How to Make Your Hair Grow Faster - Tips to Grow Long Hair Faster

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Top 5 Shampoos and Cleansers for Relaxed Hair

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Top 5 Shampoos for Relaxed Hair

Hello Lovelies!

Relaxed haired ladies have long had their own corner of the hair care product market, and cleansers and shampoos are no exception. Since relaxed hair is practically it’s own hair type, shampoos, cleansers, and other hair products that are specifically formulated for relaxed hair makes absolute sense, and are totally necessary. Relaxed ladies must be careful to choose a shampoo that isn’t too harsh or drying for relaxed hair. Relaxers and hair straighteners exposes delicate curly and highly textured strands to enough harsh chemicals that makes relaxed hair prone to extreme dryness and breakage if not properly cared for, so it’s important to select shampoos and cleansers that are extremely gentle and moisturizing to your chemically treated hair, yet strong enough to remove build-up from the scalp and hair.

Créme of Nature Moisture and Shine Shampoo with Argan Oil

If you’re looking for a shampoo that will add bounce moisture to your hair while leaving your scalp squeaky clean, look no further than Créme of Nature’s Moisture and Shine Shampoo with Argan Oil. This sulfate-free shampoo has amazing silkening and softening abilities; you’ll easily be able to detangle your relaxed hair as you shampoo your tresses. Because it doesn’t have sulfates (read harsh detergents), this cleanser won’t lather as much as shampoos that do have sulfates and other sudsing ingredients. However, don’t let that fool you, this cleanser will remove build-up and heavy oils and give you salon-quality results.

Kenra Clarifying Shampoo

Whether you have color treated relaxed hair or if you’re a relaxed haired gal who likes to swim or workout frequently, Kenra’s Clarifying Shampoo is just the shampoo you need to removal mineral build-up and sweat from your hair and scalp without taking excess moisture away from your hair or stripping your hair color. This shampoo uses grapefruit extract and witch hazel as it’s two natural clarifying agents, and if you live in a hard water area,  this cleanser is strong enough to counter the effects of hard water build-up, which can wreak havoc on relaxed hair.

Avlon Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo

If your relaxed hair is extremely dry, tangled, or just in need of a miracle cleanser, Avlon’s Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo is the miracle worker you need. This cleanser is so hydrating, some relaxed haired ladies have proclaimed that this cleanser is too moisturizing. Even when you rinse this cleanser away, you’ll notice an immediate difference in the softness and shine of your relaxed tresses. The thing I like about this shampoo the most is that it is pH balanced within the happy hair pH balance range, which does wonders in terms of aligning the already delicate cuticle layer in relaxed hair.  This is one cleanser that will not only cleanse your relaxed hair but will truly transform your hair and boost it’s health and condition.

ElastaQP Créme Conditioning Shampoo

ElastaQP’s Créme Conditioning Shampoo is another great cleanser that is uber moisturizing for relaxed hair. The consistency of this shampoo is extremely thick and creamy, so a little goes a long way, and this shampoo smells like heaven! This cleanser is free of parabens, sulfates, and gluten, and it’s extremely gentle yet effective at cleansing, and it’s one of the few shampoos that relaxed haired gals can safely use more than once or twice a week. This shampoo is especially formulated for dry and damaged relaxed hair, and it’ll surely leave your locks soft and silky.

Joico K-Pak Clarifying Chelating Shampoo

Joico K-Pak’s Clarifying Shampoo is another great clarifier that will remove oil and product build-up from relaxed hair without disturbing the hair’s moisture balance. This cleanser also has the ability to remove mineral build-up from hard water and other mineral deposits. This defining feature of this cleanser is it’s special peptide complex that will give your relaxed tresses the protein protection it needs to strengthen your hair from the inside out.

These are the best shampoos to cleanse relaxed hair


Top 5 Shampoos and Cleansers for Type 4 Hair

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Top 5 Shampoos for Type 4 Hair

Hello Lovelies!

When it comes to cleansing, you type 4 gals are lucky. You can get away without shampooing your hair anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, but that doesn’t mean that cleansing is an insignificant step in a type 4’s hair care regimen. Cleansing is very important for type 4 hair types, especially if you use heavy styling creams and oils that will eventually and inevitably build-up in the hair and scalp. Highly textured, type 4 hair is more prone to dryness and breakage than any other hair type, and it’s important to choose cleansers that actually infuse moisture in the hair and hydrate your delicate strands. These top 5 shampoos and cleansers are specially formulated to cleanse highly textured hair without stripping the hair of its natural oils.

1. Miss Jessie’s Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo

A shampoo that detangles highly textured, type 4 hair? Who’d of thunk it? Well Miss Jessie’s Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo does just that! . Slip is very important for curlier hair textures, and I know many highly texture haired ladies hate traditional shampoos because they leave their strands feeling wiry and dry. You don’t have to worry about that with this sulfate-free cleanser because it will soften your type 4 curls and melt away tangles and matting without breaking or ripping your hair

2. As I Am Co-Wash

If you’re looking for a cleanser that will thoroughly clean your hair and make your type 4 curls pop, As I Am Co-Wash is the answer. This coconut oil-rich cleanser instantly becomes favorite cleanser for many type 4 ladies. It’s tough enough to remove light build-up and gentle enough to use everyday. Detangling type 4 hair is easy as pie with this co-wash cleanser, and all of the natural, beneficial ingredients in this cleanser will penetrate deep into the hair follicle to promote healthy hair from the inside out.

3. Jessicurl Cleansing Cream

This cleanser is sort of a cross between a shampoo and a co-washing cream/conditioner. The unique thing about the Jessiecurl Cleansing Cream is it’s lather. Yes, this cleansing cream lathers, but it’s very light. What makes this cleansing cream sort of like a conditioner is how it easily allows you to run your fingers through your hair with little to no resistance. This cleanser has a sufficient amount of slip, and you’ll really appreciate this cleansing cream when you emerge from your hair washing session with no tangles to your type 4 tresses.

4. Shea Moisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo

If your highly textured curls are due for a clarifying session, Shea Moisture’s African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo is the cleanser you need lift dirt and build-up from your type 4 hair and scalp without stripping much needed moisture from your hair. This shampoo uses tea tree as it’s natural cleanser, as opposed to damaging and drying detergents found in most mass produced shampoos. You’ll also find a special combination of extracts and enzymes in this shampoo that will exfoliate the scalp and alleviate itchiness and scalp irritation that many curly haired gals suffer from by regulating the scalp’s sebum production. Like all other Shea Moisture Hair Products, this shampoo is free from sulfates, parabens,  phthalates, and tons of other harmful, yet common, hair care ingredients.

5. Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo

This is another dual-purpose shampoo that will cleanse and condition the hair all in one shot, making Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo a great choice for type 4 gals. The lather with this shampoo is so rich and creamy it’ll feel like a luxury hair treatment! It smells amazing, and it’ll leave your hair super soft, even after it dries. This shampoo is so creamy that I’d recommend making sure your hair is completely saturated with water prior to applying the shampoo to your hair or diluting the shampoo with water in a squeeze bottle like this one and squirt it into your hair to cleanse. Not to worry, though. Even though this shampoo is uber thick, it rinses clean very easily.


Top 5 Shampoos and Cleansers for Type 3 Hair

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Top 5 Shampoos for Type 3 Hair

Hello Lovelies!

Many curly haired gals shampoo and cleanse their hair on an infrequent basis in an effort to prevent dryness and frizz. However, I find that more frequent cleansing sessions aren’t necessarily a bad thing for type 3 hair, but finding the right cleanser that will help your hair retain moisture and not dry it out is key. There is no reason to completely forego shampoos  if your hair is curly because cleansing the hair with shampoo is a very important step to getting curly hair to style and look the way you desire. Below you’ll find my top 5 favorite cleansers and shampoos for curly, type 3 hair that’ll help your beautiful curls maintain optimal moisture levels and keep excess frizz and build-up at bay.

1. Kinky Curly Come Clean

If you suspect your curly, type 3 hair is dull and dry due to product build-up, Kinky Curly Come Clean is the perfect clarifying shampoo to remove build-up from your scalp and hair while maintaining the proper moisture balance. This simple, yet beautifully packaged shampoo uses a special blend of orange extracts and sea kelp to gently remove gunk and dirt from the hair. One thing I will note is that although this product touts it’s gentle enough for everyday use, I wouldn’t recommend it. Most shampoos, especially not a clarifying shampoo, should be used everyday if you have curly hair. At most I’d use this shampoo once a month to clarify if you have curly hair.

2. Sheamoisture Raw Shea Retention Shampoo

This shampoo is always an instant favorite for curly haired gals! Shea Moisture’s Raw Shea Retention Shampoo is all natural and free of sulfates, parabens,  phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, PABA, synthetic colors, whew, and DEA, which makes this the perfect shampoo for curlier hair textures. Not only does this cleanser contain super moisturizing shea butter, but it also has sea kelp that aids in sealing the hair’s cuticle layer, and it also contains argan oil, which works to restore the hair’s elasticity. This is one shampoo that will actually leave your curly, type 3 hair soft, moist, and frizz-free!

3. Aussie Moist Conditioner

Sometimes a shampoo isn’t always needed to cleanse the hair. Some conditioners that contain very specific types of ingredients are “strong” enough to remove everything from excess oil to mineral deposits from the hair. If you’ve read my post entitled, 4 Ingredients That Sound Scary But You Absolutely Want In Your Deep Conditioner, then you’d know that certain hair product ingredients called cationic surfactants have the ability to actually remove various types of build-up from the hair, just as a shampoo would. Aussie Moist not only has one of the more powerful cationic surfactants listed in it’s ingredients, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, it also has EDTA, which removes mineral build-up, such as hard water and chlorine build-up, and it also has two special fatty alcohols that can absorb excess oil and allow your scalp to breathe.

4. As I Am Co-Wash

 

If you’re looking for a cleanser to make your curly hair moist and supple, As I Am Co-Wash is the cleanser for you. This cleanser has a special blend of oils and extracts that will gently lift residue and product build-up from your hair. If your curly, type 3 hair is tangled or matted, this co-wash will literally melt tangles away with little to no shedding or breakage.  Many hair care products that are natural or manufactured by smaller hair care companies tend to be much more expensive than mass produced hair care products and you also tend to get a smaller amount. Well, the thing I like most about this co-wash is that you truly get a lot of product without paying an exorbitant amount.

5. Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Shampoo

 

Many shampoos make promises to repair damaged hair and make it healthier than ever before, but few cleansers have the proof to backup their claims. Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Shampoo prevents breakage by up to 96% and makes hair 92% stronger. This sulfate-free shampoo contains monoi oil, which Polynesians have used for, oh, just a few thousand years to reverse and repair damage to the hair and skin. This star ingredient will strengthen and soften your hair immediately, and the cleanser’s hibiscus extract makes hair so easy to detangle, type 3’s will be able to run their fingers through their curls during the washing process; what other shampoo will allow curly haired gals to do that? Not many!


Top 5 Shampoos and Cleansers for Type 1 Hair

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Top 5 Shampoos for Type 1 Hair

 

Hello Lovelies,

If you have straight, type 1 hair, finding a good shampoo or cleanser isn’t too difficult of a task. Most hair care products are formulated with straighter hair textures in mind, so just about any type of shampoo or cleanser will work for your type 1 hair. However, if you want to gently cleanse your hair and clarify build-up and dirt from your scalp without drying out your hair, consider these top 5 shampoos and cleansers for type 1 hair that can remove excess oil from your hair and add body and strength to thinner hair.

1. MopTop Gentle Shampoo

Type 1 hair gals experience product build-up faster than any other hair type, so clarifying type 1 hair is required on a much more frequent basis than any other hair type. MopTop’s Gentle Shampoo will remove excess oil from your hair without over drying it. This sulfate-free cleanser uses coconut oil as a natural cleansing agent to safely and gently remove build-up from the hair, and aloe and honey will replenish moisture to the hair without weighing it down.

2. Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Balancing Shampoo

Whether your type 1 hair is dry and brittle or oily and lifeless, Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Balancing Shampoo has the power to bring your hair back to life. This is one of those cleansers that will work on practically any hair type because there are so many good ingredients in this shampoo, there’s at least one that will pay off for anyone’s hair. Unlike most commercial shampoos that have a lather that leaves the hair feeling wiry, this shampoo has a thick, rich lather that feels so creamy and delicious on the hair, it’s practically like washing your hair with a conditioner!

3. Kerastase Volumactive Shampoo

If your type 1 hair is fine and lifeless, Keratase’s Volumactive Shampoo will add unimaginable body and volume to your hair. Now this product does contain sulfates and parabens, but when you see how luscious and plump this cleanser will make your hair look and feel, you’ll be sure to make an exception. This cleanser works by coating the hair with a lightweight formula that strengthens fine and vulnerable strands. As Instyle Magazine’s 2012  Best Buy in Shampoos/Conditioners for fine hair, this cleanser will give your fine tresses the va-va-voom, sex-kitten hair so many women desire, and as an added bonus, if your hair is blonde, you’ll experience an incredible shine that is virtually unheard of for golden-haired gals.

4. Phyto Phytocedrat Shampoo

Phyto’s Phytocedrat Shampoo is another great cleanser for type 1 gals with an oily scalp. What I love about this shampoo is it’s plant-based formula, and it’s use of herbal and other natural based astringents. This cleanser works double duty by removing excess oil and build-up from the hair and scalp, and it’ll actually extend the amount of days you can go without washing your hair. I’m sure many of you oily haired gals know that going a day without washing your hair is an absolute no-no, but this cleanser will actually regulate your scalp’s oil production and keep the “rebound effect” at bay, in turn allowing you to save time and money when it comes to cleansing your hair.

5. Aubrey Organics Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo

If you want a sulfate-free, paraben-free, all natural cleanser that will make your straight, type 1 hair healthy and as light as the breeze, reach for Aubrey Organics Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo. This cleanser has a nice and silky lather that gets your hair squeaky clean without zapping your hair’s moisture. The shampoo will appear a bit watery when you pour it in your hand, but don’t mistake its translucent appearance for ineffectiveness. This cleanser  is jam-packed with tons of great natural clarifying agents, so a little truly goes a long way. You’ll also be able to shampoo your hair less frequently with this cleanser as it’ll quickly get your scalp’s oil production in check.


Top 5 Shampoos and Cleansers for Type 2 Hair

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Top 5 Shampoos for Type 2, Wavy Hair

Hello Lovelies!

In my humble opinion, finding the proper cleanser is most challenging for type 2 hair. Most hair care products are formulated for the extremes of the hair types and texture scale, either straight hair or curly, highly textured hair, but what about the “in-between” hair type, type 2 hair? Using cleansers that are formulated with straighter hair textures in mind could strip moisture from the hair of a type 2 gal and lead to unnecessary frizz. Using products that are formulated for curlier hair textures could lead to product build-up, which ultimately weighs down type 2 hair. So what is a wavy haired girl to do? Thankfully major beauty companies are getting better at formulating cleansers with type 2 hair in mind, but I recommend that wavy haired gals turn to smaller hair care companies to find the perfect cleansers. Here are my top five favorites.

1. Elucence Volume Clarifying Shampoo

Product build-up is something type 2 hair gals know all too well. Getting rid of buildup and hard to remove hair product ingredients, such as cones, can be challenging for wavy haired beauties, but this awesome clarifying shampoo from Elucence does that and so much more. Willow Bark is this product’s magic ingredients, and it’s natural purifying properties is tough enough to remove chlorine deposits, yet gentle enough to purify your scalp and leave behind soft, bouncy hair. If your hair needs a thorough cleaning to remove dirt and build-up or if you’ve spent a day at the pool, Elucence’s Volume Clarifying Shampoo is the only cleanser your hair and scalp needs to get the job done.

2. Jessicurl Hair Cleansing Cream

If you’re one of the curlier type 2s, type 2b or type 2c, Jessicurl’s Hair Cleansing Cream is a great alternative to shampoo for cleansing your wavy locks. This super moisturizing cleansing cream comes in three scents, Citrus Lavender, Island Fantasy, and No Scent (I like to add my own fragrances to this one), and it’s free of parabens, silicones and sulfates. This cleansing cream will detangle your hair so easily and turn frizzy and dry hair into malleable and manageable hair in no time.

3. DevaCurl Low-Poo and DevaCurl No-Poo

Here’s a two-for-one! I love both of these cleansers so much that I just had to include both of them. Both of these products are free of the big, bad three hair product ingredients (silicones, parabens, and sulfates), and both cleansers will literally awaken your curls, no lie! The DevaCurl Low-Poo is a shampoo with a mild lather that is infused with vitamin C to help the hair retain moisture. The DevaCurl No-Poo is essentially a cleansing/co-wash conditioner that doesn’t later at all, but it’ll leave your curls uber moisturized and bouncy, and the peppermint and menthol will make your scalp feel sinfully good.

4. Mop Top Gentle Shampoo

If your hair is already frizzy and hard to manage, the last thing you need is to add another product that dries it out even more. What makes Mop Top’s Gentle Shampoo different is that it’s specifically designed to clean frizzy, unruly hair, and leave behind frizz-free, flowing locks.  Have you ever tried to run your fingers through your hair with shampoo in it? Yea, you’re asking for a tangly mess. But this shampoo is the first I’ve encountered that is almost like a conditioner, meaning it leaves your hair so silky you can run your fingers through your hair while the shampoo is lathered in! If your hair is silky when the shampoo is still in, you can only imagine how shiny and soft your hair will be when it’s rinsed out. Trust me, this is the stuff good hair days are made of!

5. WEN Lavender Cleansing Conditioner

I know that WEN touts itself as the hair care line that works on all hair types, and it certainly does, but I’ve never seen WEN work its magic more beautifully on any other hair type than wavy, type 2 hair. If the awesome smell and the tingly, refreshing feeling the Lavender Cleansing Conditioning will give your scalp isn’t enough to make you go out and buy this product now, the awesome benefits will. This detergent and sulfate-free cleanser is jam-packed with natural oils and nutrients that will leave your wavy hair moist and silky smooth. When using WEN’s Lavender Cleansing Conditioner, I recommend massaging the product into your scalp, then working it down the ends of your hair. Let the product sit for a few minutes before rinsing for optimal results.


Dusting 101 – The Better Way to Cut Your Hair and Prevent Split Ends

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Hello lovelies!

How to dust hair to make it grow longer

In order to grow long healthy hair, the ends of our hair need to be clipped or cut at some point, but when it comes to growing long hair, the advice on cutting can be pretty cut and dry, no pun intended. It’s either ‘Cut an inch from your hair every six to eight weeks,’ or  ‘Don’t cut your hair at all.’ Personally, like most things, I find that dealing in extremes rarely offers you optimal results, and I like to find a happy medium that allows me to efficiently reach my goals with few to no speed bumps ahead, and in regards to cutting your hair for growth, dusting is that happy medium for me. Read on to find out why I think it’ll be a happy medium for your hair care regimen as well.

What is Dusting?

Dusting is a hair care practice where less than a quarter-inch is trimmed from the hair. With so little hair trimmed from the head, the gathered clippings resemble dust, hence the term ‘dusting,’ rather than the obvious and large clippings trimming or cutting the hair leaves behind. Dusting is simply an alternative to cutting large amounts of hair on a frequent basis, and dusting is most beneficial to people who are trying to retain as much length as possible and grow long, healthy hair.

How is Dusting Beneficial?

As I mentioned above, I don’t like dealing in extremes. In the past the ‘Cut an inch from your hair every six to eight weeks’ or  ‘Don’t cut your hair at all’ advice never worked for me and in fact was counterintuitive to my long hair goals. Think about it. Since we know how fast hair grows, if you cut an inch off of your hair every six to eight weeks, you’ll cut off pretty much all of the hair growth you achieved in those six to eight weeks, leaving your hair at the same length. Since we know that  all hair weakens at some point, if you never cut your hair at all, it’s only a matter of time before the oldest and weakest portion of the hair strand, the ends, breaks and splits, and you’ll only prolong the damage and possibly make it worse by not cutting and holding on to the ends of your hair. Dusting your hair will eliminate the downside of both scenarios.

Hair damage is inevitable, but if you’re following most of the hair care tips I share here, you’ve learned how to build a hair care regimen that has significantly slowed down the inevitable. As a result, this hopefully means that you’re experiencing fewer split ends and less overall damage, and if this is the case, a significant haircut or trim of an inch or more isn’t always necessary. However, not cutting your hair at all may result in more growth, but it won’t help your hair reach it’s fullest and healthiest potential if you hold on to old and worn ends. What dusting does is allows us to eliminate splits and other forms of damage before they even show up.

The average length of a split end is 1/20th of a centimeter; that’s pretty small! So small in fact that split ends and damage starts at such a microscopic level that it’s not visible to the naked eye. So by the time you’re able to see split ends, you can bet that your cuticle layer and the entire hair strand is severely damaged. When you dust, you remove those microscopic tears in the cuticle layer that leads to split ends and create ends that are whole and less susceptible to damage.

If you have a plant that has damaged and dead leaves, the number one way to bring that plant back to life is to cut off the scraggly leaves. When you prune the dead parts of the plant, the healthy portion of the plant is able to take up more nutrients and oxygen and thrive. Your hair is sort of the same! If you want to give your hair a fighting chance try dusting and stop most damage dead in its tracks so your hair can thrive and grow long.

Certain Hair Types Should Dust More Than Others

Dusting may not be for everyone. Some people find dusting tedious and argue that their hair does just fine with the regular ole trim every 6 to 8 weeks method, and if that’s the case for you, well then more power to you. However, there are certain hair types that I just cannot see growing long without regular dusting, and that’s fine hair types. Because the structure of fine hair is vastly different than coarser hair textures, fine hair splits and breaks faster than any other hair type. So if you have fine strands, you need to dust even more than ladies with thicker, coarser hair strands.

How to Dust Your Hair

For starters, whether you’re cutting/trimming or dusting your hair, always and only use quality and sharp cutting shears that are specifically designed to cut hair. When dusting, only dust on dry hair. I would suggest that you separate your hair into four sections and clip each section off with a hair tie or clip. Then starting on one of the four sections, take smaller one-inch sections and trim the same amount, less than 1/4 of an inch. Once you cut a piece of hair, clip it out of the way and move on to another piece in the section. Once you finish one section, move on to the next until you’ve dusted all four sections. Repeat this process every 4 to 8 weeks depending on the thickness of your hair. Dust more frequently if you have a thicker hair type, and dust more frequently if your hair care regimen includes styling practices that may cause your hair to break faster (dust more often if you use heat or chemical processes to style your hair).

If you have curly or highly textured hair, dusting can be tricky because the ends of the hair curl, but here’s a simple solution. Simply put all of your hair into small, mini two-strand twists, and snip less than 1/4 inch from the end of each twist. If you have curly hair, this method will allow you to see and control how much you dust from your hair.

Dust or trim split end?Now if you haven’t let scissors touch your locks in a while (6 months or more), chances are your ends are worn and you need to start with a trim or haircut, not dusting. Dusting hair that hasn’t been cut or trimmed in a while won’t help much because you’ll only be trimming below the point of damage, and some damage will be left behind. For example, in the image to the left of a split end under a microscope, dusting  at point A or B would leave some damaged ends behind, so there is no point in dusting at all in this case when your ends would still have some damage. To remedy all of the damage on the ends of the hair in the photo on the left, you’d have to cut the hair at point C where the hair strand is still whole and not split. Then after a fresh haircut or trim, you can incorporate dusting into your hair care regimen to keep damaged and split ends at bay in the future.

Top 4 Ways to Protect your Hair for Fun in the Summer Sun

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Hello lovelies,


When you’re out this summer enjoying family, friends, and most of all the warm weather, I’m sure your hair will be the last thing on your mind. However, with the potential harm the sun and all that summer entails can cause to your hair, you may want to take extra precautions. Below are four easy ways you can protect your hair this summer and ensure that the sun and the warm weather don’t get in the way of your long hair goals.

Pre-treat Your Hair with Sunscreen

Most of us know the importance of shielding our skin from the sun’s harmful rays via sunscreen, but we don’t understand that our hair needs the same protection. UV rays from the sun have the same effect on hair as it does skin, but the damage is much more apparent when it comes to hair. It may take years, possibly decades, to see the full damage harmful rays from the sun can wreak on our skin, but after just a single day out in the sun, we can immediately tell the effects on our hair. The good news is that just as we protect our skin with sun blocking  products, we can use sunscreens to protect our hair as well. Now, not so fast, don’t apply the same sunscreen you use on your skin to your hair. There are specially formulated sunscreens just for your hair that won’t make it feel greasy or weighed down. My favorite sunscreen for hair is the Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil . It’s lightweight, but you only need a small amount, and it protects your hair from the sun for up to 16 hours!

summer hat

Wear a Hat

Summer hats are not only chic, they’re perfect to provide guaranteed protection for your hair from the sun. If you plan to be out soaking up the sun for extended periods of time, a hat is a simple way to protect your hair from getting scorched and drying out in the summer heat. As an added bonus, a hat can provide adequate shade for your face to keep sun-induced wrinkles and brown spots at bay!

Remove  Chlorine Buildup

Taking a dip in the pool is the ultimate summer fun, but the chlorine buildup that can follow a fun-filled day at the pool is nothing to rave about. When you swim without protecting your hair, chlorine attaches to the scalp and causes the scalp to produce more oil than normal. Chlorine buildup can make your hair heavy, limp, and practically lifeless, which can make fun summer hairstyles, like beach waves, virtually impossible to achieve . Wearing a swim cap is the simple solution to prevent chlorine build, but if that’s not your style, simply cleanse your hair with a clarifying shampoo after a day in the pool. Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo Three is a great clarifying shampoo for combating chlorine buildup, or simply mix an ounce of baking soda with seven ounces of warm water for a cheaper, DIY alternative.

Deep Condition to Combat any Summer or Sun Damage

For any type of sun damage or other summer-related hair damage, moisture, moisture, moisture is the key to getting your hair back on track. The sun and summer heat naturally weakens the keratin-based protein bonds in our hair strands, and makes our hair more susceptible to breakage and split ends. Ramping up the moisture will provide a protective barrier to the hair and ensure that your locks stay moist and supple in the summer heat. Simply apply your favorite moisturising conditioner to your hair before venturing out into the sun, but don’t wash it out! Yes, leave the conditioner in your hair while you’re out enjoying the sun, and wash it out when you return home in the evening. Deep conditioning is even more necessary if you have color treated hair because the sun’s rays can strip your hair color and and practically fry your already delicate strands.

The One Time Your Hair Grows The Fastest – Summer Hair Growth Spurt

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Summer Hair Growth Spurt - Why Hair Grows Faster During the Summer!

Did you know that your hair grows faster during the summer?

 

Hello lovelies,


There’s something about summer that just makes all things blossom. Flowers are in full swing, love seems to blossom, and for some odd reason, my hair always seems to grow faster during the warm weather months. I’ve heard many other women tout that they experience faster hair growth during the summer, but I’d never heard any scientific proof to back up this claim, that is until now.

It turns out human hair does indeed grow faster during the summer, but only by about 10% in comparison to hair growth during the winter months. According to a study led by the National Institute of Health, seasonal changes bring about changes in human hair growth. On the scalp, the hair follicles that are in the anagen phase reach a peak around March, just as the weather is warming up. The number of follicles in the anagen phase tend to decline from there until about September; then the change in growth rate ramps up again completing the cycle. I always say take the extra growth where you can get it, and even though 10% faster growth isn’t much, it is something.
Hair grows faster during the summer....

Why Human Hair Grows Faster During the Summer

So why does our hair grow faster when it’s warm? I’ve heard it’s due to increased humidity in the air, but perhaps its due to increased circulation. When it’s warm, the body doesn’t have to work as hard to keep our internal organs warm (most people experience cold hands and feet in the winter because blood pools around our torso to keep the important organs warm and functioning properly). Blood flow is much more efficient during warm weather months, and blood easily reaches other areas of the body. Increased blood flow means that more blood is reaching the scalp, so increased nutrients to the scalp equals slightly faster hair growth.

Length Retention is Better During the Summer

Perhaps more important than a summer hair growth spurt is the fact that retaining the amount of hair you grow is simply easier when the weather is warm. I don’t know about you, but when it’s warm out, the last thing I’m thinking about is showing off my long locks. When the weather is hot the first thing I do is throw my hair up in a messy ponytail to keep it off of my neck and to prevent a heat stroke, lol. I’m willing to bet most other women do this as well. If we’re wearing our hair up and protecting our ends more frequently in the summer, our hair is experiencing less damage and we’re much more likely to retain more growth. Additionally, with the increased humidity, using heat tools or curling the hair is simply pointless for many of us gals because the curls are bound to fall or turn into a frizzy mess within a matter of hours.  So maybe it’s all of these factors combined that causes us to experience faster hair growth during the summer.

Don’t Forget to Protect Your Hair from the Sun

If your first instinct after discovering this fascinating hair growth fact is to set out for summer fun and attempt to kick your summer hair growth spurt in to overdrive, not so fast. It’s still important to protect your hair from the sun during the hot weather months. So many of us focus on protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful rays, but we forget to protect our hair, and many of us don’t even realize that it’s important to do so. Consider wearing a cute summer hat or reach for a protective sunscreen for your hair like this one prior to enjoying your fun in the sun. Remember the sun can also cause significant damage to your hair that could lead to breakage and split ends, so it’s important to expand your sun protection to include your hair.

photo credit:Octavia Dingss

Hair Cuticle 101 – The Most Important Part of Your Hair

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Hello Lovelies!

I’d like to start this post with a quote from renowned hair scientist, Dr. Neil Persadsingh:

The appearance of the hair depends largely on the health of the cuticle, the protective sheath of the whole hair.

Human hair cuticle layer
If you’re on a journey to grow long hair, take this quote to heart. The cuticle layer of human hair is the most important factor in hair growth. Without a healthy cuticle layer, you can expect to never reach your long hair goals. Since hair is dead and it can only be preserved, you must keep the most protective layer of the hair strand (the cuticle layer) intact for as long as possible if you want your hair to reach longer lengths.

The Cuticle Layer – What Is It?

The cuticle layer is one of the three major portions of the hair strand, and its the outermost layer that functions to protect the innermost layers of the hair shaft. Personally, I like to also call the cuticle layer the “style layer” because it’s this layer of the hair that determines how well your hair styles and how it feels, but it is also responsible for allowing moisture to pass into the hair shaft and stay there. If you look at the cuticle layer of the hair under a microscope, it looks very similar to the layout of shingles on a roof.  The shingle like structure of the cuticle layer are made up from protein scales within the layer that overlay on top of each other to keep moisture within the hair shaft.

How the Cuticle Layer Functions and Protects the Hair Strand

The cuticle layer consists of protein-based scales that open and close when “activated.” When these scales rise, chemicals and ingredients can pass through the cuticle layer to the control center of the hair strand, the cortex. The cortex determines  the hair strand’s color, curl pattern, thickness, and texture. In order for chemical processes, such as hair color or relaxers, to be effective on the hair strand, they have to get past the cuticle layer (think of the cuticle layer as the big brother in large family of kids who protects the younger, more vulnerable kids).

Hair color and relaxers are only able to alter the color or curl pattern and texture of the hair because they have enough strength to raise the hair’s cuticle and reach the hair’s cortex and manipulate it. Hair color has chemicals in it that are specifically designed to raise the cuticle layer and deposit color into the hair’s cortex. Hair relaxers also have special chemicals that raise the hair’s cuticle and break certain bonds in the hair’s cortex that straightens the curl pattern of someone with naturally curly hair.

Once these changes are made to the cortex, they can’t be reversed. We all know that these processes can be quite damaging to the hair, most particularly the hair’s cortex, and once the cortex is damaged, the entire hair strand is pretty much damaged beyond repair. When the cuticle layer is healthy it can help prevent some of this damage, but in some instances, the cuticle layer itself simply can’t withstand to the abuse of strong chemicals, heat, and constant manipulation over an extended period of time. However, the good news is since the cuticle layer can be manipulated, either for the bad or the good, you can learn how to control your cuticle layer and optimize its strength and preservation to grow longer hair.

Difference in Cuticle Layer by Hair Type

All cuticle layers aren’t created the same. In fact, the cuticle layer and how its scales naturally align varies according to hair type. For straight, type 1 hair, the cuticle layer hugs the cortex very tightly and the layer’s scales naturally lay flat. This is why straight hair shines more often and tends to stay moisturized for a longer period of time than any other hair type. For curly hair types, the cuticle layer’s scales are naturally raised and don’t lay flat. As a result, curly hair tends to shine less and doesn’t feel as smooth to the touch. Raised cuticles are also the reason why curly hair tends to look frizzy and tangles easily. If your hair falls in between straight and curly, the alignment of the cuticle layer will depend on how tightly your hair curls or waves. Since curlier hair textures have naturally raised cuticles, it’s important that people with highly textured hair take extra care to preserve their hair’s cuticle.

As you all know, I think chemically processed hair, relaxed or color treated hair is its own hair type because the hair’s structure is permanently altered, and the cuticle is even more naturally raised than curly hair; it’s practically wide open, and in some instances the cortex is pretty darn close to being completely exposed. So if you have chemically processed hair, you have to go the extra mile and use special hair care products to close your hair’s cuticle layer.

People with curly or highly textured hair or chemically processed hair often suffer from something known as high porosity. Since the cuticle layer is naturally raised and often hard to close without special hair care practices, the hair has a hard time absorbing moisture and keeping moisture in because the cuticle acts as a revolving door.

How to Optimize Your Hair’s Cuticle Layer

Closing or sealing the cuticle layer is the number one way to control the cuticle layer and ultimately control the condition of your hair. A cuticle layer that is properly closed or sealed keeps moisture in the hair shaft for a longer period of time, so the hair is much more flexible, soft, manageable, and less prone to breakage. So how do we make sure that the hair’s cuticle layer is properly sealed and retains moisture? Well there are two ways.

pH Balancing for a Healthy Cuticle Layer

The cuticle layer opens and closes or reacts to the pH in substances we use on our hair, including water.  Hair has a “happy pH” it likes to be at, between a range of 4 to 5.5, and it’s within this happy pH range that the cuticle layer is able to remain closed. On the other end, when the cuticle layer comes into contact with substances that are outside of this happy pH range, it reacts by opening or  raising its scales. Every substance you put on your hair has a pH level, and your hair will react to that pH level by lifting or closing the cuticle layer.

For healthy, strong hair that grows long, we want to close the cuticle as much as possible, therefore we must use slightly acidic hair products on our hair. From your shampoo to your conditioner to your styling aid, most of your hair products should be within the 4 to 5.5 pH range in order to preserve the health of your hair’s cuticle. Now most hair product manufacturers don’t print the pH of their products on the label, so we have to test the pH of the products we use on our hair to make sure they’re suitable. For more info on pH balancing and how to test the pH level of your hair products, click here. If you have curly or highly textured hair or hair that is chemically treated, pH balancing is the best way to close  and protect your hair’s cuticle layer.

Using Heat for a Healthy Cuticle Layer

Heat is the second way to activate the cuticle layer and lock in moisture. Heat is able to lift a stubborn cuticle layer and allow the hair to receive moisture. Now all types of heat aren’t acceptable when it comes to obtaining a healthy cuticle. Heat from the sun or direct heat from styling tools, such as a handheld blow dryer or a curling iron, are usually not good for the cuticle layer, or at least getting it to open up to receive moisture. The types of heat we want to use are mild, indirect forms of heat, such as a hot towel wrapped around the head or a hair steamer or hooded dryer.

The mild, indirect forms of heat should be used when you’re deep conditioning the hair. We use the heat to lift the cuticle so that as much moisture from the deep conditioner can penetrate the hair shaft as possible. At the same time, the deep conditioner you use should still be within the happy hair pH range of 4 to 5.5. This way when the hair absorbs as many nutrients as it can, the cuticle will close or seal when the deep conditioner is washed away.

How to Repair a Damaged Cuticle Layer

When you think about all of the things that the cuticle layer does and protects, you have to admit it’s pretty tough to be perhaps the thinnest and most overworked layer of the human hair strand. The thing that gives the cuticle layer its remarkable strength is protein. The scales of the cuticle layer are made up from a special protein called keratin. Keratin is fibrous, high-sulfur protein found in hair, skin, and nails. Now keratin does indeed give such delicate things such as hair and nails strength, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be damaged.

When we submit our hair to constant abuse via overuse of chemical processes, endless heat styling or aggressive styling and grooming, we’re slowly but surely chipping away at the scales in the hair’s cuticle layer. When these scales eventually break off completely, the hair strand is left with holes and gaps that makes the hair more susceptible to split ends and other nonreversible damage; in the hair care world, this is common referred to as porous hair.  All hair is naturally porous, but when the hair has too low of a porosity or too high of a porosity, it can make managing the hair and growing it long a bit more of a challenge (check out this infographic for more information on hair porosity).

Protein treatments are the number one way to remedy the holes and gaps in overly porous hair and mitigate further damage. When protein treatments are applied to hair that has a damaged cuticle layer, protein deposits will fill in the gaps and missing sections in the cuticle layer to counteract the damage the hair strand has already sustained. While protein treatments will give you the illusion of smoother and stronger hair, it’s just that, an illusion. Damaged hair that’s treated with protein is still damaged, and the effect from protein treatments are temporary. Most protein treatments will wash away within one to a few cleansing sessions; similar to most other hair products.

What protein treatments will do is prevent your hair from sustaining further damage and allow hair that is somewhat damaged to grow longer. In order to experience optimal benefits from protein treatments, you must apply them to your hair on a continual basis to ensure that your hair maintains a protective sheath around of the hair strand. However, the key to strengthening a damaged cuticle layer with protein and turning your damaged hair around is finding the proper balance between protein and moisture for your hair. For more on the hair’s protein/moisture balance, read this post.

So there you have it! The key to growing longer hair and reaching your long hair goals is pampering and outright nurturing the cuticle layer. The good thing is that preserving the cuticle is fairly simple, and it’s often the simplest hair care practices that will give us the long, luscious locks we desire.


pH Balancing – The Key to Manageable and Healthy Long Hair

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Hello Lovelies,


As you all know, I believe that the science behind hair and its structure is the key to understanding your hair and how to make it grow longer. The most important piece of science that helped me master my hair and gave me the ability to manage my hair no matter its condition was pH. yes, pH, lovelies.

Now I know you’re thinking, what does pH have to do with hair care and growing long hair, and I’m here to tell you that it has everything to do with it and more. You see, hair, similar to skin, naturally has a slightly acidic pH level, and hair needs an acidic pH level to thrive. Before we move along, let’s review the pH scale just in case you’ve forgotten it.

ph scale of hair

The pH scale is a scale that is used to measure how acidic or alkaline/basic a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. Substances with a pH level of 7 (the middle range of the pH scale) are considered neutral, substances that have a pH less than 7 are considered acidic, and substances with a pH reading greater than 7 are considered basic. Got it? Good (see, high school science would come in handy some day).

Human hair is happiest at a pH of 4 to 5.5, which is slightly acidic. Naturally you’d think that human hair would prefer to be neutral, but that isn’t the case. I thought this too, and I was shocked to find out that even water, with a pH of 7, is too alkaline for human hair (this is why hard water wreaks havoc on our hair).

When human hair comes into contact with alkaline substances, substances with a pH greater than 7, the cuticles of our hair responds by swelling and rising or opening up. If you’ve been reading up on hair structure, you know that raised cuticles are a bad thing. Raised cuticles equals porous hair, which is sort of like a revolving door. The hair will suck up moisture, but it’ll also have a hard time keeping moisture in, so that means your hair will be drier than usual, rough to the touch, tangle frequently, and be much more susceptible to damage and breakage.

chemical hair processesMany chemical processes like hair color and relaxers are alkaline in nature, meaning they have a high pH and will cause the hair shaft to swell. This is why people who color and relax their hair have to use special shampoos and other hair care products to counteract the high pH of the chemical processes they use; it’s to keep the cuticle closed and prevent the hair from becoming porous. The number one way to do this is via pH balancing, which is also known as sealing the cuticle.

Now on the other end of the spectrum, when human hair comes into contact with lower pH substances, the cuticle reacts by contracting and laying flat. This is precisely what we want because a compact cuticle holds in moisture and is less likely to sustain damage. Additionally, when the cuticle is intact and flat, your hair just looks healthy, but back to pH.

So how do we pH balance the hair, simple? Use hair products that are within the range of 4 to 5.5 pH level. Well how do you know the pH level of your hair products? Well some hair product makers and manufacturers are getting savior with their labeling and they’re printing the pH of their product right on the packaging. However, if your products don’t have the pH on the label, you can find out the pH level via pH strips. You remember those from high school science classes, right? Those little strips where you swipe a little sample of the substance you’re testing across it and wait for the strip to change in color. Simply match the color to the pH indicator chart, which is usually printed on the package the pH strips comes in, and find out the pH.

Test the pH Level of Your Hair Products

Once you purchase or receive your pH strips in the mail, get every hair product you’ve ever used on your hair and test it. You may want to have a notebook handy so you can jot down the product’s name and its pH level. Once you’ve tested all of the products, organize them into two categories, one category for products with a pH higher than 7, and another category for products with a pH lower than 7.

If the products on the acidic side fall within the happy hair pH range of 4 to 5.5, these products are safe and perfect to use as is. If the products are above the happy hair pH level, you can still use them, but they need some “formulating” before they’re safe for use.

Alkaline products need an acidifying agent to bring their pH down to the happy hair pH range. Some of the acidifying agents I like to use are:

  • Aloe Vera Juice (pH level of 3.0)
  • Apple Cider Vinegar (pH level of 3.0)
  • Juice of a lime or lemon (pH level of 2.0)

Now I recommend separating out your favorite moisturizers and hair products that are too alkaline from their original container and mixing them with acidifying agents in a separate bowl. Making your alkaline hair products will take a bit of trial and error because when it comes to pH, a little bit can equal a big change. I would only add an acidifying agent by the teaspoon, mix it into the alkaline product, then test it to see what the new pH is. If it’s falls within the happy hair range, perfect! If the new concoction is still too alkaline, add an additional teaspoon of your acidifying agent, mix the concoction, and test again. Keep doing this until the pH falls within the 4 to 5.5 range.

Now this may seem like too much to you, but if you want to turn your stubborn and unruly hair around and reach your long hair goals, it really isn’t. pH matters! It wasn’t until I practiced consistent pH balancing after every washing session with a special leave-in conditioner and with my other hair products that I experienced hair that was never dry, brittle to the touch, or dull, and for the first time, my hair actually grew past my bra strap.

Some Hair Types Need pH Balancing More than Others

curly hair needs pH balancingIf your hair is curly or highly textured, you need pH balancing more than any other hair type. Sebum, the oil that our scalps produce, has a pH that falls within the happy range of 4 to 5.5. As you know, the curls and kinks found in certain hair textures makes it difficult for sebum to reach the full length of the hair, unlike straighter hair types where sebum reaches the ends of the hair with no problem. This is precisely why curlier hair textures tend to be drier, more susceptible to damage, and less likely to retain as much length in comparison straighter hair types. It’s due to the fact that the sebum is not coating the entire length of the hair so curlier hair textures aren’t pH balanced within the happy hair ranged. So where nature is lacking, science can pick up the slack.

If you have curlier hair, especially if you have a relaxer, hair color, or any other type of chemical treatment, pH balancing is your friend. If your hair falls within the curly range, pH balancing will be the most important step to getting your hair healthy and under control.

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