I bet some of you never thought about whether or not the water temperature matters when you wash your natural hair. But au contraire. It really does matter! The last thing anyone wants to do is take a cold shower, it’s probably the most uncomfortable thing ever. However, using cooler water to wash your hair is more beneficial than washing your hair using hot water. Washing with cooler water can improve how your hair feels and looks. So should you use hot or cold water for natural hair?
How I was my hair.
Washing Natural Hair With Hot Water
Washing your hair with hot water does ensure that your hair is cleansed better than washing with cold water. The hot water opens the hair’s cuticles and the pores helping to remove buildup or product residue. But at what cost? Hot water dehydrates the skin (your scalp) and reduces moisture in the hair, a huge no-no for textured hair (our curls need moisture to thrive). It can also dry your hair out making it brittle, in turn causing your hair to weaken and break.
PRO: Rinses Away Dirt and Oil
CON: May Result in Overly Porous Hair
CON: Causes Frizz
Washing Natural Hair With Cold Water
Using cold water to wash your hair may not be the most comfortable process, but honestly its the best for your hair. Cold water closes your pores (scalp) and seals your cuticles. Not only that, it smooths and flattens the cuticle making the hair appear shinier. Because cold water flattens the hair cuticle, it does however reduce the hair’s volume.
PRO: Seals the Moisture in Your Hair
PRO: Increases Shine
CON: Flattens Hair
Some Suggestions for Wash Day
In order to wash your hair in the shower and avoid cold water, on wash days you could shower with luke warm water then follow up with a cup of cool water. Find a balance. Remember, wash your hair with warm water to cleanse and rinse your hair in cooler water to close your cuticles!
So what do you do? Leave your comments and suggestions below.
