Which came first the deep condition or the shampoo? My dry deep conditioning experience

Do you guys remember my review of Hair Fixer way back when? During the six weeks I used the product, I had to forgo using conditioner per their usage instructions. After that experience I learned to place a higher value on the pre-poo step. Since I couldn't deep condition as normal, I had to amp up my pre-poo by using higher quality product. Ever since I've paid close attention to maintain a pretty healthy pre-shampoo regimen but this time I decided to take it a step further.

Instead of using conditioners like Long Term Relationship, etc for my pre-poo, I decided to go all out and conduct a full deep conditioning (pre-shampoo) session. On dry hair, I applied a mix of my favorite high quality conditioners like Biolage, Silicon Mix Protein de Perla, Aveda Damage Repair, and other heavy hitters. I also added a little Argan oil and popped open some vitamin e capsules into the mix. Then I proceeded to part my dry hair into small sections and applied liberally.

Next I finished it off as I would any deep conditioning session, with heat. After 30 minutes or so under the dryer, I jumped in the shower and proceeded to cleanse the hair with WEN. Just before I jumped out of the tub, I reapplied some conditioner to the hair and allow it to sit on the hair for a couple of minutes before the final rinse with cold water. After that rinse, I proceeded with styling. The coolest part about this process was that I only had to jump in the shower only once which is way more efficient than my traditional way of doing things.

So the question I have to ask myself is whether or not this method is more beneficial to the hair or is the time savings the only benefit. To better answer this question one has to look at what happens when the hair becomes wet. Water is easily absorbed into our hair strands. In fact, our hair is so attracted to water that it'll readily pull water from the air. That's why we're constantly fighting against frizz in humid weather. The hair strand can expand as much as 30% when exposed to water. When I think about this swelling effect water has on the hair I ask myself, "is it possible that the absorbed water could be taking up valuable space in my strand that should be granted to my conditioner?"

If that's the case, then it would make sense to apply conditioner to dry hair, then utilize heat to open the cuticle layer, and allow the deep conditioning process to happen. I can tell you from my experience that I had less hair loss this wash then in previous sessions. Not only did I realize some great benefits during the wash, I also enjoyed great feeling hair throughout the week. Dry deep conditioning requires more product then normal deep conditioning. I found myself having to apply ample conditioner just to saturate the hair. In the long run, I'm sure it'll be a little more expensive since I use less conditioner during my normal routine. But I think the results will speak for themselves. You should also check out a post a while back sharing the details of a study that supports the importance of applying product to the hair prior to the wash for added protection to the cuticle layer.

Some might be thinking, "isn't having lots water in the strand a good thing?" Yes it can be a good thing but remember that water evaporates. If I can help it, I'd rather have the deep conditioning ingredients swelling up the strand, no just water alone. The key to making this process successful is using heat to open the up cuticle layer so the conditioner can truly penetrate. Once the cuticle is open, your hair is ready for 100% conditioner penetration. No additional water taking up any valuable cuticle space.

I'll be using this method over the next several weeks to see if the benefits are lasting. I really hope this will turn into a permanent change in my regimen. The thought of saving time on wash day and the possibility of a deeper conditioning process gets me all excited. Anyone tried this technique before?

How It's a 10 Miracle w/Keratin & Biolage Strengthening Masque combined together to create hair perfection!

There I was, minding my own business the other day, when I received the following text message:



You could imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to receive such a glowing review so I immediately responded back to find out more. I did what anyone in my position would do....I send her a reply text and requested photographic evidence. Minutes later we were having an actual phone conversation and she proceeded to tell me how excited she was about the loveliness levels of her hair. When she visited the beauty store, she intented to buy Biolage’s Cera Repair after reading my battle post but couldn’t find it (cera repair is sold only online). Instead she picked up the Intensive Strengthening masque which also contains ceramides. She also read my review of It’s a 10 Leave-in and was also on a mission to pick it up but noticed the Keratin version of the same product and opted to upgrade.

I’ve got to preface the rest of my post by mentioning that this individual is not your typical “hair fanatic” like the rest of us. I’m sure she not a member of any of the hair boards and probably doesn’t read any hair blogs. Truth is, she probably only browsed through my blog because we’ve known each other personally for years.

With that said, I tried to be cautious when asking for pictures to share on the blog ‘cause I know that not everyone is comfortable with that kind of thing. Surprisingly she quickly agreed. Not only did she share some pics with us but she also talked a little about what she did to achieve that amazing result.

So without further adieu, here is what she described to me via email:

Hey Nadege,

Round 2...same Great Results! Almost no hair shedding...not only does my hair feel and look incredibly soft and silky, this deep conditioning regimen is also really strengthening my hair, too. I've attached pics, but trust me when I say, my hair looks so much better in person - I just wish I were a better photographer so I could really showcase what these products are doing for my hair. Personally, I think any good conditioning products may do as long as you leave it on your hair for at least 30 mins, but here's an overview of what I used:

While showering I used:
Dove Nutrive Therapy Shampoo - washed and rinsed twice; 3 mins

After showering, I applied:
It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin - lightly sprayed all over hair and massaged through hair and scalp.
Matrix Biolage Intensive Strengthening Masque - massaged all over hair after applying the It's a 10 product. Placed a plastic cap on head and heated hair w/blow dryer for 3-5mins (will skip this step next time to see if results change)
Let the product sit on hair for another 45mins (this is the most important step I think)
Rinsed hair with luke warm water first, then finished rinsing w/cold water
Blow dryed hair, and applied a little Biosilk before using a flat iron to style....
And Voila - the soft and silky feel of my hair was about 90% comparable to when I go to professional salons! Once I master blowing and flat ironing, you guys aren't going to be able to tell me nothin' :o)

Thanks for the ceramide recommendation. Keep up the blog - it's working miracles...I'm living proof!



I’m really excited for her. When we talked on the phone I couldn’t stop smiling as I visualized how amazing her hair looked. I’m so glad she reached out to me because she actually introduced me to two new amazing products. I purchased them last weekend and had a chance to test drive. I won’t say much in this post but I will tell you that I was all smiles. In a later post, I’ll recreate her process with these two products and tell you how it goes.

By the way, I love hearing about success stories so if you have a great story to tell about products you’ve tried from this blog, or even products I haven’t heard about before, feel free to send me an email, leave a comment, or post it on our fan page.

Humidity: When too much moisture becomes a bad thing

(source)

March 20th is officially the first day of spring this year. Since I live in a warmer climate, thoughts of spring and summer weather have been on my mind for several weeks. One question in particular has plagued me since last summer and today I decided to do my research to see what I could uncover. The question is this, "does high humidity weather have adverse effects on my hair?" Where I live, I'm subjected to 100% humidity day after day in the summer time. Even though we're still in the month of March, the humidity levels in my city today is expected to reach 80%. For years it's been more of a nuisance to me than anything else but recently I've asked myself, "could there be more to this humidity thing?'

Not too long ago I received an email question from a reader of this blog. In it she mentioned how her hair seems to do better when flat ironed weekly that if she wore braid outs etc. My response to her was that it likely had to do with the "sealing" that occurred when she flat ironed which kept the cuticle layer down and frizz at bay. Little did I know, at that time, how detrimental frizz actually is to the hair.

From my search I learned that the hair strand tends to quickly absorb the water particles from the air in a high humidity environment. Logic would tell you that's a good thing but that's far from the truth. In actuality, a study done in 2007 determined that the more water content inside the hair (from a high humidity environment) the less hydrogen bonding occurs and the hair becomes less elastic. In the study, they also found that bleached hair absorbed more water than virgin hair. For all intents and purposes, let's also classify relaxed hair in the same category as highly porous hair and likely to absorb moisture at greater levels.

So wouldn't the ability to absorb moisture at higher levels be a good thing? Not necessarily. Porous hair can take in so much water that the hair follicle actually becomes swollen. According to the study published in the cosmetic Journal of Cosmetic Science, the absorbed water molecules break and replace hydrogen bonds inside the hair. Since, these hydrogen bonds are responsible for 50% of the hair elasticity, more absorbed water means less elastic hair which could mean more breakage. That's why they say "wet hair is more susceptible to breakage." Oh, by the way, this intense swelling could also raise the cuticle layer which is why the hair feels so rough in high humidity conditions. Rough, brittle and porous hair is the perfect recipe for breakage so now we have to create a plan to combat the effects of humidity before the summer gets here.

When I checked online for possible solutions, over and over again I was told to reach for silicone based products. While I do agree that silicones offer a beneficial barrier against moisture, I wonder if there could be a better way. So my next step in this process is to look at some alternative actions I can do help minimize the the adverse effects of humidity. I'll discuss more in detail on a follow up post. Stay tuned........

Begin with the ends in mind: How to keep the ends of your hair strong and healthy

At the start of the year, one of my intentions was to promote thickness to all areas of my hair. Last year around this time, one side of my hair was suffering miserably at the hands of damage. The damage was there long enough to cause sporadic thinning in certain sections. Today, I'm happy to say that overall, my goal of regaining my thickness back has almost been completely realized.

So now I look ahead. Over the past few months I've taken some specific action to address the concerns I've had regarding the health of my scalp, massive tangling, and consistent breakage. All though I'm not completely out of the woods yet, I'm confident that I'll soon get there. Now my focus turns to the place where my attention is needed most, my ends.

You all are well aware of the importance of healthy ends in the fight for retention. Healthy ends are critical for anyone who really is serious about this hair journey thing. Strong, healthy ends has been especially elusive for me as a person who doesn't protective style. Not only are my ends exposed most of the time, what's worse is I've got this horrendous habit of constantly keeping my hands in my hair. Even more horrifying is how I'm constantly manipulating my ends for no reason whatsoever. I cringe when I think about it.

I have a small dog who take out to use the restroom every morning. He's a creature of habit who tends to use the same small area each time he goes. I soon realized that even though he's a lightweight with tiny little paws, his behavior of using the same area day after day is wearing out my lawn. I also noticed that I'm doing the same thing to my ends. Day after day, I casually play with the same parts of my hair. How can I not expect the same type of results my lawn is exhibiting from being trampled by my dog?

Now that I know, I've got to do something about it. That something has to be powerful enough to create visible change months from now. Since I don't intend on hiding my hair 'till summer, I've got to lay some other ground rules that, hopefully will be just as effective. I'll continue to flush out ideas as time passes but I'll share with you what I have so far. When I think about the keys to healthy ends, I reflect back to the wise words of Wanakee which will forever be seared into my brain. Wanakee stressed that hair consistently exposed to air would suffer. She gave us the perfect illustration of the silk on the cob of corn. The silk exposed to the outside was all dried and crinkly while the silk protected under the husk was soft, moisturized and healthy.

I've decided to try to incorporate two of the most effective benefits of protective styling and try to replicate them on hair exposed to the elements. Protective styling gives your hair two key benefits: moisture retention and low manipulation. Those two combined are the bread and butter of healthy thick hair. Let's talk about how I intend on incorporating these two benefits without hiding my hair.

1.) Like I said earlier, my worst habit is my consistent need to manipulate the older (weakest) part of my hair. Since my hair is down a lot, I play with my ends a lot. After some careful consideration, I think I've come up with a solution that protects the very ends of my hair without having to bun.

I think back to the post I did where I interviewed a fabulously-haired stranger and my friend's house. One of the tips she shared with me was that she used flexi-rods on her ends every night. I realize now that every time I "bump" the ends with either flexi-rods or satin covered sponge rollers, I rarely ever play with the ends of my hair for fear of destroying the style. Thus my new method of preserving the thickness of my ends will be to keep my ends protected (from me) by tucking them under with the use of curls. Another thing I try to do when I wear curly styles is create tight curls. That way my hair isn't brushing against my shoulders or back. If this becomes a consistent style for me, my desire to manipulate will shrink drastically.

2.) Another key step to creating full healthy ends will come from my ability to keep them well moisturized/lubricated so they can better respond when I do manipulate them. Years ago, I was going through this phase were every 4 hours, I would re-apply a light oil to the length end ends of my hair. I tell you, it was during those times I would receive the most compliments on how healthy my hair looked. Not only did my hair look great to those on the outside looking in, it felt amazing. So I've decided to re-institute an old habit of carrying around a tiny bottle of filled with my favorite oils so I can retouch consistently throughout the day. Think about how often we have to reapply lotion or lip gloss because of the drying effects to air exposure. I know our hair can also need a little freshening up throughout the day. Why wait till the end of the day to re-moisturize? I prefer to try keeping my moisture levels consistent as much as possible.

I also had another idea. You know how some brands have come out with combs and brushes "infused" with natural oils in the fiber. I actually bought one of those brushes once and was sorely disappointed. I think I even ended up throwing it away after a while. Even though the execution of the idea was lackluster, I still think they were on to something with that idea. A lubricated comb or brush might make a difference in the amount of hair lost during the styling process. That's why I've decided to make a bootleg version of their idea with the use of my best detangling/wide tooth combs and some oil sheen.

Profectiv makes a couple of different oil sheen products. What I like about the ingredients are how natural they are. No mineral oil or silicone. Just ingredients like olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, silk amino acids, avocado oil, castor oil, etc. Although I haven't used spray oil sheen to finish off a style in years, I still find value in these these products as comb lubricators. That's right. I've used my oil sheen to help my comb turn into a true "oil infused" product. Because Profectiv uses real natural oil in their product, the result can sometimes be too heavy for day to day usage. So instead, I'm thinking I use this to spray my combs during my detangling sessions on weekly wash days.

Maintaining Strength

One last thing I have to make sure to do is really protect the length of my hair from over-processing when I touch up. I didn't even think about how relaxer run-off could impact the previously relaxed hair until fairly recently. For the very ends of the hair, this could mean the 10th or 20th time they've come in contact with a relaxer. So it's really important that we coat the hair with natural oils, Porosity Control, vaseline, neutralizing shampoo, or something. The point is not to let them go naked into such a traumatic process. Another cardinal rule of thumb I live by is "never use any electrical heated hair styling tool to create curls." There are just too many alternatives out there for me to use such a harmful styling method for curling.

I'll continue to think of more creative ways of reducing manipulation, promoting moisture, maintaining strength to all of my hair, especially my ends. If I place those key points as a focus. I have complete confidence that my ends will have no choice but to thrive. I'm still looking for other ideas I can incorporate. How do you keep your ends thick and healthy?

Protective Stylers rejoice! The Scünci Evolution creates healthier ponytails.

Some of the things we have to be aware of along our hair journey are the little opportunities to make seemingly small improvements that make a big impact on the health of our hair. Today I'm here to talk about one of those "small improvements."

Specifically, instead of a product or technique, I want to rave about my newest hair accessory. Ladies, let me introduce you to the newest technology in the area of hair elastics. Remember the old days where ponytail holders were secured together with the help of a metal fastener. Back then, some of these elastics were even rigged in their design. Some of you who've experienced these types of accessories know the ridges and metal fastener are breakage opportunities waiting to happen.

Then the makers of these accessories began to get smart about their design. The next level of greatness in the world of hair bands came in the form of the Ouchless band. I can still remember the day I first laid my eyes on the Ouchless bands. They were smooth all the way around without even so much as a hint of any damaging metal or snag-attracting ridges. As soon as I seen them, I knew they'd be a perfect addition to my hair product and accessory stash.
These newer bands worked really well for a while but I noticed that as time passed, the band would begin to stretch with overuse, and this would begin to happen.
The elastic could become exposed creating yet another opportunity for hair snagging to occur. Another flaw in the design of this band was the cloth-like material. Whether I realized it or not, every time I put my hair up in a ponytail using one of these hand bands, it would be absorbing the Gleau I applied little by little. Could the continuous absorption of product from the same area on a consistent basis be the culprit to the longer broken hairs I experienced from time to time?

This and other worries are no more because on my trip to Target the other day, I stumbled upon the latest technology in elastic hair bands. Ladies, meet the Scünci Evolution.

The Evelotion is the solution to all the minor inconveniences to modern day ponytail holders. This baby is made up of a 100% gel like material with no breaks in the design for potential snags. Best of all, the gel material is completely smooth all the way around and won't absorb any product away from my hair. The new design also seems to be made up of a more durable material that won't lose it's shape even after consistent usage. You protective stylers will love this. I picked these up for around $3.50. This has now become an item that I'm strongly recommending to you as a part of the continuous improvements to your hair journey. When I think of the possibilities of this upgrade long-term, I see healthier pony tails and less breakage over time. I'm currently on a temporary assignment that will last for several weeks. During this assignment, I have to wear my hair in away from my face on a daily basis. I can breathe a sigh of relief now that these bands have come into my possession. So why not look for these on your next trip to Target or Walgreens. You'll be glad you did.

Wanna know how I was able to reduce my rollersetting breakage?

You guys may remember but, not too long ago, I decided to take my journey to the next level with regards to my hair's length. Nothing would make me happier than to have low-mid back length hair. I understand, though, that I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage. Unlike others who are focused on gaining and retaining a length, I am a self-professed non-protective styler. Everyone knows that ever since the days of Wanakee, the general rule of thumb regarding healthy hair is to protect the ends from the elements.

Since I don't consistently hide my hair, I have to overcompensate with an intense weekly wash and set ritual. While my wash routine does wonders to re-create the moisture/strength balance in my hair, there are also aspects of my routine that frustrate the heck out of me. The most concerning step for me is the roller set. While I love rollersetting and the wonderful results that comes with it, I'm not at all happy with the amount of hair I lose during the process. Sometimes after a rollersetting session, I'm puzzled at the size of the ball of hair staring at me.

So this week I took some time to sit back and contemplate what I was doing wrong with regards to my roller setting practice. Better yet, I really wanted to find a better way to complete the process without experiencing as many casualties as I had in the past.

I'm happy to say to you that I've made a slight modification to my rollersetting routine the other day and the results were a huge improvement! This past week I lost 1/5 the amount of hair I normally do during the roller set and all I did was make a slight modification. So let me share with you my secret.....

For as long as I can remember, my rollersetting routine has been as follows:

1. Step out of the shower

2. Apply creamy leave-in

3. Take a section of hair.

4. Spray water/leave-in on section

5. Comb section with wide-tooth comb

6. Comb section with small tooth (if needed).

7. Roll hair

8. Repeat steps 3-7

Last week, however, things were different because I was reminded of one of the golden rules of healthy tresses:

"hair when wet can lose up to 50% of its strength."

What I realized was that I was manipulating my hair the most when it was the weakest. Once I made this realization, I immediately knew something had to change. There was no way I could continue to put my hair through such a tramatic process week after week. One thing you should know is that I have a hard time producing a decent result when air drying so that was not an option. What I decided to do instead was to shift the steps of my process to look like this:

1. Step out of the shower.

2. Apply creamy leave-in

3. Allow hair to begin to air dry under silk scarf

4. Remove scarf when hair is 70% dry.

5. Take small section of hair.

6. Comb section with wide tooth comb

7. Apply water/leave-in (to moisten the already detangled section so it can lay smooth against the roller).

8. Roll section

9. Repeat steps 5-8

So if you look at the two variations of my routine closely, you'll notice that I allow the drying process to occur before I start the heavy manipulation. For me, hair that is slightly damp is so much easier to detangle than hair that is soaking wet. By only making that small change in my routine, I was able to cut down the time it takes me to rollerset. Not too mention that I was all smiles when I checked out the amount of hair lost during the process. My sligthly damp hair withstood the combing so much easier than my hair soaking wet. I've only used this process once but I can't imagine going back to trying to detangle soaking wet hair...it's just to risky.

This slight changed produced a pretty dramatic change for me. I can imagine the thickness and length I'll preserve if I am able to continue this trend of only losing a small amount of hair each wash. I thought I'd share this little tip in case any one else is battling with excessive breakage during the roller set.

Thanks for listening.

A Review of Silicon Mix Bambu Conditioner

I am more than excited to introduce to you the next installment in the incredible Silicon Mix line. My love affair with Silicon Mix began way back when with their first deep conditioner. I fell in love with the slip and softness I experienced with this product. It became a staple from the very first use. Some time later, Silicon Mix expanded their line by creating the Protein de Perla conditioner. You guys know from my review of the product that the Pearl Protein conditioner soon surpassed the original on my list of favorite conditioners.

What I appreciate most about the Pearl Protein is the impact it has on my hair. For some reason, this conditioner leaves my hair light and silky which is a huge plus for someone like me who roller sets and wears her hair out during the week. After being matched up with this conditioner, I thought I reached the pinnacle of Silicon Mix enlightenment. That is, until I stumbled upon this wonderful specimen.

Silicon Mix Bambu carries on the torch with regards to the product line's quality. Unlike the Pearl conditioner, this one has a much more palatable scent. I think I actually compared the pearl conditioner's smell to a scented cleaning solution in my review post. Bambu, on the other hand, is so much more pleasing to the senses. This conditioner is quickly becoming my favorites because along with the great scent, bambu contains some make or break qualities which are essential to great conditioners.

Thick & Rich

There's nothing I hate more than the experience of watching deep conditioner run-off flow down the drain right after application. When I put deep conditioner on damp hair, my expectation is that every ounce remain on the strand where it can handle it's business. Silicon Mix Bambu is nice and thick, but no so thick that it hinders application. For instance, I sometimes have to dilute my Cholesterol conditioner with oil or a watery counterpart just so I can apply evenly to the hair. Because of bambu's ease of use I found no need to create a conditioner blend. I was extremely content just using this product on it's own. I actually enjoyed the application process with this conditioner. If I had to use one word to describe this conditioner, that word would be nourishing.

Unique Ingredient

Sure, you probably have a conditioner or two which already contain whey protein but what about one with bamboo extract? Did you know bamboo extract is the riches source of silica at over 70%. Bamboo extract is also said to be rich in minerals and proteins. Those of you who are familiar with the plant know that one of the reasons Bamboo is widely used has to do with it's amazing strength. According to Wikipedia, Bamboo was used in China to hold up simple suspension bridges. Silicon Mix bambu conditioner also contains biotin, panthenol a slew of vitamins, and horse chestnut extract as a supporting cast to the feature ingredient.

Softness and strength

My hair is extremely sensitive to protein. Lately I find myself seeking out alternative strengtheners to traditional protein products so I can avoid that dreaded stiffness associated with too much protein. That's part of the reason I mix my conditioners every wash. I have to balance moisture and strength with each deep conditioner application. I feel like when I use Silicon Mix bambu, I don't have the desire to mix with other conditioners. When used on it's own, my hair felt strengthened. As I washed it out, my hair felt incredibly soft. To be honest with you, the conditioner softened my hair more than I expected.

So, you probably have already figured out by now that this product has instantly gained staple status in my routine. I have short term plans to repurchase a larger quantity so I can use more liberally when I condition. The Silicon Mix brand has done it again. Three great conditioners each offering their own unique benefit. I definitely recommend this product to anyone on the hunt for a nourishing conditioner. If your hair is at all familiar with the Silicon Mix product line then, you won't be disappointed.

Are you protecting your cuticle layer from uneccessary protein loss?

Combing is just one of those things we all have to do on a regular basis for grooming purposes and managing tangles. This is why I have to share with you some interesting facts I read about as a result of a study conducted in 1995. In the study presented at the Annual meeting of Cosmetic Scientists. Researchers sought to isolate and measure the amount of protein the hair strand loses during the simple acts of shampooing and combing. Their hypothesis was that hair fragments from the cuticle layer are chipped away gradually causing eventual deterioration of the hair strand.

As part of the study, the researchers combed strands of hair for 10 strokes, measured protein loss, then combed again for another 10 strokes, measure, and continue with the same process for up to 100 strokes. As you would imagine, they found that the amount of protein loss increased directly in correlation with the number of combing strokes each strand received. The next phase of the study involved shampooing the strands of hair. Following the shampoo, the strands were combed to see how much protein would be lost as a result the process. In this particular study, they tested the effectiveness of two separate shampoos. "Brand B" was found to offer better protection against cuticle chipping protein loss than "Brand A". Not only that, they also noticed that the strand shampooed with Brand B did not increase the protein loss amount as they continued to increase the number of combing strokes. So in other words, "B's" protection of the strand remained consistent no matter how many times the hair was combed during that session. I tried desperately to determine what ingredient(s) were unique to Brand B that set it apart from "A". No clue was given in the study other than the fact that "shampoo B [allowed the hair to] comb significantly more easily than shampoo A."

Overall, the researchers found that protein loss was the highest in non-conditioning shampoos.

Although most of the study was conducted on virgin hair, those involved in the research took it to the next level by testing chemically altered hair (permed/bleached). Obviously, hair that was chemically treated saw the highest amount of protein loss during manipulation. This is due to the changes to the hair shaft after the chemicial treatment. The cuticle layers are more prone to open up as a result of the process. This makes it easier to experience chipping during manipulation.

One of the conclusions made after testing both virgin and processed hair is that the same conditioners which helped to provide some cuticle protection to virgin hair, offered little to no protection when used on the same type of hair after a chemical process. Remember when I posted a link to Royale3086's regimen video? If you recall, Royale said she opts for products made for damaged/dry hair even if her hair looks and feels strong. I have always followed the same reasoning. Don't go by how healthy your hair seems. If you have udergone any chemical process, always reach for extra moisturizing/strengthening products made specifically for chemically treated hair. Your tresses will respond much better to these types of products, and they'll to protect your even after the product has been washed out.

I should also mention that the method researchers used to collect the lost "protein" for measurement was simply by shaking the hair strand in a container of water. The loosened hair fragments would be extracted from the water for assessment. When I read this, I thought about how much protein we could be loosing just from the simple of act regular washing. This study was quite interesting, for me, so I thought I'd list some key tips that we can learn from to protect our hair from this dreaded protein loss.

• Protein loss in the hair strand increased with the number of comb/brush strokes. Knowing this, we should always make sure that when ever we comb, we lubricate the hair with our most effect moisturizer and or natural oil. This will help to create that "ease of combing" which reduces protein loss. Ease of combing=fewer strokes.
• If you are not pre-pooing, shame on you! By pre-pooing, you are providing extra cuticle layer protection prior to the manipulation that will occur during your wash. Even if you aren't scrubbing the hair clean, there will be some friction during the process. Protect your hair, do...not....skip.....the.....pre.....poo.....step.
• Add some coconut oil to the pre-poo. Coconut oil, in a different study, was found to help penetrate the follicle bringing it's nourishing properties all the way down to where the hair needs it most.
• Always go for products designed for weak damaged hair. Even if your hair feels strong at the moment. Remember, the chipping away is gradual. If you aren't always providing your hair that protection, you might find yourself reacting to damage later on instead of protecting your hair from further damage today.
• Use detangling combs to help with ease of combing. Remember, the fewer strokes you use, the better.
• Of course, remember, to use the most extreme care you can whenever handling wet hair.
• Do not stop searching until you find the perfect conditioning shampoo. The more slip/softness the shampoo provides, the more protected your cuticle layer from excessive chipping.
• Stock up on ceramide containing products. Remember, ceramides are the quintessential glue that helps keep the cuticle layer intact. The more ceramide your strand contains, the better chance it has at withstanding damage due to manipulation.

I don't know about you, but I can certainly say that I benefited from learning from the findings that resulted from the study. Going forward, I'll be thinking about the tiny little cuticle chips that I may stand to lose anytime I get lazy, or heavy handed with my hair (especially during the wash).

Hope this helped you. I know it will make a big difference in how I approach my wash going forward.

Dear Biolage Cera Repair,

I'm writing you in regards to our encounter last wash. While I already had a plethora of products which contained ceramides, I still felt like our experience was a special one. I loved the fact that you come in 5 individual tubes which made for easy application. Another thing I liked about your .5 ounce package is my ability to cut it open so I can scrape every last bit of you to apply to my hair.

You wouldn't believe how happy I was about the fact that you are a gel and not a liquid. This really helped me apply you to my freshly washed hair without worry of you dripping all over the place. There was no dripping at all that day. Every ounce of you remained right where I wanted it to be.

You know what else I appreciate about you? You're in a small package but you've got a lot in you. I felt like there was enough for me to cover all of my hair. I even felt like I had enough to apply you to some of my most needed areas twice. I should also be honest and tell you that even though you instructed me to leave you in for 3-5 minutes, I made the experience last much longer. If fact, I actually applied you to clean hair, then layered some Silicon Mix conditioner over you to help raise moisture. I left you guys in for much longer than what you recommended.

I realized that even though you are a product of Biolage's hydratherapie line, you would act more as a strengthener than a moisture creating product. This is why I did what I did. Going forward, I'll continue to merge you with my moisturizing conditioners.

So after my deep conditioning was over, I rinsed and felt the difference you made in my hair. I felt you reinforcing my strands, protecting them for the week that lay ahead. At the end of my rollerset, I found my self with strong, exceptionally healthy looking hair. None of my other ceramide products have been able to mirror your results. I must also tell you that my Silicon Mix ceramide leave-in complimented you perfectly. I rubbed some in after my rollerset and I was in heaven.

I like you.

I hope that like my beloved Hair Fixer, you will only make my hair better and stronger with every application. In fact, I can't wait until we're together again next wash day. Even though feelings for you are starting to develop, I feel like I mustn't just keep you to myself. This is why I'll purchase another box of five tubes, divide them, and give away tubes to my blog readers. It's the right thing to do....

Oh, by the way, even though we will probably be the best of friends, I still have the desire in my heart to buy and use the Cera Repair Pro. I hope you're o.k. with this. Anyway, I'm starting to ramble now so I'll end by saying this........

I can't wait to see you again next wash day.

Silicon Mix Proteina De Perla and Sedal S.O.S Ceramidas review

Nowadays, I can't seem to walk by a product containing ceramides without wanting to just snatch it up. I have quite a few products so far, some have worked well, some only adequately but I feel like I've hit the jackpot with a couple of them. Ladies, let me introduce you to Silicon Mix Proteina de Perla leave in and Seda's S.O.S ceramidas. Both are leave-ins that can be used daily. Treating your hair with ceramides at wash time is great but why not do a little better by giving your hair a little ceramide treat everyday.

I'll talk a little more about these products. First of all when comparing the price, the Silicon Mix is way more expensive. In fact, the minute I saw the product on the store shelf, I picked it up without even so much as looking at the price. It wasn't until I was paying the bill that I questioned if the cashier had rung my product twice. I think I paid close to $13.00 for a bottle. Soon after, I noticed a couple of bottles of Sedal's ceramidas at an ethnic grocery store. Ceramidas was much more pocket book friendly at around $4.00 so I picked up two bottles. I saw Ceramidas at another store yesterday for about $5.60. Either way, it's still more economical than Silicon Mix.

Do I have any regrets about paying $12.00-$13.00 for one product when I can get a comparable for half the price? Absolutely not! While both products appear to seem similar at the surface, Silicon Mix has just a few extras that make it worth the cost. Not only does it contain ceramides, it also has keratin, silk protein, and pearl protein. Ceramidas doesn't boast of such extras. If you like Silicon Mix's pearl protein conditioner, then you'll love this leave in. The leave in and the conditioner very similar in color smell and texture. In fact, the leave in feels slightly like a lighter version of the conditioner. The biggest difference between the two is the ceramide ingredient which the conditioner doesn't have.

I've used both SOS ceramidas and Silicon mix as moisturizers (on dry hair). I love both of them. The ceramidas has more of a watery moisturizer feel. When I say watery, I don't mean as in consistency, I mean as in the way the product feels on the hair. It's highly moisturizing. The Silicon Mix has a lighter feel that still moisturizes but not as heavily. It feels more like a strengthening moisturizer (if there's such a thing). Both have my hair feeling light and healthy. And both are on my repurchase list. I haven't had to worry about heavy build up while using these leave-ins regulary for the past couple of weeks. Overall, I'm extremely pleased with both of the products. I'm a little more smitten with the Silicon Mix but that won't stop me from getting the SOS ceramidas conditioner that I saw the other day. Now that I've got these two staples, I think I'm gonna slow down a little on my need to buy ceramide containing products. The real reason why I'll slow down is because, with these two products, my hair gets to benefit from a more frequent dose of ceramides, not just on wash days.

Oh, I finally got Biolage's Cera Repair. I wanted to get the professional treatment, Cera Repair Pro, but the Amazon vendor was all out. I should also mention that I probably won't be repurchasing Cerafix or the Bomba conditioner. I just don't know if I like them enough to reinvest.

Next time we'll chat about my Cera Repair experience.

Ceramides: My hair will never be the same again

So I've been on a bit of a ceramide binge ever since I first posted on the benefits. While I still haven't gotten my hands on Biolage Cera-Repair (yet), I've done alright with my choices so far. But before I talk about the products I purchased, I must provide this disclaimer:


*Although the blog author has (for, ah, scientific reasons) purchased a plethora of ceramide containing products, she does not condone such reckless hair junkie-like behavior*

Now that we got that out of the way, let's get back to business. You may remember when I posted this chart representing the holy trinity of healthy hair.



Each attribute is equally crucial to wonderful hair. Without moisture, the hair is brittle and breaks easily. Without strength, the hair becomes weak and prone to breakage. Without elasticity the hair can not withstand manipulation which eventually leads to breakage. If either are missing, the hair suffers dearly. I've spent several posts talking up moisture but I think it's finally time to talk about the last piece of the healthy hair puzzle.

As you might recall, we've already covered the role of ceramides in hair care. We're always talking about the cuticle layer. We say things like "make sure you rinse with cold water to help seal the cuticle layer" or "you should rinse with apple cider vinegar to close the cuticles." You guys would be surprised about how thin the cuticle layer is compared the to rest of the hair strand. Not only that, the cuticle get's chipped away with even simple actions like combing the hair. The minute the cuticle layer is compromised your hair strand is in trouble. The cortex is exposed, and the next thing you know, you've got a split end or worse yet, breakage. Ceramides are the first line of protection against the gradual chipping away of the cuticle that leads to hair troubles. By helping to"glue" the scales on the cuticle together, ceramides helps keep the hair strand strong and elastic.

So let's talk about the products I purchased. Immediately upon hearing the good news of ceramides, I got me some Biolage fortifying conditioner and leave-in from their Fortetherapie line. According to their website, the product line is intended to strengthen damaged hair while building resistance against future breakage. Soon there after, I decided go back for more and pick up the Intensive Strengthening Mask.

Over the next couple of days, weeks, who knows. I picked up a couple of other ceramide rich goodies. Among some of my purchases was Cera-Fix (which was relatively inexpensive), Sedal's S.O.S ceramidas, La Bomba deep treatment, and Silicon Mix's pearl protein leave-in conditioner. Not to mention the fact that I just happened to have some ceramide containing wheat germ and hemp seed oil laying around. All though I'm knee deep in ceramide products, I still won't rest until Cera-Repair joins the rest of the team.

So what's been my experience so far? I purposely waited several weeks to talk about my experience because I wanted to really see if any difference would be made beyond the first wash or two. First off, my hair does look better. Is my hair mind-blowingly, Pantene commercial gorgeous? Eh. I would describe the appearance of my hair as healthier looking overall but, maybe because it's been several weeks and I'm already used to it, I don't know if the change was that drastic. Maybe it was that drastic, who knows.

Now Imma tell you all what has got me sprung on ceramides. I've has this insane fear of over manipulating my hair for the longest. Even though I've got some crazy thick hair, it's never really been that strong. It tends to break even if I look at it wrong. What makes it worse is that my hair doesn't respond that well to protein. Because of that I'd have to add a little protein conditioner, instead of doing routine protein treatments, to every wash to make sure my hair gets what it needs. Let me tell you, ever since I've been on this ceramide kick, the breakage has slowed down considerably. When I touch, play with, or manipulate my hair, I'm not scared of the repercussions. Mind you, we should all use extreme caution while manipulating but, for real, this same head of hair wouldn't have responded the same way to my man-handling several months back. Last night, I had my hair down and my husband, who's extremely heavy handed, was all in my hair massaging it like someone who was massaging a knot out of someone's back. Normally, I'd jump up like a scared cat, scold him for his lack of regard for my tresses, and give him the side eye for the rest of the night. Not this time. I did give him some feedback when he was becoming too reckless with my hair, but all in all, it was o.k.

That, thanks to a couple of my ceramide leave in products.

Not too long ago there was some discussion on LHCF about the role of ceramides and if they could possible take the place of proteins. This because the ladies who used it consistently noticed that they no longer needed protein deep conditioning as often as they required in times past. The conclusion was that ceramides are not to function as protein but instead holds a unique role by helping to support the hair and protecting it from protein loss. To be completely honest, I've forgone both my "protein" conditioners and my "moisturizing" conditioners during this experiment. This was a temporary shift to ensure that my observed results occurred mainly with the help of my ceramide filled friends. Next wash, I'll go back to my normal conditioners but they'll be mixed in with a little something extra (*wink*).

So in conclusion I'll say this, ceramides have to be a part of your regimen one way or another to help fight against damage. Sure, you can moisturize and deep condition with protein, but if the third piece of the puzzle isn't there to keep it all together, you might be fighting a losing battle.

Of all the ceramide product's I recently purchased, one seems to stand out as my favorite. I decided that it deserves, and will get, it's own review post.

'till next time.

Lessons Learned from my last Relaxer Stretch

I'm so excited. I officially accomplished a personal goal of stretching a full 16 weeks. For me, that was the longest relaxer stretch ever! Four months ago, I visited a Dominican salon for a touch up. I walked in there with three months worth of summer new growth growth, I walked out with freshly relaxed bone straight hair and about 3 inches of hair cut off. No, I didn't ask my stylist to cut my hair but, for some reason, she had a strong desire to do a major trim. Looking back, I know exactly why she did it.

I'll get back to that later but the real reason for this post is because I want to discuss all the good and not so good, I experienced over the past four months. I'd like to be as detailed as possible for my own edification. I'm going to use this post as I would an entry in my hair journal, as a way of sealing in the learning from the last four months so I can replicate the successes and course correct in the areas where I struggled.

So let me start by discussing the state of my hair as it is today. The goals I set out four months ago were to eliminate/reduce breakage, increase moisture levels, strengthen strands overall, and last but not least, thicken the look of the my hair overall. Four months later, my hair feels much stronger, is more elastic, and has retained length and thickened. I'm not exactly where I want to be but I'm more than half way there. Now let's get into what I did the past four months.

Nutrition
I tried my best to remain as consistent as possible with vitamin support for my hair. If you remember, the last stretch was when I was introduced to Noridic Naturals purified omega 3 fish oils. I must say that I'm pretty proud of myself on how consistent I've been with these fish oils. I've already gone through my first bottle and and now working through my second (larger size) Nordic Naturals Omega 3. We're partners for life now. Other supplements that I've tried to remain consistent with are my chlorella green tablets. I also take biotin, a vitamin B supplement, and a multi from time to time. One other supplement I started taking fairly consistently was Cell Food. I'm not sure what the benefits to the hair are, if any. I really just take it for overall nutritional support. My main goal when taking the supplements was not growth, I take supplements more for support. My theory is that the hair has to be a strong as possible coming out of the scalp so it can be more resilient when it undergoes the relaxer process. Not sure how much truth there is to my theory but it makes sense on the most basic level so I'm stickin' with it. Oh, and I should also mentioned that I reintroduced carrot juice back into the line up late into my stretch. I went to the grocery store one day and found Bolthouse farm juice in new larger sizes. The minute I saw it, I knew I had to get a piece of that action. One area that we struggle most with when taking our vitamins is consistency. What I tried to do was not get down on myself if I missed a day here and there. I just started right where I left off and kept it moving.

Routines
As you may already know, I don't hide my hair like I "should". I know of the incredible benefits of protective styling so I gave in a little this last stretch. I didn't bun more than normal last stretch, what I did do was tie my hair up with my scarf more often. So instead of laying on my couch watching a movie, I'd lay on the couch with my hair tied up while watching a movie. I should also take a moment to say that I love my silk scarf much more than my satin (polyester) ones. This year, I'll be beefing up silk scarf collection. I think my husband is tired of seeing me in the same leopard print design day after day. I have no problem tying my hair up because I think of it as a way of recharging my hair. As my hair is exposed all day, it's kinda like having your cell phone off the charger. Sure you can use it all day but sooner or later, you'll have to charge it to get maximum benefit. You best believe that I'll be continuing this habit over the next 3-4 months.

Another technique I implemented over the past three months was using a plastic cap in the morning's as a way of enhancing moisture. What I tried to do was use the plastic cap to simulate humidity and create a slightly damp feel on the hair. Once the hair felt slightly damp (after about 5-10 minutes), I'd remove the plastic cap, add some Gleau oil and tie the hair down with a silk scarf to seal. This technique really helped with me with dryness issues, especially during the winter months when the air is drier than normal. I hope this technique continues to impact my hair positively going forward. Another routine I implemented was trimming according to the lunar cycle. I don't know if that attributed to more growth but I will say that I trimmed more last stretch than I've done in a while. At one point during my stretch, I trimmed just for the heck of it only to find out that the lunar calendar trim was only a few weeks away. I trimmed anyway and I still retained length overall.

I think the area where I made my biggest progress overall was in my weekly wash routine. Over the past four months, I've been nursing one side of my hair which seemed to struggle more than the other side. With the introduction of my facial steamer to my routine. I was able to dedicate a little more effort to the pre-poo step. This extra attention was absolutely critical to the progress I made this last stretch. Week after week, I spent a large amount of time paying attention to the areas of my hair that needed the most attention. Four months later....progress. I'm not right where I want to be yet, but I am much closer to seeing the light than ever before. I treat my wash routine unlike anything else in my life. There are certain other practices that I'd like to remain consistent on but I have to admit, it sometimes still is a struggle for me. Not with my wash routine. There is never (ever) even the hint of deviation from my routine. My mind never debates whether I should carry out the extended pre-poo step or whether I should skip it this one time. Never! Now if only I can transfer that level of dedication to some of the other areas of my life.

Products
Over the past four months, I used pretty much the same staples. The only new products I used were the Asience conditioner, and I also purchased Burt's Bees Hair Repair Shea and Grapefruit deep conditioner. I didn't do an official review post on this product because I don't really use it for it's intended purposes. It's supposed to be a 2 minute treatment but I've been using it consistently in my pre-poos. The ingredients are more in line with a moisturizing conditioner than a 2 minute treatment. Since it contained practically no proteins, I put it to use for other purposes. So far so good. Overall, my routine has been a moisture routine with a little protein mixed in. Since my hair doesn't appreciate protein like it should, I sneak the protein into it's food as one would a stubborn child who won't take it's medicine. This method works really well for me so far, but as always, if there's a better way, I'll find it and I'll chuck this routine without even batting an eye.

Struggles
I'd like to talk a little about where I struggled and what I'll do going forward to avoid or minimize the issues I experienced. This stretch just happened to land right in the middle of shedding season. Every year, around fall, my hair begins it's shedding ritual. The crazy amount of shedding pretty much created the worse bout of tangles I've ever experienced in my life. Even after I relaxed, I had beaucoup tangles to contend with. I take 100% accountability for what I had to go through when I spent pretty much all day babying tangles out of my hair. That's the reason why the lady at the Dominican salon cut my hair last relaxer, they neither had the time nor the patience to deal with my hair's issues. When I stretch, I have the tendency to detangle the length of the hair, while overlooking the roots. What I do is allow the roots to remain in it's compacted position without doing my due diligence in detangling. Meanwhile, my shed coils are getting even more deeply intertwined with it's neighbors. I can't let this happen ever again, so I'll have to do a major detangle at least once a week during my pre-poo so I can release all the hair that's been shed throughout the week. If I find that once a week ain't cuttin' it, I'll increase the frequency. Not only will I play defense by detangling on a regular basis, I'll also have to play some offense and implement strategies that slow the amount shedding.

So here I stand ready to begin another long stretch. I've got a lot to look forward to. I hope to learn even more about my hair this go around. And with the focus on uber-healthy ingredients like ceramides and such, only good things will come about I'm sure. If I had to attribute anything to the success of the past stretch, I would say it was consistency. One thing I could certainly say about my last stretch is that I maintained a laser like focus pretty much the entire time. I knew the day would come when I would enjoy the wonderful fruits of my labor in the form of healthier hair. Today, I look back and smile proudly at what I was able to accomplish. Again, I'm not talking so much about the results as I am the focus and dedication level. As long as these remain, the results will follow. Thanks you all for being in it with me for the long haul. Now enough talking about the past, I'm ready to focus on what's next for my hair.

Thanks for listening.

Stronger Cuticle Layer with Ceramides

Here at relaxed hair health, we're all about the quest to achieve hair perfection. What we strive to here is understand the hair, it's wants, it's needs, it's desires. The more we learn of our precious hair, the better we are equipped to nurture it. There's still much more to learn but what we do know is that the basic framework of the hair consists of several layers covered by a series of scales called the cuticle layer.

The cuticle layer, my friends, is the first line of defense against hair breakage and damage. More importantly, this layer helps to provide the hair strand with the qualities we desire most-strength, shine, and elasticity. If the cuticle layer is damaged, then everything else starts to go downhill. The bad news is that the cuticle layer is not that thick. Even worse than this is the fact that our precious cuticle layer is eroded by even the most basic grooming functions such as combing the hair or even shampooing.

So now I'm thinking of ways to help protect or even repair the cuticle layer (if that's even possible). Well I'm here to tell you all that I've officially crawled out from under the rock I was under and finally came across the wonderful benefits of ceramides. We've probably all heard of ceramides before in passing. It was when I actually found out about what they actually do that I got all excited.

According to hair-science.com, ceramides play a major role in keeping the cuticle layer in place. In fact, the researchers went on to examine strands of damaged hair only to find that these stands were lacking in ceramides. When ceramide stores are depleted, the hair is prone to dryness, brittleness, and breakage. Ceramides are also crucial because of the role they play in providing a protective barrier that helps keep moisture levels where they should be. I'm also excited about the impact of ceramides in increasing elasticity of the hair. Think about it, without the ceramide "glue" helping to keep the cuticle layers in place, the risk for breakage only increases. Studies show that hair which has been treated with ceramide containing conditioners, showed in increase in tensile strength along with protection of the hair against both UV damage and chemical processes. By the way, ceramines are lipids, not proteins. Which means ceramides still provide the hair with strength and elasticity without the hardness side effect of some proteins. For some of us, that's fantastic news!

So enough talking, let's get our hands on some of this stuff shall we. Phase two of my learning about ceramides is locating this ingredient so I can incorporate (as quickly as possible) into my routine. You can imagine my surprise when I found out that some ceramides occur naturally in plant oils such as wheat germ oil and barley malt oil. Hemp oil is also said to contain ceramides as well.

There are also several product lines like Biolage and L'Oreal which boast of ceramide rich products. There are a myriad of other product lines fortified with ceramides but I've had some great success with Biolage in the past so I'm thinking that I'm making a trip down to my local Ulta store for some Cera Repair-4. I also need more of the Utlra Hydrating Balm and the Leave In tonic. I sure hope Ulta is having one of the by two get one free deals on Matrix.

Stay tuned for the review!

This is what happens when I don't listen to my own advice

I've got a serious confession to make. I went against my own sound advice on the afternoon of January 3rd, 2010. You might remember my last post on what you can do to take your deep conditioning even deeper. In that post I gave out clear and specific instructions.


And I quote:
"you are not required to add each one of these boosters, at the same time, to your deep conditioner every wash. In fact, I'm gonna recommend that you experiment with these boosters one at a time so you can better assess how your hair reacts to these ingredients individually. That way you know which of these powerful hair strengtheners to turn to depending on your hair's specific need."

At the end of that post, I stated that I was off to experiment. And experiment I did.....
You see, instead of taking my own quasi-professional advice, I opted to do the exact opposite. I prepared for my wash as I normally do, with my pre-poo. Nothing unusual. It was when I began contemplating how I could add some pizzaz to my conditioner that things started to go awry. I had a choice, I could add a little honey or I can use several vitamin E capsules. Maybe I should fortify with a tiny bit of my liquid B vitamin complex. Should I opt for an egg instead for strengthening? What about my coconut oil?

By then, my mind was all messed up. How could I choose between all of these fabulous ingredients? I couldn't. So I did what any reasonable person would do in the exact same scenario. I threw them all into a bowl and started mixing. The pressure was too much to bear. I had no other choice. So there I am mixing the honey, egg, coconut oil, vitamin e, liquid b in with my moisturizing conditioners. Everything was pretty much going smoothly except for the fact that the coconut oil kept trying to go back to solid form the whole time (it's unusually cold right now in Florida). I got over that dilemma by pointing the nozzle of my facial steamer towards my mixing bowl.


The only products from my list I didn't include were the Porosity Control (because I forgot) and my silk amino acids. I included a tiny bit of SAA, to my spray bottle which contained distilled water, at the leave-in step. Fast forward to the rinse and I could already tell something was different. My hair felt stronger ( a little stiff, but stronger). To be honest, I was a little concerned about my hair's reaction to the protein since I used a jumbo size egg. Took out the rollers and I found myself with some amazing looking (and feeling hair). The strength levels were kicked up an notch but the most notable of my results was the increase elasticity. Yes! Elasticity! That's on my list of hair results I want to achieve this year. Could it be that I've stumbled upon a method to achieve that result only one month into the year?

Ladies, I am more than excited about the results. My hair is strong, yet soft at the same time. If I can consistently reproduce what I did on that day, then I'm headed in the right direction. I felt it was only fair to fess up and be honest with what I did. The only thing I ask is that you forgive me. Oh, one more thing, I also ask that you have fun in implementing these ingredients into your routine and enjoy the bountiful results.

Six ways to take your deep conditioning even deeper!

I should be ashamed of myself. How could I wrap up a Maximum Moisture series without creating a post on special boosters you can add to your routine to take your deep conditioning even deeper. Some of you might remember my post on the five healthy boosters for a better leave in experience. I figured that now would be a good time to talk about deep conditioning and taking that step to the next level as well.

Before we get started, I should mention that you are not required to add each one of these boosters, at the same time, to your deep conditioner every wash. In fact, I'm gonna recommend that you experiment with these boosters one at a time so you can better assess how your hair reacts to these ingredients individually. That way you know which of these powerful hair strengtheners to turn to depending on your hair's specific need.

Natural Oils

Take your pick. There are a plethora of plant oils to choose from each with it's own redeeming quality. Plant oils provide shine and nourishment to the hair. When added to your favorite conditioner, oils give your hair that little extra bit of oomph. Adding a little oil will take the deep conditioner even deeper by giving the hair that extra layer of protection once the conditioner is washed off. There's no better feeling than having a freshly washed head of hair that's been blessed with both conditioner and nourishing oil.

Silk Amino Acids

This ingredient is perfect for blending in with your current products. It's clear and odorless. Just like water. But don't let it's appearance fool you, this is some powerful stuff. For those of you who aren't familiar with the wonderful benefits of silk amino acids, let me refresh your memory.

"After silk protein on the hair dries, it becomes a transparent crystalline protective film. This film can directly prevent the hair being damaged by alkaline materials in hair products. This protective film can increase the hair elasticity and increase the hair’s natural shine. It has a very special protective function in hair products." I've added this to my leave-in the past and have just only begun to venture into the world of silk amino and deep conditioning. I must say that my first stint has produced some fabulous results. I'll definitely be going back for more. One thing I must mention is that you only need to use a very small amount of this product to work effectively so a little goes a long way.



Food
Fortify your conditioner with food! Mashing up avocados, adding a little mayo, or even dropping an egg to your conditioner helps beef up the strengthening power of your conditioner. When you include food to your conditioner, you add natural proteins that are readily absorbable by the hair. As always, you want to be mindful of protein overload whenever using protein heavy products. Make sure you sandwich your protein in between two slices of moisture (i.e, make sure you include your favorite moisturizing conditioners in the mix). Get your hair strong and healthy by feeding it healthy hair foods.




Honey
I decided to separate honey from the food list because it's benefit to the hair is unique to other foods. Is your hair looking for additional moisture and shine? Then you've come to the right place honey! Added softness, suppleness, and shine are some of the wonder results of honey-kissed hair. Long praised as one of the most powerful humectants for the hair, honey is the perfect addition to your conditioners. As a humectant, it actually works to help water molecules remain in the hair. When we're talking about maximum moisture, honey should always be included in the conversation.

Porosity Control
There's just something about Porosity Control that helps to add a kick to your conditioner. It probably has something to do with the low pH value that PC boasts of on the front of it's package. Remember that pH is important to the hair because if the pH range is too low or too high, the hair reacts adversely. What we want to do is get the hair to the "sweet spot" range of about 5.5. Porosity control helps to balance the pH balance if your conditioner can't do it alone. I use it in my conditioner mix as sort of an insurance policy just in case my blend lands at a higher pH than desired. It works every time!


Vitamins
I learned something myself while researching for this post. We all know about the magnanimous benefits of taking vitamins internally for the strength of the hair. But have you ever thought about using vitamins topically? I know, that sounds crazy but stay with me while I make my point. I'm not talking about grinding up you biotin pills and throwing them into your conditioner (yet). What I'm talking about is using vitamins that can benefit the hair directly when used topically such as vitamin E. The tiny vitamin E capsules are chock full of hair nourishing goodness. It's such a thick and nourishing oil that works to add major softness to the skin and hair.
Another vitamin that you might want to consider implementing in your conditioning step is vitamin B5. Also known as pantothenic acid, this ingredient is widely used in various conditioners already. Product with added B5 boast of being fortified with "pro-vitamins." Probably because B5 is said to improve the condition of damaged hair . According to internatural.com, B5 increases luster by aiding in moisture retention, and increasing elasticity. So yes you should be taking your vitamins regularly internally but, at the same time, you can also benefit by taking the most direct route. I read somewhere that someone said their stylist actually uses a liquid b5 pill in their deep conditioner like one would use a liquid e. I haven't tried that myself but you can certainly bet that I will.

"Sigh". I feel so much better now.

Ladies I've now equipped you with the tools to take your deep conditioning even deeper. Now, if you don't mind, I'm off to wash and experiment.

Frustrated with your hair goal progress?

Hair goals. We all have 'em. Whether you're striving for armpit, brastrap, or butt-length, chances are you're hoping to have reached a specific length by a certain period of time. Today I want to talk a little about hair goals and how we can get closer to the all allusive next step of our hair journey

What I'd like to do is take this opportunity to challenge you on your current hair goal. When I say challenge, I'm not asking you to give up your hair goal. What I'd like you to do instead is to reconsider how you vocalize and strive towards your hair goals. Actually, I'll start by asking that you change your vocabulary and replace hair goals with hair intentions. For instance, when you say "I want to have bra-strap length hair." That is an intention. By intention, I mean your desire to bring about something. In this case, your desire is to bring about healthy hair at a certain length. Simple enough.

Now let's talk about hair goals. For the purposes of this discussion, you should think of hair goals, going forward, as the results you want to create that will bring about your intention. Let me clarify. If your intention is to create bra-strap length hair, your goal should be to achieve the results needed to create hair that length. Let's take a look at some examples of what hair goals should actually look like


*Have more flexible hair that is resistant to breakage.
*Increase shine levels of the hair.
*Reduce the amount of breakage occurring during wash and set every week.
*Thicker even length ends via trims.
*Create a healthier detangling routine on wash days.
*Increase (and retain) moisture levels in the hair.
*Improve the deep conditioning step of wash to address protein/moisture balance.
*Take hair vitamins at least 4 times a week.
*Protective style at least 4 days out of the week.
*Stimulate scalp via massages on a nightly basis.

The list goes on....

As you can see, I'm recommending that you break your "goal" down into several action steps which you can implement directly into your routine. These more specific and actionable goals helps to keep your focus on what you really need to do get to your intended length. Sure you can keep walking around talking about mid-back but unless you address your breakage issue and set your goals accordingly, mid-back probably won't happen. What I'm asking you to do is shift your focus in a way that addresses specific issues in your hair care regimen, one at a time, until your hair has no option but to respond accordingly.


So from this day forward, think of your length goal as an intention you wish to bring about. Then break down the results you want to experience one by one and attack them like a wild animal attacks its prey. Also, by focusing on and hitting each one of your goals, you're not having to deal with the frustration of not having the length you want (yet). You can keep your eyes on one goal and focus until you have it conquered. All you have to do is focus on moisture, or strength, or thickness, or whatever.

It's all about harnessing the power of focus and directing that power towards overcoming obstacles. The intended length you want is just a sweet by-product of doing the right things.

Longer, thicker hair with the help of the Moon?

by Jsome1

You all may have remembered my review of a wonderful product called Zen Detox. The creator of that product, Anthony Morrocco, has practiced holistic hair care for over 40 years. He's worked with celebrities and has dedicated his time to helping people like you and me to achieve beautiful hair.

One of his mantras, which has recently caught my attention, is his belief in using a lunar chart, that documents the phases of the moon, as a guide for hair growth. More specifically, hair cutting and growth.

This idea of cutting the hair according to the phases of the moon is not a new one. I found countless of articles online by numerous people claiming to have utilized this chart in their quest for fabulous hair. Here's a quote I found online on a popular hair board.

"my sis trims her hair with the new moon, it's supposed to help your hair grow faster. Another woman I know that used this method when she was younger said there was a substantial difference between when she did follow it and when she did not."


When I first heard of this method, I immediately dismissed it as hogwash. How in the world could anyone affect the growth of their hair by relying on the moon for advice on styling options? But then I thought about it, the moon has the power to impact the tide of the mighty ocean, could it be possible that it could help a sista out with her hair growth?

That's when I found this article by Marie Ann Lionel on buzzel.com.
Mary goes out of her way to detail the basic laws of physics and how much the moon truly affects our planet. She even states that doctors often will see an increase of patients suffering from an epileptic seizures or bleeding ulcers during the time of the full moon. It all has to do with the moon's gravitational pull. The theory is that when the moon's gravitational pulls are lower, the hair grows slower. A higher gravitational pull means a greater likelihood of faster growth.

Whether you believe in moon cycles and hair cutting or not, I will certainly say that it's interesting to say the least. I haven't tried so I won't knock it. This new way of hair cutting, has certainly peaked my interest and I'm willing to give it a shot!

So I located a copy of a lunar schedule to see when the next possible opportunity is. The schedule on Anthony Morrocco's site was the most complete one I've been able to locate. He spells it out in black and white what the optimal days for haircutting are this year. You best believe that I'll be calendaring these dates so I get a timely reminder.

For those of you who are afraid that I've officially fallen off the wagon truck and suffered a nasty bump on my head, let me salvage my reputation by saying this.....

We all need to trim (or dust) our hair periodically for optimal health. I, for one, can say with certainty that I've experienced the most growth (and retained the most length)after I've given myself a well deserved trim. If there's even the slightest chance that I can get even more benefit from trimming if I schedule it for certain times of the year....them I'm in!

Those of who who've been contemplating a trim, check out this calendar first, try this method and see happens. Hopefully, your results will be so fab, you'll howl with excitement.