Moisturized or Coated?

[Auburn]

How do you tell if your hair is truly moisturized...or just COATED (butters, oils, silicones) ? Do you wear it naked? If so, that cowash could have left some coating right? If you always keep it "coated", is it really moisturized underneath or just suited up to always feel that way? If you take off the coating, does your hair even feel the same? I hear so many say their hair feels moisturized. But is it moisture...or is it just coated? How can you tell the difference?

 

[*Muffin*]

Hmm...That's a really good question. I used to have a lot of problems with my hair not retaining moisture (even though it would feel heavily moisturized) because I was co-washing and not shampooing and using conditioners that had cones in it. I don't believe that cones are bad, but for me they were blocking moisture from entering my hair, especially my ends. Now I use cone-free conditioners. Later on I realized that I had to use a mild shampoo to clear off anything that might block the moisture from seeping into my follicle. Right now I use Giovanni shampoos because they are sulfate-free but still cleanse really well. I also know when my hair is just coated when it looks glossy and nice but yet it feels rough and straw like.

 

[Auburn]

Hmm...That's a really good question. I used to have a lot of problems with my hair not retaining moisture (even though it would feel heavily moisturized) because I was co-washing and not shampooing and using conditioners that had cones in it. I don't believe that cones are bad, but for me they were blocking moisture from entering my hair, especially my ends. Now I use cone-free conditioners. Later on I realized that I had to use a mild shampoo to clear off anything that might block the moisture from seeping into my follicle. Right now I use Giovanni shampoos because they are sulfate-free but still cleanse really well. I also know when my hair is just coated when it looks glossy and nice but yet it feels rough and straw like.

With that being said, using cone free products helped moisture retention?

 

[chicacanella]

Well, I one way I can tell is if my hair feels very supple. Like, no breaking but shedding instead. If your hair is truly moisturized, you should be able to run your fingers though it without much shedding. Maybe 3-4 strands may come out but it should definitely not be breaking off in little pieces. That is what happened to me when I thought Pink oil hair moisturized. I would have little clippings on my back like I just had a hair cut. Surprising, my hair made it to APL with all of this going on but this was like in high school when I relaxed bone straight.

 

[Neith]

You hair should feel "coated" to feel moisturized.

Think of it this way. You can take someone with very thick, perfectly healthy hair who doesn't use any extra leave ins or oils... then use a clarifying shampoo on them without following up with conditioner. Their hair will be stripped and not soft and moisturized feeling.

It's natural for there to be a small amount of oil in your hair to keep the moisture locked in. Everyone makes sebum.

Some hair types need more moisture/oil than they naturally get, that's why the majority of people with kinky hair need extra moisturizers/oils.

"Coated" isn't bad imo... unless you are talking about build up or something.

Your hair needs a light coating of something to stay moisturized and be in its best condition.

 

[*Muffin*]

For me it did. My hair is really sensitive to cones. I learned this through a year of trial and error. No matter what products I used my ends still felt really dry. I'd baggy, apply extra moisture in that area-still no benefits. Finally I read some posts and some other ladies were saying that their hair didn't like cones either, so I stopped using them/drastically reduced how much I use them and over time my ends improved. I also accredit applying shea butter to my ends in their retaining moisture as well.

 

[Auburn]

Well, I one way I can tell is if my hair feels very supple. Like, no breaking but shedding instead. If your hair is truly moisturized, you should be able to run your fingers though it without much shedding. Maybe 3-4 strands may come out but it should definitely not be breaking off in little pieces. That is what happened to me when I thought Pink oil hair moisturized. I would have little clippings on my back like I just had a hair cut. Surprising, my hair made it to APL with all of this going on but this was like in high school when I relaxed bone straight.

Oh my lord!
lol

 

[Auburn]

For me it did. My hair is really sensitive to cones. I learned this through a year of trial and error. No matter what products I used my ends still felt really dry. I'd baggy, apply extra moisture in that error-still no benefits. Finally I read some posts and some other ladies were saying that their hair didn't like cones either, so I stopped using them/drastically reduced how much I use them and over time my ends improved. I also accredit applying shea butter to my ends in their retaining moisture as well.

Ah, I see.

 

[JustKiya]

For me, it's two entirely different feelings. My hair can be coated and dry, coated and moisturized, not coated and dry, not coated and moisturized. It's more than just how the hair feels under my fingers, it's how the hair moves.
Does it bend easily? Is it supple, or is it stiff? When it tangles around each other, does it hold on, or does it slide by? Those, to me, are all signs of whether my hair is moisturized. When my hair is coated, the strands themselves feel different - they might move the same way, but they might feel a little plasticky or a little sticky or a little oily to my fingers, instead of just feeling like 'hair', if that makes any sense?

 

[Dposh167]

i think the best and ONLY way i was able to tell the difference is when i started going low cone. I was VERY strict on the number of cones i applied to my hair. and I was using mostly natural products for the bulk of my journey. This allowed to me to get used to the FEELING of moisturized hair without cones. So now, when i use products with heavy cones....i could tell INSTANTLY that the softness im getting is from the cone in the product...and its not really moisturizing my hair.

eta: when my hair is truly moisturized....it can stay that way up to 2 days. when its coated....it'll start to dry up the day after. It will still feel soft...but there's a stiffness to it

 

[Akemi]

I have nothing to add, but -- this is a great thread!! I've been wondering about this.