Most naturals love good oil-based afro hair products to give their curls some shine. At Afrocenchix HQ we often get people telling us in frustration that they use oils religiously but their hair is still dry and just won’t grow. Among the natural hair community, there is a common misconception that oils such as Jamaican black castor oil are able to moisturise dry hair. Unfortunately, oils can’t give your hair the moisture it needs and these are the reasons why...
1. Most Hair Oils Don’t Provide Moisture
As shiny as they make afro hair appear, oils achieve this by coating the hair and not truly moisturising the strands. When used with a water-based moisturising afro hair product, however, oils prevent the moisture from evaporating out of the hair shaft.
Locking in moisture is an important measure against hair damage and breakage. Ultimately, this method will lead you to better retention of hair length which means #hairgoals achieved!
Our Seal oil is designed specially to imitate natural hair sebum, which creates a permeable layer, meaning that water can be absorbed through it. This makes additional misting throughout the week make a huge difference!
2. Overuse of Hair Oils can Lead to Build-Up
Using oils without moisturising your hair beforehand can lead to build-up on the strand of your hair. Too much oil use on your scalp can lead to clogged pores. Clogged pores struggle to produce high-quality hair strands, this is why using a sulphate free shampoo is important. This as well as overuse of oil can lead to build-up on your strands and can weaken and damage your hair.
Usually, the best time to oil your hair is after moisturising your hair with a leave-in afro hair product such as Smooth or Sheen. It’s best to avoid applying oils to dry hair as this can cause damage and hinder growth.
3. Water-Based Products are True Moisturisers
Water is a critical ingredient for life on earth, so no wonder it's a critical ingredient for healthy moisturised hair! Good old H2O penetrates the cuticles of your hair helping them to protect its core structure. We truly hydrate our hair during our wash routine and then top up by moisturising morning and night.
Water-based products are perfect for helping to maintain moisture between washes. Our afro hair products such as Smooth and Sheen are really great at keeping your hair moisturised no matter what hairstyle you’re rocking.
What oils do you like to use on your hair? Tell us in the comments below.
Want to learn more? Read these related articles:
How to effectively moisturise your hair
How to moisturise using the LOC/LCO Method