pelo-largoOne of the best ways to lock in your hair’s moisture is by sealing your ends. Sealing your ends is really straightforward and involves applying oil, cream, hair butter or conditioner to the hair’s ends to lock in the moisture. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair and are pretty delicate. Not paying particular attention to your hair’s ends usually results in split ends and breakage which directly affect your ability to grow long hair. To keep your ends healthy and strong always be gentle with your hair and make sure you seal your ends properly.

Your scalp produces sebum, which is an oily substance that helps to moisturize your hair. If you have curly hair it is more difficult for the sebum to travel down to the ends of your hair. This is the reason why curly hair tends to suffer from dryness, unlike straight hair. If you suffer from dry ends it is important your ends are sealed after they have been moisturized.

Here is a list of oils that are great to use when sealing your ends:

  • Castor oil – castor oils is very thick and is great for sealing your ends. Regular castor oil or Jamaican Black Castor oil can be used for this purpose.
  • Extra virgin olive oil – the main benefit of using virgin olive oil to seal your ends is that the hair shaft can easily absorb it. It is one of the few oils that are able to penetrate the hair shaft and is also a great conditioner for dull damaged hair.
  • Coconut oil – has excellent moisture retaining abilities. It is a very good conditioner and helps in repairing damaged hair. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid which combats fungi and bacteria on the scalp and also helps protect your hair against breakage. It helps retain moisture by not allowing moisture to escape keeping the hair soft and moisturized. Like virgin olive oil, coconut oil is also able to penetrate the hair shaft making it one of the best sealing oils for dry hair.
  • Camelia oil – isn’t as widely used in the West as it is in Japan. The Japanese attribute longer hair growth to their use of this oil which is also said to reduce wrinkles on the skin. Camelia oil is best when cold pressed from the seeds of the Camelia Japonica flower – known as Tsubaki in Japanese). Camelia oil can soften hair and make it more manageable, help to retain more moisture and repair split ends. It is best used on damp hair to allow it to lock in and retain moisture.

Tips for sealing your hair

  1. Start with wet hair and apply a water based moisturizer. An excellent choice for dry damaged hair is the Silicon mix hidratante leave in conditioner. Only a small amount is required, so use sparingly. To ensure even coverage, part your hair into small sections and apply your chosen leave in conditioner to each section.
  2. Seal by rubbing your chosen oil into the ends of your hair. If your hair is very dry, use castor oil (or Jamaican castor oil) which is pretty thick.
  3. After you have sealed your hair with oil place your hair in a protective style like buns or twists. The less you manipulate your hair the healthier and longer it will grow.

Sealing is essential for moisture retention and should be included in your regular hair care regimen. It should be done at the very least every time you wash your hair. It will increase the moisture retention in your hair and prevent breakage by increasing your hair’s elasticity.