POO TALK
HAIR STRUCTURE
There
are three parts to a strand of hair. The outer layer is the cuticle,
the middle is the cortex, and the inner layer is the medulla. The
cuticle makes up about 10% of the strand, the cortex about 80%, and
if there is even a medulla present, it's about 10%. Not all hair
strands have a medulla, it's typically absent in gray or very fine
hair.
The layers that we are most concerned with in hair care is the
cuticle and cortex. The cuticle looks like shingles on a roof, with
overlapping layers. When the cuticle is raised, the hair strand is
most vulnerable to damage and will break easily. Raising the cuticle
needs to occur when artificial color is applied so the color can
penetrate the cortex, it works the same way for hair relaxers and
permanent waves.
PRODUCT
All
shampoo is basically detergent and water. The only difference
between the blends such as normal, oily, and dry is the amount of
detergent used in the formulation and the price. You could even use
dog shampoo on your hair and it'll work just fine, it's still
detergent.
In
Edwardian times many women used an egg wash which consisted of one
well beaten egg and one ounce of water. It might be fun to try that
and see how it works.
However,
I prefer and recommend using a modern formulation that is made for
your hair type. If your hair is normal or dry, you can dilute
shampoo by fifty percent with distilled water, your product will last
longer and it will still clean effectively.
If
your hair is very oily, then use a clarifying shampoo. Clarifying
shampoo is a very intense detergent and it's job is to strip the
excess oil, so it needs to be full strength. Suave and Vo5 make
excellent clarifying shampoos and they are budget friendly.
PROCESS
Wet
hair thoroughly with tepid water, not hot, especially if your hair is
oily. Using hot water will relax your pores and activate the
sebaceous glands that produces sebum, or oil.
Apply
shampoo to the palm of your hand then rub with the other hand to
spread it around. Apply to your hair beginning at the front
hairline, massage it in gently working from front to back.
Focus in
on cleansing the scalp but do not use your nails to scrub, you don't
want to scratch your skin. Your hair is fragile when wet and you can
lose too much hair by being too rough.
Rinse
thoroughly, then apply more shampoo and repeat. Your second rinse is
the most important. If you do not rinse all of the shampoo out of
your hair, your hair will be a dirt magnet and will soon look like
you haven't even washed it. An old fashioned, but very effective way
to rinse your hair is to use ¼ cup of vinegar in a cup of warm water
after a plain rinse. This helps to remove shampoo residue and adds a
nice shine to your hair.
Now
you're ready for conditioner, use a small amount in your hand and
gently massage through your hair. If your hair is oily, do not apply
conditioner to the scalp, only to the rest of the hair. Or you can
use a leave in spray conditioner, just keep it off the scalp. Let
the conditioner sit on your hair for a couple of minutes, rinse with
cool water.
Make sure to rinse at the front hairline and around your
ears. When conditioner residue is left on your skin, it can block
your pores and can cause a breakout. So if you notice acne or
blackheads around your hairline or ears, then make sure to rinse more
thoroughly. Using cool water will help the cuticle, the outer layer
of the hair lay down and your hair will look smooth. Rinsing in hot
water will raise the cuticle and make your hair look frizzy.
Wrap
a towel around your hair and gently blot dry.
Use
only a wide tooth comb on wet hair, and be very gentle so you don't
stretch and break your hair. Comb from the bottom of the hair and
work your way up.
It's
best to air dry, but if you need to blow dry, direct the nozzle of
the dryer from the top of the hair to the ends, this will help the
cuticle lay down. Use a vent brush that's made of plastic for the
smoothest result. Using a flat iron on dry hair with a good thermal
protector will help your cuticle lay down as well if you want
straight hair. KMS California makes an outstanding flat iron spray,
Free Shape Hot Flex Spray, it's the only one I use on myself and I like the fact that they
do not test on animals.
FREQUENCY
If
your hair is oily, you will probably need to shampoo your hair daily.
For normal hair or dry hair, shampoo a couple of times a week or
when needed. If you're physically active and sweat a lot or swim,
you may require additional cleansing. You can also use a dry shampoo
to freshen up in between shampoos.
Another
recommendation of mine is to change your pillowcase daily if you have
very oily hair. Also keep your combs and brushes clean by removing
hair and scrubbing them with warm water and soap, I use a manicure
brush for this.
To
keep your hair looking it's best, get a trim every 6-8 weeks or
whenever you notice split ends. Yes, you have to for the most awesome hair. Please do me a big favor, do not cut your hair too short so you don't have to get a cut very often, this never looks good!
A good cut will grow out gracefully. Be aware that hair does grow out uneven, so cutting your hair twice a year won't cut it...pun intended!
