I started noticing a difference as soon as the temperatures started rising into the 80’s. My hair had been behaving so well up to that point, and then frizz started kicking in. I started noticing more tangles and loose single-strand knots. By the time I got back from Las Vegas where the desert heat got to it, it was a done deal. I had summer hair. It is dry and crispy and in need of immediate CPR. I came back from Vegas with my hair on tumbleweed status.
Tumbleweed photo via Shutterstock
When I was in Vegas, I met with my friend Tamara Floyd of Natural Hair Rules – she has such beautiful hair! She’s got a few posts on the topic — 10 Tips for Moisturizing Natural Hair, and 10 Summer Tips for Natural Hair for starters!
I had to reach out to Tamara on the personal tip, because when we met up in Vegas her hair looked as glorious as ever. Meanwhile that desert heat was wreaking havoc on my hair and skin. Tamara’s tip was right on time. “Moisture, moisture, moisture… Las Vegas is as well-known for its dry heat and hard water. That’s why it’s always important to drink lots of water. Doing a quick spritz and seal before bed re-hydrates your hair and scalp after a day in desert heat. I make a moisturizing mist that consists of distilled water, aloe vera juice and any oil of my choice. When it comes to dealing with hard water, you may find that you have to clarify with apple cider vinegar or a shampoo like Kinky-Curly Come Clean more often. This rids your hair of hard water minerals and helps it absorb moisture easily,” she explained.
The combination of dry heat, extreme temperatures and hard water did a number on me, so when I got back to Chicago I really needed to up the ante in terms of penetrative moisture. Here’s exactly what I used when I got home and had full access to my complete arsenal of products. This is my hair moisture regimen and a few tips that may help you if you’re on tumbleweed status too!
#1 – You need to pre-poo – I’ve been using lots of oils to give my hair moisture and shine. Upon my return I used Josie Maran’s Argan Hot Oil Self-Heating Hair Treatment – the little capsules it comes in are small, so I used two of them to saturate my hair. It’s a decent lightweight oil treatment and I love self-heating products but I think I’m going to have to follow up with a deeper pre-poo treatment later this week. My hair truly adores a pre-poo with coconut oil, and I’ve had great results with Wen Intensive Treatment Oil, Karen’s Body Beautiful Secret Weapon Restorative Hair Treatment, and Ojon Damage Reverse Hair Restorative Treatment.
#2 – Choose the right shampoo & conditioner – To rectify crispy summer hair, you need a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner combo – nothing that will strip the natural oils from your hair. Gentle cleansing and lots of conditioning. I LOVE the Thank God I’m Natural line of products – Chris-Tia Donaldson truly created a stellar line of deeply moisturizing hair products that work beautifully for my texture. Her Moisture Rich Sulfate Free shampoo and Triple Moisture Replenishing Conditioner gave my hair the TLC it needed. I gently detangled with my Ouidad Double Detangler comb and my hair felt great.
#3 – Layer your styling products – All of the best tips on dry natural hair begin with using a water-based moisturizing spritz, and my latest favorite has been LRC Shake & Go – it’s such a great, lightweight spray on leave-in hair conditioner! I then added a heavier cream based product like Oyin Boing or Hair Dew, or Curls Whipped Cream.
#4 – Seal your ends, and show your scalp some love – my homegirl Felicia Leatherwood encouraged me to massage my scalp with castor oil every few days, so I definitely did that and also used it to seal my ends after applying my styling products. My latest go-to is Sunny Isle Jamaican Organic Pimento Oil with Black Castor Oil
My hair’s back on the mend post-Vegas – I’ve been drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated since my return as well. This will basically be my summer hair regimen – lots of moisture and low manipulation.
How does your hair regimen change in the summer? What are your favorite products for that extra hair TLC? Share with me!
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