It is not always possible to have beautiful hair. Bad hair days are more common these days. Most of us find it difficult to figure out how to condition our mane. Among the people with different hair types. The ones with a dry scalp end up with more worries. For them, it is a constant struggle to figure out how to condition dry hair well.
The problem is that dry hair ends up limp and disheveled soon after a shampoo. This is true even when you indulge in high-end shampoo brands. That is unlike the ones with an oiled up scalp. Ones with overactive sebaceous scalps at least enjoy 2-3 days of mane happiness after a shampoo.
But the ones with dry scalps are unaware of that fortunate scenario.
What are the Dry Hair Causes
I have an oily scalp. But, I have grown up with women who complained of parched hair strands. That includes my mother and her mother.
Both these women found difficult to maintain their hair after a wash. They had issues of flyaway hair. Which at a later stage caused a headache. So, a shampoo caused these women unmanageable hair and stress.
The basic root cause of the problem that I understand as of today was their dry scalp.
Anyone who experiences dry hair experiences a dry scalp. That means their oil glands on the scalp do not produce much oil.
This property of the scalp may sound like a boon to many. But at least for both my mother and grandmother, it is a big issue.
So, when your scalp does not produce much oil. Thus, the hair remains parched. This causes them to turn static. Women with curly mane experience frizz. This frizz gets worse in humid climates or during travel.
Who experiences dry hair
If you think that people with a predisposition to dry skin experience dry hair. Then, there is more than you need to know.
Dry hair is a common experience even for people with normal/ oily skin/scalp. At times, people with an over-active sebaceous gland also struggle to figure out how to condition dry hair.
The harsh chemical laden hair cleansing products are the ones that cause this situation.
The strong cleaning agents in such products strip up the oils. This brings in a super dry scalp.
Though it may sound good to have a non-oiled up hair and scalp. But to tell you the truth. It is not good.
It is because this harsh cleaning confuses the sebaceous glands on the skin.
These shampoos meant for oily hair do a tremendous job at cleaning up the oil on hair. So, for 2-3 days after shampoo, your mane stays super nice. But then the sense of dryness sets in the sebaceous glands. This makes the oil-secreting glands to think that the oil is getting used up quick. This gives them a false signal to produce more oil. And so you begin to have a super oily scalp just days after a shampoo.
Then this over secretion of oil makes you shampoo more. And that is how this vicious cycle of dryness followed by oiliness begins.
Hence, the days of dry hair are common to people with oily hair as well.
If you wish to know some super simple dry hair home remedies. Then, read further.
How to condition dry hair
When we know that dryness of hair is common to all hair types. Then what is it that one can do to combat it.
There are few alternatives to the commercial conditioner. Read them below to know in simple steps.
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1. Don’t shampoo your hair often.
You can stick to shampoo once a week routine.
The best way to condition dry hair is to stop cleaning them so much.
Acts of over shampoo and shampoo with strong cleaning ingredients cause extreme dryness.
Hence, if the frequency of shampoo reduces. Then, dryness also reduces as a consequence.
It is simple and logical.
Though apart from lessening shampoo schedules. One can also give a try to a few other simple steps.
2. Use cold water to wash hair.
This remedy on conditioning dry hair sounds too simple to be true. But believe me, it is exactly what it sounds. Simple and true.
If you are stuck to the habit of using warm water for shower. Then, I am sure you experience that your hair feels dry after washing. That is why you need to use cold water as a last rinse after shampoo. You should never ever use too hot water on your scalp. Lukewarm to cold water is ideal for hair and skin both.
Cold water seals the skin. Thereby, the pores are not open to ooze out extra oil. So, when there is no excess of oil. Then, no over shampoo, and no over dried hair.
3. Use an acidic rinse to replace your regular conditioner.
Low ph closes the pores on the scalp. It also aligns the hair shafts to give manageable hair strands. You can make an acidic rinse by diluting lemon juice with some water.
You can also use apple cider vinegar in place of lime juice. Ratios of 1:3 of a natural acid to water works well.
Isn’t this the simplest homemade conditioner for dry hair?
4. Oil massage before you shampoo.
The fatty acids in oils condition the hair to provide a sheath from post shampoo static. The sebaceous glands also get a feeling of fullness with external oils. Hence, they remain calm and do not contribute to oiliness further.
You can use oils as per your hair care requirements. When in doubt to zero in on one oil. Go with coconut. It is light and gets absorbed with ease.
5. Use a mild shampoo that lacks harsh cleaning agents like detergents.
I cannot stress enough on this one. The less strong a shampoo. The less dryness it causes.
Natural sources of soap derived from plants clean without over-drying. Few organic chemical free shampoo and conditioner brands also provide the same effects.
They may lack an obvious lather. But do clean the hair well.
To Conclude
Dry static and fly away hair are a pain to manage. They irritate and their constant state of dryness leads to breakage as well.
To get rid of them. One needs to condition them with care. There are options beyond popping up a bottle of expensive hair conditioning products.
Even if a conditioner seems to work on dry hair. Chances are that it might not continue to do so in the long run.
Commercial cosmetic products cease to perform their best after a certain number of usages. It is because they develop a chemical build-up. Build up is the by-product of chemicals in them. These build up block the pores on the scalp and also surface as white flakes on hair.
These contribute to the dryness. Thus follows the itchiness, irritation, and unkempt hair.
Hence, grabbing up another hair care product is not a long-term solution.
Instead one should grab the problem at its root.
That involves keeping the pores on the scalp closed. Using mild hair cleaning ingredients. Keeping hair strands and scalp moisturized with oil massages. And of course, maintaining an ideal ph on the scalp.
Doing these steps for certain will reduce the dryness of your scalp. I hope that helps you with your how to condition dry hair worries.
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