How to Moisturize Dry Curly Hair

How to Moisturize Dry Curls & Refresh ft. TreLuxe BLACK FRIDAY SALE

*This post is sponsored by TréLuxe. I am not an affiliate partner with TréLuxe*

With winter starting soon, many of us experience dryness on our skin, scalp, and even our hair. In my last video, we discussed taking care of a dry scalp, but what about dry hair? Let’s dive into the common causes of dry hair, and how to moisturize it. I will also be sharing how to refresh dry curls the next day.

Image source: discovertreluxe.com

Also, I’ll be featuring some of my favorite hair products from TréLuxe because they are having a Black Friday sale!

Black Friday Sale
Get up to 30% off sitewide + FREE SHIPPING over $50 with code BF30.
Valid 11/27/20 – 11/29/20

Cyber Monday Sale
Discount: Up to 30% OFF (buy more/save more) + free shipping over $50 @ discoverTreLuxe.com/shop
Valid 11/30
Promo code:

  • Spend $75 or more, get $22 OFF: code: CM22
  • Spend $55 or more, get $14 OFF: code: CM14
  • Spend $35 or more, get $7 OFF: code: CM7
  • Spend $15 or more, get $2 OFF : code: CM2

Causes of Dry Curls

Natural shape
Curly hair is naturally more prone to dryness compared to straight hair, because the oils from our scalp cannot easily travel down the hair strand due to shape of the strands.

Dry climate & humectant ingredients
Living somewhere that has low humidity can cause dry hair. Dew points below 35° F are considered very dry. Some moisturizing ingredients commonly found in hair products can evaporate in dry weather, such as humectants:

  • Glycerin
  • Sorbitol
  • Propylene glycol

Instead, opt for film-forming humectants in very low (or very high) dew points. These ingredients help coat the strand and prevent moisture-loss:

  • Aloe vera
  • Honey
  • Flaxseed
  • Pectin
  • Hydroxyethylcellulose
  • Marsh mallow root
  • Slippery elm
  • Nettle leaf tea
  • Guar gum
  • Carrageenan
  • Hydrolyzed proteins
  • Amino acids

Porosity
Porosity also plays a huge role in your hair’s ability to obtain and retain moisture. High porosity has a raised cuticle layer that easily lets water in but also can easily dehydrate. Low porosity hair has a tightly bound cuticle that doesn’t easily let moisture in, causing the hair to get dry and brittle. Low porosity hair can benefit from using a heat cap when deep conditioning to help moisture penetrate

pH Balance
Shampoos with harsh sulfates are often highly alkaline, making them very stripping and can raise the pH and the cuticle of your hair, which is naturally more acidic. Over-washing with sulfates can lead to dryness. Conditioner is more acidic, which helps lower the pH and re-balance the hair.

Build-Up
Using heavy butters, oils, silicones, and polyquat ingredients over time without clarifying often can lead to build-up on the hair. Build-up can prevent moisture from absorbing easily, and create a dull appearance. Styling products may sit on the surface and leave a white cast or flake if there is build-up on the hair.

Not Deep Conditioning
When was the last time you deep conditioned? Deep conditioning is one of those things that seems to work better the more consistent you are with it. Dry or damaged hair should be deep conditioned weekly. Healthier hair can go longer in between deep conditioning treatments.

Drying Alcohol Ingredients
There are moisturizing alcohols and drying alcohol ingredients. The “good” alcohols include: Cetyl alcohol, Cetearyl alcohol, Stearyl alcohol, and Lauryl alcohol. “Bad” alcohols that are commonly found in mousse, gel, and hairspray include:

  • Alcohol denat.
  • Ethanol alcohol
  • Ethyl alcohol
  • Propanol alcohol
  • Isopropanol alcohol
  • Benzyl alcohol 

Heat & chemical damage
Using heat tools on a regular basis, bleach, hair dye, and chemical salon treatments all can cause dry hair. Be mindful of how hot your blow dryer gets if you prefer to diffuse your hair dry. Get frequent trims to keep ends healthy and free of split-ends.

How to Fix Dry Curls

  1. Use a little oil on your ends and mid-lengths and dry detangle your hair. Applying oil as a pre-poo treatment will help protect the hair from drying out from shampoo. Be sure to let the oil soak in overnight.
  2. Wet your hair and apply a conditioner to further detangle and prevent breakage when shampooing. I used the TréLuxe Untie the Knot™ Nourishing Leave-In Conditioner, which is one of my favorite multi-purpose products. It contains slippery elm, aloe, avocado oil, coconut oil for moisture, slip, & detangling. The smell is so good too!
  3. Use a low-poo or moisturizing shampoo, focusing on your scalp and rinse. The TréLuxe Curl Renew & Restore™Gentle Cleansing Rinse is a great option for getting a gentle, non-stripping cleanse. I love it because it lathers well with Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate (Coconut derived) and doesn’t further tangle my hair.
  4. Apply a conditioner or deep conditioner. Use a heated cap when deep conditioning for max absorption. For low-porosity hair, deep condition for about 20 minutes, depending on the product’s instructions. High porosity hair may only need heat for 10 minutes or less.
  5. Rinse with cool water and apply leave-in if needed. “Squish to condish” to help the leave-in absorb.
  6. Apply a curl cream (optional), and comb it through for even distribution. For this style, I used the TréLuxe Curl Supreme™ 4-in-1 Hydrating Crème which contains coconut oil, cetyl alcohol, keratin amino acids, shea butter, and more natural ingredients for intense moisture. I love how it doesn’t weigh down my low-density curls, while still providing enough moisture for my medium-coarse hair.
  7. Apply a light to medium hold gel to lock in moisture. The TréLuxe Hi! Definition™ Curl Enhancer Styling Gel is one of my favorite medium hold gels because it doesn’t dry out my curls, provides curl definition and shine. It’s great for dry climates because it contains aloe, honey, and other natural extracts that help prevent water loss.
  8. Diffuse or air dry
  9. Apply a serum or oil if needed to further lock in moisture (optional)
  10. Fluff and scrunch out any cast if desired

How to Refresh Dry Curly Hair

  1. Sleep with a satin bonnet and/or satin pillowcase
  2. Take hair down and fluff roots with dry hands
  3. Wet hands with a little water, and mix in a cream or leave-in conditioner
  4. Smooth over any frizzy curls individually
  5. Scrunch in gel. I prefer using the TréLuxe ReFlex™ Curl Styling Serum because it’s a very light hold, is more of a watery texture, and is very slippery making it great for detangling. I prefer to not layer on too many products throughout the week, so this is a great option for redefining curls the next day.
  6. Diffuse on cool air or air dry

Products Used:

Get 30% off TréLuxe + FREE SHIPPING over $50 with code BF30.
Valid 11/27/20 – 11/29/20

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