Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD When your hair is dry and brittle it can be difficult to style, and breakage and knots will make it difficult for you to achieve your length goals. Type 4 hair thrives when it is infused with moisture and pliability. Water is the ultimate source of moisture and elasticity for your hair, so when you’re looking for moisturizing products for type 4 hair, remember to make sure that water is high up on the ingredient list.
Best moisturizing products for type 4 hair:
1. Shea Moisture Baobab & Tea Tree Oils Low Porosity Protein-Free Leave-In Detangler
This is a protein free leave-in detangling product that provides moisture and reduces tangles and knots. It’s good if you have protein sensitive or low porosity hair, and it’s not too heavy, so it’s a nice product if you’re prone to build up. It contains baobab oil, which is rich in the antioxidant vitamin E. The hydrating, coating and moisturizing properties of baobab oil help strengthen your hair for greater elasticity and less breakage. The anti-inflammatory action of baobab can also help soothe a dry and flaky scalp.
2. tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask
This is a great deep conditioner. It penetrates the hair deeply to improve moisture and elasticity, and it contains raw honey, jojoba and olive oil to help reduce dullness and saturate your hair with moisture. It helps to smooth your cuticle, which will reduce frizz and moisture loss. If you have low porosity hair, use it with heat for a deeper penetration.
3. Shea Moisture High Porosity Moisture Correct Masque
Enriched with mongongo oil, this moisturizing hair mask creates a protective layer over weak and damaged hair strands. It’s great for brittle hair and for hair that has trouble retaining hydration, and for high porosity hair, since it improves elasticity and moisture retention. I always use it under a heat cap, and when I rinse it out my hair feels juicy and smooth.
4. EDEN BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner
Monoi oil is made by soaking the petals of the Tahitian Gardenia in coconut oil. Polynesians have used this oil to moisturize their hair and skin for years. The coconut oil in monoi oil is thought to penetrate the hair shaft. This deep conditioner helps hydrate and improve elasticity of type 4 hair.
5. Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Hair Smoothie
Infused with cocoa and shea butter, this is a good moisturizing product for type 4 hair and will help replenish dry brittle hair and infuse it with moisture. It’s part of Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla line that is specially formulated for hydrating dry and parched hair and is great for type 4 coils. The line even contains an edge control.
6. ApHogee Intensive 2 Minute Keratin Reconstructor
While not a moisturizer, per say, this amazing strengthening product made the list of best moisturizing products for type 4 hair because this keratin amino acid rich reconstructor restores and strengthens a damaged cuticle, and this helps dry hair more effectively hold moisture. When your cuticle is damaged, your hair loses moisture at the drop of a dime. This product helps strike the delicate balance between protein and moisture, and its frequency of use depends on the porosity of your hair.
7. Jamaican Black Castor Oil
Jamaican black castor oil doesn’t contain water. But what it does is help seal your hair, trapping in moisture and helping to improve strength, elasticity and sheen. It’s great to use as a sealant if you’re doing night-time hair spritzing.
8. Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave In Conditioner
This is one of those amazing moisturizing products for type 4 hair that I keep coming back to over and over. Even if the price is a little high, most type 4’s that I talk to admit that this product is worth it. As a leave in, it gives great slip, and helps me avoid fairy knots. It contains marshmallow root, which is high in something called mucilage, which coats the hair, makes it slide easily against other strands, and helps improve moisture.
