A Magnitude of Moisture Masque

I recently did a henna treatment using defrosted Nupur for which I mixed the entire package and froze the rest, individually packaged in 3, for future uses. My hair felt so good afterward that I thought I could get away with a simple deep condition, without adding all of my other goodies.  Well this was not the case. I first wanted to try out a new DC and wanted to see how it held up after a henna treatment as my hair is always left moisture-thirsty. Trying it for the first time, I did not want to add anything to it. Ever since that day I did the henna Tx I've been striving to correct my moisture balance.

After the initial henna experience, I cowashed my hair with another condish I thought to be moisturizing  as they are without henna Tx's.  It didn't work. Then I tried cowashing the third day with another moisturizing condish and followed that with a scalp oil treatment and the most  moisturizing cream and oil I have to moisturize and seal with only to end with a dry scalp and dehydrated hair. 

I've learned a lot from this this experience, as I have learned before and should already know: go with what you know after any treatment that could offset the delicate balance of protein and moisture. It is far easier for me to correct a moisture overload than a protein overload, or overly porous or non porous hair. Not giving my hair the overdose of moisture that I understand it needs immediately after a henna could have caused me a lot  unnecessary manipulation and damage. No matter what I did to my hair afterwards  it just wasn't enough. I needed that deep conditioner with the added moisturizing ingredients to revitalize my thirsty hair, to penetrate the hair shaft making it strong and flexible. 

Are your tresses overly dry? Do you use moisturizing conditioners with no luck of making your hair soft? Have you skipped an important step in your regimen that has thrown off your moisture balance? Are you in need of the ultimate Magnitude of Moisture Hair Masque?  Below is a list of ingredients that pack that extra punch of moisture that your desert -dry tresses desperately deserve! 

Magnitude of Moisture Hair Masque

2t Coconut Oil

2t Honey

2t Olive oil

2t coconut milk or cream

2t Aloe Vera Juice/ Gel

1t vegetable glycerin

-Add a bit of your favorite deep conditioner until you get the desired consistency ( remember you don't want this too thick, but more on the runny creamy side).

-Add plastic cap and leave on for 15-20 minutes, can be left in longer for really dry damages hair

- Follow with an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

 -Rinse with cold water

* ingredients can be increased to table spoons to accommodate longer or thicker hair.

 This little concoction was sure to bring my hair back to life. If your hair become overly moisturized, you can also cowash with a light protein conditioner after you have rinsed out the hair mask.

 Hair needs moisture. That's the bottom line. Waiting to moisturize your hair, under or over moisturizing your hair, or trying new products that you are unfamiliar with, all lead to one thing- disaster= breakage!  No matter how strengthening a treatment is, skipping the moisture replenishing step make such a treatment ineffective and a waste of time.

Hair Porosity: Should you be concerned?

 ***written ~2 month ago***
I never had much of an issue with my hair's porosity, so I never paid too much attention to it. I thought as long as my moisture and protein were in balance,who needs to care about porosity, right? .... WRONG! This week has proven to me   that there is much need to  pay attention to my hair's porosity, especially when it's  feeling and doing something strange while maintaining my normal regimen.

Here are some informational tips that I plucked from a few different sites  that I feel are most important and capture the essence of hair porosity and how deal with it.

Porosity = how much water your hair can (or can't)  hold and absorb  into the cortex

Highly  porous hair = no good

         

  More porous= greater water absorbed when wet= more water loss as it dries

More Water absorbed = more stretched hair = weaker hair

  Porous Hair = Lifted Cuticle Layer ( think lifted shingles on  a roof)

There is no way to truly 'fix' hair that has been damaged. There are some treatments and tips that can be done to temporarily solve the problem.

Protein treatment will patch up the missing spots on the hair shaft 

ACV  rinse as the final rinse will help close and tighten the cuticle layer

Using acidic deep conditioners or 'for color treated hair type' conditioners will also help close the cuticle

I examined my hair and could visually identify the scaly- like shingles that were raised on my strands. I'm not sure if the dc I mixed up with another caused my hair to react in this manner or what. I did the protein once, the acv after every service and moisturized and sealed 2x daily for a week until my hair returned to normal.

Here are a few places you can refer to if you want more information

http://blackhairscience.com/fix_porous.html

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=566887   *CherryPie* 's entry on how to tell if you have porous hair