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A Series for Dry Hair Pt 1: Do You Really Understand What Causes Dry Hair and Why?
There are many of us who have had the pleasure pain of experiencing dry hair at some point in our life. Contrary to popular belief, many of us suffer from dry hair on an everyday basis, regardless of if we wear our hair natural or not. What if I told you some of the everyday products we use affects the moisture outcome of our hair? No, I’m not only talking about hair products, I’m actually referring to one of the most important resources on Earth: H2O aka Water.
As always, I was watching a video of one of my favorite natural hair gurus, Dominique Goosby Harris, — the creator of her own natural products, and All Things O’Natural on Facebook — and she mentioned the usage of water. According to Dominique, tap water causes buildup on the hair therefore, it is best to use distilled water when using it for your hair.
Why the Dry Hair?
According to Dominique’s blog and other research that I’ve conducted myself, tap water is basically hard water which is not good for the hair unless it’s filtered. Tap Water has bacteria and chlorine which can be very damaging to the hair shaft. Chlorine can dry out the hair and make it brittle which will then lead to damaged dry hair. It also has magnesium and calcium which causes hard water buildup and contributes to the dryness we experience with dry hair as well.
Well, I can just boil tap water and it will become distilled water, right?
Yes and no. While boiling the tap water it does remove some impurities however, not all impurities are removed as they would be in the actual distillation process. One thing to consider is if you live in a high acidic area, the water will need to go through a more rigorous purification process. Distilled water is soft water which actually softens the hair leaving you to see immediate results in how your hair feels compared to tap water.
Are there other alternatives other than water to rinse my hair?
Yes, there is an alternative called the ACV (apple cider vinegar) rinse which has become seemingly more popular among the natural hair community. The ACV rinse has several benefits: creates shine, increases manageability, removes buildup, and smooths the hair. It is composed of ¼ cup or 2 tbsp of ACV and 2 cups of water; the ACV rinse should be the last step when washing the hair. It is important to know that the ACV rinse is not to be washed out of the hair once applied; if rinsed out it will defeat the purpose of its usage.
A few more dry hair tips…
One more important thing to know about water is to watch the temperature of the water. Do not rinse your hair with hot water. Rinsing your hair with hot water will strip the hair of its moisture and cause damaged dry hair as well. Remember that your hair is like a plant, it needs love and a little TLC to live; if it can’t get that it will die and wither away. So let’s all follow the proper precautions and combat to battle dry hair.
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This is a topic that really does need to be discussed because a lot of people put all of the emphasis on products when it comes to dry hair. They don’t consider the other options like water, nutrition, regimen, etc…