The Best Hair Moisturizer

Hands down, the number one complaint about hair is that it is too dry. All day every day, everywhere; someone is complaining about dry hair. In addition to complaining about dry hair, people also complain about the difficulty of finding the right product to remedy their dry tresses. They are in constant search for the perfect moisturizer. Oh, but the search becomes a tad bit tricky if one person's hair texture is different from the other. For example, those who have straight hair, are looking for something that will make their hair feel silky, more smooth, shine more and less likely to revert or frizz.  For those who have curly or Afro textures, they are looking for a moisturizer that will make their texture spring, coil, curl, wave while at the same time giving it some slip and actual moistness. Both hair types loathe the dry, frizzy, dull, and brittle feel to their textured hair. 

Well, guess what? The solution to dry hair, rather it is straight or textured, is NOT a topical moisturizer or moisturizing treatment of any sort! I know, sayings like, "Stawpitt Judy!" or "Whatchu talkin bout Willis,"  comes to mind, right? Yes, my wonderful hair junkies, knotty know it alls, natural knowers, textured Titans, and organic only's, moisturizers in the world of hair care ain't what they are pretending to be. Most products that claim to moisturize hair, do not. They simply coat the hair; thus making it literally dry.

But, why? How can that be? Read on before you click that mouse and search for more answers. You know the name of my blog is, "What They Don't Tell You at the Hair Salon," right? So let me tell you what they are not telling you at the hair salon. After you read this blog, you will have a clear understanding of what to do about your hair that you have been lead to believe is dry and is in need of moisture.  

Holy, smokes and gee whiz!

First, what they don't tell you at the hair salon about moisture and hair is that moisture for hair is an internal process. Properly moisturized hair only begins with a well-hydrated body. Before you purchase another bottle of moisturizing anything, I urge you to pick up a bottle of water or pour you a few cups and drink up. If you hate water, then your hair will truly be dry and no fancy moisturizer will help. 

Second, what they don't tell you at the hair salon is that each fiber of hair consists of several outer layers that comprise of what we see (hair on our heads) with the naked eye called keratin. Another term for keratin is cuticle layer.  If you were to look at each strand of hair fibers under a microscope, those fibers would resemble fish scales or shingles on a roof. The objective to hair feeling, being manageable and looking a certain way is in direct association with that very tiny microscopic keratin or those cuticle layers. Also, what they don't tell you at the hair salon is that those tiny scales or shingles must always lay flat in order for your hair (regardless the texture or

hairstyle) to feel and look nice. So, when you touch your hair and it feels brittle, gritty and frizzy, what you are actually feeling are those tiny microscopic scales that are raised. Because you are not aware that those keratin or cuticle layers are actually raised, your mind associates the feel of your hair with dryness. That is why the objective in hair care is to keep that tiny microscopic keratin or cuticle layers flat, not moist. If those layers are raised in any form, the result is hair that feels rough, gritty and brittle. Your hair will also tangle, mat and knot easily. From there, your hair will begin to snap and break. Then when you look at your shirt or in the sink or on the floor; all you will see are frayed fibers lying about. The next thing you know, you are running to the salon or beauty supply store in search of a moisturizer to stop what you think is dry hair from falling out. On the other hand, if you use products that actually 
coat and keep the hair physically damp, more breakage, musty smelling, and snapping is the result.

Third, what they don't tell you at the hair salon is that 90% of all hair care products primary ingredient is water. When water comes into contact with hair, the result is buckled, swollen cracked, gritty, brittle and rough feeling hair. Just as water damages wood, fabrics, metals or skin; it does the same to hair. Initially, when anything is immersed in water it looks and feels great. Take a moment and think about how sexy you and your hair looks when wet. Place your clothes in water; notice the colors look so rich and moist. Now place your favorite flatware in water; it too looks amazingly more vibrant in color and shiny in appearance. Now step out the water or remove those items from the water. Next, allow them to air dry. How does your skin feel? How do your hair, face, and feet feel? What about your flatware? How do they look? Now touch them. Feel free to apply oil or some sort of shining finisher in the water or on your items. Hours later, touch your body, hair, face, feet, and items again. How do they feel? Still a somewhat rough, gritty and brittle, huh? 
Feel me? Yeah, buddy, that's how they getcha.

What they are not telling you at the hair salon is that you have been trained and taught to verbally express raised keratin or cuticle layers as dry hair. And since they really want more money, they have also trained you to believe that now your hair is damaged. Damaged hair, dry hair, brittle hair, color faded hair, dry relaxed hair, dull breaking locks, frizzy cornrow braids, tangled nappy hair, dry limp hair are all synonymous raised keratin or cuticle layers. 

Now for the kicker. And just as those words are synonymous with keratin and cuticle layers, so is protein! Shocking isn't it? Say it ain't so, you declare?

Don't believe me? Click on another link and read for yourself. 

Welcome back. Quite interesting isn't it? Keratin, cuticle layers, and protein all mean the same thing. Damn semantics. Semantics are the things I do not like about the "American English" language. They play too much with them words...LOL 

You are getting sleepy...

What you have been deliberately misled to believe is dry, tangled, knotty, nappy, frizzy, dull, weak and damaged hair is actually raised keratin, cuticle or protein layers. So what raises them? Aside from water; combing, brushing, braiding, twisting, heat, locking, relaxing, coloring, and wearing fabrics on your hair that absorbs moisture like cotton, and the likes are all that contributes to raised keratin, cuticle or protein layers. Basically, whenever we do any form of grooming our hair in any hair style we can think of, we compromise those layers by raising them. From washing it to weaving it; those layers will inevitably raise.

So why are hairstylists calling it dry hair? Why are they suggesting moisturizing shampoos, conditioners, treatments and styling agents? Ignorance and money. Ahh, but you knew I was gonna type that. See, most hair stylists are simply not trained enough to understand hair. The varying hair textures and types require different types of cleansing and conditioning agents. Not all hair types require a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Hair care products are formulated for hair types and textures. Some textures need moisture and some do not. They are mostly trained and certified by schools and hair care companies who want their money like they want my money and yours. The manufacturers have to tap into our emotions and our association with things to get us spend our all mighty dollars with their brand. And what easier way to get our money than to tap into anything that makes you feel good, even if it doesn't work? "Holy smokes and gee whiz," that's what I said!

If all hair stylists were educated, trained and licensed to understand hair and the chemistry of these hair care products and ingredients, the eb, and flow of selling what is needed to customers would flow right along with happiness and profits.

By now you should be ready to take action and be in charge of your purchasing power. You have the right information. Now, what is your actual resolve to those raised layers that leaves hair feeling rough, tangled, nappy, brittle, gritty hair that is dull, snaps and breaks? 

Eat your way to healthy hair.

The answer is protein. "Whatchu talkin' bout Dosha?" I am well aware of people's hatred of protein. But for the record, humans are lean mean protein-making machines. Without those 23 amino acids, our building blocks to life will come crashing down. We not only need the 23 amino acid in our diet for our bodies, they are equally important in hair care. So, what you want to do is first eat your way to your protein. Then purchase products that have protein in them. The best and most effective proteins are going to be your soy, wheat, quinoa, crystal quartz, natural clays from the earth such as bentonite clay and of course keratin. The molecular weight of these ingredients is tiny enough to be absorbed into the hair via those keratin, cuticle or protein layers. Heavier protein molecules from eggs, mayonnaise, and heavy oils take longer for the hair to absorb. Manmade, hydrolyzed or synthetic proteins will suffice. There are many others, but those work best, they are easier to access and are affordable. In addition, moisture binding ingredients for those who wear their textured hair work best to keep the keratin, cuticle or protein layers sealed. For example, aloe vera gel, alpha-hydroxy acids (from fruits), egg yolk, glycerine, honey or molasses to name a few. For those who wear their hair straight or heat styled, use products that have anti-humectants in them. Anti-humectants ward off moisture and keep your straight, silk press or heat styled hair from reverting. Again, remember to drink plenty of water and eat protein rich foods. Annette Hollimon, Wholistic Practioner and Reiki Master of Forever Phoenix located in South Euclid, Ohio recommends that you drink half your weight in ounces to achieve proper hydration. She also recommends getting your protein from whole foods and fresh vegetables. 

Lastly, understand, that hair feels better and readily absorbs the benefits from any ingredient, be it natural, organic or synthetic when it is clean. Therefore, be sure your hair is clean to reap the benefits of whatever you will be using on your hair. The longer you go without cleaning your hair and using the now trending co-wash option to care for your hair, the more those layers will remain raised. The longer the layers remain raised your hair will become more compromised. Also, your hair care will be more expensive.

As for the deliberate attempt to dupe consumers on what moisturizing hair is all about, I hope you find this blog informative and helpful. Share it with your friends. Make it a part of your group discussion. Teach your children about this as well. And the next time a hair stylist or someone suggests a moisturizing treatment of any sort for your hair, tell 'em...

"Aww, dry up!"

How to Care for My Hair?

Girl bye...

I often hear that being a cosmetologist is similar to being a psychologist or therapist. Hmph, I beg to differ. Being a cosmetologist is more like being an audience member at a comedy show. While it is true that people do share some interesting problems to us, no problem they share compares to the funny stories they tell. The funny stories they tell about haircare ranks up there with the scene in "Blades of Glory" when Will Ferrell is explaining why use uses "Mane and Tail" shampoo and how he brushes his hair with his special brush 100 times each night...lol Go YouTube it!

In this blog ndogo, I will highlight some of the craziest things I have heard in the name of hair care.  

Love, peace and hair grease!

Understand that for many, cultural practices along with good old fashioned trial and error, plays a pivotal role in the humor of it all. The examples that I find humorous are no attempt to directly or indirectly offend anyone, any culture, any practice or any hair texture. So, read along. Maybe you will get a laugh too!

All right now, here we go!

Starting with the crazy over use of GREASE. OMG! When asked why? The response typically goes like this, "Ladosha, the reason I have so much grease in my hair is because I am trying to keep my hair from feeling so dry!" LOL, you can stop laughing or nodding now! Ok, seriously people, grease will never bring moisture to hair. Grease (of any and all makes) coats your hair. Grease is actually an anti-humectant. So, the more grease/mineral oil you use on your hair, the dryer, more brittle and gritty your hair will feel. How could this be, you ask? Because most greases are made from petroleum. Petroleum will NEVER attract moisture. It coats hair and skin. It sits on top and the toxic waste is absorbed into your skin making your body work hard to get rid of it. Even if you put a plastic cap on it! The minute you take that cap off and your hair or feet dries; both will feel dryer after a few hours. People, do not try this at home or any place else. Grease and synthetic oils are great conductors of heat (though they do burn off, just press the gas pedal on your car). It also adds sheen. If you want moist hair you will need to drink more water and use a product like Decca Plus' Satin Tame. It has ingredients in it to bind moisture, strengthen it, seal the cuticles to keep textured tress from tangling (yeah boyee) and keep hair feeling supple. It does not over soften to compromise texture. It does not coat hair making it feel wet or gooey.

Don't believe the hype.

Next up is the crazy CO-WASH hog wash. What the ham sammich is going on? There are so many hair stylists wondering how are people falling for this. Often when I observe the scalp of a new client during my scalp and hair analysis, I notice what looks like cottage cheese or yogurt on the scalp. When I ask what is going on with your hair? The typical response is, "Oh, Ladosha I went on YOUTUBE and learned about a better way to clean my hair.  It does not have any sulfates and all those other harsh ingredients. It's called co-washing" Ooooh kaaaaay. Again, what the ham sammich is this nonsense? "Listen honey, listen!" The detangling benefits of co-washing often over soften hair after extended use. Leaves a stinch on the hair liken to Peppy Le Pew. And a coating that only Dawn dishwashing liquid can remove. No shampoo on the market and cleanse the scalp and hair effectively of this kind of product. Co-washing your hair is the equivalent  of washing up with lotion. Enough said.

The next crazy attempt done in the name of hair care is the INVERSION METHOD. Yes, it is true that blood flow is essential to the health and growth of hair. You can increase blood flow to the scalp by way of massaging the scalp, brushing to stimulate the scalp, medication, stimulating essential oils (i.e. peppermint, camphor, tea true and the likes), and electric scalp massagers, infrared lights and now "thee" inversion method! The inversion method was accidentally discovered by the original medicine man, Hippocrates. He was using this technique for back problems and accidentally discovered that folks hair was growing. So basically, the name tells it all.  The Inversion Method requires that you hang upside down (hence inversion) or at a certain angle one lays to get the blood flow to the scalp. Anybody can do it, except people who have the following:

Upside down, hair you turn me (in my Diana Ross voice)!

• Low or High blood 
• Detached retina (duuude!)
• Ear infection
• Spinal injury
• Heart or circulatory problems
• Pregnacy (do they really need  warning...lol)
• Hernia
• Obesity (oh well, that excludes me...lol)
• Unhealed fractures or injuries
• Recent Stroke
• Migranes

In the infamous words of one zany crazy comedian, Judy Tenuta, 'It could happen!"

Read the ticker...water, oil/butters and a plastic cap
will not make hair grow.

Next, the crazy thing done in the name of hair care is the GHE a.k.a the Green House Effect for hair. It was created by Mika Lishauna. Again, the name says it all. This one here...SMH. Again, there are some of us hair stylists who just don't get it. I like the analogy of plant care to follicle care...but-ter-umm.  Ok, so in theory the concept is to mimic the effects of what a green house does for plants to hair. GHE instructs users to do 3 things. One, spritz hair with water until damp. Two, apply oil or butter (shea or coconut) to hair and three, cover hair with a plastic cap leaving it on overnight or as long as you can. In the morning style your hair in a non-heat hair style and at night place the cap back on your head to start all over again. According to my readings, the GHE technique was created "to increase blood flow that stimulates hair follicles and raises your hair growth rate." Now I don't know Mika and I most certainly do not know Monica of the "Curly Hair Lounge" blog that I got my quote from; but-er-ummmm. "blood flow" by no stretch of the imagination can NOT come from misting water onto hair, adding oils/butter and then placing a plastic cap on your head for as long as you can. To promote growth for hair all you need is a sound diet, water, bowel movements. And according to Mr. Charles Truss of Decca Plus hair care cleansing, nourishing and circulation will most definitely suffice. Second, humans are wired to only grow about 1/4 inch per month give or take a few millimeters. It ain't happenin' people. Not even with a time lapsed camera attached to your re-qrowth to capture the growth.

Another one, the "PROTECTIVE HAIRSTYLES" craze.  Did the Beetles just return to the US from Britain? LOL! This latest craze in hair care is sweeping the globe. Yet, I don't know about this one either. Back in the day in the day we use to just call them french braids, cornrows, plats, wigs or my favorite, "keep yo hands out yo hair!" As for protection, a hat will protect...lol 

Throwback Protective Style formerly known as BRAIDS!

At this point, I'm like Lawrence Fishbourne in"School Daze," Waaaaaaaake up! You can use any word you want. Anytime you stop yanking on it and being heavy handed or aggressive with your styling techniques you won't need protection. Just a new habit!

But wait, there's more. The crazy, zany over rated "NATURAL HAIR" movement. Oh lort! Do not sip tea or do a lap for Jesus! The Pink Panthers were a movement. Ditching your relaxer is not a movement. It is a choice. Listen my dear readers...If it grows from your scalp; it IS natural. For the record whenever, however and with whatever we apply to our hair and skin; we are indeed altering it. Hair is a living pliable fabric that you can do some pretty cool things to. But that does not mean it is any less natural if you alter it in any facet. And for all the licensed pros jumping on this cash cow train to the bank, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Customers are asking, "Shouldn't they have beein making the decision to improve my hair texture on their own with educations and training without the influence of the internet?" These women out here are not stupid. That is why many do not trust or do business with licensed professionals.

Y'all know about The Mack...lol

In conclusion, if you find yourself navigating to the latest trend or hype in hair care and growth, ask yourself, "Who's the mack?" Don't fall for the okey doke. Remember, it only takes 3 steps to promote growth and the health of hair. "Cleanse, nourish and circulation." I suggest you couple those three simple steps with the proper styling tools, caring hands and your natural hair is gonna be alright. While some hair textures and hair styles require more time than others...hey, it what it is; hair!