Humectant-free deep conditioner moisture treatments for arid climate

[Barniie]

Hi all,

Still recovering form the worst protein overload EVER and I decided to do some more thorough research into moisturising my hair. When I finally realised I should know what my climate is like where I live, I found out that we have a dew point of -4.5 celsius (24 farenheit!!) which is SO dry - and I've been using a (protein-laden :rant:) conditioner, with treacle (I think those from USA call it molasses? i'm not sure..) and aloe vera gel. So I've been sucking out all the moisture and replacing it with protein >.<

Does anybody have any sage wisdom to help me re-moisturise my hair in this arid climate? Should I just soak my hair in protein-free conditioner? What can I add to my moisture treatments that wont pull moisture from my hair?

Thanks in advance!

ETA: relative humidity today is 14%, and generally hovers around 30% according to the forecast this week. It's summer in Australia atm and as y'all know we do dry and hot like no-one else!

[meteor]

Oils and silicone serums! ;)

If the hair feels dry, try to apply occlusives like oils and cones to wet or damp hair, to lock in moisture.

Oils:
You can use oils any way you want: pre-poo oiling, adding oils to conditioner, oil rinses between shampoo and conditioner, sealing moisture with oil after a wash, smoothing a couple drops of oil on length or braid tassel every night or so, LOC method...
You can mix and match different carrier oils together or add some essential oils to the mix or infuse your oils with herbs... or you could experiment with oil-based conditioning treatments: e.g. Fox's Shea Butter Conditioning Cream (conditioner + shea butter + coconut oil)

Coney Serums:
For silicone serums, I don't even know which one specifically to recommend, because most seem to work similarly. :) I liked John Frieda's Frizz Ease serum, GF Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz, MoroccanOil argan oil/silicone treatment, Redken Glass... just to give a few examples... I find silicone serums pretty interchangeable.

[MeAndTheMaz]

And, just to expand on Barniie's question, I was thinking about SMTing, and one of the ingredients is honey, which is another humectant. Seems counter-productive to add honey to a moisture treatment in the winter (as it is here in the North) when humidity is so low. Is there something else that can be substituted for honey?

[neko_kawaii]

I don't worry about humectants in the SMT since it isn't a leave in, but something that is rinsed off before it runs out of its own moisture. I've only had issues with humectants when used as leave ins. Interested to hear if others in dry places have issues with them in a short treatment.

[meteor]

And, just to expand on Barniie's question, I was thinking about SMTing, and one of the ingredients is honey, which is another humectant. Seems counter-productive to add honey to a moisture treatment in the winter (as it is here in the North) when humidity is so low. Is there something else that can be substituted for honey?

In this situation, I find oils/butters to be a great substitute for honey if humectants dry out hair. For example, coconut oil, palm oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, cocoa butter... It's important not to use too much of it though, or the hair can come out looking/feeling greasy.

I tend to reserve humectants and proteins (which can work like film-forming humectants sometimes) only for high/medium humidity seasons. But during arid times, I try to go heavy on anti-humectants (occlusives) over damp hair and I avoid humectants... It can sometimes work if I use humectants only while you I'm the shower (due to steam), but sometimes it doesn't work anyway, because the humectants remain in hair afterwards anyway. But sealing hair post-wash with oils and cones or using LOC method (liquid/leave-in + oil + cream) really helps. Oh, and it really helps fight any frizz and static, too.

[school of fish]

Hi all,

Still recovering form the worst protein overload EVER and I decided to do some more thorough research into moisturising my hair. When I finally realised I should know what my climate is like where I live, I found out that we have a dew point of -4.5 celsius (24 farenheit!!) which is SO dry - and I've been using a (protein-laden :rant:) conditioner, with treacle (I think those from USA call it molasses? i'm not sure..) and aloe vera gel. So I've been sucking out all the moisture and replacing it with protein >.<

Does anybody have any sage wisdom to help me re-moisturise my hair in this arid climate? Should I just soak my hair in protein-free conditioner? What can I add to my moisture treatments that wont pull moisture from my hair?

Thanks in advance!

ETA: relative humidity today is 14%, and generally hovers around 30% according to the forecast this week. It's summer in Australia atm and as y'all know we do dry and hot like no-one else!

I saw your pics in the other thread you posted and I recognize those ends! That's what I had a couple years ago when I had unkowingly allowed my hair to get utterly dried out and very probably protein overloaded. I had gone years using a protein-rich shampoo, no conditioner at all and repeated henna treatments with no moisture replenishment whatsoever. Not only did my ends get those bent ends and feel rather straw-like, but my hair moved as a single unit, rather like a broom bristles, not bending and swishing like it does when its healthy - it had lost its 'flexibility' for lack of a better word.

What helped sort it out for me was nightly applications of shea butter. In retrospect, any oil would probably have done the trick but at the time I knew little and just used what I had on hand since my skin loves shea.

It took more changes to my routine to give my hair what it truly needed long term, but the shea butter was what got me out of that predicament at the time.

The funny thing is, now that I have the appropriate routine for me and my hair is back to behaving the way I remember it behaving when I was young and it was healthy, my hair now HATES oils and I can't use them at all - which gives an indication of how far gone it was!

I think meteor has given some great advice - just wanted to add my 2 cents since what you're describing sounds so similar to what I experienced. Your climate and probable causes for the dryness are surely different than mine, but the treatment of the immediate symptom might be the same :) Best of luck!

[LongCurlyTress]

In this situation, I find oils/butters to be a great substitute for honey if humectants dry out hair. For example, coconut oil, palm oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, cocoa butter... It's important not to use too much of it though, or the hair can come out looking/feeling greasy.

I tend to reserve humectants and proteins (which can work like film-forming humectants sometimes) only for high/medium humidity seasons. But during arid times, I try to go heavy on anti-humectants (occlusives) over damp hair and I avoid humectants... It can sometimes work if I use humectants only while you I'm the shower (due to steam), but sometimes it doesn't work anyway, because the humectants remain in hair afterwards anyway. But sealing hair post-wash with oils and cones or using LOC method (liquid/leave-in + oil + cream) really helps. Oh, and it really helps fight any frizz and static, too.

I also live in a very arid climate and have the same hair product issues as you do. I agree with everything Meteor said above and I found (for me!!) the holy grail of hair detanglers. Yes it has cones but my hair needs them for detangling when wet. So, here is the incredible product... drum roll please....
Fantasia hair serum! It is found in the ethnic hair section and I like the red bottle formula. I mix about a dime sized amount with a dime sized amount of evoo and put this on my length, ears to tips and then in small sections begin my detangling. I am shedding a lot less hair due to the detanglng ease. I still loose a few hairs but not as badly as before this product. http://www.amazon.com/Fantasia-Polisher-Protector-Straightening-Serum/dp/B005IUGXBM Here is the link on Amazon. Hope this works for you too!! I had been using John Freida hair serum, for years actually, but the new formula has protein in it so I needed to find a new hair serum primarily for detangling when wet. I am 3b and detangling takes on a life of its own!! ;) Good luck! :blossom:

[Anje]

I don't worry about humectants in the SMT since it isn't a leave in, but something that is rinsed off before it runs out of its own moisture. I've only had issues with humectants when used as leave ins. Interested to hear if others in dry places have issues with them in a short treatment.
This is my general impression also; I haven't had issues with using humectants year-round, despite that it's fairly dry here in the winter (well, normally -- this winter is being weird!) due to cold temperatures and necessary heating. But I rinse them out and the only thing I typically leave in my hair is a small bit of oil applied while my hair is damp.

Failing that, you should at least get some benefit by misting your hair with distilled water, then bunning it while it's damp, so it can absorb moisture without losing much to the air.

[Nadine <3]

I do SMT's in the winter (superdry Wisconsin winters.) with great success. I just hop in the shower, shampoo, mush it in and put a cap on, and then I let the bath fill with water and i soak in the tub for an hour while my hair soaks in the treatment. When I'm done soaking I just stand up and rinse it. The steamy bathwater keeps everything moist and it's never dried out my hair as long as i do it this way. I seal in my treatment with a bit of an oil or a coney leave in.

[Vanilla]

I find that oil + honey DT soaks work well for me, no matter the humidity. I just always make sure my hair has been shampooed and towel dried before I apply the oil + honey mixture to my hair.

I always cover my hair with a plastic cap and apply some heat to allow the DT to penetrate better.