**Moisture vs. Moisturizing

[*Muffin*]

I posted this in another thread, but I think it deserves repeating. It's a subject that I and I've noticed some others have been confused about. Hope it helps, and as always, do what works for YOUR hair . HHG.

It all makes sense to me now...

I like the way nappychronicles puts it on youtube. Moisture equals water; moisturizing is the act of retaining moisture, aka water. They are related terms, but not the same. Oils help you to retain moisture by preventing moisture loss, so therefore aid in the moisturizing process. Water in itself is moisture, but you need other things (like butters and oils) to help you retain it. I guess it's easy to mistake the two for one another. So, both water and oils play an important role in the MOISTURIZING process, but water is moisture. Oils can also aide in the moisturizing process because some oils act as humectants, which draw moisture into the hair, thus further moisturizing the hair. Emollients are the "conditioning" aspect of oils. This softens your hair and makes it feels smooth. So, both water and oils are moisturizing.

Youtube Video: Moisture vs. Moisturizing

 

[atlnaturals]

Great post. I have my PhD in biochemistry and previously worked in skin care before doing more marketing work. Most people don't understand that a balance must be achieved in regulating water movement in and out of the hair shaft while providing moisture via conditioning ingredients when hair is both wet and dry.

When hair is wet it swells up leaving it fragile and more susceptible to breaking. Once the hair is dry it becomes susceptible to the negative affects from high humidity levels so not only does the hair style get ruined, but it swells up to become more prone to breakage. Trying to balance between the two ain't easy...

 

[sharifeh]

Very nice way of putting it! Thanks muffin!

 

[*Michelle*]

Exactly!

And yes, this humidity is a PITA! I have really had to alter my regimen since moving from CA to FL.

 

[Kurlee]

subscribing

 

[naijamerican]

Great post. I have my PhD in biochemistry and previously worked in skin care before doing more marketing work. Most people don't understand that a balance must be achieved in regulating water movement in and out of the hair shaft while providing moisture via conditioning ingredients when hair is both wet and dry.

When hair is wet it swells up leaving it fragile and more susceptible to breaking. Once the hair is dry it becomes susceptible to the negative affects from high humidity levels so not only does the hair style get ruined, but it swells up to become more prone to breakage. Trying to balance between the two ain't easy...

Great points. I really look forward to learning any other insights you have to share, from a scientific perspective.

Thanks for the thread, Muffin! I can honestly say that it's only within the past 6 months (of being natural for almost 10 years ) that I truly grasped what your initial post said.

 

[Neith]

I didn't even think of the fact that some oils are humectants... but how much water do they actually attract?

Can you put some castor or olive oil ONLY in your hair ... and it will get enough actual water into your hair to be moisturized? I wouldn't think so, for many people...

I still personally don't see oils as good moisturizers (alone). Coconut oil and castor oils are huge parts of my regimen - it's not that I don't think they are very beneficial to the hair.

Oils, conditioners and water keep my hair moisturized. For me, they are all equally important - but they are different chemically, and the way they interact with the hair.

 

[Bluetopia]

Amen for this post! I'm always explaining this to people.

When i apply a bit of water to my dry edges and ends before applying my jbco I've gotten the side-eye from folks.

But to me - if oil is to retain water (i.e., moisture) adding it to super dry hair on its own is kinda silly cause there aint much to retain. lol

I like the scientific explanations you guys have provided to support this assertion

If you can give the scientific reasons why baggying is so awesome that would be great too...cause that's been a Godsend.

*subscribing*

 

[*Muffin*]

I didn't even think of the fact that some oils are humectants... but how much water do they actually attract?

Can you put some castor or olive oil ONLY in your hair ... and it will get enough actual water into your hair to be moisturized? I wouldn't think so, for many people...

I still personally don't see oils as good moisturizers (alone). Coconut oil and castor oils are huge parts of my regimen - it's not that I don't think they are very beneficial to the hair.

Oils, conditioners and water keep my hair moisturized. For me, they are all equally important - but they are different chemically, and the way they interact with the hair.

I think it's exactly as atlnaturals said. It's all about achieving a balance and listening to your hair's needs. The way I see it (and I could be wrong, so correct me if I am), your hair is supposed to retain about 10% water in order to be hydrated. If your hair contains that 10% water, then all is well. You may only need to apply oil so that your hair can retain this 10%. But gradually, even with the oils, this water may be lost, so occasionally one may need to re-hydrate the hair. How often one needs to do this depends on their hair. Recently I've discovered that, because it's cold, after deep conditioning my hair retains moisture pretty well, so all I really need to do is apply light oils to my hair to slow the moisture loss, while other people may lose moisture more quickly and have to rehydrate. In the summer I notice I have to rehydrate my hair a little bit more frequently because the heat is making the moisture evaporate more quickly. It's all about achieving that balance.

As for the humectant oils, I'm not sure if one would be able to use those alone and be able to get adequate moisture. Perhaps it depends on whether or not you live in a humid environment (I live in Florida--very humid). It might be moisturizing enough for some, at least to get them to their next wash and deep condition, but for others they might have to spray their hair with water occasionally to give the humectant oils something to absorb. Just my opinion. Hopefully somebody who's more learn-ed than me can chime in .

 

[*Muffin*]

Great post. I have my PhD in biochemistry and previously worked in skin care before doing more marketing work. Most people don't understand that a balance must be achieved in regulating water movement in and out of the hair shaft while providing moisture via conditioning ingredients when hair is both wet and dry.

When hair is wet it swells up leaving it fragile and more susceptible to breaking. Once the hair is dry it becomes susceptible to the negative affects from high humidity levels so not only does the hair style get ruined, but it swells up to become more prone to breakage. Trying to balance between the two ain't easy...

Great points! Thanks so much for your insight .

 

[katblack]

I didn't even think of the fact that some oils are humectants... but how much water do they actually attract?

Can you put some castor or olive oil ONLY in your hair ... and it will get enough actual water into your hair to be moisturized? I wouldn't think so, for many people...

I still personally don't see oils as good moisturizers (alone). Coconut oil and castor oils are huge parts of my regimen - it's not that I don't think they are very beneficial to the hair.

Oils, conditioners and water keep my hair moisturized. For me, they are all equally important - but they are different chemically, and the way they interact with the hair.

The same would be true if one were to put water in their hair only. I would think most people here would have realised the awesome benefits of water by now, if that were the case. No one extreme works over all, life is about balance. Even with that no onething or method works for everyone.

Anyways, water is a natural solvent, it can eventually erude anything over time. My 2cents...

 

[Lola Laughs]

I think it's exactly as atlnaturals said. It's all about achieving a balance and listening to your hair's needs. The way I see it (and I could be wrong, so correct me if I am), your hair is supposed to retain about 10% water in order to be hydrated. If your hair contains that 10% water, then all is well. You may only need to apply oil so that your hair can retain this 10%.

This makes perfect sense to me. Having said that, would it be a better practice NOT to towel blot excess water from hair prior to applying conditioner? I have always blotted so that my hair absorbs more conditioner than water (likened to the rationale of swimmers wetting their hair prior to getting in the pool so as not to absorb chlorine). Granted a good conditioner should be primarily water, but still...

I'm probably just splitting hairs here (no pun intended) but it may be a "small tweak that yields big results."