Dry Hair: Causes & How to Remedy

Dry hair is a very common problem, especially amongst those with curly hair. Many people suffer from dry hair. If you’ve been wondering why your hair is so dry, we share signs and symptoms, common causes, and how to get your hair back to its best.

Table of Contents:

• What Does It Mean to Have Dry Hair?
• What Are the Causes of Dry Hair?
• Why Is Curly Hair Dry?
• The Best Products to Treat Dry Hair
• 5 Top Tips for Caring for Dry Hair

What Does it Mean to Have Dry Hair?

Dry hair can cause your locks to look dull, and can ultimately lead to breakage - something none of us want. When curly hair becomes dry, it means that it’s either not receiving enough moisture or it is struggling to retain the right amount. You may need hydrating hair products to help you combat the causes of dry hair, as well as establishing a proper routine to care for your curls as best as possible. 

7 Signs of Dry Hair 

Solving the problem is easier once you have identified if you have dry hair. Whether you have only just noticed dryness or you are fed up of lacklustre locks, you could be experience one or several of the following:

1. Hair appears lifeless and dull
2. Prone to hair breakage
3. Frizzy hair 
4. Loss of shine
5. Split ends
6. Strands become brittle
7. Hair tangles more easily

For those suffering with these symptoms, it is more than likely you have dry hair. Understanding why your hair is so dry is an important step in tackling the problem head on. Once you know your hair is dry, you can find the appropriate curly hair products to remedy it. 

What Are the Causes of Dry Hair? 

Our daily life and routines can have a significant impact on the health and dryness of your hair. This, alongside your genetics, can cause your hair to feel dry and you may start to wonder why that is. Some of the more common causes of dry hair include:

1. Using harsh products - Harsh products such as shampoos that contain sulphates can strip the hair of its natural oils. Curlsmith products, including our shampoos, do not contain sulphates, parabens, or silicones that can be too harsh on curly hair. 
2. Washing your hair too often - This may result in vital oils not reaching parts of the hair shaft in between cleanses. How often you wash your hair can be a contributing cause of dry hair.  
3. Frequent use of heat tools - Heat can weaken the hair bonds and shaft, meaning moisture can leave far more easily. Without the use of a heat protectant spray, you may be causing dry hair. 
4. Overuse of chemicals - Chemicals including bleach, dye, and relaxers can also damage the hair, making it more prone to moisture loss.
5. The weather - This can also have an impact on how dry your hair is. Cold weather can cause the hair’s cuticles to lift every so slightly, allowing moisture to leave the strands more easily.
6. Too much protein - Hair that’s in protein overload will often feel dry. This is because it is lacking in moisture due to the high levels of protein. Your curls need to establish a protein-moisture balance in order to avoid dryness. 
7. Porosity - Hair porosity can also be a cause of dry hair. Those with low porosity hair have tightly packed cuticles, making it difficult for hydration to enter the strands. On the other hand, high porosity hair has a more open cuticle structure, so whilst moisture can enter easily, it will leave at just the same rate. Making both of these types constantly thirsty.

If your dry hair doesn’t improve when you update your curly hair routine, you may wish to see a Doctor in case there is an underlying cause of your dry hair. A dermatologist may ask questions about your current haircare, and examine your scalp. 

If you need more help identifying your hair type, and which products you need to achieve your curl goals, take our curl quiz below:

Why Is Curly Hair Dry?

Genetics also play the biggest role in how prone we are to dry hair. Curly hair types are more likely to suffer from dry hair inherently dry due to the structure of their strands. Waves, coils, and curls can all suffer from dryness. 

• The twists and turns in curly and coily hair make it more difficult for the natural scalp oils to move down the hair shaft. The curlier the hair, the drier it can be. This makes these types more susceptible to dry hair. 
• Coily hair products can be an essential step in treating dry coily hair and helping to avoid its negative impact on how your tresses look. 
• Wavy hair has a looser curl pattern, and so the oils can coat the strands more easily. However, this doesn’t mean that waves are completely safe from suffering from dry hair. 
• A focus on supplying your wavy tresses with the right wavy hair products is a crucial step to happy, healthy hair.

It’s especially important to hydrate and lock in moisture to prevent this from happening using moisturising hair products in order to supply the natural moisture they are lacking.

The Best Products to Treat Dry Hair 

To treat dry hair, you’ll need products from our Moisture Recipes range to restore moisture to tackle any dryness. Opt for curl-friendly ingredients which can help achieve the look you want, transforming your dry hair into beautiful curls you love.  

Best Shampoo for Dry Hair 

To remedy the causes of dry hair, you need to start at the foundation of your hair routine. 

• Shampoos and co-washes that offer a gentle cleanse are essential to not strip moisture from your tresses. Swapping to a sulphate-free shampoo is a great idea, especially for our curl-friends. 

• Our Curl Quenching Conditioning Wash is a gentle cleanser known as a co-wash which can help to clean your locks whilst providing that much needed hydration to tackle dry hair. 

Best Conditioners for Dry Hair 

Conditioners are the essential part of your dry hair treatment journey.

• Rinse-out conditioners help to restore any moisture that may have been lost during the cleansing step. They help to provide slip and detangling and are a vital step to tackling dry hair, especially in curls, coils, or waves. Try our Essential Moisture Conditioner for hydration and weightless moisture.  

• Leave-in conditioners can provide needed moisture and bring your curls back to life without a wash. They also help to prep your hair before styling, helping to avoid any signs of dry hair as you create your desired look. Try the Curl Conditioning Oil-in-Cream, formulated to be particularly beneficial for those with dry hair.

• Deep conditioners are designed to provide rich nourishment for when your dry hair really needs some hydration. The Double Cream Deep Quencher has a thick, buttery texture to deliver intense moisture and combat dry hair.

Best Stylers for Dry Hair 

When styling curly hair you need to use the right hair styling products to enhance your natural pattern, achieve the finish you want, and even help combat dry hair.  

• Our Hold Me Softly Style Balm is a light hold curl-enhancing moisturising curl cream which provides soft definition. It contains avocado oil and apricot kernel oil, which help provide moisture. Resurrection flower helps your locks retain moisture. 
• Our Curl Defining Styling Soufflé has a silky custard texture, and contains moisturising products such as Babassu and Shea. 
• The In-Shower Style Fixer is a strong-hold gel which protects against humidity-caused frizz with nourishing oils to support moisture-retention. 

5 Top Tips for Caring for Dry Hair  

Once you know the best products for how to stop dry hair, you need to know how to care for your curls as best as possible to ensure the products can make the most difference as they can. 

1. Cut down on washes - If you’re washing your hair frequently, or even daily, you may wish to try going longer between washes. This is because how often you wash your hair can impact dryness and you need to allow time for oils to move through your lengths.
2. Switch to sulphate-free shampoo - Sulphates can be too harsh on curls, so switching to a sulphate-free shampoo can minimise how much moisture is stripped from your locks when you wash them. 
3. Use heat tools less often - Straighteners and curlers can cause hair damage. Leaving them and embracing your gorgeous natural texture can help you better protect your hair.
4. Skip the bleach session - Experimenting with different hair colours is fun. But bleach and dye use can cause hair to dry out. Our temporary hair colour is one way to combat this, designed so you can experiment, damage free!
5. Refresh your curls between washes - Using leave-in products between washes can help restore hydration without having to wash your hair. You can use the Moisture Memory Reactivator to refresh your curls between washes whilst adding a dose of moisture.  

All good things take time, so when trying these tips give them time to work their magic. Your journey away from dry hair starts now!

Curls Cared for By Curlsmith 

Our gourmet haircare products were designed in collaboration with curly hair stylists and trichologists to combat curly problems! We’re proud to say our formulas are all cruelty-free vegan hair products, that never contain silicones, sulphates, or parabens.