As soon as you step out of the shower, the water keeping your coils and curls lush and
hydrated begins to evaporate. But you don’t have to let your strands turn into dry-as-a-
bone tresses. CurlyNikki.com suggests you seal in moisture with any of these tried-and-
true oils that will bring your hair back to life. 
 
Mineral Oil
This effective sealant is also known as paraffinum liquidum. Mineral oil is retrieved by
drilling into the earth; it is then refined and purified. The oil gets its super sealing power
from a combination of hydrophobic and water insoluble compounds that make it almost
impossible for droplets to break through once water is absorbed into your hair. But one
word of caution: Mineral oil can leave your hair feeling a tad greasy. 
 
Silicone Oil
This man-made oil is also called dimethicone and is produced by combining a naturally
occurring element found in sand and oxygen. There are two types of silicone oil. Higher
weight silicone oil, which is thick and sticky, is used in industrial applications (think
sealing out moisture from bathroom tiles). Low weight silicone oil is thin, and it spreads
easily. This high-grade, powerful sealant is used in personal care products to seal
moisture in skin and hair. Bonus: Silicone oil is harder to wash off, plus it adds shine to
hair. 
 
Shea Oil 
This oil is the liquid form of trusty old shea butter and comes from the nuts of the shea
tree. The advantage shea oil has is that it contains allantoin, a natural ingredient that helps
the hair cling to moisture. But the big drawback of plant oils is that the natural fatty acids
they contain make them more water soluble than mineral oil. This means moisture
evaporates quicker from the hair. One even bigger con is that shea oil is more expensive
than mineral or silicone oil. 
 
And remember, no matter what you use, there’s no keeping moisture in the hair long
term. To compensate, add a moisturizing treatment to your daily routine and re-
moisturize tresses as soon as you notice dryness. 
 
Now that the weather is getting hotter, hair may dry out fast. Here’s how to keep hair
moisturized and beautiful all season long.