Hi there,
One of the most frequently used words in black hair care (both natural and re/texlaxed) is seal.
What exactly does it mean to seal your hair? As you well know black hair tends to be very dry and prone to breakage and this goes for both natural and relaxed hair. To combat dryness you have to effectively moisturise your hair and ensure that the moisture remains inside the hair shaft. Sealing refers to the process of locking in the moisture you have in your hair. Sealing is one of the most important aspects of growing healthy black hair. It is not enough to moisturise, you have to keep the moisture in. Imagine you have a poultry and some chickens. To prevent the chickens from leaving the poultry and getting lost or stolen you put in a door and keep it locked right? That's how sealing works, it locks in the moisture. It also locks out moisture and that is why it is unproductive to put oils on dry hair (the only exception is when you are prepooing or doing a hot oil treatment)When you oil dry hair the oil just sits on it preventing any moisture from entering the shaft. The hair gets drier and drier and then Snap! it breaks off. So sealing must be done to already moisturised hair. Remember sealing keeps your hair moisturised for longer which in turns prevents breakage.
Effective sealing tips:
1.Never seal dry hair.
2.Always seal your hair after you moisturise to keep the moisture in.
3.The most important place to seal is your ends or tips. This is the oldest part of our hair and more prone to breakage, so while it is good to seal your entire hair it is more important to seal your ends.
4.Do not used mineral oil or petroleum products to seal your hair always use natural oils. Although a few people swear by petroleum based sealants they are not good for hair because they can prevent more moisture from entering the hair when you want to moisturise without washing first.
5.Do not seal dripping wet hair. It is better to seal damp hair because the oil can slip off with any excess water on the hair.
6.In a bid to seal your hair do not use too much oil. A little goes a long way so just use a bit of oil. Using too much can cause build up and greasiness which does not encourage hair growth.
Best oils for sealing:
Extra virgin olive oil: This oil is a great sealant and also a moisturiser. This is because the oil can penetrate your hair shaft enabling the hair retain more moisture.
coconut oil: This is the wonder oil for hair as it is the closest oil to water in terms of being able to penetrate the hair shaft while effectively sealing in the moisture. It is a light oil and it is better suited for lighter hair.
Jojoba oil : This is a good oil for sealing. It is identical to the natural oil our scalp produces(Sebum)It is a light oil too and can be used alone or combined with a heavier oil like castor oil.
Grape seed oil: This oil is perfect for sealing. It is light and can also be mixed with heavier oils.
Castor oil : This is a heavier oil and it is an ideal sealant for those with thicker hair strands. If you find that grape seed and jojoba or any of the other light oils do not hold in your moisture try castor oil. It can be used alone very sparingly because of its weight or can be mixed with a lighter
oil .
Shea butter: This is a heavy sealant. It is better for hair that needs a stronger sealant. Ensure you rub it several times between your palms to melt it before you apply it.
There are many others ,just find the one that works best for you. Personally since my hair is very dry I use castor oil mixed with olive oil as a sealant. Other times I use just coconut oil. Listen to your hair and adjust accordingly.
KimB
One of the most frequently used words in black hair care (both natural and re/texlaxed) is seal.
What exactly does it mean to seal your hair? As you well know black hair tends to be very dry and prone to breakage and this goes for both natural and relaxed hair. To combat dryness you have to effectively moisturise your hair and ensure that the moisture remains inside the hair shaft. Sealing refers to the process of locking in the moisture you have in your hair. Sealing is one of the most important aspects of growing healthy black hair. It is not enough to moisturise, you have to keep the moisture in. Imagine you have a poultry and some chickens. To prevent the chickens from leaving the poultry and getting lost or stolen you put in a door and keep it locked right? That's how sealing works, it locks in the moisture. It also locks out moisture and that is why it is unproductive to put oils on dry hair (the only exception is when you are prepooing or doing a hot oil treatment)When you oil dry hair the oil just sits on it preventing any moisture from entering the shaft. The hair gets drier and drier and then Snap! it breaks off. So sealing must be done to already moisturised hair. Remember sealing keeps your hair moisturised for longer which in turns prevents breakage.
Effective sealing tips:
1.Never seal dry hair.
2.Always seal your hair after you moisturise to keep the moisture in.
3.The most important place to seal is your ends or tips. This is the oldest part of our hair and more prone to breakage, so while it is good to seal your entire hair it is more important to seal your ends.
4.Do not used mineral oil or petroleum products to seal your hair always use natural oils. Although a few people swear by petroleum based sealants they are not good for hair because they can prevent more moisture from entering the hair when you want to moisturise without washing first.
5.Do not seal dripping wet hair. It is better to seal damp hair because the oil can slip off with any excess water on the hair.
6.In a bid to seal your hair do not use too much oil. A little goes a long way so just use a bit of oil. Using too much can cause build up and greasiness which does not encourage hair growth.
 |
| A little oil is enough |
Extra virgin olive oil: This oil is a great sealant and also a moisturiser. This is because the oil can penetrate your hair shaft enabling the hair retain more moisture.
coconut oil: This is the wonder oil for hair as it is the closest oil to water in terms of being able to penetrate the hair shaft while effectively sealing in the moisture. It is a light oil and it is better suited for lighter hair.
Jojoba oil : This is a good oil for sealing. It is identical to the natural oil our scalp produces(Sebum)It is a light oil too and can be used alone or combined with a heavier oil like castor oil.
Grape seed oil: This oil is perfect for sealing. It is light and can also be mixed with heavier oils.
Castor oil : This is a heavier oil and it is an ideal sealant for those with thicker hair strands. If you find that grape seed and jojoba or any of the other light oils do not hold in your moisture try castor oil. It can be used alone very sparingly because of its weight or can be mixed with a lighter
oil .
Shea butter: This is a heavy sealant. It is better for hair that needs a stronger sealant. Ensure you rub it several times between your palms to melt it before you apply it.
There are many others ,just find the one that works best for you. Personally since my hair is very dry I use castor oil mixed with olive oil as a sealant. Other times I use just coconut oil. Listen to your hair and adjust accordingly.
KimB
Love your blog. Decided to go natural in may. Its not bin easy cos its like the hair isn't growing at all. Where can I get the oils listed here? Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteHi,thanks for your comment.The thing with growing natural hair is patience and care.It will grow.Just nourish the hair you have and wait and see ;-) As for the oils, I make my coconut oil myself and I get the olive and castor oil from any pharmacy. The Indian food section of Park and Shop have some oils like coconut and extra virgin olive oil.This nigerian online store carries the whole lot:
Deletewww.vanityoils.com
info@vanityoils.com
07030306302
Wish you the best in your healthy hair journey.
Thank you so much for the info.
DeleteWow! I'm really impressed! Thank you so much! I went natural April 2011. I am really enjoying it plus my hair feels healthy. I watch youtube vids 2 but most of d products they use such as the shampoo, conditioners and a product called "cantou" cannot be found here in Naija. So I am really delighted to read your blog post (4 d 1st time 2day) cos I can use ur products and make my coconut oil. Moreover, I decided to take out my weave every two weeks to moisturise my hair since its been breakin. I'll do my 1st trim and read ur blog posts. Thanks again. xoxo
ReplyDeleteAwww I'm so glad to hear that.I agree You tube has also helped me a lot.I'm sorry to hear your hair is breaking.Were you moisturising your hair under your weave? If not then that may be the cause(among other things) . I'm currently working on a post about hair breakage.To get those products (cantu,hello hydration and all those other ones) you can send me a mail (kimmybasia@gmail.com)and I'll hook you up with a supplier.All the best in your healthy hair journey :-)
DeleteYour blog is just awesome.
ReplyDeleteMy hair has been natural for over a year and I'm so discouraged. Always wearing a wig because I'm lost when it comes to styling it. I'll try to take better care of it now. Thanks so much. We africans should learn to love our natural curls. Its a part of our identity and since that's the look GOD gave us then its what suits us best. Keep it up hun!!
Thanks a lot dear! I'm sorry u are discouraged,don't be. Knowledge is power.you can learn to make your hair a lot more manageable.its really easy once you get the hang of it.I wear wigs too when I just can't handle my hair or have little time.I'll shre some styles here soon as I can :-)
ReplyDelete