Why is my hair still dry after a deep conditioner with a moisturising DC?

This was one of the biggest issues I had at the start of my hair journey, my thinking was as long as I used a moisturising conditioner my hair should be moisturised….right….to a newbie who had never used a moisturising conditioner before, I thought this was all I needed.

Dry hair after DC has also become an issue during this winter. My stable DC has just not giving me the results I had gotten used to. This has led me to write up this blog, for other people who are experiencing a similar problem.

Some of the reason hair doesn’t feel moisturised after DC and possible solutions.

[1] You could be using a conditioner that isn’t suitable for your hair, or the outcome you are looking for i.e. instant conditioners are not deep conditioners - Shop for products with ingredients such as behentrimonium chloride, use honey or glycerine addition to help conditioner penetration into your hair strands. Sometimes you just need to shop around and try products that work well for your hair. I have tried other moisturising DC that had behentrimonium chloride but they did nothing for my hair!

[2] You hair might have product build up therefore, the conditioner is not taken up into your hair strand as well – the solution for this is just to apply conditioner to freshly washed hair.

[3] You have not moisturised and sealed hair after washing – all the great nutrients can leave the hair strands, especially during winter when the surrounding environment is sucking moisture out of our hair

Moisturise and Seal your hair, more important to seal so that moisture doesn’t leave the hair strands. Hair porosity is real!! Depending on your hair porosity level your hair might be failing to retain any moisture as it passes right through your strands (high porosity) or it might be difficult for moisturise and product to penetrate into your hair strands at all (low porosity). I have also learnt that you need heavy butters for moisturising during winter and heavy oils for sealing as well.

[4] Not using a satin scarf or pillowcase at night, all the moisture in your hair ends up on your cotton pillowcase - Always use a satin scarf or pillowcase when going to bed to keep the moisturise in your strands and not on your pillow

[5] Using products that are stripping, i.e. harsh shampoos – try prepooing your hair with an oil of your choice before shampooing your hair. Also try to use less harsh sulphate free shampoo.

Or, you could also use a sulphate shampoo for your first wash (you need to remove all that built up) and a conditioning non sulphate based shampoo for your second wash. Avoid washing your hair 3, 4, 5 times!

[7] During winter the central heating can cause our hair to dry out - Regulate your central heating, bag you hair, or use a scarf for your hair indoors to help with moisture retention levels

 [8] Incorrect protein moisture balance - Protein and Moisture are the pillars of healthy hair, getting the right balance will avoid subpar results from deep conditioning. Also keeping yourself hydrated at all times will help you have great moisture circulation within your body that will in turn be of benefit to your hair!

The key is to assessing your products, your hair, and your methods. And always keep in mind the changing weather, what worked in summer will not always work in the winter time.

What has helped you obtain all the benefits of a deep conditioner?

Happy Hair Journeys Ladies! :o)

‘All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won’t succeed in changing whatever it is about you that is making you unhappy’ – Wayne Dyer