by
Geniece
By Geniece of Beautifully Made
Okay, show of hands. How many of you have ever held a section of your hair and squeezed the ends listening to the crunching sound your hair makes? Well, I have. On the one hand it’s kind of cool to have hair that’s so highly textured that we can actually hear it. On the other hand, that crunching sound can indicate that our hair is dry and that is anything but cool. If you struggle with what feels like perpetually crunchy, dry hair then I hope to give you some insight what might be happening with your hair.
Five years after I went natural I decided that I should actually start caring for my hair instead of complaining that it wasn’t doing what I wanted it to do. I began to be gentler with my hair, manipulating it only when necessary and using water based products. After my six months of better practices I was thrilled to see what I had not for quite some time–length retention. Still, there was something that puzzled me. One of the things that frustrated me early in my healthy hair journey is that no matter what I did my hair would often feel dry. I would add moisturizing creams, keep my hair pinned up and spritz with water but once the water dried my hair felt dry. At one point I suspected that my hair’s dryness was the reason my hair didn’t retain length but once I realized I was retaining length I had the realization that my hair could feel dry without being brittle and prone to breakage. So, what was going on? One of the greatest epiphanies I’ve had as a natural is this: My hair can feel dry, even look dry, even when adequately moisturized.
Those of you who constantly buy moisturizing products and still find yourself frustrated can breathe a sigh of relief. If you are adding water to your hair more than likely it is moisturized. However, because of the twists and bends of highly textured hair it may feel rough to the touch but this does not mean that it is brittle or dry. For me, this is an area of my regimen when I have learned to operate in faith. If I’m doing what I’m supposed to, I believe that my hair is moisturized even if it doesn’t always feel that way. This is especially true when my hair is exposed to extreme weather during the heat of summer and frigid cold of winter.
Now I know some of you may still be a bit bummed. After all, who doesn’t enjoy hair that feels soft and supple to the touch? I agree. I definitely prefer my hair to feel moisturized than not. However, being honest about my hair texture allows me to be realistic in terms of the expectations I have for my hair. I have actually become accustomed to “dry” feeling hair and to me it feels normal. In fact I can even tell the difference between my hair when it’s moisturized and feels dry and when it is genuinely in need extra moisture. For me, making this distinction has made my hair journey much smoother.
Ladies, how do you determine when your hair is in need of moisture?
61 Responses
This is gold and oh so true
brilliant article, much needed distinction between dryness and wooly texture
Hi Elizabeth, I have 4b or 4c hair too and your problem with gray and dry hair sounds identical to my problem. I discovered that dye made my hair drier and more brittle. Make sure that you’re not using any shampoos that have sodium lauryl sulfate; sodium laureth sulfate; or any other drying ingredients. I have tried Beautiful Curls by Alaffia and Carol’s Daughter Co-Wash. It has been one year since I’ve dyed my hair and I noticed two different grades of texture. The dyed hair was extremely dry and brittle. The virgin hair was moist and had beautiful definition when I twisted my hair. My hair grows on an average 4-5 inches. I’m in the process of cutting away the dyed hair. I love the texture of my virgin hair and I have a lot of definition using Design Essential Stretching cream for twists and I love my hair now…lol. I also use various oils and homemade flaxseed gel. I hope this helps. Please keep us posted on your progress. Good Luck!
Hi Veronica, thanks for the insight. I haven’t dyed my hair in 14 months and unfortunately the gray is taking over LOL…though I’m natural I’m not wearing my hair, I keep it in twists under a wig. Im still growing out the dye from 14 mos ago so I’m trimming it as my hair grows out. I’m trying various items that RuklyatG turned me on to and like you the dyed hair is dry still but virgin hair is softer so I’m getting there. I’m doing the Bentonite clay for cleansing–so far I’ve used it once. It did okay… Anyway…I’ll keep you posted. Again, thanks much.
Hi Veronica, can you tell me more about the flaxseed gel? I’m veggie so i always have some flaxseeds around and i’m REALLY struggling with my daughter’s hair. She has soooo much of it (lucky for her I know). Thanks for any advice.
I have crunchy hair. Im always moisturizing. You have given me some insight. My cruchy hair is who I am. I will continue to moisturize and take care of the whole me. Cruchy hair and all. thanks!
Hi, has anyone used Terressentials mud wash on 4c hair? If so, what were your results, which formulation did you use and do you recommend it? Also, what about bentonite clay, is it a reasonable substitute?
Okay soI have been doing this all wrong. For so many years! I am so upset with myself. Now I can try the LOC method, while taking my vitamins, and using my new mixture of my own mtg without mineral oil and pray for the best. My ingredients should be on its way so I probably will be starting my challenge by mid February. So my challenge will be for an entire year! I also think i will be using treseme conditioner because it has keratin in it, then followed by a cleansing shampoo and finally followed up with a moisturizing conditioner at the end. Once my hair is finished I can then use the loc method right after. Liquid (water) oil(my own mtg) and then cream (shea moisture restorative. Please ladies leave your comments. I would like to know if I am missing something of if I am doing something wrong. Thanks in advance. God Bless!
Question: If my scalp isn’t flaky or has buildup and it’s itching because it’s dry do I use a cream than an oil to seal in moisture or would that create build up?
I’M DESPERATE AND NEED HELP. My story: I’ve been natural for 5 years and opted to do it after experiencing a very bad perm. In attempt to allow perm to grow out as it began growing out i started wearing my hair pulled in ponytail and wrapped daily. After a year I decided to do microbraids for a year but didnt take care of my hair (huge mistake). But, my hair grew immensely because i wasnt manipulating it. Finally perm and braids free I moved to wearing wigs. After a year I decided to embrace my natural locs. But with all the gray growing in I also began coloring my hair. Through all of the lack of care and trying to figure out what to do I have found my coarse thick hair still course but no longer thick. With last coloring I ended up with brittle hair and horrid color in my attempt to change my look. Not knowing how to manage my situation I began parting hair down the middle and either big cornrows or ponytails that I only took down once a month and went back to wigs because of how bad my hair was breaking and further thinning. About 6mos ago I cut my hair about 3 inches to do away with rough ends and noticed i stopped losing large quantities of hair DUH??!! My hair has grown about 4 inches and isn’t shedding so that’s positive. I recently stumbled upon youtube sites on caring for natural hair so I’m at least encouraged that my hair might do better if I follow some of the regimes I’ve read. What I’m concerned about is that the thinning may not repair itself and I’m not sure what to do. Any recommendations? I’m also struggling to find product to use. Tried Miss Jessie’s and pudding doesn’t help. Put together a Shea butter concoction but I think my mixture is too heavily weighted with oils after reading your comments as I’m unable to style it because its limp LOL. Think it’s clear I really do not know what I’m doing…that is evident. My hair is extremely dry and coarse and I’m wondering if I should further cut or if the problem is lack of moisture.
Forgot to mention…my hair has no decker able curl pattern, more of small ringlets that look spongy when dry. Doesn’t look/sound like anything I’ve read in hair type descriptions.
Hi Elizabeth! Based on what I have seen and read over my 2 year healthy hair journey, aloe vera gel and castor oil are great for thinning hair and moisture retention. Here are the steps I follow:
1. Apply castor oil to scalp and hair for an overnight treatment. Massage CO into scalp for 10 minutes or so, this will stimulate the hair folicles and allow the castor oil to penetrate well. Cover your head with a shower cap and scarf to protect your hair and pillow case and keep heat in.
2. In the morning massage aloe vera gel into your scalp and rub through your hair. The aloe helps reduce DHT, a hormone that leads to hair loss, and it’s a natural moisturizer. Leave in for 30 minutes before washing/co-washing.
3. Co-wash your hair to remove the castor oil and clease your hair and scalp. If your hair is dry normally you may want to eliminate the shampoo for a month or so and use aloe vera gel primarily to cleans your scalp and hair.
4. Condition with a deep moisture conditioner maybe adding in a few light oils such as jojoba or olive. Rinse out and style as usual.
5. During the week massage your scalp 4-5 times using a blend of castor, jojoba, vitamin E, eucalyptus, and rosemary oils. Put all the oils in a little jar or conatainer and dab your fingers in it, rub them together, then massage your scalp using the pads of your fingers.
I have been doing this pretty consistently for over a year and my hair is thick and healthy. My hair has grown over 5 inches in the last year, which isn’t super impressive, but it has maintained the length and I was able to cut my relaxed eds off without stressing about the condition of my natural hair. Best of luck and God bless!
Thank you for response. I will give this a try. I have started using castor oil and aloe Vera gel on my hair but had not used as a regime such as you noted, along with massaging. But the massaging sounds like a critical component. I have 4c hair and it is so dry and I get major shrinkage. So dryness coupled with the graying gives my hair a texture that simply does not hold moisture. Though i have length I’m not wearing my own hair because of how rough the texture is however, I see that the wigs are impacting my edges. geez…My hair just seems to be a total mess ;-). Anyway, I read the blogs and watch videos of women with 4c hair and eveyone has something different to say. I can see why people get discouraged and revert back to perming their hair. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted and God bless you as well.
For me, it’s all about simplicity. I’m very lazy and I would prefer that it didn’t take me more that an hour to get my hair together. Plus, when we were kids our parents didn’t do all these crazy things to our hair and it still grew. I usually cowash with Wen sweet almond mint cleansing conditioner every three to four days. That is unless it’s time for me to shampoo.
Every two weeks I shampoo with Organix Biotin & Collagen shampoo, which I love because it’s made my hair fuller and thicker (as it promises) plus I’ve seen a lot of growth. When I shampoo I use Organix sea mineral moisture conditioner. I started using this because my hair was reaaaaallllyyy dry for a very long time and I began reading “The Lazy Natural” blog, where she recommended some of these products.
Now, for my LOC method:
L: I use either water (after I wash my hair) or Carol’s Daughter’s Hair Milk refresher spray.
O: I use Organix Biotin & Collagen weightless healing oil treatment. Smells great and you only need a drop or two to get the whole head. And it keeps its promise of being weightless. Just like the shampoo, it works to make hair thicker and fuller.
C: I use Cantu shea butter grow strong strengthening treatment. Now, I know this isn’t a cream, but sometimes I’ll use Ecostyler olive oil styling gel to either replace my Cantu or after the Cantu. Some people don’t like Ecostyler, but its worth trying out (only $3).
Now every week or every other (if I’m feeling lazy) I deep condition with Organix renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Intensive moisturizing treatment. As I said, my hair has a very big problem with being dry, and this is a great way to give my hair a little boost.
Now, why I love Organix so much is because it’s affordable (everything I listed is about $8 or less) and I can just go to Walgreens or Rite Aid to pick it up. Some people slam drugstore products, but if it’s affordable and works, why not? The most expensive thing I listed is the Wen conditioner (which runs for about $34). I’m very frugal, but the conditioner is a 5 in 1, so sometimes I’ll use it as a leave in or in the last step of my LOC method. To me, it’s worth the money.
I’m not going to lie, I don’t really read the labels because all of the ingredients we have to “watch out” for makes my head spin. As long as there’s no sulfate and the first ingredient is water, I’m good.
Now, as for what I do to my hair, I either do wash and go’s, bantu knots (definitely my go to), and twists. I’m not the most talented, but I feel like those are simple and easy to get a grasp of. Some people feel like lot’s of products and expensive items are good, but for me it’s about what works and what is affordable.
Also, it’s not all about the products you’re using. You need to make sure you have a healthy diet. I know it’s hard to change the way you it, but you have to do it over time. My tip is to at least drink more water than soda/juice.
I use both, 100% pure African Shea Butter and Virgin Cold-pressed 100% coconut oil!!! These two additions, now considered staples in my 3c/4a hair (and on my skin!!!) have truly changed my life! Ive completely simplified my routine with mostly natural products that I can get virtually anywhere and most of my products serve more than one purpose,i.e. skin & hair, hair & cooking, etc.
Now using shea butter as a moisturizer and coconut oil as a sealant, or combining both as a soufle’- type of moisturizer for my styles… my hair NEVER feels dry, even if my satin scarf falls off while sleeping and my hair ends up on cotton pillows!!! Please try and let me know how well it works for you!
Butters are sealants though not moisturizers… You must be adding some type of liquid before.
Coconut oil can serve as a moisturiser and sealant
I love this because my hair gets dry but too much product makes my scalp itch especially in the winter. The key is feeling the hair from root to end and adding castor oil every night or every other.
Wow, this helps. I’ve been doing it backwards, ugh! Liquid, cream and oil last.
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Me too Kimberly! I’ll have to change my LCO to LOC immediately lol!
No you don’t, if it is working for you.
No you don’t, if it is working for you.
I tried the Loc method but I am focused as to how much cream to use cause I get white residue. What kind of cream should I use and what to use for shine?
I can tell how dry my hair is by feeling it. I like to give it a good scrunch and if it has a spongy feel to it I know it is in moisture heaven.
I stick to the loc method which I do every other night when I plait my hair.
I’ve also given up my length obsession and since then I have seen an increase in my hair especially at the nape.
The colour of my hair is also a sign of dryness.
Great post!!! I battle with this all the time!!!! I’m starting the switch to the LOC method to see if it changes, but it really does help to assure naturalistas that even though the hair doesn’t LOOK moist, that we are not ALONE! Cutting and being heavy on the product is not always the answer! 🙂
I usually just touch the scalp between the plaits or twists then squeeze the ends, if either feels dry (that is, they don’t feel as if oil has passed near them) I mist the area with oil and water then put some castor oil in the ends to seal them or on the partitions.
By the way, what is the ‘LOC method’?
L (Liquid) – First apply a liquid of your choice, the most effective and my first choice is water. Using water allows you to start this process immediately after washing your hair. However in some cases braid sprays and water based leave in conditioner sprays can be used depending on your preference and style choice.
O (Oil) – Then apply your favorite oil or butter to seal in the liquid. My personal favorite would have to be coconut oil, the smell is amazing. But there are quite a few others to choose from: extra virgin olive oil, argon oil, and castor oil, just to name a few. Choose which ever works best on your hair.
C (Cream) – Finally apply your favorite leave-in or styling product to seal in the liquid and oil. My preference is typically a product that is thick and creamy; I usually reach for my Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and style my hair as desired.
http://longing4length.com/2012/10/the-l-o-c-method.html
Thanks for explaining.
Hello, question are you suppose to do the LOC Method everyday or only when you feel as if you hair is dry?
I don’t use the LOC method everyday–buildup on my hair would be crazy! Normally, I LOC (if I’m behaving and taking care of my tresses) when I’m styling my hair, every 4-5 days. In between styles, I spritz my hair with a glycerin/water mixture to keep it moisturized.
What purpose does creaming serve in this “LOC” method?? It seems like its a double whammy to “seal the sealant”.
I’m making my own sealant from cupuacu butter when I receive it but I want to be sure I’m doing everything properly. Is this last step for freedom of styling products??
Thanks!
It’s for conditioning …….Creams ……the Oil is to seal the moisture from the your Liquid
I’ve been natural for a few years, and in that time, I have bought hundreds of dollars worth of products to try, and attempted numerous styles and regimens. And one thing I have found is that when my hair feels dry, it is dry. Period. Hair, no matter if it’s straight or tightly-coiled, makes crunchy noises when parched, raised cutucle layers rub up against each other – like straw.
For me, the only thing that alleviated the dryness and crunch was using a little protein to help close the cuticles and using and oil-free, moisturizing conditioner. Also, I do not put ANY oils/butters on my hair at any time (they’re occlusives, and only block moisture and weaken the hair structure). My hair is now much softer and more moisturized than it has been in all the time I’ve been natural. And all I have to use is shampoo and conditioner. No leave-ins, no creams, no butters, no oils.
Hope my experience helps someone.
Can you please name the oil-free conditioner you use, I find that my hair loves balm like conditioners as a leave-in/moisturizer(the old Nexxus Humectress) and it is hard to find such conditoners.
Also the protein you use to seal
Usually, I make my own conditioner, and don’t use store bought. But I haven’t had the chance lately. So recently I started using Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Conditioner. It’s not the best but it seems to work fine so far. It has a silicone, but it is less harmful to my hair than oil.
As far as protein, my hair seems to like anything with hydrolyzed keratin in it. Suave Damage Care shampoo is what I use. Of course, it’s not an everyday thing. I don’t know what to suggest for people who don’t use shampoo. Maybe alternating conditioners will work, one w/ protein and one without.
Oh, I wanted to point out that neither of these worked for me when I was still using oil on my hair. If you plan on using oils to ‘seal’, you might want to try a heavier conditioner.
Thank you!
It took me a number of years to figure out as well, not to mention having different textures added to more confusion. The turning point came when I learned about hair porosity and started pre poo with oil.
You have to take care of your hair everyday. That means oiling, moisturizing, and keeping it pinned up, and covered. The elements play a significant role on our hair. When it’s cold we turn on the heat. This dries our hair out.Heat has a very adverse effect on our hair also.It takes time and patience to grow our hair. You have to make a serious commitment.
I can tell if my hair is REALLY dry by how curled it is. When my hair is moisturized it curls more than when it needs some quenching. Great post.
Thanks for this…been trying to explain this to folks for YEARS. Two things I’ve noticed when this conversation comes up:
1) New naturals in particular have this idea that their natural hair is supposed to feel like their relaxed hair. Particularly when you’re talking about highly textured hair (3c/4a/4b/4c), even at its optimum state it’s not going to feel like relaxed hair! IMO this is part of the mental deprogramming/reprogramming process.
2) I have heard of people carrying spritz bottles around so that they can “moisturize” their hair during the day. I call that Jheri Curl thinking. 🙂 Moisturized hair and MOIST (as in wet) hair are two completely different things. Nobody’s supposed to spend their entire day walking around with wet hair…not even Jheri Curl wearers if they’re doing it right, lol. Moisturized hair should feel soft (as in, not crunchy) but dry (as in, not wet).
Finally, I’ve been doing the LOC method for the last few months and I agree it has really made a difference. I’ve never liked being heavyhanded with products but now that my hair’s longer I really see the need to step it up.
I’m a guy with dreads going on 3 years on now and I only started to experience the dry hair feel and look this winter. I figured it was jus the dry and cold air. Thanks for the info.
one of the best articles yet. it is the same for me. people would tell me my hair seemed dry and would rush to recommend products, and yet at the same time would be in awe of the fact that my hair retained length so well. it would easily grow to BSL without any encouragement on my part, even though i wasn’t going out of my way to add moisture. dry is simply how my hair feels. i’m cool with that. so long as it’s not breaking, i can live with it. and even like it. thumbs up geniece!
Great piece! I was actually thinking about this today because its been really dry here, weather-wise, and my hair feels rougher than optimal by the end of the day. I also notice that my hair feels “softer” when stretched but I realize that it’s just smoother. Understanding the texture is important!
This was so helpful! I am struggling with this very same issue. My hair doesn’t feel soft, even though I moisturize using the LOC/LCO method daily. I also massage my scalp with oil every night. After reading this article, I know that I am on the right track. Thanks so much!
I love this article. Just this morning I was retwisting my hair and for the millionth time wondering why it felt the way it did. I do suffer from breakage (which I’m trying to find ways to combat) so when I feel my “crunchy” ends I think, “they’re going to fall off anyway, might as well cut them.” I always have a scissors in my hand…it’s bad but I hate the breakage and I hated that dry feeling.
But this article was very informative and now I know the crunch doesnt necessarily mean damaged hair. Now I can put down the scissors & be happy.
I came to this conclusion a while ago. It helped me stopped being so heavy handed when using products. I used to think my hair had to feel wet and full of product for it to be “moisturized.” I came to the realization that my hair doesn’t need to feel that way for it to be moisturized. That perhaps my hair just naturally feels drier than others. It’s funny because I always hear naturals with my hair texture say their hair feels soft and cottony naturally. Mine doesn’t.
I have the exact same problem.
I feel relieved that I don’t have to drown my hair in water, oil, & moisturizing creams trying to get softer ends. I do hot oil & deep conditioning treatments weekly, as well as do the LOC method & I just don’t feel my ends getting a soft as it should but my hair is growing like a weed. So I guess I do t have to get as frustrated as I do because its not as soft as a want.
*don’t
I’ve found shea butter on my ends helpful in keeping my ends moisturized.
Excellent read! A whole lot of naturals need to read this. On this blog alone I have seen people lamenting over a never ending quest to find “holy grail” moisturizing conditioners and such only to become frustrated cause their hair is still dry. Like shrinkage its what our hair does. One either learns to adapt or fight a never ending battle. Everybody has to develop a good feel when it comes to how it should feel. I think the scalp is a good indicator too. Usually if my scalp is dry so is the hair. A good gauge is this: Ever wash your hair and put nothing on it and let it shrink all the way up? This to me is what dryness feels like. At the other end is Over-moisturized hair.You know when you went over board with some leave in or other creamy product and your hair feels moisturized but coated in a bad way. I figure in between these two extremes is a happy medium. For me that is when my I can still feel the roughness of my texture/ naps ,but its soft and kind smooth feeling, when I run my fingers over a piece of hair and my scalp is calm and not itchy or flaky.
Great article!!
This is the reason I do not wear my hair in stretched styles; my hair feels dry and crunchy when stretched.
Ita with this article! It took me a year to figure out what my moisturized hair feels like and the difference between dry feeling hair and hair that is actually DRY. For me once i started consistently deep conditioning my hair every week and style my hair using the LCO(liquid, cream, oil) method my hair has been retaining moisture much better. I know when its time to remoisturize my hair when my scalp starts flaking from dryness or if my hair is in a out style such as a twist out i notice more tangling and single strand knots when its dry. One thing i we definately have to learn on this journey is that textured hair will not feel like straigt hair. It took me a while to learn the difference so dnt feel bad if you havent found your balance yet
But you didn’t tell us how to tell the difference! I guess that’s just something we need to figure out on our own. I like this article though, it is long overdue and every new natural needs to read and meditate on it.
I learned this the hard way — I thought since my ends were crunchy feeling that my hair was damaged.
I ended up cutting my hair — which was totally unnecessary!! After cutting it, my hair was still crunchy!!
The thing that helped me was to stay on a regular moisture schedule and to learn the difference between the feel & straight up dry hair!! That’s going to be different for everyone!
Cheers,
Jennifer – The Video Mojo
I just had the same experience a month ago!! I did my flat iron & trim I do every six-12 weeks and didn’t have split ends but afterwards my hair was kinda bushy. (I’m transitioning so still learning). I went back to the saloon a few days later and had the girl trim some more. Still bushy. It took a whole inch of hair for me to realize that I guess that’s just the way my hair is, even when straighten.
I also had to learn the difference between dry hair and texturized hair that feels dry. In addition, I have had to school some people when they want to say that my hair feels dry.
This is one of the best articles that I’ve seen on here.
Ever !!! This is exactly what I battle with!