Calm The Frizz

Curly, kinky, tightly coiled or just simply textured hair is problematic for some- frizz, frizz and more frizz. What is the key element of frizz-dehydration.  Curly, kinky and similar hair types frizz because it lacks moisture. Improper treatment of textured hair is another key element of frizz.

To tame frizzy hair, you want to look for products that are all natural or at least natural based. You want products that are moisturizing in addition to soothing or calming to your cuticle. 

Choosing the right shampoo

Choosing the right shampoo is the perfect place to start for frizz free hair.  Look for shampoos that do not contain any sulfates. Sulfates (foaming agent) dry the hair out!

Are you using the right towel

How you dry your hair is as important as choosing the right shampoo. I recommend my favorite (and only) *towel made specifically for hair. The towel is made of Aquitex, an innovative fabric woven from ultra-fine microfibers to create a lightweight material that dries hair without frizzing. This is a healthier way to dry your hair which makes this towel ”a must have”. 

Frizz free

To maintain your textured hair frizz free, use products that smooth and seal the cuticle.  I recommend Miss Jessies products. What I love about the products is its’ ability to hold your natural curl pattern in tact for manageable soft curls. The products also extends your natural curl pattern to its’ maximum length- you know how we love hair long! I also love the website. It is filled with a wealth of information about the products including before and after pictures.

Shopping

Shampoo- Try Whole Food Markets or health food store

Hair Towel- The Studio 718-221-5581 or Oh My Heavenly Hair Boutique 609-396-4247

Maintenance- Miss Jessies Products-missjessies.com

Enjoy, dhb.  

I Hate My Hair- No, you should be happy you have hair!

“God, I hate my hair, I am so sick of this mess”- all while pulling, yanking, brushing too severely and continuing a host of other physical abuse. Could it be that you are not treating your hair properly, so in return, it does not look the way you would like it to look.  So now, because you’re having problems, you label your hair in the worst way-you physically and mentally abuse it. This has got to stop if you want to have hair. And, certainly if you want healthy, beautiful hair.

Talking badly about your hair is my personal pet peeve- when you talk badly about your hair, I believe you are sending the wrong message to your hair and  to your psyche. Self love in all forms for every part of you is important. That is what nurturing is all about. Take a moment and put yourself in your hairs’ place. Each and every day (not everyone but most) you complain about your hair. No thanks to your hair for providing you with beauty, coverage and sexiness. No thanks for remaining on your head opposed to the floor. No thanks for anything. What would you do if you were hair? At some point you would want to leave. But, yet and still, for the most part, your hair hangs tight- taking the verbal and some times physical abuse. If I were hair I would leave, I would certainly go where I was wanted (hair heaven) and cease to exist on your head. Think about that the next time you complain about your hair. dhb.

Beauty Myth Busters

Source: Natural Solutions- Vibrant Health- Balanced Living Magazine; Natural Radiance Section-Solutions for healthy good looks

Oil Not your Oily Skin

It seems completely counterintuitive, but oil is no foe of oily skin-it is, in fact, a necessity.  According to ayurveda, many people with oily skin actually suffer from dehydrated skin as well.  The key to clear skin? Separating the good oils from the bad to restore balance for a glowing-not greasy-complexion.

People with oily skin often try to wash away excess oil with harsh cleansers containing benzoyl peroxide.  This may remove the unwanted excess oil, called sebum, but it also strips away beneficial oils, namely the lipids that promote healthy, well-hydrated skin.  Once these are gone and the skin dries out, a back-lash begins as the skin overcompensates by producing even more sebum. 

So as scary as it may sound, women with oily skin should reach for products that contain naturally derived, lightweight, and noncomedongenic (won’t clog pores) oils.  Apricot kernel oil, safflower oil, and sweet almond oil regulate sebum production while kukui nut (from the candlenut tree, which has seeds rich in oil) and macadamia oils help protect lipids.

A Moisturizing Shampoo Repairs Split Ends.

Sorry, but you have only one way to get rid of split ends: a good  haircut. So before you buy a posse of shampoos and conditioners, first  pick up the phone and call your stylist. “Hair, in a nutshell, is dead,” says Patane. “Once it is damaged, there is no way to repair it other than trimming it off.”

Split ends are the frayed fibers of the hair’s inner cortex which comes surrounded by protective cuticles. When hair becomes overly dry or otherwise damaged, the cuticle can’t do its job of keeping the fiber flat, and it appears as though it’s peeled away from the hair shaft.  You can’t repair this; nor will the cuticle and fiber grow back together.  But you can take steps to prevent and camouflage split ends, For prevention, eat a diet rich in essential fatty acids (like guacamole and salmon) and use a light hand when styling (no hard brushing of wet hair and fewer blow drying and heat curling sessions).

The next-best option: Mask the appearance of the split ends.  Hair serums and deep-conditioning treatments help plump up stressed cuticles with soy and vegetable proteins that fill in the gaps and also help prevent further breakage.  Other natural body building ingredients include ginseng root and spirulina, as well as the latest hair-strengthening all-star, creatin.  “Products with these ingredients can be very effective, but they offer a visual fix, not an actual fix,” Patane says. “To really keep split ends in check, see your hair stylist once every six to eight weeks.”