Dry hair is limp and lifeless and can lead to frustrations like static-hair, frizz, and breakage. In the same way your skin needs moisture to function properly, so does your hair. Everyone needs moisture in their hair, but if you’ve got natural curls or coarse hair, moisturizing your strands is especially important. The good news is you can work to replenish your hair’s lost moisture levels by giving your hair some extra love. Get ready to turn those straw-like strands to silk because we’re telling you how to moisturize, nourish, and make your hair stronger, shinier, and healthier.

There are several common causes for dry hair and the split ends and breakage it brings. The following can strip your strands of moisture.

If you have natural hair or coarse, tight curls, you’re genetically predisposed to dry hair. The tight curl pattern of natural hair hinders the natural oils in the scalp from easily making their way down the hair shaft. Also, curly hair has a bent cuticle layer that tends to lose moisture more rapidly than straighter strands.

Sulfates are man-made cleansing agents often found in shampoos. But they’re extremely harsh and can strip the hair of moisture and even it’s color. Even with a sulfate-free shampoo, washing your hair too much can zap the moisture from your hair.

Hair has a hard time withstanding the heat of flat irons, curlers, and blow dryers. The more you use these hot tools to style, the more likely you’re drying out your hair.

Another similarity between your skin and your hair is their susceptibility to UV ray damage. Direct heat from the sun can cause moisture loss from your hair. Not only do UV rays dry out your hair, but they can also affect its ability to retain moisture.

Humidity can be a naturally curly-haired girl’s worst nightmare, but at the end of the day, your hair needs it. When the humidity isn’t high enough (because of climate or indoor conditions like artificial heat) it can dry out your hair.

A lack of humidity isn’t the only weather issue that can dry out your hair. Heavy winds cause moisture in your hair to evaporate faster than usual.

Just like overusing your hot tools, chemically treating your hair over time can create dry and brittle hair. This includes chemical processes like bleaching and straightening.

Porosity is the hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It’s affected by the outer layer of the hair, called the cuticle. The cuticle controls how easily moisture and oils travel in and out of each hair strand. If the cuticle is healthy, it is compact and the hair easily absorbs and retains moisture. Cuticle damage happens when it becomes raised. (Which mainly occurs from the reasons we discussed above). Once the cuticle is raised, it’s more difficult for hair to retain the moisture it needs to function properly. The result is reduced elasticity, brittleness, dryness, and breakage.

Photo by Lindsay Del Colletti

These tips will help you add moisture to your hair, nourishing and hydrating each strand for a happy, healthy mane.

What you eat directly affects the health of your hair. For healthy, shiny hair nothing beats salmon in the beauty department. It’s full of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin B12, and iron, to nourish your scalp and make those strands shine. Blueberries and kale are also musts for healthy hair, thanks to the antioxidants and vitamin B7. 

To start, try this super simple salmon recipe:

INGREDIENTS:    

• 4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 
• 1 medium lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a large baking pan. Arrange salmon fillets on the baking sheet and season generously with salt and pepper.Drizzle the olive oil and half of the lemon over the salmon.Thinly slice the other half of lemon and top each piece of salmon with a slice.Bake for 15-18 minutes until salmon is opaque and flaky when pulled apart with a fork.

Or, try this blueberry kale recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup chopped kale, packed
• 1 frozen banana, sliced
• 1 medium lemon
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  

INSTRUCTIONS:
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.

Photo by @bomanesalon

Hot water strips the moisture from your strands, so keep it lukewarm when you wash.Finish with a blast of cold water when rinsing out your conditioner. This seals your hair’s cuticles and the pores in your scalp, locking in moisture, and adding a boost of shine.

If you have natural or dry hair it’s so important that you’re using products designed specifically for your hair type. Also, try not to wash your hair every day, as this can rid your hair and scalp of its natural oils. If you feel you must wash your hair every day, use shampoo every other day, instead. On the days you don’t use shampoo, use a moisturizing vegan miracle conditioner all over, concentrating on the ends of your hair, and then rinse.

A hair mask is a deeply hydrating hair moisturizer. Moisturizing masks work by delivering a concentrated dose of powerfully hydrating ingredients deep into your scalp. This ensures that they fully soak in. Apply a deep conditioning hair butterhair mask once a week.

Fine hair is usually the driest at its ends so focus your application of conditioner on those dry areas. The roots of fine hair tend to get oily more quickly than thick or natural hair. Concentrating the conditioner on the ends keeps the moisture where your hair needs it the most.

Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. And that means treating your scalp with the same nourishing ingredients you’re using on your strands. A moisturized scalp is like a blank canvas allowing any ingredients you lather on after, to work better.

Just like every other part of your body, your hair needs protection from the sun. Wear a hat if you plan to spend time in the sun and look for hair products that contain SPF to protect your hair and scalp from the sun’s damaging UV rays.

Balayage highlights are a lot gentler on your strands than all-over hair color (and a lot easier to maintain). If your hair is dry ask your stylist for balayage or partial highlights instead of an all-over dye job.

Hair oils contain rich, hydrating, shine-boosting ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, argan oil, and vitamin E. Use an anti-frizz oil on dry hair to tame frizz or to damp or towel-dried hair to add manageability and a glossy, hydrated finish.

Over-using blow dryers, flat irons, and curling irons can dry out your hair so try to limit your heat-styling to no more than once a week. If you can cut out heat styling completely, your thirsty strands will recover more quickly.

If you absolutely must use your straightener or a blow dryer try to keep the temperature of your tool below 400 degrees and always coat your hair with a hair primer.

Brushing your hair wet is one of the worst things you can do for your hair if it’s dry. Bristles can tug, break, and damage already fragile strands. Brush out any tangles and knots while your hair is still dry, right before washing.

The structure of the boar bristle carries sebum from the scalp to the end of the hair shaft. Sebum is the same oil produced by your scalp. By coating each hair strand with a very, very small amount of sebum, a boar bristle brush nourishes dry hair and adds loads of shine.

The answer to most beauty woes is usually to drink more water and adding moisture to dry hair is no different. Make sure you’re drinking enough water to hydrate your body from the inside out.

Strengthen and add shine to your parched strands by giving yourself a hot coconut oil treatment. Coconut oil is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants to help seal the cuticle.

Try this DIY recipe:

• Warm half a cup of coconut oil
• Gently massage it into your scalp and hair
• Cover your hair with a towel
• Leave it on for 30 minutes, or as long as overnight 
• Shampoo and rinse your hair

It's important to protect your fragile dry strands while you sleep. A silk pillowcase is much gentler on hair than cotton pillowcases or scarves. Your hair glides against silky fabrics while it clings to cotton. This creates friction, leading to breakage. Plus, cotton sucks the moisture out of your hair leading to more dryness.

Seal the hair cuticle with a coating of protein to eliminate frizz, add softness and shine. Regular use of a leave-in treatment like a nourishing keratin sealer will make dry or coarse hair more smooth and manageable.

Hair butter is a blend of oils and unrefined butter that acts as a hair moisturizer to seal and protect your hair from dryness and breakage. Apply a deeply moisturizing butter to your ends to keep them nourished, soft and hydrated.

The more you can keep those tresses in check by trimming off the damage, the less likely they are to become dry and brittle. Regular trims keep your hair healthy and strong.

When you wear your hair loose, it rubs against your clothing creating friction and thus creating frizz. Styling your hair in braids, twists, topknots and buns will keep your ends protected and less prone to dryness and breakage.

We’ve got the lowdown on the best ways to moisturize your hair and keep it that way. Give your lifeless locks an SOS with our tips sure to fix frizz, mend brittle ends and heal breakage for good!

by Jaclyn LaBadia, featured contributor