Damage and Cures 101

I was in the middle of conducting some research online on the specific ways to improve elasticity in the hair when I come across this golden nugget of wisdom written by our good friend Dr. Ali Syed who authors a very imformative blog called In the Lab with Dr. Ali Syed.

The 10 page document I stumbled upon is titled: Hair Damage, it's causes, prevention and cures. I especially like the chart at the end of the document which describes the various hair damage symptoms and how to address them. The minute I saw this document, I just new I had to share. Hope you like.....



Image by: Dr_Alan_Bauman

Longer, thicker hair with the help of the Moon?

by Jsome1

You all may have remembered my review of a wonderful product called Zen Detox. The creator of that product, Anthony Morrocco, has practiced holistic hair care for over 40 years. He's worked with celebrities and has dedicated his time to helping people like you and me to achieve beautiful hair.

One of his mantras, which has recently caught my attention, is his belief in using a lunar chart, that documents the phases of the moon, as a guide for hair growth. More specifically, hair cutting and growth.

This idea of cutting the hair according to the phases of the moon is not a new one. I found countless of articles online by numerous people claiming to have utilized this chart in their quest for fabulous hair. Here's a quote I found online on a popular hair board.

"my sis trims her hair with the new moon, it's supposed to help your hair grow faster. Another woman I know that used this method when she was younger said there was a substantial difference between when she did follow it and when she did not."


When I first heard of this method, I immediately dismissed it as hogwash. How in the world could anyone affect the growth of their hair by relying on the moon for advice on styling options? But then I thought about it, the moon has the power to impact the tide of the mighty ocean, could it be possible that it could help a sista out with her hair growth?

That's when I found this article by Marie Ann Lionel on buzzel.com.
Mary goes out of her way to detail the basic laws of physics and how much the moon truly affects our planet. She even states that doctors often will see an increase of patients suffering from an epileptic seizures or bleeding ulcers during the time of the full moon. It all has to do with the moon's gravitational pull. The theory is that when the moon's gravitational pulls are lower, the hair grows slower. A higher gravitational pull means a greater likelihood of faster growth.

Whether you believe in moon cycles and hair cutting or not, I will certainly say that it's interesting to say the least. I haven't tried so I won't knock it. This new way of hair cutting, has certainly peaked my interest and I'm willing to give it a shot!

So I located a copy of a lunar schedule to see when the next possible opportunity is. The schedule on Anthony Morrocco's site was the most complete one I've been able to locate. He spells it out in black and white what the optimal days for haircutting are this year. You best believe that I'll be calendaring these dates so I get a timely reminder.

For those of you who are afraid that I've officially fallen off the wagon truck and suffered a nasty bump on my head, let me salvage my reputation by saying this.....

We all need to trim (or dust) our hair periodically for optimal health. I, for one, can say with certainty that I've experienced the most growth (and retained the most length)after I've given myself a well deserved trim. If there's even the slightest chance that I can get even more benefit from trimming if I schedule it for certain times of the year....them I'm in!

Those of who who've been contemplating a trim, check out this calendar first, try this method and see happens. Hopefully, your results will be so fab, you'll howl with excitement.

Asience Product Review.....Redemption!!!

There's nothing more satisfying than realizing first hand, the almost incredible claims of a hair product. When I first posted on the Japanese originated product called Asience, I wasn't sure what the outcome would be on chemically treated African-American hair. I admit that my first stint with Asience was not as magical as I would have liked. Today, however, I'm signing a different tune 'cause my hair is the healthiest that it's looked and felt in a long while.

So what was different this time?

First off, since my hair was still feeling a just a teeny bit stiff from from my last wash, I decided to really make this wash all about moisture. I pre-pooed with Nioxin Moisture and Strength conditioner mixed with a little NTM Deep Recovery Hair Mask. After 20 minutes or so I jumped in the shower and washed with my Hair One Cleansing Conditioner. Once that was over I stepped out and prepared for my deep conditioning step. That's when I broke out the Asience conditioner and mixed with Keracare Humecto Conditioner. The two conditioners blended together felt wonderful on the hair. Still remaining cautious of protien overload, I opted to only leave the conditioner blend in for about 15 minutes. No heat.

Last but not least, for my rollerset, I made sure to solidify this moisture routine by using Salon Care's Honey and Almond conditioner as a leave-in along with some Aloe Vera juice in leiu of using plain water. 

Rollersetting was a breeze.

 The minute I started removing the rollers I knew that I done good. The hair had so much health to it. My curls fell easily to my shoulders as I removed the rollers. Next I rubbed in a little bit of my oil blend and the rest is history.

If you remember my original post on Asience, you may recall the fact that the product claims to continue to improve the look and feel of the hair with consistent use. Call me gullible but I actually believe it. Sure I had to learn the best way to use to product but I feel completely comfortable saying that it was certainly worth the trial and error required to get these results.

This product is absolutely going to be a staple for me.  My hair has seen so much benefit from it.  The strands are silkier, stronger, shinier, and..........more supple!   I'm absolutely ecstatic that Asience has come into my life.

For those of you who are information junkies like me, here is some data I found from a  press release about this product.

Asian Beauty Essence

ASIENCE is formulated with natural and nourishing ingredients to specifically treat Asian hair. It contains Pearl and Soybean Essence that work to repair damaged and brittle hair, Korean Ginseng and Camellia Oil keeps hair hydrated and nourished, while the essence of Eucalyptus protects hair from harmful effects.


• Pearl & Soybean: Nourishing protein to repair and strengthen• Korean ginseng & Camellia oil: Excellent emollients to moisturize and control frizz• Eucalyptus extract: Soothing extract to protect and seal in cuticles

Japan’s Advanced Hair Beautifying Technology

Hair damage occurs on the surface and inside. After several research studies from KAO, they came up with 2 technologies.

• For repairing inside: HBT
• For repairing outside: 18-MEA

HBT or Hair Beautifying Technology, helps regain hair’s original protein which restores the beauty and suppleness of Asian hair. This unique technology penetrates deep into the root to improve the health of hair.



18-MEA is a natural protective coat that wraps around the hair’s surface. It is easily depleted by constant exposure to chemical treatments and blow-drying. Without 18-MEA, hair becomes dull, dry and rough. With this knowledge, Kao succeeded in developing a technology that makes 18-MEA adhere to the surface of the hair, forming a film that protects the cuticle and thus improving the smoothness of the damaged surface.


As a result, hair is more manageable, doesn’t tangle easily, feels more supple with texture so smooth even water beads roll off with ease.

Healthy hair with 18-MEA(water beads without losing shape)
Damaged hair without 18-MEA(water disperses)

Has your hair found its balance?

Image by delila



The other day I picked up some more Roux Porosity Control to replenish my hair stock pile. As I purchased this product, I silently smiled to myself and thought about how thankful I was to have a product so work well for me that I actually want to repurchase (for the fourth time). When you read the product label, the ingredients will not seem all that impressive (or pronounceable). What does stick out though is the clearly stated pH level of 4.5.

You'll find few other product brands with their pH levels expressed so plainly. Why even have that information displayed? Does the pH level really make a difference?

The normal pH range of healthy hair spans from about 4.5 to 5.5. This range is slightly acidic. When we relax our hair, the pH levels rises to a highly alkaline with a pH level of around 11. I should mention here that all chemical services are alkaline. This includes coloring the hair. When your hair's pH level drops below 4.5 the cuticle layer contracts. Above 5.5 the cuticle layer opens up. A pH level of 5 is considered ideal for the hair. It's the hair's sweet spot if you will.

As you can probably figure out, we don't want the hair's pH level to fall below 4.5 or higher than 5.5. Cuticle layers that are too contracted/constricted will not allow for our daily moisturizers to properly penetrate. Open cuticle layers essentially means that your strands are vulnerable. It's like going out to battle with no means of protection. When we don't pay attention to the pH levels in our products, it can be a disaster waiting to happen.

So now we're at a place where we have to begin to think about two main focus areas when it comes to the health of the hair. The first being "does my hair need more moisture or more strength?" The second being "are the products I'm using too acidic or alkaline?"
When I first used Porosity Control, I found that it worked best when mixed in with another one of my conditioners. No matter which one it was, the impact to my hair was obvious whenever I coupled it with Roux. Looking back, I'm guessing that this was because some of the conditioners I use are more alkaline than they should be. Roux worked to bring the pH levels of my conditioners to a more desirable place where they could better impact the look and feel of my hair. I, however could not prove this theory because, unlike the straightforward nature of Porosity Control, other product manufacturers don't chose to make themselves and, where they land on the pH scale, as transparent.

Now that I'm armed with this type of information, I have no choice but to take incisive action to use this information for my hair's overall gain. The good news is that we can take this matter into our own hands. With the use of simple pH testing strips, we can identify which products help and which one's hurt us in the struggle for perfect pH balance. Even as we now speak I've already made plans to locate and purchase some litmus paper and get to testin! I think this experiment will be both fun, educational, and beneficial to the hair. I am extremely excited about this topic and the possibilities. I'm all gitty about the thought of creating a conditioner mix that falls at a pH level of 5.0! More posts on this topic to come as I learn and experiment.

Until next time!