Hair Dramas ! Fix my Hair
A woman’s hair is always her crowning glory.I have always had healthy, thick and long hair.On a recent visit to the hairdresser I was told that my hair is “oily” and I need to find a cleaning shampoo.
My instant reaction was to tweet @wisaal from www.wiscellaneous.com for some hair advice.Wisaal instantly fired me some quick questions using 140 letters on Twitter.These were :How often do you wash/condition/deep treat? What brand? Use heat? How does your hair feel to YOU?
My responses:
- Twice a week wash
- Always condition with every wash
- Currently using LoReal Intense for breakages I don’t own a hairdryer natural fry hair occasionally use ghd Heavy after 3days.
Wisaal’s replies:
So the majority of shampoos (99%) unbeknown to most people are already quite “cleansing” due to an ingredient called sulphates (or a derivative thereof).
Check the list of ingredients on the back of the bottle. Its most commonly found written as “sodium lauryl sulphate”. Essentially it’s a cleansing agent found in shower gels, body washes and shampoos. It’s also found in many household detergents & thought of by many (especially in the natural hair community) as quite harsh & stripping. If a shampoo is sulphate free trust me it will say so on the bottle (except for Paul Mitchell shampoos which I have recently learned are all sulphate free). So are sulphates bad? No. You just need to know how much cleansing your scalp needs. If you’re over cleansing/stripping your scalp it could be over producing sebum (causing oiliness) in response – much in the same way your face would react to that situation. Remember your scalp
is skin, it’s just covered with hair…
Tips to try
- Make sure you are alternating conditioners with ones rich in moisture & protein – hair needs both to be well balanced & healthy
- When you’re washing (i.e. shampooing) concentrate on cleaning the scalp vs lengths of your hair. The shampoo will of course run down the hair shafts That’s enough cleansing for a twice a week shampoo like you’re doing. Take the time to (gently) massage your scalp as your shampoo/condition for 5-10 mins (like they do at the salon) – it’s great for circulation. I’m not a fan of double shampooing (salons like to do this) – it’s hardly necessary.
- Don’t waste conditioner by applying it to your scalp. Your scalp cannot absorb conditioner – it’s meant for the hair shaft’s cuticles. The ends of your hair are more fragile (i.e. prone to break) as they’re older – make sure they get the most conditioning.
- Shampooing twice a week is fine – don’t do more than that. If anything try to stretch the days in between 4/5 days. Keep your hands out of your hair (look at me preaching – I’m so bad at this).
- Good thing you’re using so little heat. Try to wean off it 100% (air dry instead) if you can – not easy I know. Alternatively use a diffuser on a moderate heat instead – it’s still kinder (& quicker!) than blow drying (by section)/flat ironing. And always use a heat protectant serum with your flat iron/tongs/hairdryer/diffuser – not negotiable or you’re frying your hair! For good (natural moisture) treatment when you have time, the night before you shampoo divide hair into 4 sections (minimum) and apply organic, extra virgin coconut oil liberally. Its “hard” in the tub but will melt in your hand with body temperature. Put on a shower cap, cover with a scarf & head to bed. In the morning, shampoo & condition as normal – pretty gorgeous soft hair will be yours & without breaking the bank!
Thank you Wisaal for your amazing advice its really appreciated.Now to fix my hair and get some decent products .Any suggestions ???
Ciao
Xxx
