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View Full Version : What does "moisture" feel like?



sapphire-o
December 31st, 2009, 07:51 AM
Just wondering: we keeping hearing "moisture" and "moisturizing". What exactly is that? What does that do to hair? Does moisture make hair:

- soft and flexible?
- shiny and smooth?
- heavier?
- wet?
- no tangles? (that would be slip, right?)

How do you know if your product is moisturizing enough? I do understand everyone's hair is different. I think I keep confusing humidity with moisture. :D If I know the humidity is 100% does hair still need any moisture?

Merewen
December 31st, 2009, 08:28 AM
Ok, I don't think I can answer the question on what it feels like, but I can talk a little about the humidity thing.

Humidity does affect your hair, but the percent humidity doesn't tell the whole story. If it's 100% humidity but only 20 degrees Fahrenheit (yay spell check!) out, there still won't be nearly as much moisture in the air as if it was, say, 90 degrees out. What you really should look for there is dew point. At moderate dew points, humectants like honey and glycerin can help with the moisture. Some people have it down to a fine art, but I'm afraid I don't! It could be something to look up if you are interested. They are all into dew points over at naturally curly.

spidermom
December 31st, 2009, 08:38 AM
I don't know how to describe it except to say that well-moisturized is the opposite of dry. I know that my ends are well-moisturized when they feel the same as the hair right next to my scalp.

Dreams_in_Pink
December 31st, 2009, 08:44 AM
moisture makes me think of "soft" and "smooth" cause when your hair's dry it feels exactly the opposite.

Laylah
December 31st, 2009, 09:15 AM
Moisture, to me, is the perfect combination of oil and water. So, it's neither dry, nor soaking wet nor greasy. Basically, it's not brittle, dry, and rough.

LaCitoyenne
December 31st, 2009, 01:19 PM
Soft, silky and curlier.

Longlocks3
December 31st, 2009, 01:30 PM
To me, moisturized means my ends are easier to comb, less 'crunchy' and smoother looking. It mainly has to do with the bottom half of my length really.

LittleOrca
December 31st, 2009, 02:32 PM
one word: Wonderful :D

Wicked Princess
December 31st, 2009, 02:54 PM
I can tell my hair is well-moisturized when I catch myself petting it! :o :D

Mostly, moisturized hair feels soft and less prone to tangles. It doesn't feel "greasy" or "dry"...it isn't overly shiny...it just feels smooth and pleasant!

Kris Dove
December 31st, 2009, 05:24 PM
Soft, silky and strokeable... like cat's fur! :)

Honey39
December 31st, 2009, 05:39 PM
To me, it's the opposite of dry hair - I know that's not a great definition! But at the moment, I have very very soft and moisturised my hair after a week of it suffering. It feels different now, flexible and soft and not dry. To get my hair moisturised, I personally have to use conditioner to get it to that state - oil alone won't do it (as I've just discovered), it has to be a heavy-duty conditioner (eg matrix biolage, or kiehl's leave in conditioner). Hard to define though, so really interesting question!

Cake
December 31st, 2009, 05:42 PM
What I understand by moisturized hair has nothing to do with being wet, but keeping its water and lipids at its optimal level, so it feels soft, flexible, smooth, bouncy.

I donīt think hair can be moisturized by external humidity... you can moisturize it drinking water and keep the moisture in it thanks to oils applied from the outside.

Jordan S.
December 31st, 2009, 06:05 PM
Pretty much means shiny and smooth. If it feels dried out apply some olive or coconut oil(I distribute it with a soft brush).

GoddesJourney
December 31st, 2009, 06:45 PM
I don't know how to describe it except to say that well-moisturized is the opposite of dry. I know that my ends are well-moisturized when they feel the same as the hair right next to my scalp.

You beat me to it. Think dry and then think what it was like before it got dry, like you said, as the newly grown hair feels to the touch.

thankyousir74
December 31st, 2009, 07:13 PM
Argh. With all these replies describing moisturized hair, I don't think my hair has ever been moisturized. Still trying to find that balance @_@

Tornerose
December 31st, 2009, 07:41 PM
I'm not really sure how to describe it. Both my hair and my scalp are sensitive and dry.

But it's like the skin, you can tell when it's to little and too much (un)natural oil there. It just feels right, you know?

Konstifik
January 1st, 2010, 04:10 AM
Argh. With all these replies describing moisturized hair, I don't think my hair has ever been moisturized. Still trying to find that balance @_@

I feel your frustration! x_x

GlassEyes
January 1st, 2010, 06:10 AM
You know, I've been thinking on it, and the only thing I can think of to explain "moisturizing" hair is to hydrate the dead cells that make it up. I mean, if our hair retained all that much moisture, it'd be wet all the time.

:shrug: I dunno, maybe I'm overthinking it.