Showing posts with label regimen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label regimen. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Wash Day 07-07-2015: The Traveling Bun

Hey, beautiful people! I haven't posted a wash day in bit, but my wash days have been very straightforward lately.  I just do a quick wash with Uncle Funky's Daughter shampoo (which I love), detangle with Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship, put in leave-in and gel, and bun.  It takes 20-30 minutes.  Sometimes, I skip the shampoo step.

This morning, I was still on vacation because I went to the Essence Fest, and I packed travel sizes of some new things to try.  First, I co-washed with Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Conditioner.  I was not a fan.  It was not creamy enough, and it felt like it made my hair hard.  Next, I used Oyin Hair Dew and Tresseme gel to bun.  I was not a fan of the gel.  It reminded me of a slightly more liquid version of Eco Styler, but it had no hold.  Plus, even more than Eco Styler, the gel kept my hair sopping wet, even after I used a regular towel to soak up some of the water, and I had to go through airport security with water periodically coming down my face and neck.  Not wonderful...

What brand do you travel with?


Saturday, March 21, 2015

Updates 03-21-2015: The End of Maternity Leave and The Death of My Computer


Hey, beautiful people!  I know that it has been months since I've posted anything, and I'm sorry.  I went back to work 2 days after my last post, and life has been kind of a whirlwind ever since.  I had to adjust back to my workload while balancing two young kids.  Then, my old laptop decided it had very little life left to give.  I'm currently on the hunt for a new one.  In the meantime, my hubby loaned me his.  If you have any recommendations for laptops, please let me know.  Hopefully, I'll get a new one in the next couple weeks, so that I can start posting regularly again.

Since my last post, I haven't done anything exciting to my hair really.  I've kept it mainly in buns and braided styles.  My hair has loved it, but I've learned that my coily strands can't go from a wash n' go or wash n' go bun to a braided style.  Also, I've learned that I absolutely have to use a comb periodically.  My hair is simply too thick and coily to just do finger detangling.  I had a long stretch where I was just finger detangling, and it took me two hours to get all the matting and loose hair out.



Saturday, September 20, 2014

Update 09-20-2014: Black Friday In September

With the new baby coming in less than a month and Curlmart having a Sweet16 sale, I decided to get started on my Black Friday shopping early.  As you may remember from last year's Black Friday post, I went overboard so I wanted to make sure I kept myself in check this year.  I may have still gone a little overboard, but nowhere near as much.  Here is what I bought from Curlmart:
Grand Total:  $132.08 (plus $5 shipping)
Savings: $50.88 (plus shipping savings)

I saved a lot of money by doing my shopping a little early and coupon hunting (use cm15 with your order to save more).  We'll ignore the fact that I could have saved more if I did not buy as much.

Here is what is tentatively left on my Black Friday shopping list:

What is on your Black Friday list?  Have you started shopping?

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Saturday, July 19, 2014

African Black Soap Update

Hey, beautiful people!  In a previous post, I talked about how I wanted to try African Black Soap as a cleanser to see how it worked for my hair.  Well, I've been using it almost exclusively for a couple months now and I LOVE IT!  It leaves my hair soft and clean, and I also use it as body wash.  Plus, it is cheaper than any of my other cleansers.  I can get a 32 oz bottle of the Dr. Woods Black Soap for $13 on Amazon.  I have learned that if I use too much of this black soap undiluted, then it can be a little stripping.  So, lately, I've been mixing it with water for my hair, which makes it last even longer.  I tried a 1 part black soap with 7 part water mix; but, this is too thin to make it manageable for me in the shower, though it was still cleansing.  I think, I may do a 3:5 ratio for a little thicker mixture.

Also, I've been watching Youtube videos lately to see if I want to try making my own black soap shampoo, which would be even cheaper.   You can get a pound of solid black soap for about $5-$8 to mix with water and oil.  A little of the solid goes a long way.  Here are some Youtube videos that I have found for inspiration:


With this discovery and my no-buy, I'm giving up shampoo altogether for now, with the exception of my chelator shampoo.


Do you use black soap to wash your hair?  What do you think?

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Product Review: Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave-in Conditioner



Price:  $13 for 8 oz. / $22 for 16 oz.

Ingredients:  Water, Glycerin, Almond Oil, Wheat Germ Protein, Silk Amino Acids, Lemongrass Extract, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Herbal and Botanical Blend

Promise:  Locks moisture in your hair without weighing it down or causing product build up. Infused with essential oils to smooth your hair shaft and keeps it moisturized. The lemon zest scent is yummy and refreshing. Hair will feel soft and ready to be styled pretty!

Scent:  Lemon

Consistency:  Thick liquid, like orange juice with a lot of pulp



Results:  I loved this product!  It made my hair soft, strong and moisturized.  It also lasts a long time.  I’ve been using it regularly since at least the beginning of the year, and I still have a quarter of a bottle left.  I used it more as a moisturizing, protein spritz rather than a leave-in.  My only issue is that, because of the thickness of the liquid, it didn't always come out of the spray nozzle well.  Sometimes, it would drip or collect on the front of the spray, and I would have to wipe it off and spread it on my hair with my fingers.  I didn't mind this too much because this is such a great product.  I was going back and forth on whether to buy it again because I am trying to transition to making more of my own products and buying less online.  However, now that I can get this on the ground at Target, I will definitely buy it when my no-buy is up.

Love it, Like it or Leave It:  Love it!

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Product Review: Silk Dreams Vanilla Silk Cream Moisture Dream (The Deep Conditioner Files #6)



Price:  $10 for 8 oz. / $16 for 16 oz.

Ingredients:  Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Vanilla Butter (coconut oil, palm oil, vanilla planifolia), Honey, Jojoba Oil, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Apricot Kernel Oil, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Dimethyl Stearamine, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Hydrolyzed Silk Protein, Panthenol, Lactic Acid, Germall Plus, Fragrance



Promise:  Get ready for moist, supple, manageable hair.  This rich conditioning cream will help you get your moisture groove back.  Silk protein protects and softens your hair while honey, apricot kernel oil, jojoba oil, and aloe wrap your tresses in silky moisture.

Scent:  Almond extract
 
Consistency:  Like lightly whipped buttercream frosting

Results:  The price is right and it makes my hair feel great.  I got at least 4 uses out of this.  I’ve tried it under a heat cap, as an overnight deep conditioner, and in my hair for two weeks under a wig (I was feeling lazy on my wash day).  My hair probably liked the overnight deep conditioning best, but it worked every way I tried it.  It was even mild enough that my scalp wasn't bothered by leaving it in long term.  After each use, my hair felt moisturized, yet strong.

Love it, Like it or Leave It:  Love it!


Sunday, April 13, 2014

Updates 4-13-14 and The Rinse Out Conditioner Hunt

Hey, beautiful people!  Sorry I’ve been MIA for a while, but I promise I have a good reason.  I’m pregnant!  Yup.  The end of my first trimester was pretty rough, including a trip to the ER, so I didn’t really have energy to do much, including post.  I hope to get back to posting more frequently now.

Aside from my big announcement, there isn’t much going on with me.  As you can probably tell from my posts, my goal right now in my natural hair journey is really figuring out what products work for my hair, so I’m still doing that by working through my toolbox essentials.  I’ve investigated what properties work for me in cleansers and moisturizers, and I think I’ve nailed both of those.  I even have staples and some backups.  I just have one more post for cleansers that I want to do on clarifying vs. chelating to make sure I understand the difference between the two.  Next, I’m looking at rinse out conditioners.

I’m a Youtube-a-holic and a LHCF-a-holic, and I’ve noticed that people with long hair don’t necessarily use all-natural products.  However, I’m still very conscious of what I put on my body, especially since I’m now carrying a little one.  I thought the best place to branch out into more "non-natural" commercial products would be with my rinse out conditioners.  There a few reasons why.  First, I run through them like water, so an inexpensive one would be great.  Second, I don’t leave it on my hair for long, so I’m less worried about the ingredients, though I’m still cautious.  Therefore, I’m going to take a few posts and investigate some of the more suspect ingredients in commercial rinse out conditioners.

Do you use products that are not all natural?  If so, which ones?

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

The African Black Soap Experiment

Hey, beautiful people!  As you probably know if you have been reading my blog, I’m currently on a no-buy.  This means that I have been trying to avoid purchasing any new products until I hit my goals.  I am currently out of shampoo, though I still have four co-washes with cleansing agents.  Normally, the co-washes are enough to cleanse my hair.  However, the other day, I experimented with a setting lotion that left flakes in my hair and I wanted to make sure I thoroughly cleansed my hair to get it all out.  I didn’t want to buy a shampoo, so I had to get creative with what I had around the house.  That is when I decided to try my african black soap body wash on my hair.  I will do a formal review after I try this a few more times, but I just had to mention that it worked!  My hair felt clean, yet soft.  If this consistently works for my hair, I may stop buying shampoos and just use this and my beloved As I Am Coconut Co-wash (I know I need to do a review on this as well).  I’m excited!


Have you ever tried black soap as shampoo?  What did you think?

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Cleansing Agents In Shampoos And Cleansing Conditioners

Hey fellow HHJs!  I recently finished up all of the shampoo that I have in my stash, but I still have a number of cleansing conditioners.  Since I’m on a no buy challenge, my dilemma has been whether to borrow some of my hubby’s stripping shampoo or just stick to these cleansing conditioners.  My concern with cleansing conditioner has always been whether it would be cleansing enough.  I have always loved the As I Am Coconut Co-wash, which feels like it cleanses.  I also tried the Ouidad Curl Co-wash, which was a little too stripping for my hair.  However, I've heard rumors that some of the other co-washes are basically the same as regular conditioner.  So, I decided to do a little research to figure out what makes a cleansing conditioner different from a regular, rinse out conditioner.  To avoid making the post on my research too long, I’m going to break it out into two parts.  This part will talk foundation for what makes a great cleanser.  The second part will talk about specific cleansing ingredients to look for.

First off, let’s start with two basic concepts.  The purpose of a shampoo is to cleanse, which includes binding to dirt and oil to remove it.  The purpose of a rinse out conditioner is to balance ph levels and coat the hair cuticles to make it easier to detangle the hair.  In other words, while shampoo binds to oil, conditioner binds to hair.  I assume that the goal of an effective co-wash / cleansing conditioner is be a hybrid of the two.  With that in mind, I’m not as concerned with the conditioning portion of a cleansing conditioner, as I am about the cleansing portion.

In terms of cleansers, the active ingredient for removing dirt and oil from the hair is a surfactant.  Surfactants are great for two reasons.  First, they are great because they have two parts, one part that is water loving (hydrophilic) and one part that loves fat (lipophilic) and fears water (hydrophobic).  The fat-loving part is what binds to oil to remove it.  If you really want to know more about the structure of surfactants, the Natural Haven has two really great articles on this (here and here), so I’m not going to get more complex than that.  The important thing to know, for purposes of finding a proper cleanser, is that surfactants bind to oil and carry it away.

The second reason that surfactants are great is that many of them have a negative charge, which means that hair strands repel them, rather than holding on to them, because hair also has a slightly negative charge.  Remember that old saying that opposites attract?  It applies to hair too. 

Thus, there are three types of surfactants usually used in cleansers:  anionic surfactants (negative charge), zwitterionic / amphoteric surfactants (hybrid charge), and nonionic surfactants (no charge).  The stronger the negative charge, the better for cleansing hair.  Thus, anionic surfactants are the strongest cleansers, followed by zwitterionic, and then nonionic.  Positively charged (cationic) surfactants are almost never used as cleansers because they bind to the hair, rather than being repelled.  Have you guessed yet what kind of surfactant the conditioning agent BTMS contains?

In my next post, I will run through some common anionic, zwitterionic, and nonionic surfactants to look for in cleansers.

HAPPY CLEANSING!!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

The LOC Method and Low Porosity Hair

Hey, HHJs!  One technique frequently talked about in the natural hair community is the LOC method.  For those, who don’t know what the LOC method is, it is a method of moisturizing and sealing hair.  In short, you layer products as follows:



  • Liquid (water or water-based liquid)
  • Oil, water-less butter, or pomade
  • Cream, wax or other emulsified product (liquid and oil suspended together with an emulsifier)




If you think about oil and water normally, oil sits on top of the water, which is why oil makes a great sealant.  Thus, it makes sense that you should layer oil on top of water to minimize the amount of water being lost to the air (I previously talked about water loss in my deciphering glycerin post).  The cream adds an extra, safeguard layer of moisture and sealing.

Some HHJs I know have changed the steps to better suit their hair, such as doing LCO or LOCO.  If you are not using an oil that penetrates the hair strand, like avocado or olive oil, it may be better to use LCO so that the oil is not blocking the moisture in the cream from getting to the hair.

If you are high porosity, then layering is particularly important because water evaporates easily from your strands.  However, for low porosity ladies, like me, you may want to combine or eliminate steps.  You may also wish to combine or eliminate steps if, like me, you have fine strands that are easily weighed down.  As I have mentioned in other posts, I don’t really use straight oil because my low porosity, fine strands don’t need or like it.  One of the benefits of low porosity hair is that, once water is in the hair, it stays in fairly well because of the tight cuticles.  The trick is getting water in.  Thus, rather than using straight oil, I combine the L and O steps, using an oil and water mix made with hair-penetrating oils.  Then, I layer on my cream, which is usually one of the Purabody moisturizers or Oyin Hair Dew.  I personally avoid emulsifying wax because my hair doesn't like it.

Here are rough estimates of my oil/water spritz.  I use a 4 oz spray bottle, add the following, and then fill it to the top with water:
  • 1.5 teaspoons of Oil (I usually use a mix of Castor Oil, Grapeseed Oil and Avocado Oil; but, sometimes, I use olive oil or double-up on avocado oil.  It is important for my main oil to be one that can penetrate the hair strand.)
  • 5 drops of Rosemary essential oil
  • 10-15 drops of Peppermint essential oil
  • 10-15 drops of Lavender Tea Tree essential oil
  • In the summer, 1-2 teaspoons of glycerin

What is your experience with the LOC method?  Do you use it?  If so, how?

HAPPY MOISTURIZING & SEALING!!!

Saturday, January 25, 2014

The Healthy Hair Product Toolbox

Hey, HHJs!  For those just starting off on their natural hair journey, I thought it might be helpful to list some of the key items needed for your healthy hair product toolbox.  To get more details on specific products that I use in each category, visit my Favorite Products page or my Amazon store.  In full disclaimer, Amazon does pay me a commission on items purchased from my Amazon store.
  1. Shampoo or Cleanser - You need something that will bind to oil, dirt and product buildup to remove it from your hair.  If you are low porosity, like me, then simply conditioner washing will not always be enough.  You need something with cleansing agents in it.  I've been working on a cleansing agent post for about a month now, so it should be up soon.

  2. Rinse Out / Instant Conditioner - The purpose of a rinse out conditioner is to balance ph levels and coat the hair cuticles to make it easier to detangle the hair.  In other words, while shampoo binds to oil and dirt, conditioner binds to hair (adsorbs to hair).

  3. Deep Conditioner - These are particularly important if your hair is damaged, needs an intense moisture boost, or needs a protein boost.  Deep conditioners are left on the hair for awhile to give them time to penetrate the hair.  There are three types of deep conditioners (moisturizing, protein and hybrids).  I've already covered protein conditioners in a prior post.  Because I have low porosity and fine strands, I personally prefer hybrids containing light proteins.

  4. Leave-in Conditioner - These are lighter conditioners that are mild enough that they can be left on the hair long term.  Some instant conditioners can double as leave-ins, but some have ingredients that can irritate the scalp with time. 

  5. Moisturizer - I already have a post on finding a great moisturizer.  Water is the best moisturizer, so any “moisturizing” product should have water as the first or second ingredient.  Some leave-in conditioners can double as moisturizers.

  6. Sealant - This would be an oil or butter based product.  I don’t usually use a straight oil or butter to seal water into my hair as it is less necessary for low porosity ladies.  Instead, I use a cream or lotion, which is a mixture of water and oil/butter held together by an emulsifier like BTMS.
Based on the above, you probably could get by with a good cleanser, a deep conditioner, and an instant conditioner that multi-tasks as a rinse out, leave-in and moisturizer.  I'm just not that efficient because I’m a product junkie.

What is in your toolbox?
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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

You Know You Are Hair Obsessed When...

Hey, HHJs!  This morning I was thinking about my hair and realized that I am hair obsessed.  Here are five clues that led me to this conclusion:

  1. I have had hour long conversations with strangers about hair

  2. My two year old told someone "no dimethicone in this house"

  3. I have made my husband feel both sides of my hair to see which product works best (see my post on the battle of the Pura Body Moisturizers).  In the old days, he would have protested to having any part in the experiment, but he has since learned to give in.

  4. I frequently check my favorite hair forum before I go to bed and when I wake up.

  5. I have a detailed inventory of my hair products and a hair journal.

I don't think being hair obsessed is necessarily a bad thing as long as you still make it to work and function in everyday society.  However, perhaps that is just my addiction talking.


What are some clues that you might be hair obsessed?  Do you think I need rehab from my hair obsession?

HAPPY OBSESSING!!!



Saturday, November 23, 2013

Product Review: Battle of the Pura Body Naturals Moisturizers

Hey, fellow HHJS!  In preparation for Black Friday, I have been narrowing down my purchase list.  I really wanted to purchase just one Pura Body moisturizer because I have too many products.  I wanted either the MuruMuru Moisture Milk or the Sapote Hair Lotion but I was having a hard time figuring out which one. Initially, I loved the MuruMuru because I tried it first.  Then, I tried out the Sapote over a long trip to Atlanta, and I was confused again.  To help me out, this week I used them both consistently.  I wore the MuruMuru on the left side of my head, and the Sapote on the right.  I also compared ingredients and pricing.

 Price: They are both $15 for an 8 oz. bottle

Ingredients:  The ingredients are very similar in that they both start with water and have BTMS high on the list, but that is the end of the key similarities.  They have different oils/butters and other ingredients.
  • Sapote Hair Lotion:  Water, BTMS, Sapote Oil, Babassu Seed Oil, Cupuacu Butter, Brazil Nut Oil, Coconut Milk Powder, Green Tea Extract, Banana Fruit Powder, Mango Fruit Powder, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, and Capryl Glycol
  • MuruMuru Moisture Milk:  Water, murumuru butter, BTMS, castor bean oil, palm oil, avocado oil, chamomile extract, vitamin E, phenoxyethanol, capryl glycol, fragrance and/or essential oil.
Promise:  The website indicates that both can be used as a leave-in or daily moisturizer, creating soft, manageable hair.  However, only the MuruMuru indicates that it can work as a detangler.  The Sapote Lotion indicates that it can be used as a body lotion.

Consistency:  They are both the consistency of body lotion, but the Sapote is slightly creamier and the MuruMuru is a little thinner and more runny.  As you can see from the picture, I put both on a conditioner lid, and the MuruMuru (on the right) immediately ran to the bottom when I tilted the lid.

Scent:  I bought both in the Tahitian Vanilla scent, and the smell is heavenly.  They both have a warm vanilla scent, but then there is another light undertone to each one.  The Sapote smells like chocolatey vanilla, which makes sense because of the cupuacu butter.  The MuruMuru has a faint citrus to the vanilla.

Results:    Neither worked great for me as a leave-in.  I use my leave-in to do any remaining detangling and neither product is a great detangler, though the MuruMuru was slightly better at detangling.  As a daily moisturizer, my hair loved both of them and I had a hard time saying, which one was better.  I even had my hubby feel each side, and he said that the MuruMuru may make my hair a little more soft, but not by much.  I thought that the Sapote made my hair a little softer, but I also thought that it wasn't by much.  Both are great moisturizers.

Outcome:  If I had to choose, I guess I would pick the Sapote, but not by much of a preference.  Ultimately, I like them both  and I am buying them both on Black Friday if they are available.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Behentrimonium Methosulfate and BTMS - The Products, The Myths, The Legacy

Hey fellow HHJs (healthy hair journeyers)!  I am sorry the frequency of my postings have been a bit unpredictable lately.  I have been travelling a lot.  Over the past two weeks, I’ve only spent four nights in my own bed.  I’m so happy to finally be back home again.

As I indicated in a prior post, Behentrimonium Methosulfate appears to be a good ingredient for my leave-in conditioners and moisturizers, so I decided to do a little research. 

For any vegetarians, don’t worry.  Behentrimonium Methosulfate is derived from colza oil that is taken from the European colza plant, which is often confused with the plant used for rapeseed oil (aka Canadian oil or canola oil) because they are in the same plant family. 

Despite its oil origin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate is water soluble.  Also, although it is technically a sulfate, it is not a cleansing (aka hair stripping) sulfate.  Not all sulfates are bad.  Without getting too technical, a “sulfate” just means something is a salt of sulfuric acid.

Behentrimonium Methosulfate is usually used as an emulsifying conditioner.  It is a great conditioner because of its ability to bind to the surface of your hair and coat it, though not in a bad way.  This reduces friction, which can cause damage to the hair strand.  It also reduces static.  In my products, it is usually paired with cetearyl alcohol, but sometimes it is paired with cetyl alcohol and butylene glycol (a humectant).  For simplicity, I’m just going to call the combinations BTMS, which is how they are usually identified.  The “BTMS” is frequently followed by a number to indicate how much BTMS is actually in the combination (ex: BTMS-50 is 50% Behentrimonium Methosulfate).  The cetaryl or cetyl alcohol assists in keeping the BTMS on your hair.  Swift Craft Monkey has a great article on how this works - http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.ca/2010/05/chemistry-of-your-hair-adsorbing-and.html. 

As an emulsifier, BTMS is usually used to help keep a mix of oil and water (an emulsion) together.  Thus, you will usually see it in creams or lotions, which makes it great for my hair.  BTMS is also a favorite ingredient for baby products because it is extremely mild, so it is also safe to leave on your skin.  I even found an article that went so far as to call it “the mildest conditioning and detangling ingredient available.”

If you want to know of other products that contain BTMS, Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database has a list - http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/700658/BEHENTRIMONIUM_METHOSULFATE/ (click products).  I discovered at least one new product from this list that I think I now want to try -- Alba Botanica Leave-in Conditioner.  Has anybody tried this?

HAPPY DISCOVERING!!!

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Deciphering Glycerin

Now that winter is basically here, I was trying to decide whether I want to try using my glycerin based products in the winter time.  Based on my research, I don't.  Glycerin (also called glycerol or glycerine) has two common uses in hair care -- as a lubricant and as a humectant.  For hair purposes, that means it can improve the smoothness of the hair strand; and it can draw moisture to it and slow down the rate at which water is evaporated from it.   Glycerin is water soluble, which means that it mixes well with water.

There are two reasons to be careful when using glycerin.  First, like any humectant, pure glycerin can be drying because it may pull water from the lower layers of skin onto the surface where the water can easily be evaporated into the air or rubbed off (i.e., with a hat or scarf).  It can also be sticky if you use too much.  Thus, it is important to always dilute it.  When making my own water spritz, I usually mix about 2 tablespoons of glycerin to 4 oz. of water. 

Second, the effects of glycerin can vary by the humidity in the air.  This is a sister point to the first one.  Because glycerin likes to draw water to it, in humid weather, this means that it is pulling water from the air.  This can be beneficial because it helps to moisturize your hair.  However, if you find that your hair is getting frizzy in humid weather, you may need to cut back on glycerin.  In dry / arid weather, glycerin may pull water from your hair and skin because it cannot pull it from the air.  Thus, if you are going to use glycerin in a dry climate, make sure that the glycerin-containing product also contains water.  If it does not, you could do the baggy method or take a steamy shower to infuse water into the glycerin before it hits the dry air.  You could also try using a sealant, like an oil, to keep the water from leaving your hair when it is pulled to the surface.

To determine the humidity in the air, it is best to look at the dew point, rather than the humidity.  When the weather channel mentions humidity, however, they are usually talking about “relative humidity”, which is the amount of water vapor in the air compared to what could be in the air at the current temperature.  The dew point is a specific measurement of the amount of water vapor in the air.  A dew point above 60o F is usually considered humid, and a dew point below 40o F is usually considered dry. 

As a disclaimer, I don’t plan to check the weather channel every morning before doing my hair.  I just go based on feel.  Optimally, I would use glycerin mixed with water and styling products with glycerin high on the list in medium dew point temperatures (40o-60o).  However, because my hair is low porosity, my hair does not frizz easily in high humidity, so I’m less concerned than others might be in the summer, but I still don’t want to overdo it.  Thus, I will probably use glycerin more freely in the spring, summer and early fall; and I would avoid using glycerin-based stylers and moisturizers in late fall and all of winter, though it is still okay to use glycerin-based conditioners.  Of course, where glycerin is low on the product ingredient list, then these rules of thumb are less important.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

The Low Porosity Journey

The most important two things to remember for low porosity hair are that:  (1) it is really to get water or anything else into the strands because the cuticles are closed tightly; and (2) time and indirect heat are your greatest friends in getting things into the hair strand.  Keeping those two things in mind, here are just a few observations and techniques I have started to pick up on my low porosity journey:

  • I've realized that my low porosity is probably the reason that it took forever for my relaxer to process, and why my hair usually ended up overprocessed or underprocessed.
  • Even with a silicone-free regimen, I still have to shampoo because I'm prone to build-up.  Even natural products tend to sit on my hair strands.  
  • I need to give conditioner a lot of time and some heat to work.  I usually deep condition overnight or with a heat cap for a minimum of 20 minutes to give my hair time to absorb the conditioner.  Steam would also work.
  • Milky and light cream products work best.  I sometimes have to thin out products with grapeseed oil, so I always have some around.  Pure shea butter is too thick.
  • I cannot run out the door immediately after putting leave-in on my hair because the leave-in sometimes takes awhile to absorb.  I sometimes see white specks for the first 20-30 minutes.  
  • It takes forever for my hair to dry.  I've had my hair take up to 24 hours to airdry.

HAPPY GROWING!!!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Determining Your Hair Properties

As I mentioned in my last post, even if you are a product junkie, it is important to do it in a controlled way.  You have to figure out the types of products that work for your hair.  Otherwise, you will end up throwing a lot of money down the drain.  A key step in figuring out the types of products that work for your hair and how to use them is learning your hair properties.  In my opinion, there three key aspects:

1.  Hair porosity - There are a few tests to determine hair porosity. GreenBeauty has a great Youtube video on three of them.  The most popular is the water cup test. Take a clean strand (i.e., no products on it) and place it in a clear cup of room temperature water. If the strand sinks to the bottom, it is high porosity.  If it floats in the middle, it is normal.  If it continues to float on top after several minutes, it is low porosity. Low porosity hair also usually takes a long time to dry.  It also doesn't need much protein, and you really have to work to get moisture into it because the cuticles on the hair shaft like to stay closed.  You may even notice water beading on top of it.  With high porosity hair, it's easy to get moisture in, but the trick is keeping it in because the cuticles like to stay open.  My hair is a mix of low and normal porosity, so it is really hard for me to get water or anything else into my strands.  I need to use lighter products, and I have to give products time to absorb.

2.  Hair Width  - This is the thickness of each hair strand.  Fine is thinner than a piece of thread. Medium is about the same diameter as a piece of thread, and coarse is thicker than a piece of thread. Fine is usually more fragile, and cannot use "heavy" products. Fine hair tends to like protein.  Again, my hair is a mix.  Due to my hair width and porosity, I can only use lighter proteins.  Note that hair width is different from hair density.  For example, I have fine hair, but high density (meaning a lot of it).

3.  Hair Texture/Type (Curl Pattern) - Some people would disagree with me on whether this is important, particularly because so many people get hair typing wrong.  However, if used right, I think typing can be helpful, just not as much as hair texture and porosity. There are a number of hair typing systems. The most popular is the Andre Walker system. This picture and this link from NaturallyCurly.com are a good descriptive guide on the system.  Like the other two properties, my hair is a mix here as well.  I have pen-sized curls (3C) in my crown, frizzy masses (4B/C) around my edges from the front to my ears, and the majority of my hair is small crochet needle size or smaller curls (4A).  I usually use product consistency and styles that suit my smaller curls, but use more product and twists on the edges or hairpins to blend the textures.

On my pinterest page, I have more hair property tips that I've picked up along the way.

HAPPY ANALYZING!!

 *This post was updated 1/1/2017 to add a sentence on hair density.

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