Help caring for hair in a new climate... humid to arid

[LadyRaider]

I was wondering if anyone had any advice/tips about how to change your hair routine/products when moving to a new climate.

I have been living in a relatively humid climate for many years. I had products down to a science and a fortune worth of anti-humidity products.

I have moved to a more arid climate now and have been here for a week. The good news is I finally achieved the illusive 'second day braidout." I lived in this type of climate as a kid and I remember when I used to curl my hair in the morning and it'd still be curled in the evening. This is the blessing of an arid climate.

I have noticed though that products on my hair feel different. I used HE LTR Leave in, and my hair felt sticky all day... like the product was sitting on top of my hair instead of sinking in. My hair feels fluffier, bigger, but definitely like it is coated with product.

Anyone have any tips for dealing with a more arid climate? I know there's something about the use of glycerin that's been discussed before.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[LadyRaider]

No arid climate gals on this Sunday afternoon? What are your best tips?

 

[Curlykale]

I would say: avoid humectants. They work in a humid climate (when I go to visit my parents) but they dry my hair out in arid climates. You can't go wrong with products that don't have them, and they work 365 days of the year. On youtube there's a channel of a curlie who lives in the desert and avoids humectants and she uses known products from the U.S.: Apriluv7779.

A list of humectants and a couple of articles:
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/humectants-used-in-hair-care-products

Humectants or partially humectant substances my hair doesn't like: honey, glycerine, jojoba, pure aloe (fine if it's in products), avocado oil on dry hair, castor oil, propylene glycol...

I like conditioners with cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, behetrimonium methosulfate, etc...
I also like hydrogenated oils (like avocado butter or castor oil in its solid version)
I love the opposite thing of humectants which is emollients: oils.
On the expensive side: Aveda makes an anti humectant pomade, Aubrey Organics conditioners are without humectants and Curl Junkie Curl Rehab is pure concentrated moisture.

I use creamy conditioners without protein like garnier fructis (there's one without cones, triple moisture, which I love as a leave in) to reach for moisture instead of glycerine based sprays, I wet my hands when I apply them and I do it twice a day (I'm natural / very curly)... or I diluite them with distilled water and spray but that's because I'm as cheap as possible (there are good products out there without humectants).

Hope it helps!

 

[LadyRaider]

Thank you sooo much. Yes it if very helpful. I was using to of the HE leave ins, so I can check those products for humectants!