Why Does Shea Moisture Dry My Hair Out or Make It Look Bad?

Shea Moisture has heavy oils and shea butter very high in the ingredients list. These can have a drying affect on low porosity hair types. The cuticle lies flat, so all the shea butter does is seal the moisture OUT of the hair, not good. Look for humectants that draw moisture inside of the hair. Kinky curly is full of humectants and is a good line to try or gvp cb. Clarify or low poo the shea butter or oils out with Kinky Curly Come Clean or another clarifier.

If you have fine or wavy hair, Shea Moisture might be too heavy for your hair, weighing it down. Hair will look greasy, dull, or weighed-down or will be over-conditioned. Again clarify or low poo to get back on track and start using something lighter and less moisturizing.

Shea Moisture can also cause a waxy-coated feeling or tangles on many hair types. Regardless, depending on your hair type and environment Shea Moisture may still build up on your hair and scalp so just be aware. It is ok to use if it works for you, but just know it could possibly do this. I have had to decrease using their products as often because they are building up on my scalp since I am becoming lower porosity on my healthy unbleached roots. I was getting an itchy scalp and white flakes on my roots. High porosity and curlier types generally fair better with Shea Moisture. It seals the moisture in on porous hair types. The hair is more porous so it doesn't build up as easily.

Helpful CG Blogs/Websites

These are the best CG sites/blogs I have found:
http://pedaheh.blogspot.com/2012/04/
How to get started, wavy hair, techniques, trouble shooting.
http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/
Science on curls. Troubleshooting. DIYs.
http://dormroomcurly.blogspot.com/
How to start.
http://www.naturallycurly.com/
Everything on curls.
http://rockyncurls.blogspot.com/
My blog.
http://curlsandblossoms.blogspot.com/
Popular CG blogger.

Smaster's Technique- Consistently Awesome Hair Technique...

Smaster's type styling is where you add product after diffusing or air drying part of the way. Most people use wet/damp hands before adding more product to prevent frizz. The say do this and the magic happens, spirals appear everywhere! It also breaks up the gel cast without frizzing, allowing the hair to be exposed to air and dry faster.

You put half of your hair product in, dry it halfway, then add the other half. For instance, half of your gel, dry it halfway, then add curl enhancer for the other half. Or you can try using all your product and styling as normal, drying halfway, and then adding a tiny bit of curl enhancer, gel, or kccc. That is what I did here. I styled as normal, then added a little bit of AIA curling jelly with damps hands. Look at these awesome spirals for just sitting in the hooded dryer a few minutes then air drying the rest of the way. I never get this much without diffusing.

Here's my video demo of the method:

These are the threads where I learned about the technique:

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/general-discussion-about-curly-hair/92240-consistently-awesome-hair-technique.html

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/general-discussion-about-curly-hair/172454-smasters-technique-question-s.html

This is the blog where I learned about it:
http://pedaheh.blogspot.com/2012/04/before-and-after-curly-girl-method.html?m=1

Build up

Build up can happen from water soluble cones, cyclmethicones, polyquats, shea butter even oil or hard water. Fine, thin, or low porosity hair is more sensitive to this. So I mostly low poo to prevent this. Some people even need to clarify once a month or so with a sulfate or diluted sulfate.

What does product build up look like? Heavy and coated, less curls and volume, dull, some have frizz. Weighed down, greasy, flat curls, no volume at the roots. I get an itchy scalp and white flakes that look like dandruff at my roots along the hair line. I have had to use a clarifying sulfate on occasion to get the build up out. You can prepoo with coconut oil so it shouldn't affect your curls much. I also use a hard water shampoo.

Hooded Dryer Babyliss

When people tell me curly is harder than straightening, it's because you could be making it easier. I just sit and dry my hair in this hooded dryer. I use this Babyliss Pro Thermal Ionic hard hat dryer. I sit 15-20 minutes then air dry the rest of the way or 30-40 minutes until fully dry. I sit and do my make up or get on the computer, and it's very relaxing. 


Sit down and relax ladies.  :)
   

Raw Curls Wavy Swavy Line

Check out my review of this organic professional line just for wavies. Raw Curls Wavy Swavy line by Raw Hair Organics.