess even if you don't seal it. But hair needs water daily to thrive at its best. ETA: when I want to go really light, I spritz my moisture spray into my hands and run my fingers through my hair. Then I seal w/just a few drops lotion, or skip the sealant; but I almost always LCO, it's the best.
Click to expand...


I agree. My hair has to be checked once a day.
 
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