Summer in Southern California means dry heat that can shrivel everything…from the plants in my garden, to my skin and hair. Where my hair is concerned, I have in the past solved the problem of dryness with the ultimate moisturizer–water. I’m a big fan of Carol’s Daughter conditioning cleanser for that purpose, but still, my hair would feel crispy and ready for another water douse after a few days. Since I’m trying to reduce the amount of manipulation through less washing and protective styles, I really need something that will keep in the moisture, and not just lay on top of my hair. I need to moisture to penetrate the shaft.

So in addition to wearing scarves, caps or hats when I’m out in the sun (mostly gardening, cuz I’m Farmer Jane) I’m using two products repurposed for helping me retain moisture. Valentina’s Home Brewed Natural Body Mist,  Amazonia Precoisa Restructuring Hair Mask and sea buckthorn oil. I apply the spray first and then seal with the mask. Here’s why it works: the spray contains glycerin, which is a humectant, and attracts moisture into the hair. It also contains essential oils, which help to moisturize. The mask…though the whole “restructuring” seems to imply it’s heavy duty, it’s really quite light and doesn’t weigh my hair down or leave it feeling sticky. I apply both of these once or twice a day and my hair is in love.

Both products are 100% natural and contain NO silicones, filler, fodder, parabens or other yucky stuff.

Ingredients for hair mask: qua, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, virola sebifera (ucuuba) butter, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, orbignya oleifera (babacu) seed oil, glyceryl stearate, dehydroacetic acid (and) benzyl alcohol, dipterix odorata (cumaru) extract, glycerin, citric acid, aniba canelilla (preciosa) essential oil
Ingredient Attributes: moisture, frizz control, no silicones.

At only 4.3 ounces, this repurposed use for the conditioner is much more economical. I end up using half the tube when I’m trying to deep condition with it.

I apply sea buckthorn oil to my wet hair right after washing. You can feel it working to soften and detangle the hair.

This is not to say that the old standbys–coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil don’t work.

Hey naturals, what are you using to moisturize this summer?