Hand in hair syndrome is a real condition…Ok, maybe not according to the American Medical Association but you get my point. Too many of us love touching, twisting, and playing in our hair. We love the feel the softness and the texture. I love touching my hair and knowing every coil and curl.
Usually when I don’t seal (gasp, did she really admit that?”> I tend to notice my hair feels a tad or severely rough. I always assume it’s not moisturized but honestly speaking, can touch determine the moisture of your tresses? To put it plainly, can hair that’s not soft still be properly moisturized? Naturals value softness as much as they value style. No one wants to have a halo of rough tresses framing her face. It’s the main reason many curlies cringe at the crunch of some gels or mousses that leave your curls, coils, and waves feeling hard, crispy, and uninviting. It’s a symbol of health. You don’t mind your significant other touching your tresses when it’s feeling its best.
There is a difference between dry, damaged hair and what your texture naturally feels like.
Rough hair is an indicator of damaged hair but if you have healthy Type 4 texture, it has its complexities. There will always be shades of gray sprinkled in as our hair is not simply a beautiful creature to understand and manage easily. That means, soft hair is not always healthy or moisturized hair and a rougher texture does not always mean your strands are dry and brittle.
Many using the CGM (Curly Girl Method”> know that once you have completed styling your hair you must leave it alone until completely or almost completely dry. Once it is dry you scrunch the gel cast out and voila, you are left with softer, smoother curls, coils, and waves. If you neglect to scrunch your hair may not feel soft, but it doesn’t mean it’s not moisturized. You also have the other side of the spectrum where soft, supple hair does not equate moisturized hair and could just be over coated product buildup. Sorry, but there is no hard-fast rule on the touch and feel of moisturized tresses.
You’re suppose to feel texture. You’re suppose to feel ridges and it’s not necessarily going to be shiny.
Something else to consider is the acceptance of how your texture feels. Some people expect their coarse strands to feel like softer like fine strands and some expect their hair to feel the way it did when it was relaxed. There is a difference between dry, damaged hair and what your texture naturally feels like. Much like what hairstylist Jennifer Rose stated in Taren Guy’s Natural Hair 101: Big Chop Maintenance video: “You’re suppose to feel texture. You’re suppose to feel ridges and it’s not necessarily going to be shiny.”
Can’t differentiate dry and moisturized hair? Wash your hair and only apply moisturizer to one half and allow the other half to dry without product. After your hair has dried, touch the portion with product and the portion without product. If the moisturized region is softer, that is your hair in it’s moisturized state. If there is no difference, that is a good indicator that it is time for a trim.
Know the difference between dry hair and moisturized hair so you have realistic expectations for your hair. Also, remember your hair is unique so what may be moisturized to one curly may be overly moisturized or bone dry to another coily.
