Tag: #lcomethod

Hair Moment: Is Oil Actually Important for Your Hair?

A lot of hair blogs discuss the importance of adding oils to a hair regimen. But why is oil so important to natural hair?

oils-for-hair

Before I can get into why oil is important to the hair and skin, I have to talk about the natural oils that are produced by our bodies internally. Humans have these things called sebaceous glands that secrete an oily matter called sebum; sebum lubricates and protects the skin and hair of mammals. Sebaceous glands are are located every where on the human body except the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. However, sebaceous glands have the highest numbers on the face and scalp. When the sebaceous glands over-produce sebum, some people can suffer from greasy scalps and greasy faces which can lead to acne.sebum21

Sebum helps to keep our skin healthy. It prevents our bodies from losing too much water and prevents too much water from entering our bodies (ex: when you sit in a bath too long you will start to get ‘pruny’ because the sebum acting in your skin has washed away and because this protective layer has been removed your skin loses water which creates the ‘pruny’ effect).

But how is sebum related to my hair regimen?

hair type

It’s a common fact that most people with straighter hair textures tend wash their hair frequently. This is because sebum travels down the hair shaft from the scalp. Because those individuals have straighter hair textures, sebum has an easier time traveling which leads to limp, greasy hair in a matter of days. On the other hand, people with kinkier or more coiled hair may not need to cleanse their hair as often because the sebum has a difficult time traveling down the hair shaft due to the hair texture. But this difficulty in traveling, my friends, is why kinky haired individuals are always facing an uphill battle with hair dryness. We need to add oils to our hair because the oils our bodies naturally produce have a hard time getting to where it needs to go. And this is why other oils are important to the kinky-haired individual. This is also why the ends are driest part of the hair shaft and a lot of products geared towards natural hair contain oils.

So find the oil that you think best suits your hair and incorporate it into you regimen.

What’s your favorite oil? Comment below!

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Hair Moment: LOC/LCO Method

So what exactly is this method that is raved about all over online? What is the all the hype about?

The LCO/LOC Method is a used to aid in moisturizing the hair and combat dryness. If done correctly with the right products your hair can retain moisturize for up to a week and even longer. As a type-4 natural, my hair is quite kinky and extremely thick. Needless to say, dry hair is something I will always had and always will have to deal with. I find that this method coupled with my choice of products and hair regimen cuts down on the amount of time I spend having to re-moisturize my hair on a weekly basis.

So what is the LOC Method…

liquid

L is for Liquid

Examples of Liquids that can be used are plain old water, aloe vera juice, or any water based moisturizer or leave-in that is on the runnier end such as the Infusium 23 leave-in.

oil

O is for Oil

Any oil can be used for this step, choose whatever best suits you hair. I would recommend oils that penetrate the hair shaft such as Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Almond, Oil, and Avocado Oil.

Opened plastic container with cream on a white background.

C is for Cream

Again, any cream can be used but I would choose a water-based cream and stay away from heavier butters and custards to avoid product overload. Below are some great options for creams:

Jane Carter Solution Hair Nourishing Cream, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner

Now that I’ve listed the ingredients involved in the LOC Method I’ll break down the actual method.

Step 1: On clean hair, apply your Liquid of choice.

Step 2: Follow up with the Oil to seal in moisture from applying the Liquid.

Step 3: Finish up with the Cream as an second layer of sealant to lock the moisture into the hair shaft.

And wala! Moisturized hair that should retain moisture for at least a couple of days. I personally follow variations of this method because it better suits my hair. I prefer the LCO method which is just the LOC Method rearranged. I prefer to seal with an oil as my last step because my hair responds better with this sequence. Another variation I use is after my hair is washed and deep conditioned, I’ll skip the liquid and just add a Cream and seal with shea butter. For my liquid I use aloe vera juice diluted with distilled water or Infusium 23. For my oil I use coconut oil or olive oil. As my cream I use Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner (can also be used as a leave-in and/or moisturizer even though it’s a rinse-out conditioner) or Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, or Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream.

Other tips you might find helpful:

#1: The method and the products go hand in hand

You can follow the steps correctly and use the wrong products for your hair and find that you hair still isn’t retaining moisture. Or you can find the right products and use them in a sequence that doesn’t agree with your hair. Trial and error will help.

#2: Some products don’t play nice together

Be careful what products that you are pairing together, some products don’t mix well with others. You would hate to spend all that time washing, conditioning, and moisturizing your hair only to end up with a sticky gooey mess you have to rinse out. Be sure to test the products out together before applying to you hair.

#3: Use the products sparingly

Because you are applying so many products to your hair, be sure to not be too heavy handed with every product or you could end up with super-moisturized and super-greasy hair. Yikes.

#4: Your hair regimen is key

This LOC/LCO Method is fabulous, but if coupled with a poor hair regimen the won’t last. The LOC/LCO Method complements a consistent regimen. This method is not intended to give you hair all the moisture it needs. You will still need to wash and condition your hair as well as make sure your diet corresponds the nutrients you hair needs internally.

#5: Use this method at your own discretion

Folk, this method isn’t intended to suit everyone. People with finer, less kinky strands would best benefit from a different method. This method suits type-4 naturals the best.

What products do you use for the LOC/LCO Method and what sequence works best for your hair? Be sure to comment below! If you have any variations of the LOC/LCO method or have any other tips or suggestions comment below and be sure to hashtag #HairMomentwithMarsha on Instagram or Twitter so I can see your LOC/LCO products!

Thank you for sharing this #HairMomentwithMarsha.