Showing posts with label transitioner tips and hairstyles. Show all posts

This article was originally written by Jc of The Natural Haven Bloom. She rocks.

I have read plenty of articles and seen many videos where people write and talk about 'opening'* the cuticle to allow ingredients in hair conditioner to penetrate. This is supposed to be a key principle as to why you should pick a product labelled as a deep conditioner and also a reason to use increased heat when conditioning (wrapping conditioner soaked hair with a towel or using a hair dryer). Let me explain why the concept of 'opening' the cuticle is junk science.

1. It is damaging to cycle between raised and smooth cuticles (or open and closed)

Scientists have observed that when a lock of hair is cut and preserved in a jar, it simply does not suffer the same wear and tear that hair which is on your head suffers. This is because it avoids being washed and the subsequent swelling that can impact the cuticles and cause them to chip away. The strands also are not brushed or combed, again preserving the cuticle.

Raised hair cuticles are common in relaxed or bleached hair and are in part the reason why these processes can make hair more fragile and susceptible to damage (Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, pp 180-185, 2003).

I would never regard a raised cuticle or 'open cuticle' as a positive. It is necessary and unavoidable for example you may need to wet your hair to moisturise it or you may use shampoo to cleanse your hair. Both of these actions do slightly swell and raise the hair cuticle . However, this is the reason why hair conditioner exists, to fix this problem (and it is a problem) of raised cuticles. This is also the reason why coconut oil as a prewash can help you have less damage.

2. The first action of hair conditioner is to smooth ('close') the cuticle.

Human hair naturally has a slight negative charge and this increases further when hair is shampooed as shampoo contains surfactants with a negative charge. This has the effect of raising the cuticle slightly. Hair conditioner immediately acts to counteract this because it contains positively charged (cationic) surfactants. This action happens rapidly within seconds.

Therefore, your hair will not be seating out there with raised cuticles waiting for substances to penetrate. Substances that can penetrate hair (see this post), do so because they have the right chemistry, i.e size, shape, charge and/or flexibility, to be able to get underneath the tiny space of a smooth cuticle. They do not require an 'open' cuticle to penetrate.

* As a general note for those who are new to the blog, I do not like to use the term open and closed cuticles although these are terms widely used in the natural hair world and I am certain many of you understand what they mean. The cuticle really does not open, what it does do is raise itself from the surface. In place of open and closed, I use the terms raised and smooth.

Conclusion: You do not need to and do not want to 'open' your hair cuticles by force. It is unavoidable if you wet your hair or use shampoo. Hair conditioner will 'close' the cuticles and protect the hair from damage. Using heat is beneficial not for increasing swelling of hair or 'opening' cuticles but rather for allowing more conditioner to stick on the surface of hair (aDsorb) - see this post

For advanced learners:
1. Technically not all shampoo will cause the cuticle to be raised. Shampoo with non-ionic or zwitterionic surfactants do not have this effect (Mild Shampoo list, In detail - charge and shampoo)

2. If you are wondering, here are examples of cationic sufactants found in hair conditioner: stearalkonium chloride, cetrimonium chloride, dicetyldimonium chloride, behentrimonium methosulfate, behentrimonium chloride, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, etc.

Happy Sunday everyone! Here is an article I felt was worthy of re-blogging. I came across it on The Beauty Brains, who's site is near and dear to my heart...as someone who enjoys the technicalities of hair care and products. Anywho, I've blogged several times about not falling prey to deceptive marketing practices and labeling when it comes to things for our hair. Don't be taken in or swayed by buzzwords, rare exotic oils (that are in truth, last on the ingredient list), and miracle claims. Read up on your products, and always keep Jc's rule of the first five ingredients in the forefront of your mind when you do.

Enjoy!

Are Botanical/Herbal Extracts in Hair Products Really Effective?

by RIGHT BRAIN on DECEMBER 6, 2012

Kusanagi’s question…I’m considering getting a “Twist Defining Cream” and it has a bunch of extracts listed near the top of the list. Are they delivering the promise of the product or are they just pixie dust? I note they aren’t listed as “Active Ingredients” but “Key Ingredients”. Your site has been so helpful. I give thanks to Kwan Yin for the Beauty Brains!

Post image for Are Botanical/Herbal Extracts in Hair Products Really Effective?

The Right Brain responds:

I think the best way to answer it is to look at what the product is supposed to do and then assess whether the natural extracts in the formula help it perform that function or not.

Based on the ingredients that you gave us (which I’ve listed below) I’m guessing that this is the “As I Am” Twist cream. Here’s what their website has to say about the product:

“Shiny smoothness, (and lots of it), is what you’ll get when you twist with this one-of-a-kind rich creamy styler. Made especially for highly textured hair with nurturing natural oils, plus an organic extract that provides the ultimate in moisturization. There’s even a wondrous organic compound blended in that works to block DHT and stimulate healthy hair growth.”

So to summarize, they are saying the three key functions of this product are to help:

Give you a twisty style
Smooth and moisturize hair
Stimulate hair growth by blocking DHT.

The last claim is the most outrageous. There are a lot of products that talk about blocking DHT but there’s no evidence that this is effective in restoring hair growth. If it were it would be a drug product so it doesn’t matter whether the ingredients are botanicals or not.

The second claim is more plausible. Natural oils can be highly effective smoothing and moisturizing agents, especially in a leave on product. Both coconut oil and shea butter are excellent refatting agents for hair and we’ve blogged many times about how coconut oil can penetrate into the cortex and strengthen hair.

The first claim about hair styling is plausible but doesn’t require naturalingredients, it requires waxy materials or even styling polymers. Looking at the ingredient list we see that the formula includes Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Behenyl Alcohol, and Glyceryl Stearate which will help hold the hair in place because of their thick, waxy consistency. But even though these may be sourced from coconut oil these are clearly not “botanical extracts.”

You can also look at it this way: there are approximately 2 dozen ingredients In this formula. Of those ingredients I would say about eight of them are could be considered “botanical extracts.” Of those probably only five are contributing any functionality to the formula. I’m being a bit generous here because I’m guessing the coconut and shea are doing most of the moisturizing and not the castor oil, sunflower oil or the Amla.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

I would say that the botanical ingredients in this formula are more functional than the pixie dust used by many companies but without knowing the exact concentration at which they are used it’s difficult to say whether or not they are essential to the formula. If you like the way the product works for you and you can afford it, I say go for it. But if you find that it is too expensive, there are plenty of other styling products that can give you these benefits without expensive “botanicals.”

As I Am Twist Defining Cream Ingredients

Aqueous (Water, Aqua Purificada, Purified) Extracts: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut)¹ and Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla)¹ and Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine)¹ and Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root¹, Glycerin¹, Acetamide MEA, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil1, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil¹, Triethanolamine, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil¹, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)¹, Carbomer, Phytosterols², Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Behenyl Alcohol¹, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Trideceth-12, TBHQ, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Potassium Sorbate, Fragrance/Parfum, Limonene.

You've heard time and time again that hair care and beauty can be expensive. You also know that both are booming industries, and advertisers are always looking for new ways to get you interested in dropping dough on their products. How can you still give your hair everything it needs without burning a hole in your pockets? Read on for a few ideas on how to maximize your money when it comes to four key areas of haircare.

1. Clarifying
You've heard all about the benefits of an ACV rinse, but did you know you can use Apple Cider Vinegar to clarify your hair? Just mix one part Apple Cider Vinegar (organic, with Mother) and one part water. Shake it up in a spray bottle and saturate your hair. Let the ACV mix sit on your hair (and scalp) for 20-30 minutes, then continue with your regular co-wash or a deep condition. Apple Cider Vinegar can be purchased from Vitamin Shoppe for $2.99. If you're not a fan of the scent of Apple Cider Vinegar, Aztec Healing Clay is an odorless alternative. Mix the clay and water until you achieve a mud-like texture. Apply to your hair and scalp for 20-30 minutes and rinse thoroughly. You can also follow this up with a co-wash or deep conditioning, depending upon your hair's needs. You can grab a 16oz jar of Aztec Healing Clay for around $7 at retailers like Sprouts and Vitamin Shoppe.

2. Conditioning
Arguably, conditioner is something that naturals tend to spend the most money on -- and rightfully so. We need protein conditioners, moisturizing conditioners, co-washing conditioners, deep conditioners, conditioners for our conditioners, leave-in conditioners, and so forth. The thing about conditioners to remember is that just because it comes with a hefty price tag doesn’t mean it’s worth the money. As we explored in this article, the expensive conditioners often couldn’t hold a counter to their cheaper counterparts. When it comes to conditioners, avoid purchasing at grocery and pharmacy stores (like CVS and Walgreens) if possible, and unless there is an irrefutable sale. Often times, these stores carry many of the same brands you can find at Target, but tack on $2 or $3 more than Target prices. Additionally, you can always find conditioners that do double duty – like a nourishing conditioner that can also double as a deep conditioner if mixed with a favorite oil, or left on your hair a little longer. And, don’t underestimate the cheapie conditioners. Just because the bottle says Suave, Aussie or Tresemme doesn’t mean it can’t do your hair any good. In fact, Aussie Moist and Tresemme Anti-Breakage are staples in my haircare collection!

3. Moisturizing/Leave-In
Unless there is a dire need, one thing I vowed to never spend money on is a leave-in. There are far too many ways to cut that cost out of your haircare budget. For starters, you can always buy a conditioner that doubles as a leave-in. My personal favorite in this area is Shea Moisture’s Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner that I use not only as a regular conditioner, but also sometimes as a leave in, and sometimes as a deep conditioner. Alternatively, you can leave a little bit of your regular conditioner in your hair by not rinsing all of it out. Just make sure you double-check the ingredient list to ensure that nothing in the bottle is going to irritate your scalp. Or, since most leave-ins are nothing more than a diluted version of a standard product, you can always pour some of your favorite conditioner into a spray bottle, add water, shake, and spray. Lastly, you can have your styling/sealing product double as a leave in – as long as it contains water or a penetrating oil like Coconut.

4. Sealing

When it comes to sealing in moisture, there are tons of money saving options that are fair game. If your hair loves oils or straight up butters, Shea, Coconut, and Castor are pretty inexpensive go-tos. You can also use your styling products to double up as sealants. Two of my favorite double-duty sealants are Shea Moisture’s Coconut Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie, and my Napptural85-inspired fluffy styling cream. With the Shea Moisture product, I alternate between applying after a diluted conditioner leave-in, after a little coconut oil, or by itself – all depending on my hair’s needs at the time. My DIY fluffy styling cream is so chock full of goodies that I just spritz on water for moisture, and follow up with a small amount of the mix. There are dozens of different recipes out there, so make sure to follow or modify one according to what your hair likes. My DIY cream is made with Shea Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, and a Sweet Almond/Vitamin E Oil blend. It is heavy enough to seal, but light enough to give my hair life with amazing braid-outs. A cool bonus: the DIY fluffy styling cream is an awesome body moisturizer too! For more information on my DIY cream, click here.

Another great one from Jc at The Natural Haven Bloom. When I deep condition this week, I am going to give this method a go and report back to ya'll.

Happy Heating!

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By Jc at The Natural Haven Bloom

To accompany the deep conditioning time and temperature post here is how to heat your conditioner to 35°C without using a hair dryer. The Natural Haven method is to heat up your conditioner with a water bath and using your own body to gauge how warm the conditioner is. It takes about 5-10 minutes to do.

You will need

-Small glass or heat resistant plastic container
-Hot water/hot tap water
-Sink or larger bowl to place the small container in to
-Your conditioner

Method

1. Put the conditioner you are going to use in to the glass or a heat resistant plastic container.
2. Fill up the sink or larger bowl with hot water either from the tap or boiled
3. Place the small container with conditioner into the water and cover the sink or bowl with a towel
4. Wait 5-10 minutes and then stir the conditioner and check to see how warm it is. It should be warm to the touch- not hot. If you cannot comfortably touch it then you should not place it on your scalp, let it cool. If it is not warm enough, give it more time and/or increase the temperature of the water bath by adding in some more/hotter water.
5. Apply the warm conditioner to your hair and then cover with a plastic cap and follow with a towel to keep in the heat. 35°C is approximately skin surface temperature so maintaining the heat from the conditioner is easily done using your own body.

Things not to do
1. Never heat up the whole conditioner bottle since you will affect the preservatives that prevent bacterial and fungal growth.
2. Don't overfill the sink/larger bowl, leave enough space to be able to use your fingers to remove the conditioner container bowl and don't let water get into the conditioner.