Find Out If Your Hair Needs Moisturizing or Nourishing

Hair requires specific care to keep it healthy and looking good. However, it is often exposed to different factors that damage and harm it. This sometimes makes you notice that your hair is damaged,  and therefore look for remedies to improve the situation.

But do you choose hydration or nourishment for your hair? Both concepts are often used as if they were similar but they actually have different effects on hair. It is, therefore, fundamental to find out what is causing the hair's poor condition and apply the appropriate remedy.

Differences between hair nourishing and hair moisturizing 

Hair moisturizing 

Sometimes the hair needs an extra supply of moisture. Hair is hygroscopic, i.e. it can absorb water when in a humid environment. 

However, in dry environments, it loses it. This is especially true for hair with low porosity (in other words, hair that does not absorb enough moisture). It is, therefore, necessary to provide the hair with the extra water it needs.

Some of the most common causes of dehydrated hair are the heat appliances used to shape the hair and create hairstyles: hair dryers, hair straighteners, and curling devices. etc. 

The long-term use of these devices makes the hair look dry and brittle. Another of the most common reasons is summer: during these months, the hair is exposed to external agents that damage it to a great extent, such as the sun's rays, high temperatures, the sea, and chlorine.

Hair, like other parts of the body, needs to be well moisturized to look shiny and healthy. It is therefore necessary to retain water naturally. 

This prevents water loss, and the moisture restores suppleness and mobility to the hair. Moisturizing treatment consists of applying substances on the outside of the hair so that the water is retained on the inside.

If your hair feels dull and frizzy, and you find it difficult to brush and detangle, it may be lacking moisture. Some of the things you can do to resolve the situation are:

• Use moisturizing shampoos and conditioners: these products have specific properties that help retain water in the hair. Look for products that are free of alcohol and sulfates and contain nourishing oils.

• Occasionally apply an intensive treatment: once a week or every 15 days, you can apply extra moisture to your hair with homemade masks or choose one from the supermarket. 

• Don't over-wash your hair: Frequent washing can damage the natural oils in your hair. Therefore, wash it only when necessary.

• Reduce the use of heat appliances: try to air dry your hair whenever possible. If you can't live without a hair dryer or hair straightener, try to use them at a low temperature, for as little time as possible, and always apply a heat protectant beforehand.

• Avoid hairstyles that tighten the hair: this type of updo also applies tension to each hair, making them more brittle and rough. Try wearing simple hairstyles that leave your hair free daily and reserve others for special occasions.

• Go to the hairdresser regularly: dry hair tends to have more problems at the ends. Therefore, cutting an inch every two months helps your hair to be healthier.

• Protect your hair from external elements: you can use heat protectors to preserve your hair in the warmer months. If you swim in the sea or pool, it is important to rinse your hair with water when you get out.

Hair nourishment

When hair needs nourishment, and not necessarily hydration, what you need is to restore the lipids and proteins naturally found in the hair. 

These elements are responsible for providing the necessary nourishment to the hair and repairing the damage. In this case, it is crucial to use treatments that penetrate and work from the inside.

Different causes affect the nourishment of the hair, such as coloring and bleaching techniques, the use of aggressive chemicals, permanent treatments, or straightening. The hair becomes coarse, limp, porous, with split ends, and brittle.

When it comes to giving your hair the nourishment it needs, there are a number of guidelines you can follow:

• Use brushes and combs with natural bristles.

• Avoid using products that contain harmful substances, such as alcohol and sulfates, commonly found in hair dyes.

• Make homemade hair masks. This type of product helps to nourish the hair. You can make them with egg, aloe vera, yeast, yogurt, papaya, avocado, and banana.

• Use products that contain ingredients whose properties nourish the hair.

• Opt for elements such as vegetable oils and antioxidants.

• Protect the hair as much as possible from external agents that alter the hair's nourishment.

Final Word

Hair moisturizing and hair nourishment are two essential factors for our hair's health and appearance. 

However, these two treatments are not the same, although both work for hair quality improvement. 

Hair moisturizing is a treatment that provides humidity to dry hair while hair nourishment restores the natural proteins and lipids that feed the hair.