What Can I Do About Dry 'Looking' Hair?

[Ediese]

I think over the years my hair has always 'looked' dry because of the dingy, black color. When I was relaxed, I overprocessed way too much experimenting with color. I had blonde, red, auburn, brown, etc. hair. I'd always go back to a permanent black when I was tired of the different colors, and to help combat my dry looking hair. I think that's the only time that my hair also appear black and shiny. I think I messed up my natural hair color. During my transition, I think after all the rinses and henna/indigo, it looks even worse. I don't even get it.

My hair could be really soft and moisturized, but it looks really dry. I remember my hair being really moisturized once, but my ex-SO commented that it looked dry and that I should moisturize it before we left the house. I'm tired of having to rinse or henna/indigo all the time. Is there anything else that can be done? I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and have it permanently colored black. I long for the day that it can be shiny and black.

Anyone else with this issue?

 

[Pandora1975]

Your hair looks shiny in your sig...

What do you seal with? That's what gives me a little sheen.

 

[Ediese]

Thanks Pandora. Trust me. It 'appears' that way, but I think that probably has a lot to do with my flash. I seal with castor oil.

 

[Starronda]

I would say baggy. Each time my hair feels dry, this works wonders.

 

[locabouthair]

I ahve the same issue as well. I think the relaxers have been causing my hair to get this brownish color, which I hate.

How's your diet? Dp uou drink enough water or take an omeag supplements? Those might be reasons it looks dry too.

 

[unalteredone]

Maybe try coconut oil? CO makes my hair look shiny without looking greasy.

 

[tocktick]

My hair has this issue too. I think many naturals who do not have that naturally sheeny/shiny hair will face this problem. It is partially why I cannot really do things like twists etc overnight for a twistout in the morning. Even if my hair is butter soft, I will just look dry as heck the next morning.

With that said, I recently did a hot oil treatment on dry hair at night and then went to bed with a shower cap on (under a scarf). In the morning, my hair looked moisturised and felt soft. Another thing I experimented with was mixing aloe vera and some oil together - it worked ok but left my hair feeling too hard for my liking.

 

[bnatural]

I use coconut oil and drink alot (like a gallon/day) of water. It works for me.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

Anything oily usually gives my hair a good sheen. I say sheen because my hair never has shine, except in the flash of the camera. I've also found that shea butter, once it's soaked in my hair, leaves a nice shine.

 

[heyfranz]

I do. My hair always looks dry even though it's not. It feels very moisturized but no shine, not even a sheen.

 

[loolalooh]

I second the shea butter! Look into coconut oil and castor oil as well if you're not using them already.

I also notice that my hair looks moisturized after rocking twists for a couple of days then unleashing a twistout INSTEAD of rocking my hair loose from the get. I think the twists allow my hair to really soak in the moisture and oils. They've gotta be in for a few days at the minimum though.

I agree with natural hair having more of a sheen than a shine. A sheen is sufficient though; hair that has sheen does not necessarily look dry.

 

[charmtreese]

Jane Carter Nourish and Shine always gives me a nice shine also grapeseed oil gives off a lot of shine.

 

[Hairsnob]

I know exactly what you mean. My hair looks dry in person but looks shiny in pics.

Do they still have the clear rinses? I love when I first color mine with a semi-permanent black rinse the first time because it shines a lot but after a wash or two it looks dull. I never tried the clear rinse to brighten it up though.

Maybe try a different rinse? I know certain rinses shine more than others. I've had good luck with Via or Elasta QP.

 

[pri]

I have this issue w/ my hair also...it's soft & moisturized but still appears to look very dry looking. What I usually do to give it shine is use a dab of vatika oil and run it through my hair and it gives it lots of shine. I know exactly what your talking about though...it's not dry but looks dry! Lol...I know it's the camera also for me too that makes it look shiny.

 

[kandake]

have you considered clear cellophane. Since the "appearance" of moisture and shine is the problem the cellophane may help.

 

[Oasis]

I have the opposite problem. I sometimes can get my hair to look uber moisturized but it always, always feels dry.

If you want jet black hair with sheen, I would do the 2-step henndigo treatment. It left my hair a gorgeous blue-black, and blinged like crazy, and it was so soft the first day. After that it went back to it's normal dry self. But I highly recommend it if you don't mind a mess.

 

[GV-NA-GI-TLV-GE-I]

en worse. I don't even get it.

My hair could be really soft and moisturized, but it looks really dry. I remember my hair being really moisturized once, but my ex-SO commented that it looked dry and that I should moisturize it before we left the house. I'm tired of having to rinse or henna/indigo all the time. Is there anything else that can be done? I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and have it permanently colored black. I long for the day that it can be shiny and black.

Anyone else with this issue?

I don't think it looks dry, it's more matt. NO matter the race, when you have curly hair, the shine is different...less. Smoothe and straight hair reflects more light. It looks very moisturized to me.

 

[Jetblackhair]

I have this problem as well, no natural sheen. I use henna/indigo to deepen my hair color which gives it some sheen.

However, if I don't do this then my hair will look dry and dusty because of the off black color.

 

[FindingMe]

Me! My hair always looks shiny in pics, but it doesn't really translate to real life...erplexed

My hair is always looking dry (regardless of how it feels) if I do WnGs, which is why I avoid them usually. The only time my hair seems to have a little shine is when I wash and then twist wet and let twists air dry. Which is why I do these pretty much everyday I use a natural oil + conditioner as a leave in when I do this.

When it dries, and I take it out, I have a ton of sheen (and even shine in some places). I theorized that it was bc my hair was laying against something while it dried (in this case other hair) and that helped to smooth the cuticle down and make it dry flat. My hair also has tons more shine when I rollerset than when I blowdry and flat iron. Again, I thought it was the same thing, it was laying flat against the roller to dry which helped to physically smooth the cuticle...i dunno

 

[Ediese]

I would say baggy. Each time my hair feels dry, this works wonders.

Thanks. The thing is that it doesn't feel dry. It's really nice and moisturized, but it 'looks' dry.

 

[Ediese]

I ahve the same issue as well. I think the relaxers have been causing my hair to get this brownish color, which I hate.

How's your diet? Dp uou drink enough water or take an omeag supplements? Those might be reasons it looks dry too.

I have a pretty good diet. I eat healthy enough, no fastfood or anything like that. I drink about 6 32oz bottles of water per day. I'm not consistent with my vits, so I'll definitely try that.

 

[Ramya]

My hair only shines when it's straight or with product. Jane Carter Nourish and Shine is the best thing I've used so far.

 

[Ediese]

Maybe try coconut oil? CO makes my hair look shiny without looking greasy.

Thanks! I have tried coconut oil in the past, but the dullness didn't go away. I think I apply too much to because it always feel greasy. I'll try it again though.

My hair has this issue too. I think many naturals who do not have that naturally sheeny/shiny hair will face this problem. It is partially why I cannot really do things like twists etc overnight for a twistout in the morning. Even if my hair is butter soft, I will just look dry as heck the next morning.

With that said, I recently did a hot oil treatment on dry hair at night and then went to bed with a shower cap on (under a scarf). In the morning, my hair looked moisturised and felt soft. Another thing I experimented with was mixing aloe vera and some oil together - it worked ok but left my hair feeling too hard for my liking.

Exactly! I see pics of other naturals with beautiful shiny, moisturized looking hair, and I wonder why can't I have some shiny hair too? lol I guess I just can't stand that people IRL think my hair looks dry because it's really not.

I use coconut oil and drink alot (like a gallon/day) of water. It works for me.

I'll try the coconut oil again. I drink a lot of water too. It's the only thing I drink.

Anything oily usually gives my hair a good sheen. I say sheen because my hair never has shine, except in the flash of the camera. I've also found that shea butter, once it's soaked in my hair, leaves a nice shine.

You're right. I did get a nice sheen from shea butter, but it was really greasy. I have a habit of touching my hair throughout the day, and by the time I got home my forehead would be too shiny. I need to revisit the amount I'm using.

I do. My hair always looks dry even though it's not. It feels very moisturized but no shine, not even a sheen.

This is me!!

I second the shea butter! Look into coconut oil and castor oil as well if you're not using them already.

I also notice that my hair looks moisturized after rocking twists for a couple of days then unleashing a twistout INSTEAD of rocking my hair loose from the get. I think the twists allow my hair to really soak in the moisture and oils. They've gotta be in for a few days at the minimum though.

I agree with natural hair having more of a sheen than a shine. A sheen is sufficient though; hair that has sheen does not necessarily look dry.

Yea. I use castor oil now. I'll try to give shea butter and coconut oil another chance. Changing the amount that I use might help.

I know exactly what you mean. My hair looks dry in person but looks shiny in pics.

Do they still have the clear rinses? I love when I first color mine with a semi-permanent black rinse the first time because it shines a lot but after a wash or two it looks dull. I never tried the clear rinse to brighten it up though.

Maybe try a different rinse? I know certain rinses shine more than others. I've had good luck with Via or Elasta QP.

I think I did see some clear rinses at Sallys. I think a lot of this also has to do with all my coloring rinsing off, and giving me this dull color. I love black rinses the first couple weeks too, until the dullness reappears. Thanks!

I have this issue w/ my hair also...it's soft & moisturized but still appears to look very dry looking. What I usually do to give it shine is use a dab of vatika oil and run it through my hair and it gives it lots of shine. I know exactly what your talking about though...it's not dry but looks dry! Lol...I know it's the camera also for me too that makes it look shiny.

Thanks! Yep..that's exactly how it looks.

have you considered clear cellophane. Since the "appearance" of moisture and shine is the problem the cellophane may help.

I've heard about it, but I've never tried it before. I'll check that out. Thanks!!

I have the opposite problem. I sometimes can get my hair to look uber moisturized but it always, always feels dry.

If you want jet black hair with sheen, I would do the 2-step henndigo treatment. It left my hair a gorgeous blue-black, and blinged like crazy, and it was so soft the first day. After that it went back to it's normal dry self. But I highly recommend it if you don't mind a mess.

Thanks! I've tried the henna/indigo a few times before, and I'm kinda left with the same results. You're right though. It left my hair a really pretty shiny black, but for some reason the indigo didn't last. It rinsed out, and my hair is an ugly reddish/brown color in some parts.

I don't think it looks dry, it's more matt. NO matter the race, when you have curly hair, the shine is different...less. Smoothe and straight hair reflects more light. It looks very moisturized to me.

Yep. Thanks!!

I have this problem as well, no natural sheen. I use henna/indigo to deepen my hair color which gives it some sheen.

However, if I don't do this then my hair will look dry and dusty because of the off black color.

Exactly! How often do you henna/indigo? My indigo rinses off really fast. I cowash almost daily/every other day, so that may have something to do with it.

Me! My hair always looks shiny in pics, but it doesn't really translate to real life...erplexed

My hair is always looking dry (regardless of how it feels) if I do WnGs, which is why I avoid them usually. The only time my hair seems to have a little shine is when I wash and then twist wet and let twists air dry. Which is why I do these pretty much everyday I use a natural oil + conditioner as a leave in when I do this.

When it dries, and I take it out, I have a ton of sheen (and even shine in some places). I theorized that it was bc my hair was laying against something while it dried (in this case other hair) and that helped to smooth the cuticle down and make it dry flat. My hair also has tons more shine when I rollerset than when I blowdry and flat iron. Again, I thought it was the same thing, it was laying flat against the roller to dry which helped to physically smooth the cuticle...i dunno

Hmm..that's really interesting. Yeah I remember when I shingled and wore my hair out, as soon as it dried it looked really dry. That's so annoying.

Thanks everyone for your comments!!

 

[Ediese]

Jane Carter Nourish and Shine always gives me a nice shine also grapeseed oil gives off a lot of shine.

Thanks! I'm definitely going to try this out!

 

[jetbeauty09]

My hair has this issue too. I think many naturals who do not have that naturally sheeny/shiny hair will face this problem. It is partially why I cannot really do things like twists etc overnight for a twistout in the morning. Even if my hair is butter soft, I will just look dry as heck the next morning.

With that said, I recently did a hot oil treatment on dry hair at night and then went to bed with a shower cap on (under a scarf). In the morning, my hair looked moisturised and felt soft. Another thing I experimented with was mixing aloe vera and some oil together - it worked ok but left my hair feeling too hard for my liking.

What did you do to your hair after you woke up? I would think my hair would be extra oily and I'd have to cowash or wash it and I'd be back in the same dry looking situation I started with. The only time my hair looks moisturized is when I wear 2 strand twists and I seal with oils or butters everyday I wear them. Sucks!!!!!!

 

[BlaqBella]

Don't know if it's already been mentioned but drink lots of water, clarify and GOOD condtioners, and oils gave me lots of shine. When i was bonelaxed things like Dudleys creme press worked i just don't use it as much now cause i kinda don't have to.HHG!

 

[DivaD04]

olive oil
i like to also mix coconut and olive oil together...they compliment each other on the hair. try using a little more than the usual at night(bedtime), twist your hair up and wear a hair bonnet, scarf, whatever you tie your hair up at night.....tmw
hth

 

[PurAngl1]

I do. My hair always looks dry even though it's not. It feels very moisturized but no shine, not even a sheen.

I thought it was just me. My looks so DRY and sometimes its not and I have no shine or sheen whatsoever. I think I am doomed to have dry looking hair for ever.

 

[Chameleonchick]

Maybe in addition to baggying you could also take a 3-6-9 supplement. That will help some.

 

[tocktick]

What did you do to your hair after you woke up? I would think my hair would be extra oily and I'd have to cowash or wash it and I'd be back in the same dry looking situation I started with. The only time my hair looks moisturized is when I wear 2 strand twists and I seal with oils or butters everyday I wear them. Sucks!!!!!!

I didn't use that much oil, so it wasn't super oily. I just rubbed any too visible oil into my hair so that it would be distributed throughout the rest of my hair. I think I wore a puff that day and it didn't look dusty for once .

I may try this on twists one day to see if I could have a twisout (or just twists) that doesn't look dry as lawd knows what the next day.