Ask L. Michelle

A few days weeks ago, I posted a brief update about my hair and it garnered one comment that I wanted to make sure to answer. Rae, one of my newest sorority sisters and a regular here on MHIM wrote,
"I'll be celebrating my 2 yr anniversary in a couple of months and there are still some things I don't know when it comes to natural hair. And now that my hair is getting longer & fuller (yay), I'm finding myself researching AGAIN just as I did two years ago. Could you possibly give a refresher course on natural hair care? For example, what exactly does it mean to "seal in moisture?" I would like to invest in some coconut oil so that I can seal in moisture, but I don't know what that means. Your expertise is greatly appreciated. Look forward to hearing from you!"

First off, thanks so much Rae for being so dedicated to my site, even when I may not be and thanks for your confidence in me!
Whenever I co-wash/detangle/deep condition my hair, I always end the routine by adding in oil while my hair is still damp. I pour the oil in my hands and then rub it into my hair just as I would when applying product. I make sure to apply it to all part of my hair and then I finish styling it. Some of the oils that I use are:

• Castor
• Shea Butter Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Vitamin E Oil
• Olive Oil

I don't have a huge preference, but when it was colder, I was using the Castor Oil pretty heavy, but now that it's warming up, I am using the Olive Oil and not as frequently. (I would probably use the Castor Oil every 1-2 days).  As well, I always made sure that my hair was damp (or freshly washed) before applying the oil. Because if it's drying, the oil will just sit in my hair and be greasy, and that's NOT cute! LOL

By doing this,  it helped my hair to stay soft during the day and less brittle during this unusually cold Texas winter.

Do any of you seal the moisture into your hair using these oils or any other?