What does your shampoo do for you?

Normally, when I think about ramping up moisture levels in my hair, rarely do I spend more than quick minute thinking about the shampoo step. Why? Well because when I think of shampooing, I normally equate it with cleansing which usually involves removing, not adding. For the longest time, I'd spend countless man hours contemplating how I can increase moisture levels during the pre-poo, deep condition, and styling phase of my routine. Little did I know that I was missing a huge opportunity by not adjusting my shampoo to work with, not against, my overall moisture regimen.

So how do you get your wash to be more moisturizing?

Well first and foremost it begins with the pre-poo.. By the time you are stepping into the shower to wash, you should always be working with a head of pre-conditioned hair. I cringe when I think of those days long ago when I'd get into the shower with dry damaged hair while rubbing in a harsh clarifying shampoo to start off my routine (yeah, I know it's pitiful). By the time I was done, my hair would have formed one hard mass that I prayed to God the conditioner would reverse. I also look back on the days when I'd feel a sense of pride every time I'd work up a crazy lather in the shower like I wash shooting an Herbal Essence commercial or something. The foamier that lather, the better (or so I thought). In hinsight, cleaning the hair with a sudsing shampoo wasn't entirely bad considering how much of a product junkie I was and all the experiments I was putting my hair through.

So now my wash step has evolved. Today, shampooing is in lock step with everything else I do on wash days. Much of my gratitude for this new way of washing is directed at my new favorite shampoo of all time: Hair One Conditioning Cleanser!

Yesterday, I just picked up the most recent copy of Allure Magazine which had this to say about the conditioning cleanser.

"A hit with beauty bloggers, Hair One Olive Oil conditions, detangles, and adds shine without damaging detergents or harsh chemicals. It's the only hair care item you'll want."

I've reviewed the product in the past so I won't go into too much detail about how amazing Hair One is. What I will say is Hair One does it's purpose of cleansing the hair without working against my overall goal of conditioning the hair. When I pre-poo, I load the hair up with a concoction of heavy conditioners and oils. Hair One is able to cleanse the hair of all that without undoing all the good. I'm so glad hair one came into my life.

Ladies I urge you to spend a few moments considering your current shampoo and responding to this question. What does your shampoo do for you? Sure it cleans the hair but at what cost? We know your shampoo takes away dirt but does it also add value? If your answer to this question is not an overwhelming yes, then your shampoo isn't the One.

Hair One Olive Oil Cleansing Conditioner

Minimizing damage from a Dominican Salon blow out

Update time!
I wanted to follow up on the technique I described in my last post about how to wash the hair without producing a bunch of tangles in the process. A few days back, I decided to visit the Dominican Salon for a blow out. I actually despise getting a blow out because of the massive amount of tangles I would incur from the wash. Top that off with a busy stylist, a small tooth comb, and voila! (tons of damage).

This time I chose to be proactive. I washed, detangled, and conditioned my hair at home. When I got to the salon all I needed was a rinse and rollerset. Even though I got plenty of stares, walking in with wet hair, it was all worth it.
I think this was one of my best Dominican Salon experiences ever.

Let me tell you more about it via video.

Tangles No More! A better way of washing your hair.

Once upon a time I struggled with air drying because of the massive amount of tangles I had to endure. I'm one of those people who rarely combs my hair during the week so you can only imagine the number of shed hairs I have to deal with once a week on wash day. Couple the shed hairs with curly new growth and you have the perfect recipe for tangles.

In my quest for glorious hair, I've often sat back and thought about the washing process in general. I know that wash day should be the one time of the week were I'm nourishing and replenishing the health back into my hair. But for some reason, I could never become comfortable with loosing a lot of hair in the process. Well not too long ago, I heard about a method of washing the hair in braids section by section. The idea never caught on with me because I figured that because I wasn't scrubbing the hair and over manipulating, there was no need to go the extra step.

This week, however, I bought into the idea that I need to try something different if I want to experience different results. So here's what I did:

-A day or two prior to washing I pre-pooed with one of my fav conditioners. My schedule that day prevented me from washing. Actually, I didn't get to wash until two days later. The morning of the actual wash, I re-applied a bit more conditioner and some Alma oil and proceed to create four large braids.

-Next I stepped into the shower and took one braid loose so I can apply Keracare Dry Itchy Scalp shampoo liberally to my scalp. Then came the Hair One conditioning shampoo down the length of the hair. This product is so moisturizing that I am able to begin detangling with ease. My large tooth comb glided through my hair with the help of the hair one and the flowing water. Afterwards I applied a really moisturizing conditioner to that section and did two strand twist. (If you don't have a moisturizing shampoo, I recommend you start detangling while rinsing out your conditioner)

-I repeated this process (wash,detangle,condition) section by section making sure to keep re-twist each section once I've applied the shampoo and conditioner. By keeping each section separate, I found that I had more control of the entire process. I wasn't dealing with an entire head of hair at once, I could focus on one manageable section at a time.

-Finally, I took the sections individually, rinsed out the moisturizing conditioner, detangled again, and applied a heavier fortifiyng conditioner. I re-twisted once again, put on a plastic cap and went on about my business.

By the time I did my final rinse, you could imagine my glee when I washed the conditioner out of perfectly detangled hair. I rinsed each section separately. I also opted not to retwist after the final rinse. The results were amazing! I normally air dry in a pony tail and end up loosing a ton of hair trying to work the tangles through. This time was a totally different experience. I had no worries once I stepped out of that shower.

This method does take a little bit more time than normal to execute but believe me, the results are well worth it. I can only imagine how easy rollersetting will be going forward. Today I'm going about my day as normal but I've got a bit of a swagger. My confidence is sky high because my hair feels good, looks, good, and will only get better.

Hair One Video Review!

You all should know by now that I have taken a large sip of L'Oreal Hair Fixer's kool-aid and I'm not looking back. Since completing my six week experiment, I decided officially that I would continue using the Hair Fixer in my weekly routine. One of the issues with the Hair Fixer is that it requires me to opt out of the deep conditioning step. One of the ways I combated this issue was to start using my regular deep conditioners during the pre-poo instead of just using the cheap stuff.

This method worked well for me and I was pretty satisfied until I stumbled across an advertisement in this month's Hype Hair magazine for a new product by the name of Hair One.

Here are the main highlights of this fabulous product:

·Sulfate Free
·An all natural approach to hair care
·No damaging detergents or harsh chemicals
·Formulated with an elixir of natural herbs and oils
·Cleans with an astringent and antibacterial properties

Introducing Hair One ... a salon quality product that provides a new all natural approach to hair care and hair detox that leaves hair cleansed, conditioned and in optimum shape. This conditioner has no damaging detergents or harsh chemicals. It's made with an elixir of natural herbs and oils that clean with astringent and antibacterial properties through a luxurious, penetrating cream without the stripping of detergents. Hair is left with remarkable shine, moisture, manageability and polish. With continued use, Hair One Cleanser Conditioner will stimulate the scalp, promoting better blood circulation, allowing for healthier hair growth and prevention of hair loss. Available in four formulations. Normal Hair: Designed for normal problem free hair. Color Treated: Prevents premature fading of color. Dry, Damaged: Repairs damage from chemical treatments. Dry Scalp: Helps heal scalp damage while restoring suppleness and manageability.

Lucky for me, I just happen to be at a Wal-Mart shopping plaza with a Sally's location just a few steps way. It took me only a few seconds before I entered the store in search of my newest find. As soon as I walked in, the friendly associate made herself available for my assistance. I provided her a description of the product to which she responded with a puzzled look and proceeded to rattle of a list of product brands that had nothing to do with what I was seeking. Just as I decided to give up on my search, I caught a glimpse of the Hair One display from the corner of my eye.

It felt like I levitated to the eye catching display the store set up. As soon as I got within arm's reach, I realized that I would have a decision to make. As it turns out, Hair One comes in four varieties, Cucumber, Jojoba, Tea Tree, and Olive Oil. "One could never go wrong with Olive Oil," I thought as I grabbed the bottle and walked over to the register.

When I searched online for reviews of this product, the general consensus was that Hair One is comparable to Wen with regards to performance but much lighter on the pocket book. Since I've never use Wen I can't make an accurate comparison. What I can do is let you know how pleasurable the experience was for me. I love the fact that this product feels like its actually capable of cleansing. When you rub the conditioning cleanser into the scalp there is a little bit of foaming action going on. Unlike the feeling of just doing a co-wash, you actually feel as if you are washing your hair with conditioner. I rollerset my hair after the wash and still experienced bouncy healthy looking curls. My hair did not feel as if I had a ton of build-up even though I loaded it up with heavy conditioners and alma oil during the pre-poo step.

Another benefit I'm noticing is that I haven't felt the need to re-moisturize my hair throughout the day as much as I normally do. It's now been several days since I've washed with Hair One. Even now as I touch my hair, it feels nice, healthy, and moisturized. Folks, I think this may be the answer to those of you who may hesitant to use the Hair Fixer for fear of going without conditioner. This product will also work well for those of you who suffer from dry hair but don't want to incur unnecessary build up.

In celebration of my new find, I've decided to make my very first video review.

Enjoy!

The Cold Shower Method to Healthy Hair

Recently I've been turned on the the idea of taking cold showers. It all started when I viewed a youtube video where a guy was challenging his viewers to take cold showers in the morning. By doing so, he said, we would be starting the day with an act of courage. In his words, "everyone should begin their day with an act of courage." I'm huge on personal development so I immediately took on the cold shower challenge as a way of developing mental toughness.

In the video the gentlemen also mentioned some health benefits of taking a cold shower. Apparently, the cold water on the skin causes the body to increase blood flow circulation as it warms up the body temperature to help protect itself from the cold temp. Increased blood flow and circulation helps bring vital nutrients to the skin and organs. Not only does blood flow help bring nutrients to the cells, the increased flow also helps to remove excess waste and toxins. I was overcome with excitement thinking about the possible benefits I'd experience from cold showers but after reading pages of testimonials on earthclinic's website, I was convinced.

For the past week I've been showering with cold water in the morning. Let me tell you gals, I will never take a hot shower again!
Before cold showers my skin was extremely dry, I mean almost to the point of flaking dry. Today, I only use lotion on the soles of my feet. My skin is amazingly soft and supple, I can't believe the change. When I take my cold showers in the morning, I like to let the water hit my face so I can get acclummated to the temperature more quickly. Because of this wonderful act of courage, the skin of my face has been transformed. My face looks noticeably healthier and smoother.

We all know by now that cold water as a final rinse on the hair helps to lay the cuticles flat but I'm thinking about what type of results I'll experience when I wash and rinse with cold water. This past Saturday was the first time I washed and rinsed with only cold water. My results were good but I can't say for sure what part of the fabulousness came from the cold water and which came from the Hair Fixer. Either way, cold water is the way to go for me. I am absolutely hooked on them and I'm not looking back.

I fully expect my hair to benefit from the increased circulation to my scalp as the cold water hits it. I can just see it now, all of those marvelous nutrients from my healthy eating and supplements being delivered straight to the hair follicles causing a healthy supply of new growth. Couple that with the shiny hair I hope to experience, and you get fabulously healthy hair.

For those of you interested in the cold shower method to healthy hair, I urge you to browse the testimonials on earthclinic. I also recommend that you start with a warm shower and gradually cool down the water before you step out. You can also do some searches online to find out more about the marvelous benefits of taking cold showers.

Four Neato Ways to Incorporate Natural Oils into your Wash Routine

Picture perfect hair is the name of the game and plant oils are a critical factor in helping your hair reach its peak. Ever since I discovered natural oils such as jojoba, avocado, coconut, just to name a few, I've had a blast incorporating them into every facet of my hair routine. No matter how I decide to use these oils, I always get a fantastic result.

Here are some of my favorite ways of incorporating oils and the corresponding result of each method.

The Pre-poo!
The pre-poo is a staple in my hair routine. This method is a simple one of adding a moisturizing conditioner and oil onto dry hair before the hair is washed.

How-to tip for pre-poo:
Make sure that you take the time to section the hair properly so you can saturate the entire head of hair. Don't go using up your fancy $100 bottle of conditioner for this step, any old conditioner you got laying around will work fine.

How it benefits your hair:
This step adds much needed moisture to dry hair right off the bat. By pre-pooing, you avoid stripping natural oils from already dry hair. You're adding a layer of protection before harmful suds of a shampoo can strip your hair.
Another benefit of this step is the freedom of allowing conditioner/oil to treat the hair up to several hours before the actual wash. That's more time for the nourishing qualities of the oil to further penetrate the hair and work its magic.

Oil/Conditioner Mix!
When my hair is in need of a little umph, I mix a little oil with my deep conditioner. After the hair has been washed, I add a few drops of oil to the conditioner and run through my hair.

How-to tip for the Oil/Conditioner Mix:
Select the right oil for this step. Because you aren't shampooing it out (like with the pre-poo), you must gauge how heavy or light of an oil you want to use. Using a thick oil like castor oil, for instance, will give you a different result than if you use coconut oil. You also want to make sure that you use only enough oil to compliment the conditioner but not to overwhelm it. Make sure that you use more cream conditioner than oil in this step.

How your hair will benefit:
This step leaves your hair well conditioned but with a nice feel to it. You hair will feel as if it has an extra layer of protection. The oil will work to help seal in the moisturizing effects of the conditioner at the most opportune time, when the cuticle layer is open. It doesn't get any better my friends!

The HOT Oil Treatment!
This is a simple process which involves warming up an oil blend for use on the hair either just before or after the conditioner.

How-to tip for the Hot Oil Treatment:
Avoid using oil that is too hot. Please respect the fine line that exists between opening the cuticle layer using the right amount of heat and causing unintentional damage from searing your poor tresses with boiling hot oil.

How your hair will benefit:
This method is said to benefit hair which is extremely dry and damaged. The heat allows the oil to penetrate deep. The right kind of oil can help revive hair requiring a little more than a simple pre-poo.

The Oil Rinse!
The technique for the oil rinse is much like the oil/conditioner mix but instead of mixing your oil and conditioner, you are adding oil to the freshly washed hair after the conditioning step. So you wash, condition, then add a small amount of oil to the hair before rinsing the hair with warm water.

Oil Rinse How-to:
Just like the conditioner/oil mix, you should test this step out with various oils until you find the right one. Because you are not washing the oil completely out, you could possibly be left with oily (even weighed down) hair. On the other hand, if you plan on airdrying and need something a little extra to help combat dryness, this rinse may be just what you need.

How this will benefit your hair:
This process is said to have some amazing detangling properties. Not to mention the fact that you probably won't need to finish off your hair with oil in order to style it. As your hair dries, the oil will sink into the hair and help you create the perfect look. I also find that oil helps my hair dry a little straighter when airdrying.

With four separate ways to implement natural oils into your routine, you just can not go wrong. I probably would not use all four steps in one wash session. The most I would probably do is two at the most, the pre-poo and maybe one additional method if needed. You could even alternate methods each wash. Its whatever you fancy.

Remember to have fun finding the right combination for you and keep trying until you're are able to meet the needs of your hair.

Be Blessed!

Wash day 8.28.09: I discover cleansing conditioner

I love the fact that the Internet has become a such great source of information. Somehow, some way, while surfing online, I landed upon a professional product which promises to do for your hair what normal shampoos won't or can't do.

Here is the product description as found on their website:

The WEN® Cleansing Conditioner is a
revolutionary new concept in cleansing your hair that has Hollywood buzzing! It’s special because it cleanses hair thoroughly but without lathering and all the harsh ingredients that may be found in ordinary shampoos — it is designed so it won’t strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Your hair is left with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention. (Photos from Wenhaircare.com)





Of course, I immediately scoured the web for product reviews. As expected, the reviews were mainly positive. I did find comments from those who felt the product left their hair feeling a little heavy. My thought juices immediately started flowin' once the words "cleansing" and "conditioner" were introduced to me in the same sentence.


"I've got cleansers and conditioners," I thought, "why don't I make my own cleansing conditioner?"

So off I went into the shower for my weekly wash. Only this time, instead of using my Cream of Nature (CON) shampoo the way I normally do, I decided to squirt a little bit in the palm of my hand then proceed to cover the CON with my Suave Tropical Coconut cheapie conditioner. Hence, I had created a cleansing conditioner (sort of). I decided to use a light moisturizing conditioner so that cleanser wouldn't be overpowered by a heavy protein product. My goal wasn't to deep condition while I washed, my goal was to help further protect my hair from over drying while I washed.

I used this product mix on the entire length of my hair. Because I used such a high conditioner to shampoo ratio, no lather was created. Now that my hair is completely dry, I can touch and smell my hair which feels very similar to when I just use straight shampoo. The main difference was when I washed out my cleansing shampoo. My hair was soft and relatively tangle free because of the immense slip the Suave product provides.

I still proceeded to deep condition as normal under a plastic cap. This cleansing conditioner is not meant to replace the deep conditioning step. You still need to deep condition so that your hair can get the intense moisture or protien it needs.

Because I don't normally wash more than once a week, a straight conditioning wash may have not have satisfied my cleansing need. With this method, I enjoy the benefits of both a conditioning wash and a normal cleansing wash.

Afterwards I airdryed my hair in a ponytail to help combat this insane new growth. I am very pleased with the results. My hair feel light and clean (no heavy buildup) but yet it feels nice and conditioned. What I like most about this method is that my hair is being pampered and protected every step of the way from the pre-poo, to the wash, to the deep conditioning, to the leave-in step. This is definitely a keeper for me. I have not yet tried this method with a rollerset, but if my hair doesn't turn out as expected, I won't stop using conditioner when I wash, I'll play around with the amount of conditioner I use until I find the right combination.

Using a pre-shampoo oil treatment for healthy hair

Once upon a time, the day I would wash my hair would consist of nothing more than a shampoo, rinse, condition, rinse, and set. That was until I learned about the fabulous pre-shampoo treatment. The treatment basically consists of applying a moisturizing conditioner, plant oil, or a combination of the two to dry hair before you begin to shampoo. You can apply the oil 15 minutes before you wash or as early as the night before you wash. I even pre-treat my hair before I visit the Dominican Salon. Relaxed hair generally tends to be extremely dry from the chemical process. Any step you can take to add much needed moisture will be well received by your hair. Once you apply the product to your dry hair, you can make the step more powerful by wrapping a hot moist towel around your head and sitting under the dryer for about 15 minutes.

The pre-shampoo treatment works to add moisture to your hair in preperation for the stripping affects of the shampoo. This step in my washing process allows me to use a clarifying shampoo at every wash. The purpose of the clarifying shampoo is to remove extra buildup on the hair but without the pre-shampoo treatment, I could only use this product sparingly to avoid over-drying my hair out. Remember that with healthy relaxed hair you must always think about adding moisture whenever and however possible. Once I started pre-treating my hair, I never looked back.

Here is a video for your viewing pleasure from a Ford Model who also pre-treats as part of her routine. Enjoy!