Moisturizing and sealing

Hi there!

This is the part of my hair routine/regimen I struggle the most with.
I did get quiet quickly into moisturizing every night or every other day but boy, finding the right produtcs was a struggle!
I took me a very long time to find out products that work for my hair. I consider this part the most delicate one. I found out quiet quickly DC and shampoos that work for my hair but the backbone of my regimen that is moisturizing was still missing. All my efforts were pointless without it as I would still experience dry hair and breakage leading to no length retention for a while and unhealthy hair.
I finally figured out what my hair liked and started to see results: soft, moisturized healthy hair and length retention.

I sometimes tweek it but the basics are:

• leave-in conditionner
• hair spritz
• creamy moisturizer
• oils

Leave-in conditionner

I wondered for a while if this step was necessary in my routine. My shampoo and DC routine would give me enough slip to detangle my hair and moisturize that I thought I could skip it. I'm still not fullly convinced about these type of products but they do not hurt. I sometimes skip it when using my aloe vera spritz or when I use my Kerastase produtcts. I'm using them on and off though. On the other hand, they saved my hair when the DC used that day did not deliver.

Hair spritz

My hair hate liquid moisturizers when used alone. It took me a while to figure it out but also to find a spritz that would work. I make my own using the following:

• 1/3 rose water
• 2/3 aloe vera juice
• a squirt of light weight oil. I rotate between argan oil, linseed oil or olive oil.

I use this spritz as a detangler, leave-in conditionner, moisturizer.
When used as moisturizer, I first use my aloe vera spritz, then a creamy mosturizer and then the oil to seal. The L.O.C. method becomes the L.C.O method for me.
As a leave-in conditionner, I use it before a creamy leave-in such as Kinky curly knot today or any other creamy leave-in. It gives me enough slip to detangle easily my hair even with tons of new growth. PLUS my hair is moisturized for the next couple of days.

Creamy moisturizer

I rotate between my home made all natural moisturizer and Elasta QP mango  butter. The Elasta QP mango butter works well during autumn, winter and my home-made creamy moisturizer works all year round. My hair loves it so much that I use it 80% of the time. Any of this creamy moisturizer works wonders after the aloe vera spritz.

Oils

I must confess: I'm an oil addict! I have different types of oils that I purchase from the grocery, in the organic section. I use only cold-press organic oils as they are full of nutrients.
My favourite to seal the moisture in are:

• Coconut oil
• hemp seed oil
• grapeseed oil
• argan oil

I've learned through this journey that moisturizing and sealing consistently with the right products will give you the most amazing results. It's a key point of any routine for healthy hair and length retention.


Ciao Ciao

Using up products

Hey there!

Lately I've been focusing on using up products laying in my stash more than ever. I did buy random products here and there but overall, I've been good at cleaning my stash up;
Products I've used up:

Oro fluido hair mask

This mask got great reviews but my hair did not agree with it. The product would sit on top of it, doing nothing for it and leaving me with a grease ball, yeah that's how bad it was. I used it as a DC on dry, wet (damp) hair, before or after washing but nada! I ended using it as a prepoo, specially to detangle my hair before washing it.
I think it's the high amount of cones in it that my hair didn't like. I saved the packaging though as it's sleek and elegant.

Omnia Capelli maschera anticrespo (aanti-frizz hair mask) with Aloe Vera

This mask was on the light side but not as runny as a conditionner. I found it too light for a good DC session but great as a prepoo or DC on dry hair. my hair would absorb it completely and I was left with soft, frizz-free, moisturized and detangled hair for 2 to 3 days. I like it a lot. Although it's not as thick as the average hair mask, I found myself to use way more for my liking and used it up to quickly. It's an average price of 5-6 euros but I will not be repurchasing because it's too expensive in the long run for a drugstore hair mask.

Fructis Nutri repair 3 huiles

This mask is thick, very thick! I like thick masks that are very nourishing. This one fufilled all. I used this on dry hair before cowashing with the corresponding conditionner from the same line. I was left with the softest nourished hair and a lovely smell that lingered for days after the cowash. I would definitely repurchase this product.