Treatments- Products and DIY Remedies For All of Your Hair Concerns

Hello Glams and Geeks! Hope everyone enjoyed yesterday’s post, and as mentioned, today will be focusing on treatments that will cater to all of your hair needs and concerns.

Every day, our hair endures so much damage during our styling processes that eventually, it starts to show. From excessive heat contact, to being slathered in chemical-filled hair products like gel and hair spray to maintain our looks. Our tresses are always feeling the effects of these drying products and styles. So today, we are going to focus on how we can give back to our hair, feed it the proper nourishment it needs to keep doing its job in helping us achieve gorgeous hairstyles, and how we can continue to prevent these effects from taking over our hair.

Before we begin, I wanted to mention that for the DIY sections of this post, I have tried most of them, and tried the ones that didn’t pertain to my hair type on my mom who has thick, naturally curly hair. So, I know how well each one works, and have listed them here due to their effectiveness. I also wanted to mention that when it comes to natural hair care, the essentials that everyone should try and keep on hand are honey, apple cider vinegar, avocados for their endless benefits in fighting frizz, adding moisture, preventing breakage, promoting hair growth, etc., and the following oils for their amazing properties: Castor Oil, coconut oil, almond oil, argan oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, and tea tree oil. These are oils that really can work miracles for your hair when used, so I encourage you to find the purest form of these oils possible, and at the best price for your budget. I purchased mines at Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods during sales and always keep them on hand. Also, with all of these masks and rinses, I encourage you to massage them into your scalp and ends for a few minutes to help the ingredients penetrate your hair. Now, let’s get started!

DRY/DAMAGED HAIR

Dry hair can come from many different things, including excessive styling and heating, over washing your hair, and the environment (harsh, dry weathers). When looking for hair products, try avoiding those containing alcohol and try not to choose clear-based shampoos as they contain harsh ingredients that can lead to extreme dehydration in your strands. Instead, opt for creamy shampoos, as they help retain moisture in hair. So, let’s take a look at two options for treating this hair type:

To Buy: Neutrogena’s Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask. It retails for about $4.99 and can be found at your local drugstore. It contains Olive Oil, Meadow foam Seed, and Sweet Almond Oil, each one acting together to restore each and every hair strand from the inside, out.

To DIY: Damage Repairing and Vitamin Replenishing Avocado Hair Mask- This mask is packed with vitamins, loaded with moisture, and contains fatty acids (from the avocado) that will repair and restore your strands, making your hair feel new again!  

What You’ll Need: 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½ ripe Avocado, 2 oz. of water, a mixing bowl, a wide tooth comb, and a shower cap.

What to Do: Begin by mashing the Avocado into a soft paste. It should not have any clumps in it, as these clumps can be difficult to remove from your hair. Once you have your avocado paste, whisk the two eggs and mix both ingredients together into a bowl. Now, add the olive oil and water, and blend until the water and oil has dissolved into the paste. Once your hair mask is ready, apply to dry hair, ensuring that each strand is coated in the mixture. I recommend using a wide tooth comb to make sure the mix spreads evenly from root to tip! Massage into scalp and ends. Then, apply a shower cap and leave this mask in your hair 10-20 minutes, followed by thoroughly rinsing out the mix. Shampoo and condition your hair, and style as you normally would. Your hair should look and feel soft and silky and super shiny! This treatment can be done every other week or as often as you see fit!

FRIZZY HAIR

We’ve all been here: Those annoying strands that we can’t seem to tame no matter what. Frizzy hair is the number one reason behind our bad hair days. It’s caused by our environment (humidity), dehydration (frizz occurs when our hair’s cuticles open up, trying to absorb moisture from the air into our strands), and from using chemical filled products in our hair (alcohol based products like gel and hairspray). For my frizzy haired glams and geeks, worry no more! I have found two treatments to help you banish your bad hair days for good!

To Buy: Got 2B Glossy Anti-Frizz Shine Serum. It retails for about $6 and can be found at your local drugstore. It is intended to be applied to hair while damp, so during and after styling or air-drying, your hair will take in the moisture from the product, rather than open up and try to hydrate itself from the moisture in the air. So, now you can achieve your desired style without having to fight off those stray strands!

To DIY: Olive Oil Hot Rinse Treatment- Olive Oil is known for is super moisturizing abilities when applied to hair, so this is perfect for this hair type! Your hair will be frizz-free as your strands soak in the moisture from the oil. It also delivers multiple benefits such as dandruff prevention, boosts shine, promotes hair growth, and softens the cuticle to maintain manageable hair.

What You Need: ½ Cup of Extra Virgin or Virgin Olive Oil, a mixing bowl and a shower cap.

What to Do: First, measure the amount of olive oil needed for this treatment. Then, put the oil into a microwave-safe bowl or cup, as you’ll need something that will be easy to pour the oil into your hair. Microwave the oil for no longer than 20-30 seconds. This should feel warm enough that it is still comfortable to the touch, otherwise you could experience burning on your scalp! Once it’s warm, find a place where you can tilt your head back and pour the oil into your hair. I usually do this in the shower, tilting my head as far back as possible, and also making the clean-up process super easy. Once the oil is in your hair, ensure that all of it is coated in the oil, and massage into your scalp and ends. Twist your ends lightly to release any excess oil and clip it up, followed by applying a shower cap. Leave the oil in for 30 minutes to an hour, then shampoo and condition. Whenever I do this, I shampoo my scalp twice, making sure not to rub the second dose of shampoo into my ends as I want to keep the left over oil in my ends. For the conditioner, I recommend doing only your ends. This treatment can be done once a week or as often as you see fit!

BREAKAGE

Breakage is so common now with all of the heating and chemicals in products, as I’ve mentioned before. But breakage can also come from the way you brush. Here are a few tips to help! To prevent breakage in wet hair, never use a bristled-brush as it tends to pull on hair, causing wet hair to snap. This happens because wet hair is too soft to prevent itself from breaking when a bristled brush passes through it. Try using a wide tooth comb, as I’ve recommended in each of the treatments above. It’s very gentle on hair, detangling as it combs and separating knots without tearing the strands. With dry hair, try a boar haired bristle brush. Unlike plastic bristles, boar hair bristles are gentler and snag less on the strands, while delivering shine and distributing your natural oils throughout your strands. Here’s a second tip: Whenever you are putting hair into a pony tail, I recommend hair ties that do not have little metal pieces holding the tie together. Preferably, look for ones that are metal-free or ones that have cotton material, like the scrunchies from the 90’s! These are great for bed time and do not tug on hair while you sleep. Also, try not to tie hair too tightly, as your hair can break while in a ponytail much faster than when hair is worn down. Now, onto the treatments!

To Buy: Organix Anti Breakage Keratin Oil Instant Repair Spray. It retails for about $8 and can be found at your local drugstore. The oil is infused with Keratin Oil, which strengthens the strands preventing breakage, and Argan oil, softening and conditioning your hair, and adding shine. It is meant to be applied to damp hair, preventing breakage as you comb and style. This is part of my hair routine as I have very fine, breakage-prone hair, and since I started using this a few months ago, I can see a difference in the strength of my hair.

To DIY: A Coconut Milk, Honey, and Avocado Hair Mask. Coconut Milk’s high protein content works fast to restore strength and moisture in hair while Avocado’s fatty acids start to deliver moisture to your hair. Honey, as sweet as it is, has some sweet benefits for your hair, such as infusing your strands with high shine, and acts as a natural humectant to keep your hair frizz-free while absorbing moisture from the air.

What You Need: ½ cup of Coconut Milk (preferably unsweetened), ½ peeled Avocado, 2 tablespoons of honey, a mixing bowl, a wide tooth comb, and a shower cap.

What to Do: Start by mashing Avocado into a paste in your mixing bowl. Make sure there are no clumps of avocado as they can be difficult to remove. Once it’s completely mashed, add the coconut milk and honey into the paste, and mix until it appears well blended. Apply this paste to dry hair, ensuring that hair is completely coated in the mask. Use a wide tooth comb to completely distribute in hair. Massage into scalp and ends. Once done, put on a shower cap and let the mask saturate your hair for 20 to 30 minutes. Follow this by thoroughly rinsing, then shampoo and condition hair.  This treatment can be done once a week or as often as you see fit!

SPLIT ENDS

After long, harsh winters, or scorching, hot summers, our ends take such a beating that it’s impossible for our strands to stay intact. Some common knowledge to treat this hair catastrophe is to get your ends trimmed every 8 to 12 weeks. But in between trims, it is possible for ends to become fried and damaged, so how to do maintain your ends healthy in the meantime? I have found two alternatives for this hair concern that will help your ends stay nice and strong!

To Buy: Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Split Ends Mender. It retails for about $6 and can be found at your local drugstore. It contains coconut oil, silk, and keratin proteins to repair split ends, while coconut milk and egg whites repair damaged cuticles and retain frizziness. Perfect for frizzy, dry, and damaged hair types as well.

To DIY: 30 Minute Hair Repair Rinse- A combination of Honey, Almond oil, and Apple Cider Vinegar to restore your ends! The Honey moisturizes the hair shaft, preventing further breakage, while almond oil strengthens and conditions the hair shaft and ends. The Apple Cider Vinegar is great for mending the hair’s cuticle while the acids in it cleanse the scalp of build-up and oils. This treatment is great for the overall health and restoration of your hair.

What You Need: 2 tablespoons of Honey, 1 tablespoon of Almond Oil, and 1-2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar (depending on hair length and thickness), a mixing bowl, and a shower cap.

What to Do: Pour ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until well blended. Apply mixture to hair over a sink or in the shower, ensuring hair gets soaked in this rinse. Massage into your scalp and ends. Twist ends lightly to rid of excess liquid in hair, clip it up and put on a shower cap. Leave this in your hair for 30 minutes to let the ingredients saturate and restore your hair. Rinse thoroughly with water, then follow by shampoo and conditioner. This treatment can be done once a week or as often as you see fit!

FINE HAIR

I have fine hair myself, so I know just how to care for the very limited strands that I have. Fine hair does not mean that you have less hair than other people. It just means that your individual hair strands are thinner, and that's okay. It's best for people who have thin hair to focus less on trying to thicken their hair, as this isn't possible to expand each individual strand and follicle, but to learn how to take care of your fine, delicate hair. The most important thing to keep in mind is that this hair type can become oily very fast, as well as fall out very easy. I recommend using sulfate-free shampoos, as ones with sulfate cause fall out, and steer clear of alcohol based products as they dry up and strip hair of their moisture and nutrients. The best products for fine hair are ones that are oil-free or that absorb oil, while delivering volume to your roots. Here are my recommendations for fine hair:

To Buy: Suave’s Volumizing Mousse. It retails for $3 and can be found at your local drugstore. It gives great volume to your hair and leaves hair soft and bouncy, unlike most volumizing mousses’ that leaves your hair feeling crunchy and stiff.

To DIY: Banana, Egg, Castor Oil, and Olive Oil Hair Mask. This mask will not only give you extreme shine and moisture, but volume as well, while giving your strands strength and promoting hair to grow. Banana has some great benefits for hair, such as softening, boosting shine, and restoring hair. Eggs have protein which help to strengthen the hair. Castor Oil is like magic for promoting hair growth due to the amounts of vitamin E, omega-6, and other essential nutrients that it contains. The olive oil helps to bring moisture to your hair, while providing an easy removal process later on, when trying to get the bits of banana out of your hair.

What You Need: 1 Banana, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of Castor oil, and 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil, a mixing bowl, a wide tooth comb, and a shower cap.

What to Do: Start by mashing the banana into a paste. Make sure it does not have any clumps as these can become very difficult to remove later on. Once you have your paste, whisk your egg, and add it into the mix. Now, you can add both the castor and olive oils, and blend this into the hair mask. Once it’s ready, you can proceed to apply it to dry hair, making sure it gets distributed throughout your entire head. You can use a wide tooth comb to spread it evenly. Then, massage into scalp and ends. Clip up your hair, and apply a shower cap. Leave mask on 15-20 minutes to let it deeply saturate your hair. Rinse thoroughly, then follow with shampoo (which I recommend to do this twice), then condition ends only (to prevent greasy scalp). This treatment can be done once a week or as often as you see fit!

OILY HAIR

This also qualifies as my hair type, as I mentioned before, fine hair has a tendency to become oily. The reason for this is because the hair is so thin, that is absorbs what it can, and the rest sits on the scalp, giving your roots a moist or sleek appearance. Thick hair, on the other hand, absorbs everything that the scalp produces, and sometimes needs more, giving thick hair a dry or coarse appearance, as it constantly requires moisture. So, now that we’ve learned a bit about this hair type, let’s look at some alternatives to help these hair types look less oily.

To Buy: Suave’s Volumizing Dry Shampoo. This product retails for $3 and can be found at your local drugstore. This product is pretty awesome because it doubles as a volume-booster and an oil absorber, making your hair look amazing! It does not leave a powdery look to hair as some dry shampoos tend to do, and it’s easy to blend into your roots, so it goes undetected. Also, this can be applied to clean hair after it is styled, preventing the oils from being released throughout the day.

To DIY: Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice and Water Rinse- This rinse is great for preventing  oils from being released too soon or throughout the day, and keeps your hair cleaner, for longer periods of time. The acid from the vinegar eats up the oils and build up on your scalp while the acid from the citrus temporarily closes the pores on your scalp to prevent the production of oils. Now, the acids in this combination can be dehydrating, which is why water is recommended to dilute it. Also, bear in mind, if this treatment is done too frequently, your hair can lighten in color. I recommend doing this once a month to prevent this from happening.

What You Need: 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar, and the juice from ½ lemon, a mixing bowl, and a shower cap.

What To Do: Start by getting the cup of water, then add the vinegar to it. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the mix, ensuring seeds don’t fall in. Stir until well blended. This mix should be applied to shampooed hair, so wash first, then run rinse through your clean, towel-dried hair. Ensure that the rinse is evenly distributed to your hair, and massage into roots and ends. Let the mixture sit in hair for 20 minutes, followed by a cool water rinse, and condition ends (optional). This treatment should not be done too frequently, so ensure at least a month has passed before repeating this treatment in hair.

DULL HAIR

Dull hair can happen to anyone, at any time, and from anything. It could be the weather, it could be your shampoo, it can even come from needing a haircut. But don’t be too quick to run to the clippers. I have two coconut-based solutions for your dull hair that will make you feel brand new!

To Buy: Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Instant Repair Treatment. It retails for about $7 and can be found at your local drugstore. This deep conditioning treatment is intended to revive lifeless, dull hair, and nourish it back to health with its coconut oil, coconut milk, and whipped egg white ingredients.

To DIY: Coconut Hair Revival Mask- This mask, made with coconut oil, coconut cream, egg whites, and honey, will revive your tired strands with its fresh ingredients and its penetrating oils. The coconut cream coats the hair with all of the vitamins and minerals that coconuts are best known for while the coconut oil seeps into your strands to deliver even more nourishment, and works on restoring the inside of your hair follicles. The egg whites strengthen your strands with protein while the honey softens your hair and boosts shine

What You Need: ½ cup of Coconut Cream (Canned or Bottled), 2 tablespoons of virgin Coconut oil, 2 whipped egg whites, 2 tablespoons of honey, a mixing bowl, and a shower cap.

 (Note: If you cannot find/use coconut cream, that’s ok. It is intended to add a fluffy, conditioning base for this mask. If you wish to do this treatment without the coconut cream, use 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, 3 egg whites, and 3 tablespoons of honey.)

What to Do: Start by putting coconut cream into a mixing bowl and use a whisk to fluff it a little. Once it starts to look fluffy, pour in the coconut oil and honey. Mix in until it is well blended into the fluff. Now, take both eggs and pour in egg whites into a separate bowl. Throw away yolks. Whisk the egg whites until it starts to turn into a froth. Now pour the egg froth into the coconut fluff and blend together. Apply this mix into washed, towel-dried hair, and blend in, ensuring it coats hair evenly. Massage into roots and ends. Clip up hair and apply shower cap. Let this sit for 20-40 minutes, followed by rinsing and conditioning ends.

Alternative Option: Pour coconut oil and honey into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, add egg whites to bowl. Throw away egg yolk. Whisk egg whites into a froth and pour into coconut oil and honey mix. Blend all three together until well blended. This should be applied to dry hair and should be poured into hair over a sink or in the shower for easy clean up. Massage into roots and ends, and twist ends lightly to remove excess oil. Apply shower cap and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Follow with shampoo and conditioner.

Either option can be done once a week, or as often as you see fit.

DANDRUFF/ITCHY SCALP

 Dandruff is caused by dry skin on the scalp from lack of moisture on the scalp and hair follicles. This is a tedious skin problem to get rid of, but with the following two options, you are on your way to a flake-free scalp!

To Buy: Head and Shoulders Shampoos and Conditioners. They retail for about $5 and can be found at your local drugstore. The brand is known for its abilities to successfully remove and prevent flakes from occurring.

To DIY: We have two options, choose which you prefer:

 Tea Tree Oil Treatment- Unlike the masks and rinses we’ve discussed, this one is quite simple. Just soak cotton balls with tea tree oil, and dab onto your entire scalp and massage it in. Let it sit for 20 minutes then rinse, followed by shampoo and conditioner. Or you can add a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo, wash as you normally would, and rinse. Followed by regular conditioning.

The second option is an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse. This rinse works to remove any build up on the scalp while removing flakes. This works fairly quick, and results can occur within the first rinse.

What You Need: ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar, ½ cup Water, a cup or mixing bowl.

What to Do: Mix both the vinegar and water into a cup or mixing bowl. Stir until the two are completely mixed. Apply this rinse to clean, towel-dried hair and pour rinse in hair over a sink or in the shower for easy clean up. Massage into scalp and ends and twist ends lightly to release excess liquid. Clip up hair and let sit for 20 minutes, followed by a cold water rinse and conditioner. This treatment can be done once a week or as often as you see fit!

GROWTH

We all desire gorgeous, long, shiny locks of hair, but we know how long it takes for our hair to get there. Here are two alternatives to give your growth process a little boost!

To Buy: Baby Face Pure Protein. It retails for $21 and can be purchased on Amazon.com. I have been using this myself for the last 2 months and am very pleased with the results. My hair has grown an inch and a half since my first treatment, which is a lot for me as my hair grows very slowly. It leaves my hair super soft, and very shiny! It also is very potent, so it should be mixed with a moisturizing conditioner prior to application.

To DIY: Hair Growth Oil Blend. This is a blend I use myself between treatments from the product mentioned above. I did some research on oils that promote healthy hair growth and purchased them, mixing them together and putting the blend into a spray bottle. The oil blend is packed with vitamins and nutrients that are necessary for hair growth, to prevent breakage and fall outs, to restore the hair shaft and follicles, and to seal in moisture to prevent split ends. The mix requires Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Argan Oil. This may seem like an over load, but each one has a specific purpose, and are safe to be mixed and used together.

What You Need: 2 tablespoons of each oil, a mixing bowl, and a shower cap. (This is enough for one use. If you wish to make a long-term supply, triple the measurements for each oil).

What to Do: First, start by measuring and pouring each of the oils into your mixing bowl. Once each one is measured and in your bowl, stir the contents. Now, apply the oils into dry hair. Ensure your hair is completely covered in this blend and massage into scalp and ends. Twist ends to release any excess oils. Clip up hair and put on a shower cap. Leave this blend in for an hour, or overnight (the hair can fully absorb the nutrients and vitamins while you sleep, allowing for full saturation of these oils in your hair). Follow with shampoo and conditioner. This can be done once a week or as often as you see fit!

I hope I covered each and every hair concern possible, and hope you found this super helpful and informative. I thank you sincerely for reading, and encourage everyone to ask any questions they have, to share any tips they may have regarding hair care and their favorite DIY treatments, or if you have any requests for hair care, to please leave them in a comment below the post. Thanks again and stay tuned for tomorrows post on Color Maintenance and Other Alternatives to Coloring your Hair!

Cleansing and Conditioning- Things You May Not Have Known About Caring For Your Hair



A picture of myself from 2011. This is my natural color and I maintained my hair with sulfate-free shampoo and deep conditioning treatments every week.

Hello Glams and Geeks! This week, I will be posting several posts regarding various topics for hair care. I will be talking about Cleansing and Conditioning your hair, Treatments (both purchasable and DIY), Color Maintenance and healthier alternatives, Styling Tools, Tips and Products, and the Inputs for Outputs to Achieve luscious locks (the benefits of vitamins for your hair).

Today’s topic will be focusing on shampooing and conditioning your hair. Now, I know this is something that you know all too well as you do this so often, if not daily. But there are some things you need to know that may just change your views on how you shampoo and condition your hair, as well as what you choose to cleanse and condition with. So, before your next wash, keep these tips in mind!

First things first, I wanted to start by giving you all some great tips that I learned from my hair dresser a few years ago about how to properly shampoo and condition your hair. A habit that most people practice on a day to day basis without realizing it, is washing their hair every single day. Now, this is not always a bad thing depending on the type of shampoo you use (for example, a gentle cleansing shampoo free of harsh ingredients). But this may be the cause of those flakes you get every now and then, or those fly-away strands you can’t seem to tame. But it most definitely is the leading cause to lackluster, dehydrated hair. As per my hair dressers recommendations, she said to wash every other day in order to improve the texture, shine, and hydration of my hair and scalp. She explained that the reason for doing this is to allow your scalp to release its natural oils (I know how gross this may sound, but it’s actually quite healthy). During this process, the oils released begin to nourish the skin on your head, as well as your hair follicles, promoting new hair growth, as well as strengthening each strand.

The second tip she gave me was in regards to conditioning my hair. Like most, I was unaware of how conditioning my hair daily would affect me. As someone who styles my hair with heating tools almost daily, I feel that conditioner is my hero during every shower, but after learning this tip, my hair has changed for the better. She recommended that when conditioning, try not to apply conditioner directly to your scalp unless you are doing a deep conditioning treatment. The reason for this is it speeds up the rate of your scalps reaction to release natural oils as well as increasing the amount that will be released, making your hair oiler, faster. Also, conditioner has a tendency to weigh down your hair, leading to flat, lifeless strands that can’t hold volume because they are being held down by the excessive moisture that is trapped in each strand. So, when conditioning hair, first grab your hair between your fingers as if you were putting it into a pony tail. Next, apply conditioner to the end that is sticking out of your “ponytail”. You can leave this conditioner in your ends for the remainder of your shower, or let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse. The results: hydrated ends, and a clean scalp! This guarantees cleaner hair for longer time as well as the ability to gain some volume in your roots! This tip may not be suitable for people with frizzy hair, as they may need the extra moisture to weigh down their frizzy strands.

Next up, we will be talking about something that some of you may or may not be familiar with, which is a damaging ingredient found in most shampoos called Sodium Lauryl or Laureth Sulfate. If it’s in so many shampoos, why is it so bad? This is something that many people have asked, including myself. Sulfate is a sudsy ingredient that is put into shampoo because it’s cheap for these companies to use, and it creates a thick lather, cleaning your hair much faster. While its cleaning abilities seem great, in reality, it’s robbing your hair of its health. Sulfate is used in cleansers such as the ones used to clean cars, laundry detergent, and other cleaning agents. Just imagine how this is affecting your hair. When applied, it literally strips your hair of its nourishment, leaving your strands dull, feeling coarse, and creates that annoying static in your hair. A few years ago, I began experiencing extreme dryness on my scalp. I tried all sorts of treatments and deep conditioners, and nothing really worked. I spoke with my hair dresser, who said it would be in my best interest to visit a dermatologist to really examine what the matter could be, as it definitely was a skin matter. Upon my visit to my dermatologist, she asked me various questions about my shampoo and how often I washed with it. After answering her questions, she informed me on what sulfate is, and how it had affected my hair and scalp. Because it is a harsh ingredient, it’s very common to experience mild to severe skin allergies. She recommended I discontinued the use of products containing the ingredient, and upon doing so, my hair has never been healthier. Below, I have provided a link for those of you who are interested to read more about this, as I think everyone should fully educate themselves in how this is affecting you. I think going sulfate-free is something to consider, as the benefits may be in your best interest. So, feel free to check it out, or do your own search on the web and see if this is a switch you’d want to make.

http://www.naturalnews.com/033932_sodium_lauryl_sulfate_shampoo.html

Two other ingredients that can be found in your shampoos that are very harmful to your health are parabens and formaldehyde. They both are included for preservative purposes, but are seeping into our scalps and causing long-term effects and damage to our health. I have provided links for those as well for you to read up on at your own interest.

http://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/skincare/worry-about-parabens-00000000028428/

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hairsalons/

Before I get started on this next topic, I wanted to recommend two brands that I have been using, that are free of the harmful chemicals mentioned above. The first is Organix. I started using this as soon as I found out about the effects that sulfate had on my hair. I started using the Coconut Milk line, and instantly fell in love. Their line ranges in price depending on where it’s sold, but never exceeds $10. You can purchase products from this brand online at Amazon.com or at any of their retailers (Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and other retailing locations). The next brand that I absolutely love is Ren Pure. I came across this brand while randomly shopping one day and figured I’d give it a try. I really love the way their shampoos leave my hair, as well as their conditioners. Their products are very clean of harmful ingredients and really leave your hair feeling silky smooth. Also, unlike most sulfate-free shampoos, you don’t have to shampoo twice to achieve a clean feel. They also retail at varying prices, but also remain at under $10. You can purchase their products online at RenPure.com or at retailing locations (CVS, Walgreens, Winn Dixie, and other retailing locations). For both brands, a full list of retailers is available on their web sites. (Organixhair.com and RenPure.com). While these are my personal favorites, there are so many other brands who offer sulfate-free shampoos at a great price, so definitely check out which ones may be suitable for your hair type and needs.

Now, let’s take a look at a great alternative for washing your hair: Cleansing Conditioner. I’m sure we’ve all seen the infomercials, promoting the very good, but very expensive Wen Conditioning Cleanser. Who wouldn’t want gorgeous, bouncy, shiny hair that’s loaded with volume and soft to the touch? I have tried endlessly to achieve it and truth be told, these cleansing conditioners really are the way to go. Let’s talk a bit about the product. What it is, is a cleanser that acts as a shampoo and a conditioner in one. You apply it, and it washes any dirt and oils out of your hair while nourishing and conditioning at the same time. It is a great alternative, especially for those who do not wish to wash hair every day and want to maintain their hair super shiny, soft, and manageable. Now, while this all sounds great, I know how expensive Wen can be. And I know how costly it is to commit to purchasing pricey hair care. But no worries. I have found the perfect alternative. Ren Pure has made a perfect imitation of the Wen product, and is to date, my favorite. There are other brands who have tried to imitate the product, but either leave a nasty residue in your hair, or cause your hair to feel oily by the next day. But Ren Pure’s version of the product is all around great. It comes in two scents: Sweet Pomegranate, and Rosemary Mint, and it has Coconut oil, Shea butter, and Keratin as well as a few other beneficial ingredients to help nourish hair and deliver moisture and shine to your strands.

Our last topic for this post is something that I feel is an essential step to hair care. Deep conditioner is the best remedy you can use to restore your hair. During the week, we are constantly blow drying, straightening, and curling our hair. Filling it with products to achieve various looks and to hold it in place. But at the end of the week, be kind to your tired locks and give them some love. I recommend finding a deep conditioning treatment that works accordingly to whatever concerns you may have, whether it may be hydration, shine, eliminating frizz, etc.

There are so many great ones out there, but I personally love the Macadamia Oil Intensive Hair Mask from Organix. I am constantly taking an iron to my hair to either curl or straighten it, so my ends are always super dry and weak. As soon as I apply this mask and rinse it out, I can feel the immediate difference. My hair feels hydrated after each application. I recommend when doing this, apply the product from root to tip, massaging it into your scalp and ends. You can apply it to dry hair and leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour, followed by shampooing and conditioning, or after shampooing, apply it to your hair and clip it up, keeping the conditioner in for the duration of your shower, and rinsing it out with cold water to seal in moisture and enhance shine. This is something that should be done once a week, as over conditioning just drags down your hair, and can make it prone to breakage.

As always, I thank you for reading this post and hope I’ve been able to share some knowledge with you! I encourage all of my readers to please give feedback, to feel free asking questions, or to request a post that you may be interested in reading. Check back tomorrow for my second segment in my hair post series: Hair Treatments. I will be talking about treatments that have worked wonders for my hair, as well as giving you all some DIY recipes for various hair concerns. Hope you’ll stay tuned and again, thanks for reading!