Hydration VS Moisturization | What's the difference?

So it's no secret that type 3 and 4 hair textures struggle with a little problem called dryness. For all it's glory, I guess the Creator had to give it at least one flaw...you know, to be fair. The physical nature of our springy curls and cottony soft coils actually cause issues for our natural scalp oils to provide moisture down the length of our hair, and so we have to be a bit more proactive than the folks with straight and wavy tresses.

But how exactly do we do that? Some say that ditching harsh shampoos that "strip" the hair of it's natural oils (that we barely have as it is) is the best way to go, in favor of "co-washing" (that is, the act of "washing" ones hair with conditioner only). Others search far and wide for the best curl creams to get the job done...but the hoarder style stash that many of us have acquired in the hunt could suggest that those creams don't completely fill the role either.

It's my thought that what's truly lacking in our quest to quench our curls is education on how it all works in the first place! 

I've been caring for my own natural hair and the hair of countless others via the Nancy's Kitchen Products line for over 15 years now. And being in the natural hair care industry has been a very interesting experience. When I first launched NKP in 2013, there were few products catering to both the health and styling needs of naturally kinky, coily and curly hair types. And dare I say it, 13 years later and not much has changed. Sure, the industry has boomed...but that's been more about capitalism than genuine care or passion for the customer. Marketing tactics and buzzwords like "hydrating" and "moisturizing" get thrown around left and right just to make a buck! As recently as this morning, I read the email of a very well known hair care line throwing around those exact terms, very incorrectly. Here's a quick infographic to help you call BS when you see it:

Additionally, I've gone in depth to correct, educate, and demonstrate exactly how hydration and moisture work to maintain the health of our hair in this YouTube video:

But it's basically this:

Hydrate = Add Water (H2O).

Moisturize = Prevent that hydration from escaping!

Simple enough, but there are a couple of moving parts and some bad habits you may need to break if improving either is your goal.

Let's start with hydration. The first thing to note is that we must must must always get a good cleanse in. At least bi-weekly, but weekly is best. Secondly, please discontinue the co-washing propaganda! Someone once said to me, "co-washing is like washing your clothes in fabric softener, only."...and you know what, hell yeah! That's exactly what it's like. The point of washing your hair is to get it clean. Please use products made for that purpose. 

Now, I know this may seem against everything you've known in terms of maintaining moisture, but it is very important that any residue and product build up is completely cleared from your hair shaft if you want your hair cuticles to be open to receive hydration. Conditioners are typically formulated with oils which can be moisturizing, but will also act as a barrier to water getting into your hair during your weekly wash. So now you see why co-washing as a practice may not be the best and can actually lead to dehydrated hair. Wash day is probably the most hydration your hair will see from week to week, so we don't want to compromise the process.

Now on to moisturization. Once that hydration/water is in your hair, it will absolutely do what water does -- evaporate. Unless, you do something to trap in that water! And this is the process of moisturizing! If you go look at your favorite moisturizing product, I'd be willing to bet it has ingredients like oils, and butters, along with other nourishing components. The others are dope, and they have their place, but the real meat and potatoes of anything claiming the ability to moisturize are those oils and butters that seal the hydration in! The real definition of moisturizing.

So, to sum it up, hydration = adding water and moisture = the act of sealing it in. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments or shoot me an email at hello@nancyskitchenproducts.com! <3

Xo,

Donna