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What hair care products you need and why
- By naani
- Published 09/23/2007
- General Hair Care
- Unrated
What hair care products you need and why
Ok, with all this talk about choosing the right products and adding "life" to your dull hair, it's kinda funny when you consider that hair in and of itself is dead. When we talk about "healthy" hair, we're referring to someone who has cared for themselves and hair in a fashion that it appears shinier, stronger and overall...healthy.
With that said, it's important to choose a shampoo and conditioner that's right for you. Our hair gets "dirty" when Sebum, a Natural oily secretion and protectant, coats the shaft. Dead skin cells from your scalp and air borne dirt stick to the sebum and the products you use in-between shampoos. As sebum and product builds-up, you need something to effectively remove it.
Now ideally, it'd be great to find a product that removed the dirt and left some of the sebum behind. But good luck finding one. Even if your shampoos strip your hair of sebum, there's no need to worry. You just don't want a shampoo to strip it to the point of dryness. In addition, good shampoos and conditioners will leave behind their own molecules to help repair, fill or protect the hair so in essence, even in the absence of sebum, your hair will always have a coat of some kind...sometimes good, sometimes bad.
Our hair is composed primarily of keratin, proteins and amino acids. These elements when found in hair care products are able to bond to the hair shaft and fill-in the cracks. Cracks or niks in the hair shaft are generally the result of over-styling/manipulation, excessive heat, chemicals, etc.
So, if you want to strengthen and protect your hair, this is the way to go. UNFORTUNATELY, relaxed hair doesn't seem to bond as easily with these elements as natural hair. I won't go into too much detail but when you relax your hair, you PERMANENTLY break your hairs natural bonds making it difficult for the good product residues to do their work. For more details on why this occurs with relaxers, click here...
The only protein that doesn't bond with your hair that is currently in a lot of hair care products is egg protein. Marketers and manufacturers have caught on to this gimmick so beware of any product that boasts egg proteins. It's not that the egg proteins are bad, but who wants to be lied to?
Thickeners
Do you have fine hair? Well product manufacturers have developed ingredients that will make your hair appear thicker and fuller. These products work by coating your hair strands with proteins. What happens is each time you use the product, you get a new coating. So over time, the proteins build up making your hair look thicker. In this case, Build-up is a good thing.
PH-Balanced
If you read the section on the anatomy of hair then you know that hair is comprised of chemical bonds. These bonds are effected by the amount of acid or base that's in their presence.
Many of us look for shampoos that are PH-Balanced (PH 7) as this sounds as if it's the best state for our hair and body. But the jokes on us. Our hairs' natural state is slightly acidic normally (PH 5.5-6.5). So instead what we actually need are products that help maintain our hairs' normal acid-base Level...or PH.
Now this doesn't mean that you need to break out testing strips to find out the PH of your shampoo. Most manufacturers create their shampoo so that they're slightly acidic. Castile shampoos are the only ones that stray from accepted norm. Castiles are more base (alkaline) than acid...meaning, they have
PH of about 9. This is typically why people who use castiles will find that their hair softer after using them. But I'm getting ahead of myself. When using a Castile shampoo, you MUST follow it with a conditioner or herbal vinegar rinse. Doing so will help return your hair back to its natural PH while at the same time enabling you to take advantage of natural, Castile shampoos.
Moisturizers
During cold, winter months and dry, hot summer days, you will need to rehydrate your hair and skin. Other than investing in a humidifier, choosing products to act as moisturizers and protect the hair from losing moisture is your best defense against damage and dryness.
Products that contain lactic acid and letchin are good bets. In addition, some of the most popular ingredients found in quality shampoos are panthenol and vitamin B5. Researchers have found that they penetrate the hair shaft and are believe to be necessary for strong hair and growth.
Another manufacturing buzz ingredient is silk. When we think of silk, we think of richness and smoothability...is that word? Silk proteins helps coat the hair and makes it appear shinier.
One of my favorite moisturizers is Jojoba. It's excellent for dry and damaged hair, but its costly. So in purchasing a Jojoba conditioner for example, chances are, you're only getting minimal doses. Thing is, it's only needed in about 10% of the formulation but how are you to know if a manufacturer is using 8%, 5% or less?
Undertanding Labels & Pricing
The FDA states that ingredients are to appear from greatest to lowest concentration. Facts are, the FDA does little to regulate the beauty and health care industries so as long as a manufacturer isn't using banned products, production is fair game.
If you're a label reader, you'll find that all the mumbo jumbo on most products is relatively similar. So how do you know if you're getting quality? Well remember what I said about Jojoba? If you can purchase a Jojoba Shampoo/Conditioner for $1.50, chances are, there aint much Jojoba in there.
HOWEVER, price isn't always an indication of quality. Look at the packaging. How flashy is it? Think about the marketing, how grand is it? The manufacturer has to pay for those pretty bottles and ads somehow. And unfortunately SOME companies skim on what's inside because they know consumers. We want flashy and pretty. The flashier and prettier, the better it has to be right?
So use your best judgment. Read the labels, look at the packaging. Sometimes the best looks the best, at others, never judge a book by its cover.
Product Rotation
If I can impart any advice to you, it's to stop switching brands. If you find a product that you like but have turned away from it because it seemed less effective overtime, realize the product hasn't lost its zing...you just didn't follow the rules.
Some shampoos and most all conditioners leave residue...usually beneficial ones. So in a sense, you're never truly looking for a residue-free shampoo or conditioner UNLESS you're Clarifying or "stripping" your hair of build-up. Where the residues in our products are initially beneficial, overtime they build-up and can suffocate the hair and scalp. Generally this occurs after about 8-10 shampoos. If you wash your hair daily, think about what that means. In about a week, your shampoo has lost its *zing*
Look at it this way, do you want to eat the same thing everyday? If your hair care products are your hair's food, then just like you need variety, so does your hair. So rotate your shampoos. Find 3-5 product lines that address YOUR hair care concerns. If you occasionally have dandruff, have a good anti-dandruff shampoo handy. If you suffer from dryness in the winter, find a moisturizing shampoo.
ROTATE ROTATE ROTATE and you'll find your hair is not only happier, but healthier and shinier as well.
In the end, finding a good product line is a matter of trial and error so good luck and happy hunting!
With that said, it's important to choose a shampoo and conditioner that's right for you. Our hair gets "dirty" when Sebum, a Natural oily secretion and protectant, coats the shaft. Dead skin cells from your scalp and air borne dirt stick to the sebum and the products you use in-between shampoos. As sebum and product builds-up, you need something to effectively remove it.
Now ideally, it'd be great to find a product that removed the dirt and left some of the sebum behind. But good luck finding one. Even if your shampoos strip your hair of sebum, there's no need to worry. You just don't want a shampoo to strip it to the point of dryness. In addition, good shampoos and conditioners will leave behind their own molecules to help repair, fill or protect the hair so in essence, even in the absence of sebum, your hair will always have a coat of some kind...sometimes good, sometimes bad.
Shampoo & Conditioner Checklist - Understanding the Lingo
Our hair is composed primarily of keratin, proteins and amino acids. These elements when found in hair care products are able to bond to the hair shaft and fill-in the cracks. Cracks or niks in the hair shaft are generally the result of over-styling/manipulation, excessive heat, chemicals, etc.So, if you want to strengthen and protect your hair, this is the way to go. UNFORTUNATELY, relaxed hair doesn't seem to bond as easily with these elements as natural hair. I won't go into too much detail but when you relax your hair, you PERMANENTLY break your hairs natural bonds making it difficult for the good product residues to do their work. For more details on why this occurs with relaxers, click here...
The only protein that doesn't bond with your hair that is currently in a lot of hair care products is egg protein. Marketers and manufacturers have caught on to this gimmick so beware of any product that boasts egg proteins. It's not that the egg proteins are bad, but who wants to be lied to?
Thickeners
Do you have fine hair? Well product manufacturers have developed ingredients that will make your hair appear thicker and fuller. These products work by coating your hair strands with proteins. What happens is each time you use the product, you get a new coating. So over time, the proteins build up making your hair look thicker. In this case, Build-up is a good thing.
PH-Balanced
If you read the section on the anatomy of hair then you know that hair is comprised of chemical bonds. These bonds are effected by the amount of acid or base that's in their presence.
Many of us look for shampoos that are PH-Balanced (PH 7) as this sounds as if it's the best state for our hair and body. But the jokes on us. Our hairs' natural state is slightly acidic normally (PH 5.5-6.5). So instead what we actually need are products that help maintain our hairs' normal acid-base Level...or PH.
Now this doesn't mean that you need to break out testing strips to find out the PH of your shampoo. Most manufacturers create their shampoo so that they're slightly acidic. Castile shampoos are the only ones that stray from accepted norm. Castiles are more base (alkaline) than acid...meaning, they have
Moisturizers
During cold, winter months and dry, hot summer days, you will need to rehydrate your hair and skin. Other than investing in a humidifier, choosing products to act as moisturizers and protect the hair from losing moisture is your best defense against damage and dryness.
Products that contain lactic acid and letchin are good bets. In addition, some of the most popular ingredients found in quality shampoos are panthenol and vitamin B5. Researchers have found that they penetrate the hair shaft and are believe to be necessary for strong hair and growth.
Another manufacturing buzz ingredient is silk. When we think of silk, we think of richness and smoothability...is that word? Silk proteins helps coat the hair and makes it appear shinier.
One of my favorite moisturizers is Jojoba. It's excellent for dry and damaged hair, but its costly. So in purchasing a Jojoba conditioner for example, chances are, you're only getting minimal doses. Thing is, it's only needed in about 10% of the formulation but how are you to know if a manufacturer is using 8%, 5% or less? Undertanding Labels & Pricing
The FDA states that ingredients are to appear from greatest to lowest concentration. Facts are, the FDA does little to regulate the beauty and health care industries so as long as a manufacturer isn't using banned products, production is fair game.
If you're a label reader, you'll find that all the mumbo jumbo on most products is relatively similar. So how do you know if you're getting quality? Well remember what I said about Jojoba? If you can purchase a Jojoba Shampoo/Conditioner for $1.50, chances are, there aint much Jojoba in there.
HOWEVER, price isn't always an indication of quality. Look at the packaging. How flashy is it? Think about the marketing, how grand is it? The manufacturer has to pay for those pretty bottles and ads somehow. And unfortunately SOME companies skim on what's inside because they know consumers. We want flashy and pretty. The flashier and prettier, the better it has to be right?
So use your best judgment. Read the labels, look at the packaging. Sometimes the best looks the best, at others, never judge a book by its cover.
Product Rotation
If I can impart any advice to you, it's to stop switching brands. If you find a product that you like but have turned away from it because it seemed less effective overtime, realize the product hasn't lost its zing...you just didn't follow the rules.
Some shampoos and most all conditioners leave residue...usually beneficial ones. So in a sense, you're never truly looking for a residue-free shampoo or conditioner UNLESS you're Clarifying or "stripping" your hair of build-up. Where the residues in our products are initially beneficial, overtime they build-up and can suffocate the hair and scalp. Generally this occurs after about 8-10 shampoos. If you wash your hair daily, think about what that means. In about a week, your shampoo has lost its *zing*
Look at it this way, do you want to eat the same thing everyday? If your hair care products are your hair's food, then just like you need variety, so does your hair. So rotate your shampoos. Find 3-5 product lines that address YOUR hair care concerns. If you occasionally have dandruff, have a good anti-dandruff shampoo handy. If you suffer from dryness in the winter, find a moisturizing shampoo.
ROTATE ROTATE ROTATE and you'll find your hair is not only happier, but healthier and shinier as well.
In the end, finding a good product line is a matter of trial and error so good luck and happy hunting!
