Clarifying Shampoo

Have you ever noticed that sometimes your hair feels weighed down, extra greasy, or just won't style  right? Have you been in a pool lately, and do you notice that it’s tough to comb or brush through your hair? That means its time to Clarify

Stuff builds up on your hair, all kinds of stuff. Hairsprays, mousses, and gels; hard water and mineral deposits; chlorine and chemicals from swimming pools; even the waxes and moisturizers in some shampoos and conditioners can leave build up on your hair over time. This build up can cause hair to appear dull, heavy, greasy, and limp. A clarifying shampoo can help remove those deposits, give your hair a fresh start, and restore shine.

Which Shampoo Clarifies the best? 

Most professional product lines have a clarifying shampoo and their are many over the counter product lines. They all work the same. The Redken Cleansing Cream is good to use. Kenra carries a great clarifying shampoo that is gentle enough to use everyday and is color safe.

 

Your hair stylist may have a favorite brand, or may be able to recommend a clarifying shampoo that will work best for your hair type and situation.

Babyliss Hair Tools

I had the pleasure of use these Babyliss products I got on Amazon.com and they are very good! preferably for African American hair Coarse Textures! These products will get you hair very straight or very curly. I love them you should try them but don't burn your hair out! They have more products like blow dryers, curlers, wands & flat irons they all come in different sizes! 

BaByliss PRO Nano Titanium 1 1/4" Straightening Iron

Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium 1" U Styler

BaByliss Pro Nano Titanium Mini Flat Iron 1/2"

Babyliss Curling Wand

Black Hair Care PART 2

BLACK HAIR CARE PRODUCTS

Black hair care consists of washing with gentle shampoo, deep treatments to strengthen and moisturize hair, keeping hair moisturized daily, and styling hair without breakage.

 

Using a gentle shampoo is necessary to keep black hair healthy. Most shampoos use harsh sulfates to get the hair clean. They use the same chemicals that are used in concrete cleaners and engine degreasers. This is especially harsh on hair that is already chemically relaxed. These types of shampoos actually strip the hair of its natural moisture and strength and can lead to more breakage.

 

Conditioning treatments are used to build hair strength and moisture.

 

Protein treatments are used to replace protein lost during chemical treatments. The protein in hair keeps hair strong and helps to prevent breakage. If protein that is lost is not replaced, the hair will become weak and eventually break. This will limit the length the hair can grow. For an effective protein treatment, add a raw egg to your favorite conditioner and apply to wet hair after shampooing. Cover with a plastic cap and allow to sit for 30 to 60 minutes.

 

Moisture treatments are used to keep hair soft and supple. They must be used when protein treatments are used to combat the dryness that can be caused by too much protein. For an effective moisture treatment, apply virgin coconut oil to wet hair and cover with a plastic cap. Cover with a plastic cap and sit under a hooded dryer for 10 to 15 minutes.

 

If protein treatments are done without balancing it with moisture, the hair can become dry and break.

Keeping hair moisturized is key to growing black hair long. If black hair is not moisturized properly, it will become dry and eventually break. Black hair care products often contain ingredients which are considered moisturizing. However, many of these ingredients do not moisturize effectively. Petroleum and lanolin are often used in black hair care products, but they are not good for moisture. They only coat the hair with a gloss instead of actually penetrating the hair and moisturizing the hair. To effectively moisturize black hair, you must use a moisture product that can penetrate the hair. Water based moisturizers are capable of penetrating the hair. Coconut oil is the only oil product that can penetrate the hair and moisturize it from the inside. Coconut oil also helps prevent protein losses and keep black hair strong.

 

PRODUCTS AND INGREDIENTS TO AVOID FOR HEALTHY BLACK HAIR

Black hair care products must be formulated to build hair strength and keep hair moisturized. Many products on the market contain ingredients that do not do this. To keep black hair healthy, choose gentle shampoos, use protein and moisture treatments, and moisturize your hair daily with water based moisturizers or coconut oil. Avoid products with sodium laureth sulfate, petroleum, and lanolin. These products are made with cheap ingredients and will not help your hair grow its longest.

 

RELAXERS AND BLACK HAIR CARE

Black hair is often chemically processed with relaxers. Relaxers straighten the hair by breaking down protein bonds in naturally curly hair and loosening the curl pattern. However, the protein bonds are also what gives the hair its strength. When the hair is relaxed, the basic structure of the hair shaft is changed. The chemicals penetrate the hair's cortex and enter the inner layer of the hair. They continue breaking down the bonds and stripping the hair of its strength and elasticity. This is why breakage is commonly experienced by women who use relaxers.

You can minimize damage and breakage from relaxers. Relaxers should never be applied to already damaged hair, or on someone who has had scalp damage. Hair should be in its best shape before attempting to chemically relax it. This means that the porosity and moisture content should be normal. If hair is not at its best, then protein and moisture treatments should be used to restore the hair to a healthy condition.

The relaxer should not be applied until these issues have been completely resolved. These are the main reasons breakage occur from relaxers:

Over processing the hair. Excessive use of relaxers or applying the chemical to previously relaxed hair, is the most typical misuse of these chemicals.

Not performing a strand test. A "strand test" should be performed prior to applying a chemical relaxer to gauge the result of applying the chemical.

Not using a protective cream on the scalp. A protective cream should always be applied to help protect the scalp from being damaged or burned.

Not properly neutralizing the hair. After the hair has been processed for the appropriate amount of time, the relaxer must be completely removed with warm water. Then a neutralizing formula is used to lower the pH of the hair. If the pH is not lowered, the hair will break. This is because the chemical will continue to work on the hair strand weakening it further.

Pulling or Combing Hair While Relaxing. From the time the relaxer is applied to the time it is neutralized, the hair is in an extremely fragile condition and must be handled carefully. Avoid all pulling, tugging, and excessive combing of the hair during this time.

Not using protein and moisture treatments. Protein and Moisture treatments should be used to restore some of the natural moisture and proteins that have been stripped from the hair by the relaxer.

Not moisturizing daily. Daily moisture is needed to keep the hair soft and supple. If newly chemically straightened hair is not properly moisturized, it can become brittle, dry, damaged and break. Relaxed hair will tend to be drier and break easier than natural hair.

Using excessive heat. Excessive use of heat tools will only further damage chemically relaxed hair. This is due to the fact that they work by drying the hair our ever further. If heat tools are used, then they should be used along with thermal protectants. Use of heat tools should be limited as much as possible.

 

HOW DO I STOP MY HAIR FROM BREAKING AND GROW LONGER HAIR?

Hair vitamins can be used to make black hair grow faster, but it will not repair any damage done to your hair, or prevent further damage. You must use treatments and other hair care products to keep your hair from breaking. HairFinity vitamins can make your hair grow up to twice as fast as normal.

Using protein and moisture treatments will rebuild hair strength and keep it from breaking. The reason it is so important to use protein treatments is because the hair is made mostly of protein, acutally about 88%. When your hair is relaxed, for example, many of the protein bonds in the hair are broken. This allows the curly pattern to become looser, and eventually straight. If you do not rebuild the protein lost after this type of service, your hair will definitely break. However, protein and moisture must be balanced, or it will also cause breakage.

Black Hair Care PART 1

Black hair is different from all other hair types. It is naturally dry and prone to breakage. When black hair is chemically relaxed, it becomes even harder to keep healthy. Many black women suffer from breakage and hair loss which keeps their hair from growing very long. 

 

BLACK HAIR STRUCTURE

Black hair care must take into account the unique structure of black hair. Like other hair types, it is made up of several parts.

The cuticle is the outer layer which protects the hair shaft. It is coated with sebum, which gives the hair its shine. The cuticle is made of scale like cells that resemble the shingles on a roof.

The cortex gives hair its strength, elasticity, and texture.

The hair follicle is the part of the skin that grows the hair.

Sebaceous glands produce the sebum that coats the cuticle.

Melanin is the pigment in the cortex which gives hair its color.

However, black hair is elliptical in shape, giving it a unique structure that is more prone to breakage. Products must be used to cater to the uniqueness of black hair for it to grow very long.

 

MOISTURE, POROSITY, AND ELASTICITY OF BLACK HAIR

Black hair care must address the main components that make up condition of black hair. These are moisture, porosity, and elasticity.

Moisture is the amount of moisture water contained in the hair's cortex. It is greater in humid areas, and less in drier areas.

Porosity is the hair's ability to absorb water and chemicals. If porosity is normal, it keeps the hair from absorbing or releasing too much moisture. Overly porous hair cannot hold its moisture; it is much like a sponge. It easily sucks up moisture, but cannot hold it.

Elasticity is the hair's ability to stretch and return to its normal length. Wet hair should be able to stretch about half of its length without breaking. If your hair's elasticity is low, it will break when stretched.

Black hair that is relaxed will often be over porous, have low elasticity, and have low moisture content. For this reason, it is necessary to take special steps to keep black hair healthy so that it can grow its longest.

 

BLACK HAIR GROWTH

Most people have about 100,000 hairs on their head. Normal growth is about one quarter to one half inch per month. Actually hair that grows one half inch per month is considered fast growing. Black hair normally grows slower than this. Every hair on your head will go through three phases: growing, resting, and shedding.

The growing phase can last from 3 to 7 years.

The resting phase lasts about 2 to 4 weeks.

The shedding phase can last from 3 to 4 months. This shedding is the natural process that replaces old hairs with new hairs. It is normal to lose about 50 to 80 hairs per day.

If you have ever wondered why your hair will grow to a certain length then stop, it is because of your growing phase. Your growing phase (or anagen) is a certain length of time. This is something that we are born with, so there isn't much that changes it. A person with a very long growing phase will grow longer hair than a person with a shorter growing phase. Therefore, the anagen phase actually determines the maximum length your hair will grow.

 

BLACK HAIR AND SCALP PROBLEMS

Black hair care must also cater to hair or scalp problems that most will experience at some point. Hair problems such as breakage, dryness, shedding, thinning, and slow growth can be caused by different things.

 

Breakage is caused by damage to the hair's cortex. This type of damage causes the hair to become fragile and break easily. Heat styling, over processing, and using harsh products can cause damage to the cortex. Heat styling reduces the moisture content in the hair and weakens the natural protein in the hair. Over processing hair with chemicals can lead to major damage and air loss. Chemically processed hair is already damaged to some extent simply because it has been chemically processed. So it is at greater risk of damage from styling. Chemical processing can cause high porosity and low elasticity, both of which can lead to breakage. In addition to this, using harsh shampoos which strip the hair can lead to further breakage. It is important that gentle shampoos be used on chemically treated hair.

 

Dryness is caused by sebum being stripped from the hair shaft. Black hair is dry naturally and must be moisturized regularly. Most oils and moisture products do not effectively moisturize black hair, because it cannot penetrate the hair shaft. Only water based moisturizers and coconut oil can penetrate the hair shaft. Other oil products simply coat the hair giving it a look of moisture. However, the hair is still dry and susceptible to breakage.

 

Shedding is a normal process. When more than 80 hairs per day are shed, it may be excessive. This type of shedding can be caused by stress, hormonal changes, diet, or scalp conditions. Many women experience this type of shedding after giving birth. This is because pregnancy hormones can lock all of the hair into the growing phase. After the delivery, many hairs will go into the resting phase to be shed two to three months later. Birth control pills and menopause can have the same effect. High androgen birth control pills can cause major shedding and hair loss. Other causes of severe shedding are fever, blood loss, low iron, drastic dieting, and thyroid disorders. Excessive shedding can also cause thinning. To minimize thinning, you first need to find out what is causing your shedding. To stop shedding immediately, garlic can be used on the scalp to tighten the pores and prevent the hair from shedding. To use garlic for shedding, simply blend garlic with your favorite conditioner until it is a paste. Apply the mixture to your scalp and hair and cover with a plastic cap. Leave in for an hour before washing.

 

Slow growth is a common complaint associated with black hair. This can be caused by the natural growth rate, breakage, or nutrition. Each person will have a different growth rate. Some people will just have hair that grows faster or slower than normal. However, breakage can also make hair seem to grow slowly. If your breakage is keeping up with your growth, it can make your hair seem like it is not growing at all. This is a common problem for black hair due to the damage and breakage caused by relaxers. To speed up hair growth, use a hair vitamin formulated to increase hair growth.

 

Scalp problems can be caused by bacteria, fungus, and other reasons. Dandruff, for example is caused more cells being shed from the scalp. It is associated with a yeast present at all times. The yeast will grow more quickly when dandruff occurs. Scalp itch can be caused by various problems such as fungal infections like ringworm. Fungal and bacterial infections of the skin need to be treated by a doctor with oral medication. Most topical shampoos, creams, and oils will not cure scalp conditions.

 

Virgin Indian, Brazilian, & Malaysian Hair Care!

As with most things in life, things are so much easier when you know how.  Looking after real hair extensions is not difficult, yet it is important to follow a consistent hair care routine to keep them looking their best.  A hair strand is essentially a tube with an inner cortex encased in a delicate outer layer, called the cuticle. When the cuticle layer is perfectly intact, hair looks supremely glossy and doesn’t tend to break.  We all know that the overuse of heat styling tools, chemical products and colouring can affect the natural health of your hair, and yet most of us do want to be able to use tongs, straighteners and colours on our hair to keep us up to date with style trends, that's understandable. 

 

WHAT IS VIRGIN REMY HAIR?

Virgin Remy Hair is Real Human Hair. It comes in many forms and grades, The quality of the hair we sell is of a very high standard and it possesses all the natural beauty and healthy shine you could ask for.  It does however need to be treated with kindness in order to sustain its health, as it doesn’t receive nutrients in the way growing hair does.

 

I put together a step-by-step guide to keeping your Real Hair Extensions looking in top condition. So, how do you care for virgin hair?

 

STEP 1 - BRUSHING & MAINTAINING YOUR HAIR EXTENSIONS

• You MUST brush your hair in the mornings and at night before bed. Even when you’ve had a long day and your bed is calling; you must take a few minutes to brush through your hair.

• Covering your hair with a scarf before going to sleep will prevent frizzing and tangling and is highly recommended.

• Carry a brush in your bag. Wind, rain and pollution can affect our hair and it may need a little tidy up from time to time during the day.

 

STEP 2 - WASHING VIRGIN HAIR EXTENSIONS

There is a real knack to maintaining healthy and vibrant hair extensions and washing your hair correctly yet not over washing is essential.

• Always brush your hair before you get into the shower. This limits breakage and tangling when the hair gets wet.

• Let the shower head do the work, wetting your hair in a light downward motion.

• Not too much shampoo (and when I say shampoo, I mean no Sulfate).  A dab the size of quarter of your palm should do it.

• Lather your hair at the roots, massaging gently AROUND the extension attachments. Avoid touching these if you can. Two minutes of soothing massage is about right.

• You can now move on to the rest of your hair.  Split this into manageable sections, about two on each side. Use your palms to spread the lather at the roots down through each section.  By using a downward motion, sandwich each section of your hair in your palms and rub down to clean. The hair will remain strong and breakage is minimised.  

• Rinse your scalp, again letting the shower do the work.  Repeat the lathering and palm wash process , but with a smaller amount of shampoo and just as gentle.

• Lastly, rinse away any traces of shampoo using lukewarm water until your hair feels squeaky clean. A blast of cool water (as cold as you can cope with) at the very end will close the cuticles and ensure the hair is left smooth and shiny.

• Whilst your hair is wet, use your fingers to lightly separate the hair and continue this process with a wide-toothed comb to ensure no sections are joined or intertwined.

• Rub Almond or Coconut oil into the wet hair with the palms of your hands and comb through again using the wide-toothed comb.

• Pat the hair with a towel to remove excess moisture and gently wrap your hair in the towel at the back of your head – never wrap up in a turban on top!

• After an hour, remove the towel and allow the hair to air-dry (at home).

 

STEP 3 - MOISTURISING

• It’s important to be in-tune with your hair and recognise when it feels and looks dry. In order to preserve the moisture in your Real Hair Extensions you can use natural oils and lotions that contain Almond or Coconut as part of a weekly routine. I only recommend pure natural oils and lotions for moisturising your hair.

 

DON’T FORGET… 

• Avoid over-washing your hair. Use small amounts of natural products and your hair will stay cleaner for longer. Also, over-washing can loosen your extensions.

• Never use a brush on your hair when it’s wet. Instead, use a wide-toothed comb.

• NEVER go to bed with wet hair! 

 

CURLY HAIR

Real Curly Hair Extensions look incredibly glamorous. Curly hair has a tendency to be naturally drier than straight hair, so it may be necessary to replenish its moisture more often especially 6-8 weeks after installation. Getting to know your hair extensions is key – as soon as you sense they are beginning to dry, spritz them with a little water when required. Adding a few drops of natural oil to the water will work wonders too.  

 

Changes in weather, your exercise routine, pollution and how you style your hair can all have an impact on all hair types.  So keep an eye on things to get the best out of your lovely natural virgin hair.

Finally, enjoy your hair extensions. Just a little bit of TLC is all they need to stay looking healthy and glossy.  

All Natural

India Benet daughter of Eric Benet was featured in Naturally Nappy Hair Magazine. Natural hair is a new trend that's in for African American women. No heat or use of products is becoming very popular! 

 BE BOLD! BE BEAUTIFUL! BE NATURAL! 

If you would like to know more about going natural leave a comment below! 

Summer 2013 Hair Tips

-Always go out with your head covered with a scarf, hat or umbrella to avoid direct exposure of hair to sun. Effects of direct sun rays on hair can be harsh in many ways. Exposing your hair for even 10 minutes produce 70-80 degrees Celsius heat and this can crack your cuticle. It can also harm your hair’s outer structure, suck out moisture and can even burn your scalp.

-Use right shampoo and conditioner according to your hair type. It is always safe to go for mild or herbal shampoos during this season as you need to wash your hair frequently. Experts also suggest using products that contain sunscreen.

-Serum is very necessary as it acts as a sunscreen for your hair. Your hair becomes dry and dull losing its moisture during this time of year; hence, hair serum is the perfect way to protect them from heat-related damage.

-Try massaging your scalp every day for a few minutes to stimulate circulation and to remove dead skin cells. This will also help in preventing dandruff.

-Oiling your strands before washing from roots to tips is a magical antidote to several hair problems from lifeless tresses, damaged ends to stress relief. Hot oil massage is considered to be a perfect solution to people with dry scalp condition. 

-Wash your locks with lukewarm water. However, some people put ice in the water to make it cold which is wrong. Water temperature should neither be too hot nor too cold; it should balanced. 

-Treating dandruff: Wash your hair every alternate day. Grab any good anti-dandruff shampoo to wash your locks, but use it only once or twice a week to avoid dryness. Exposure to sun and sweat is the main cause of dandruff during summers. It is best to avoid exposure to sun and keep your scalp clean, dry and cool.

-Have regular trims to avoid split ends. Trim your hair while it is dry and avoid wet trimming as this can worsen the condition. Experts often advise to keep hairs short during this season.

Above all, a well-balanced diet is the key to keeping your hair healthy and strong. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, nuts, brown rice, beans and pulses to have those healthy and lustrous tresses. Also, drink plenty of water.

Ciara Ciara Ciara

And another one gets the cut! Ciara debuted her chic new short bob. With her hair cut to just above her chin, colored a pretty shade of blonde, and styled into a deep side part, the singer looked very gorgeous. 

That same day, Ciara, 27, Instagrammed a shot of her glamorous new hairstyle and wrote, "We Wear Short Short.." referencing the famous Nair jingle from the '80s. The photograph has so far elicited more than 55,000 likes.

Stylist Cesar Ramirez, who gave the singer her cut, tells Us Weekly he was inspired "by her cool-girl edgy style." "I wanted to do something that was fashion-forward and fresh by mixing a bit of rocker edge with some old-school hip hop flare. The color (baylayage) is a bit lighter and warmer for summer with a natural base/root, and the cut is a razored short bob with a disconnected heavy fringe," he explains. To style it, he recommends using Loreal Texture Expert Densite Thickening Primer, some Davines OI/Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion, and a T3 Tourmaline hair dryer.

Creative Design

We were told to be creative in class today. My instructor told the class to do a creative Up-do on a person or Mannequin. I chose Artist the Mannequin! 

Artist was great to work with I also did her make up!  I shampooed and conditioned her & then I put medium size rod through our her entire head put a little bit of serum and oil sheen in her hair. I put her under the dryer for about 30minutes. The curls came out beautiful. After that I put the up-do together. For her make-up I gave her sexy seductive cat eyes also added eyelashes! Some of the Hair Products I users were Big Sexy Hair Play Harder which is a hair spray that will keep the hair in place. I also use Oil Sheen just a little bit to give the hair some shine!