3 Ways to Combat Dryness in Natural Hair

Dry-Hair1-378x282

Hair dryness. I’ve written several articles related to this topic because it is a problem that has, at times, been a source of great frustration for me personally. One thing that I’ve discovered that has helped me to combat dryness is this simple fact: All forms of hair dryness are not created equal. As such, the solution to different forms of hair dryness can be solved through different methods.

Dryness from the Environment

Ever have one of those days when you finish styling your soft, fluffy curls only to spend the afternoon cringing when you hear the dry, crunching sound your hair makes when lacking in moisture? I sure have. And when that happens I think about the possibility of my hair rubbing up against the clothing I wore that day, my car headrest and a whole other host of factors in order to determine why my hair suddenly feels to brittle. When your hair becomes uncharacteristically dry, especially within a matter of hours it may very well be the weather that day. I have noticed that my hair rebels against very dry, hot weather, as well as bitterly cold weather. On such days I have learned that my out, cute style may not be appropriate or that I can pin up my hair and let it down once I get indoors. I have found that simply treating my hair, much like I would my freshly relaxed hair on a rainy day (remember those days?). Protecting my hair from the elements can limit weather related dryness. So if this is your issue, the solution, I’m happy to say, is a pretty straightforward one.

Dryness from your Products

This is a tricky one, especially if you are newly natural. If you use a brand new product and your hair responds differently it isn’t difficult to figure out that the product is the culprit. But what about when your knowledge of hair products or even your own hair is limited? One of the ways I learned to determine if my products were the source of hair dryness was to conduct an experiment on my hair. On the right side of my hair I would use product A and on the other side product B. I would assess how my hair responded and either conclude that one of the products was the source of my dryness or that neither was and perhaps the reason was unrelated to products. It takes a bit of trial and error but the technique can help you to fairly quickly determine if what you’re putting into your hair is causing it to feel brittle.

Dryness….Just Because

I think many of us fall into this category. The weather isn’t cold or dry and we know our products work well. We adequately moisturize and even though we don’t notice breakage our hair still feels dry. What should you do? My answer…wait for it. Nothing! I’ve discussed in another article that hair that feels dry may not necessarily mean that your hair is suffering from dryness. Sure, it might not feel the way that you would like it to but with naturally tightly coiled hair you sometimes have to embrace the texture as a natural part of your hair. A part of you hair’s personality, if you will. And if it’s healthy and retaining length then “dryness… just because” isn’t something you need to worry about.

Which type of dryness do you find most difficult to combat and why?