Don't we just wash the moisture away, anyway?

[YankeeCandle]

Before the board, I never moisturized my hair. I did a wash and go (with a co-wash, mind you) one day a week and left it out like that 'till the next wash day a week later. NEver touched it in between.

Here, I've learned about refreshing curls with a spray of water mixed with conditioner; moisturizing; sealin with oil; etc.

But aren't the benefits of the moisturization limited to the improved feel of hair as we're currently using them?

Once we wash our hair, doesn't it all go right down the drain?

I mean, it's not as if moisturizing my dry hair all week and then washing my hair at the end of the week (and applying no product ) would result in softer, moister, naked hair....right?

 

[sze]

Well I'm not an expert by any means but when you condition your hair it (conditioner) opens the cuticle, applies the protein and moisture, and then you seal it by rinsing with colder water...so it should help make it softer, even without product. I don't know if there have been any long term studies on this but I think over a long time it helps...it seems my hair was a lot worse when I was a kid (when my mom washed my hair seemed to wash my hair with nothing but water lol) than now...but I do find my hair easier to manage over time when I condition regularly than when I didn't..I think the protein treatments build up the hair (make it stronger) over time as well. Because before I came to this board, I didn't know anything about the importance of protein, and now my hair looks better and better without product than before (stronger, silkier, shinier)

 

[YankeeCandle]

^^^Thanks, that's exactly the type of answer I'm interested in.

 

[Irresistible]

hey girl

For me this would only apply if I were to clarify it all out

I can say my hair fares better with all I do and the benefits over time arent lost every time my hair hits the water, I lose some oils of course, but all is not lost, because it's not stripped totally

I do think there are benefits to the things you do with your hair over time, even if you start over with a clean slate regularly as long as it's clean and not 'stripped' some of that is still in the hair shaft

plus it's a maintenance issue, many techniques and products we use for maintenance-which can be a must-also do produce a benefit to the hair over time

so in summary, and to stop my rambling LOL

I would say all is lost only when you clarify, but then it can be all put back in again and that's what you (general you) would do anyway, which is why I don't fully get clarifying

take it all out just to put it back LOL

 

[Irresistible]

Ok one more answer to this

if your hair is getting all the moisture and oils needed and not being allowed to thirst, yes I do believe it contributes to the overall health of the hair in the long run , and will feel different naked, than hair that has done without what it needed, So no I don't believe it all gets washed down the drain. The hair shaft can still hold some of that inside, that's why folks started doing pre'pooing and saw benefit

hope I am answering this right LOL

 

[Neith]

1. It's important to remove sweat, body oils and other grime from the scalp and hair.

2. Saturating your hair with water IS adding moisture also. If you never wash your hair or get it wet, it will get dry eventually. Moisturizing and sealing are no substitute for a good deep condition.

3. Gentle shampoos do not leave the hair squeaky clean. They leave behind some oil and even deposit some light conditioners onto the hair.

 

[Fine 4s]

I know someone who claims her hair is dry and visible when she blowdries her hair.
Her texture is 3c or (no kinky strands) with tight spirals.
She mentioned co-washing everyday and I wondered if co-washing everyday was contributing to the dryness?

 

[YankeeCandle]

hey girl

For me this would only apply if I were to clarify it all out

I can say my hair fares better with all I do and the benefits over time arent lost every time my hair hits the water, I lose some oils of course, but all is not lost, because it's not stripped totally

I do think there are benefits to the things you do with your hair over time, even if you start over with a clean slate regularly as long as it's clean and not 'stripped' some of that is still in the hair shaft

plus it's a maintenance issue, many techniques and products we use for maintenance-which can be a must-also do produce a benefit to the hair over time

so in summary, and to stop my rambling LOL

I would say all is lost only when you clarify, but then it can be all put back in again and that's what you (general you) would do anyway, which is why I don't fully get clarifying

take it all out just to put it back LOL

Hey Miss Iris!

That wasn't rambling at all. Actually you "clarified" (LOL pun ) a few things for me very well. It makes logical sense that since doing a co-wash doesn't strip the hair, there will necessarily be some of my weekly maintenance oils, etc. still left on the hair to improve its dryness and manageability.

Ok one more answer to this

if your hair is getting all the moisture and oils needed and not being allowed to thirst, yes I do believe it contributes to the overall health of the hair in the long run , and will feel different naked, than hair that has done without what it needed, So no I don't believe it all gets washed down the drain. The hair shaft can still hold some of that inside, that's why folks started doing pre'pooing and saw benefit

hope I am answering this right LOL

That' what I 'm hoping. I've never actually allowed my hair to be naked more than a few times in my adult life (because the result is really not a good one, let's just leave it that), so I don't think I'll be testing the theory out anytime soon, though!

1. It's important to remove sweat, body oils and other grime from the scalp and hair.

2. Saturating your hair with water IS adding moisture also. If you never wash your hair or get it wet, it will get dry eventually. Moisturizing and sealing are no substitute for a good deep condition.

3. Gentle shampoos do not leave the hair squeaky clean. They leave behind some oil and even deposit some light conditioners onto the hair.

Oh, I should have included deep conditioning too. I could have just as well have made a post only about DC'ing and asked the same question: if I DC a few times a week with the optimal ingredients for my personal hair, will that really improve the dryness and manageability factor of my naked hair a few months in the future?

I know someone who claims her hair is dry and visible when she blowdries her hair.
Her texture is 3c or (no kinky strands) with tight spirals.
She mentioned co-washing everyday and I wondered if co-washing everyday was contributing to the dryness?

What do you mean by "visible?"

Personally, I've found co-washing has reduced my dryness for the first day after washing, but insubsequent days, it all goes downhill and the hair becomes hay by Day 4, no matter whether I co-washed or shampooed, deep conditioned or regular conditioned.

 

[purplepeace79]

Here is analogy: my feet. I wash them everyday but still put on lotion. If I go 3 days without lotion, my feet look like hell! Feel horrible, dry, etc. And it takes more effort to get them soft again. However when i lotion daily over time i experience a softening that exists even after bathing. i can skip a day and its ok because of the long term care

 

[katblack]

Let's think of it like oiling ones body. Over time the condition of one's skin gets better, less wrinkles, more moisture retention, no stretch marks, etc...
Water does not negate the conditioning effect, it's a treatment in itself!

 

[SerenityBreeze]

Hello There

Moisturizing is infusing your hair with water based products. Water should be one of the first two ingredients in any moisturizer. Added oils, serums, etc, leave ins assist in the sealing of the moisturizer and and condition the hair. They are also added to added to reduce the frizz that may occur due the H20 base. Therefore, you technically cannot "wash the moisture away" -- You can wash the oils, serums that are included in the products to avoid build up and products that weight down hair.

 

[purplepeace79]

Water truly is the best moisturizer. Everything else, IMO, is just working to keep the water in or replicate its effects.