How can I hydrate my hair?

Want to say ‘bye to dry hair days and hello to beautifully hydrated and moisturised hair? Read on! This essential guide contains all the tips and tricks you need to know for a healthy mane that’s both moisturised AND hydrated. Because, believe it or not, there actually is a difference!

Knowing how to hydrate hair is essential for healthy locks and a balanced scalp so, no matter the condition of your hair, you’ll want some of these techniques up your sleeve! While everyone’s strands are a little (or a lot) different, these universal tips will help you unlock shiny, smooth and happy hair. So, what are you waiting for? 

Hair Hydration Versus Moisturisation

While these two terms are often used interchangeably, they’re not the same thing. So what, then, is the difference between hydrating hair and moisturising hair? Basically, hydrating hair refers to the process of adding water and nutrients to the inner structures of your hair. Hair moisturisation, on the other hand, involves smoothing the cuticle and sealing in the nutrients introduced during hair hydration. 

So, if you want to prevent breakage, promote soft, smooth strands, and boost the overall health of your hair and scalp? You need to know how to hydrate hair AND how to add moisture to dry hair. Thankfully, these are hand-in-hand processes and most haircare prods will contain ingredients for both. 

If your tresses are detestably dry, start by quenching them. This means choosing shampoos and hair masks that target hydration specifically, and focus on rebuilding damaged, weakened and brittle strands.

Why Do I Need to Hydrate My Hair, Anyway?


Fact: Whether you have curly, thick, coily, smooth, or any other type of hair, you’ll always need hydration. This is because parched hair can cause a slew of other problems like breakage, frizziness, split ends, colour fade and – wait for it – even hair loss! Keeping your strands healthy and hydrated is therefore crucial. And this means not just surface-level moisturisation, but deep water retention, protein fortification and comprehensive care.

While hair hydration should be top priority for those with dryness, it really is beneficial for all hair types. If you have oily hair or an oily scalp, try a scalp scrub to rebalance oils and keep hair masks away from your roots. In the same way that you want to avoid shampooing too frequently, it’s important to know that too much hydration isn’t always a good thing and can actually weaken your strands or curls. 

But don’t worry! Just follow the instructions for use-frequency for different types of products, and you’ll be in the clear.

Tips for Moisturising and Hydrating Hair


Healthy hair and a balanced scalp starts with the right shampoo and haircare products, so keep an eye out for replenishing ingredients such as almond, coconut, sunflower and avocado oils, plus Vitamin E, Vitamin B5, shea butter, honey, witch hazel, glycerin and aloe vera. Amazing for all hair types, these hardworking ingredients hydrate, moisturise and nourish thirsty strands like a dream! 

First up, the essential amino acids in oils restore your hair’s structure, while glycerin and Vitamin B5 provide moisture and help repair surface damage. Great for your hair and scalp, honey and shea butter have both humectant and emollient properties. Humectants hydrate by drawing in moisture, while emollients smooth the cuticle and form a thin, protective layer of moisture for a natural shine.

Our tip? Prioritise natural ingredients for enhanced moisture retention, elasticity, protection and hydration. On the flip side, try to avoid harsh sulfates, silicones and alcohols, as these can strip your hair of needed moisture and make your strands more prone to breakage. Below are some key products to incorporate into your haircare routine, as well as tips for preventing dryness in the first place.

Find the Right Nourishing Hair Products

Everyone knows you should use shampoo and conditioner to clean and revitalise your hair and that you shouldn’t shampoo too often, but what else works? Look for deep hair hydration treatments such as leave-in hair masks, hair oils and scalp scrubs. Each offers its own unique benefits, but using a combo really is the recipe for killer locks!  

Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner - First, make sure you’ve found the right shampoo and conditioner for dry hair. This means skipping the cheap drugstore products packed with chemicals that’ll do very little to heal your dry or damaged hair – and potentially even strip away those natural, necessary oils. Eeek! 

Instead, look for nourishing, natural ingredients. Avocado oil? Absolutely! Coconut oil? You’d be nuts not to! If you haven’t tried it already, our new Super Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner are made with a 7-in-1 formula perfect for boosting hydration, softness, shine, strength and volume while reducing split ends and frizz!

Hair Masks – Next, hydrate dry hair with hair masks! These are creamy, nutrient-rich conditioning treatments that you’ll leave in your locks for anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours. They’re much stronger than regular conditioners and pack a serious boost of moisturisation and hydration for your hair and scalp. 

Most hair masks will contain Vitamins B and E, antioxidants, coconut oil and similar ingredients perfect for restoring dry or damaged hair, taming frizz, locking in moisture and strengthening hair cells. If you have dry hair, use them up to three times each week to get things back on track.

Hair Oils – For gorgeously glossy, supple hair, get your hands on a hair oil. Add a few drops on the ends of damp or dry strands to moisturise hair as needed. You can easily go the DIY coconut oil route, OR you could try a multi-tasking, non-greasy hair oil like our Miracle Hair Elixir. 

Restoring softness and shine, hair oils can also be used as a pre-styling heat-protectant to guard against breakage. Note that too much direct contact with your scalp can leave it oily and clog your pores – so make sure you concentrate on the mid lengths and ends.

Scalp Scrubs – Scalp scrubs are especially beneficial for people suffering from dandruff and oily scalps. However, they often contain hydrating ingredients that are perfect for anyone wanting to clean up flakiness caused by dryness or lack of moisture. Use a scalp scrub before shampooing to get rid of product build-up and dead skin cells, soothe and hydrate skin, and pave the way for a cleaner shampooing experience! Psst, our Deep Clean Scalp Scrub is pretty great btw!

Prevent Dryness

Preventing dryness might sound easier said than done if your scalp naturally produces less oil. Still, you should look out for ways you may be accidentally doing more harm than good when styling, washing or otherwise beautifying your hair.

A few proactive measures you can take to prevent dryness include:

• Avoid overuse of heat-styling tools. Skip the blow dryer and air-dry your hair the right way to look your best.
• Use heat protectants if you must use a flat iron or other heat tools.
• Avoid over-processing your hair with too many chemicals, from hair spray to chemical relaxers to hair colour. Look for hair dyes free of ammonia to prevent damage.
• Look for products with UV protection to safeguard against the elements.

Hair Hydration Takeaways

Whether you choose a more nourishing shampoo, use a hair mask, or try a little coconut oil to moisturise hair in a pinch, there’s no disputing the importance of hydration for a healthy mane. Now that you know how to hydrate hair and some essential dos and don’ts, we hope you go out into the world with that gorgeous head of hair held high! Looking for more haircare and beauty tips?

Explore our Coco & Eve Instagram to stay up-to-date on the latest trends!

Edited by: Vidhya

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