I've been house/dog sitting for my sister since Wednesday and my hair is NOT PLEASED.
ugh.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Only Time Will Tell.....I guess.
I have a confession to make.
I've been battling dry, brittle hair for the past few months and I don't know what to do. I have a fairly simple routine, I wash/deep condition once a week, seal my ends every other night(always on damp hair) and I keep my hair in a protective style 99% of the time. So it's extremely baffling as to why my hair feels hard the next day after its been washed and moisturized. Maybe my hair doesn't like oils, maybe I'm using the wrong products, maybe my hair needs more protein, maybe I need a damn drink.
So last night, while browsing nappturality.com, I came across information about ceramides so I decided to post some information here:
What are Ceramides?
Ceramides are naturally occurring lipids (or fatty materials) found in the hair fiber or naturally in the skin. According to Butler and Poucher, ceramides molecules that "bind the cuticle cells to the cortex and Ceramides naturally exist within the hair fiber, sandwiched in a region between the cuticle and cortex called the cell membrane complex (CMC). Here along with the proteins in the CMC, they regulate the flow of materials in and out of the cortex. Because they essentially bind the cuticle cells to the cortical cells, ceramides help keep our hair from falling apart! Ceramides are also believed to play a role in the hair's transition from "live cells" within the follicle and beneath the skin's surface, to the dead, keratinized hair shafts that we see.
Think of ceramides as hair glue. Without them, our cuticle layers would simply fall off and unhinge themselves, rather than gently weather and erode, from the constant damage they endure. Damaged hair has typically exhausted its natural supply of ceramides, and is often brittle, dry, and difficult to manage as a result. Many hair products contain synthetic, lab-created ceramides to help replace the ceramides naturally lost from the hair during regular washing, styling, and chemical treating. Ceramides are needed as a part of any basic moisture and protein conditioning plan to restore the hair's health.
What Do Ceramides Do?
Ceramides perform a "barrier function" and help reduce the hair's overall porosity. Ceramides bind to the hair fiber in damaged, vulnerable areas to help prevent natural moisture and protein loss that occurs when we manipulate our hair. Natural ceramides keep the hair fiber tight, and cuticles flat so that the hair shines and has low porosity.
***Look for the following in your products***
3 Octadecandiol
Barley Malt Oil
Ceramide
Ceramide 3
Eucalyptus Extract
Hemp Seed Oil
Kukui Oil
Rice Bran Oil
Wheat Germ Oil
Sunflower Oil
Walnut Oil
Wheat Germ Oil
So upon reading more information, I decided to use a mix of 75% sunflower oil and 25%JBCO to seal my ends and so far, I like how my hair feels. It's too early to tell how my hair will respond so I'm going to give it a month or two. Furthermore, I'm going to experiment adding wheat germ oil or hemp seed oil to my prepoo mix and note any changes.
I plan on using Alba Botanica Leave-in Conditioner because while I love Qhemet's OHHB, the summer is coming and I need something lighter and less expensive. I will also use that for a month or two and see how my hair responds. Also, I've
re-introduced aloe vera juice into my daily spritz to help with flattening my cuticles and that's a trail period as well.
I've also decided to skip trying various hair moisturizers and stick to Qhem's BRBC. Everytime I tried to switch things up, my hair acts a fool, so no more moisturizers(well I do want to experiment using her Amla Heavy Cream in the winter time, but I digress)
So that's all for now, I think.
I've been battling dry, brittle hair for the past few months and I don't know what to do. I have a fairly simple routine, I wash/deep condition once a week, seal my ends every other night(always on damp hair) and I keep my hair in a protective style 99% of the time. So it's extremely baffling as to why my hair feels hard the next day after its been washed and moisturized. Maybe my hair doesn't like oils, maybe I'm using the wrong products, maybe my hair needs more protein, maybe I need a damn drink.
So last night, while browsing nappturality.com, I came across information about ceramides so I decided to post some information here:
What are Ceramides?
Ceramides are naturally occurring lipids (or fatty materials) found in the hair fiber or naturally in the skin. According to Butler and Poucher, ceramides molecules that "bind the cuticle cells to the cortex and Ceramides naturally exist within the hair fiber, sandwiched in a region between the cuticle and cortex called the cell membrane complex (CMC). Here along with the proteins in the CMC, they regulate the flow of materials in and out of the cortex. Because they essentially bind the cuticle cells to the cortical cells, ceramides help keep our hair from falling apart! Ceramides are also believed to play a role in the hair's transition from "live cells" within the follicle and beneath the skin's surface, to the dead, keratinized hair shafts that we see.
Think of ceramides as hair glue. Without them, our cuticle layers would simply fall off and unhinge themselves, rather than gently weather and erode, from the constant damage they endure. Damaged hair has typically exhausted its natural supply of ceramides, and is often brittle, dry, and difficult to manage as a result. Many hair products contain synthetic, lab-created ceramides to help replace the ceramides naturally lost from the hair during regular washing, styling, and chemical treating. Ceramides are needed as a part of any basic moisture and protein conditioning plan to restore the hair's health.
What Do Ceramides Do?
Ceramides perform a "barrier function" and help reduce the hair's overall porosity. Ceramides bind to the hair fiber in damaged, vulnerable areas to help prevent natural moisture and protein loss that occurs when we manipulate our hair. Natural ceramides keep the hair fiber tight, and cuticles flat so that the hair shines and has low porosity.
***Look for the following in your products***
3 Octadecandiol
Barley Malt Oil
Ceramide
Ceramide 3
Eucalyptus Extract
Hemp Seed Oil
Kukui Oil
Rice Bran Oil
Wheat Germ Oil
Sunflower Oil
Walnut Oil
Wheat Germ Oil
So upon reading more information, I decided to use a mix of 75% sunflower oil and 25%JBCO to seal my ends and so far, I like how my hair feels. It's too early to tell how my hair will respond so I'm going to give it a month or two. Furthermore, I'm going to experiment adding wheat germ oil or hemp seed oil to my prepoo mix and note any changes.
I plan on using Alba Botanica Leave-in Conditioner because while I love Qhemet's OHHB, the summer is coming and I need something lighter and less expensive. I will also use that for a month or two and see how my hair responds. Also, I've
re-introduced aloe vera juice into my daily spritz to help with flattening my cuticles and that's a trail period as well.
I've also decided to skip trying various hair moisturizers and stick to Qhem's BRBC. Everytime I tried to switch things up, my hair acts a fool, so no more moisturizers(well I do want to experiment using her Amla Heavy Cream in the winter time, but I digress)
So that's all for now, I think.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Taking it Back.....
I'm going back to the basics.
A simple leave in
Moisturizer
Oil
My choices are Alba Botanica Leave-in Conditioner or Karen's Body Beautiful Super Silky. While I love Qhem's Moringa Ghee, I need something with more UMP and slip.
I've decided to stick to Qhem's Burdock Butter Cream, that means, no avocado butter, no other crap.
Strictly Qhem's until the foreseeable future.
and finally, sunflower oil + jbco to seal.
That's IT!
A simple leave in
Moisturizer
Oil
My choices are Alba Botanica Leave-in Conditioner or Karen's Body Beautiful Super Silky. While I love Qhem's Moringa Ghee, I need something with more UMP and slip.
I've decided to stick to Qhem's Burdock Butter Cream, that means, no avocado butter, no other crap.
Strictly Qhem's until the foreseeable future.
and finally, sunflower oil + jbco to seal.
That's IT!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
My first puff!!!
What you're looking at right now, is unwashed, un-detangled, dirty, smelly, oily(overnight oil treatment) hair.
But damn it looks gorgeous!
That's how I'm wearing my hair today, after being in cornrows for the past 3 weeks, I finally decided to take them down because I couldn't deal with the raziness. I've realized that wearing my hair in cornrows really works for me, they work with my busy schedule, easy to manage, and I wash my hair as I like. Win-Win!
In other hair news, I made a "Love Potion No. 9" so to speak, to use on my ends. It consist of avocado oil, vatika oil, JBCO, and grapeseed oil. Let's hope my ends respond well. I haven't had time do a thorough review of my haul from SheaMoisture, because well, I'm way too busy these days.
BUT
I will say that I'm a BIG fan of the mosisture retention shampoo, the jury is still out on the anti-breakage masque and yucca hair milk.
See you later!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
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