How can I moisturise my hair naturally?

To understand how to moisturise your hair, you first need to know more about its composition and how it works.

Our hair is made up of around 95% keratin, a water-insoluble protein. It is found both inside the hair and on the outer layer that surrounds it, the cuticle. The cuticle, made up of keratin scales (keratinised cells) and lipids, helps to protect the hair from external damage, particularly by retaining moisture. If the cuticle is damaged, it can no longer fulfil its protective role. The scales open and lift, and the hair becomes porous, absorbing water easily but also losing it very easily. The hair then takes on a dull appearance, as the raised scales form an irregular surface that reflects light poorly. It also tends to become fuzzy or frizzy, because it is so sensitive to variations in humidity. When its protective cuticle is damaged, hair is particularly fragile, exposed to external damage such as cold or pollution.

If you want properly hydrated hair, the first thing to do is to nourish it, to regenerate the lipid cement that holds the scales of the cuticle together and therefore ensures that the hair remains hydrated . Next, it's important to protect the hair from the elements.

Dehydrated hair is hair that produces enough sebum but lacks water, either because the hair's natural barrier is damaged and no longer retains moisture, or because it has been subjected to repeated damage that has caused the water in it to evaporate (exposure to the sun, sea, excessive heat, etc.). In both cases, the hair needs to be given something "to drink" and the protective cuticle needs to be encouraged to regenerate. You can recognise dehydrated hair by its appearance: it is dull, fuzzy, frizzy, full of static and lacking tone.

Dry hair is caused by a scalp that does not produce enough sebum. It needs oil, lipids. Hair lacking nutrition is easily recognisable as dry and brittle with split ends, frizz and fuzziness. Dry hair is often also dehydrated, because water escapes more easily. In fact, because the cuticle is lacking in lipids, the scales lack cohesion and tend to lift.

One of the best ways to boost hair hydration is to use plant proteins in your hair care products.

Plant proteins replenish the hair's moisture and nourish it deep down. They can be found in liquid form, such as rice or silk proteins, or in powder form, such as phytokeratin (wheat protein). Moisturisers are very easy to use, and can be applied to both wet and dry hair.

Once you've rehydrated your hair, it's important to seal in the moisture by treating the cuticle. The aim is to smooth the scales and regenerate the lipid cement so that it can retain the water present in the hair fibre. You can then take preventive action by regularly applying nourishing treatments.

If you're looking for both nourishment and hydration, the ideal treatment is before shampooing. You can make a homemade mask, for example, by mixing moisturising active ingredients such as silk protein or sweet almond oil into our Neutral Hair Mask Base.Finally, remember to rinse your hair from time to time with fruit vinegars: they will make it soft and shiny.

Above and beyond the hair itself, you can also take action by keeping your scalp healthy and well-moisturised. Your scalp is the foundation for healthy hair. Keratin is formed directly in the scalp, in the hair follicles. So it's easy to understand why it's so important to look after this all-too-often neglected part of the scalp if you want strong hair. Rice proteins, aloe vera gel and phytokeratin provide deep hydration.

Dry, fine, dull, curly, frizzy hair... find our selection of recipes to give your hair all the moisture it needs and leave it soft, healthy and full of volume.