Ladies,what are you doing wrong?

I know You’ve heard it before, over and over again —
moisture is everything when it comes to natural
hair health. Still, many naturals struggle with
keeping their curls, kinks and coils well-
moisturized. Perhaps you’re guilty of one of the
9 ineffective moisturizing practices. The key to maintaining natural healthy is to have a good regimen that actually works.  Check it
out and comment down below what you've been doing wrong n together let's make magic; :-)

1. Moisturizing dirty hair/hair that has product
buildup
The objective of moisturizing is to apply water-
based product that penetrates the cuticle (outer
layer) of the strand and infuse the cortex (inner
layer) with water. If there is too much dirt or
product on your cuticle, then there’s little
chance that any moisturizing product you apply
will make it to the cortex.

2. Using butters or oils as moisturizers
With the exception of a few oils, like coconut oil,
that can penetrate the strand — oils and butters
will sit on the OUTSIDE of your strand because
they are SEALANTS, not moisturizers. Their
purpose is to lock in moisture — not apply it. If
your hair is feeling dry, and you apply a butter
or oil, you are just weighing down dry hair,
making it more brittle and susceptible to
breakage.

3. Using water based products without sealing
Just like oils and butters aren’t effective as
moisturizers, water-based products — and
water itself! — isn’t effective at moisturizing
unless it’s sealed in. Water quickly evaporate
out of the cortex unless a sealing product is
applied to the lock it in.
*Note: Spritzes are a great daily moisturizing
solution as they contain water, which
penetrates the cuticle, as well as oils, that seal
the water in. While they aren’t heavy-duty
enough to provide long-term moisturizing, they
are great as a daily refresher, in between
moisture and seal sessions.

4. Under-moisturizing
Just like your body can be thirsty way before
your throat actually feels parched, natural hair
can need moisture way before it feels crunchy
and dry. Start by moisturizing your hair at least
once a day. If, in the following hours, your hair
feels wet and mushy, you can cut your
moisturizing down to every other day. If it still
feels dry, then you might need to up your
moisturizing to twice daily.

5. Neglecting the re-moisturizing process after
a shampoo
Shampooing is a bit of a paradox when it
comes to moisturizing — you are dousing your
hair with water, while also stripping your
strands of dirt and natural oils that help lock in
moisture. So, in a sense, your hair is getting
dryer as it gets wetter. The squeaky, super dry
feeling your hair has after a shampoo is lack of
lubrication, and its critical that it be replaced.
Be sure to deep condition after every shampoo
and follow up with a moisturize & seal.

6. Using styling products as moisturizers
The primary purpose of styling products is NOT
to improve the health of your hair. Just like the
primary purpose of moisturizing products is
NOT to sculpt and style your hair. There are
some crossover products that can do both, but
most will not. Liquid styling products might
look tempting as a fill-in when you need a
moisturizer but they might contain alcohols
and mineral oil that will dry your hair out in the
long run.

7. Focusing on roots instead of ends
Your ends are the driest part of your strands
and most susceptible to breakage. The natural
oils that your scalp secretes don’t travel down
far enough to coat your ends, so it’s important
that you are proactive in protecting them. Work
moisturizing product into your hair from root to
tip. Some naturals even limit their product
application to the bottom 75% of their strands.

8. Over Moisturizing
Properly moisturized strands don’t feel soggy
and wet, they feel supple and strong — even
when they’re dry. Applying too much
moisturizing and sealing product can leave your
hair perpetually wet, making it difficult to style.
Be even-handed with your product application.
Not only will it make styling easier, but it will
save your bed spread, couches, car seats, and
anything else your hair comes into contact
with.

9. Deep conditioning/steaming for hours
While there are a few treatments, like henna,
that require long-term application, most deep
conditioning treatments need 30 minutes or
less. Many naturals feel that keeping
treatments on overnight helps with softness
and moisture, but an increasing number are
realizing that 30 minutes (or whatever time the
product instructions say) is just as effective as
8 hours. Keep in mind that the makers of your
conditioner have tested the product, and know
how much time it takes to be effective.

Are you guilty of anything on this list? What are
some ineffective moisturizing practices that
you’ve been guilty of?

Source: Black Girl with long hair