Hair Care Tips

Shampoo, Conditioner-Free Hair Care!

I was pleasantly surprised that this actually works - my hair (very fine; shoulder length) looks better, is less tangled, and even feels thicker, even following the first use!

PREPARATION:

• "Shampoo (Wash):" Before showering, pour (a small funnel helps) a level tablespoon of baking soda - don't use *too* much - into a small clear shampoo bottle (200 ml, the actual volume is not important); fill with warm water. The baking soda may not fully dissolve, and may settle out, a bit - shake and resuspend it, before use.

• "Rinse (Conditioner):" Prepare a small bottle with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, filled to the top with warm water (360 ml; again, the total volume is not that important).

USE:

• Wet and rinse your hair (shower), to wash away dust, etc.

• Work the baking soda suspension into your wet hair in portions, working it through the hair, down to the scalp.

• Rinse well with water (shower).

• Wash your hair with the vinegar rinse (in portions, as above). If it gets into your eyes, it may sting, but only very slightly - not a problem.

• Thoroughly rinse the vinegar solution from your hair with warm water; towel and air-dry.

COMMENTS:

• My hair is much less tangled, looks *better* than when using shampoos and conditioners (below; I've tried *lots* of both from different companies), and after even a couple of days, feels thicker.

• The preparation takes only a minute (literally), and the only 'side-effect' is a very faint odor of vinegar (very mild) when I am sweating away on the aerobic cycler at the gym (45', daily). It goes away once the hair is dry.
  

Hair Care Tips: As my hair has increased in length (no haircuts, etc. for ~11 months now) - August 2007, I find that it tangles easily, *especially* after shampooing! Since I don't anticipate getting it cut or even trimmed for some time, I am particularly concerned with being very gentle with it, especially with regard to combing and strand breakage after showering.

When we were in Nova Scotia last month (July 2007), we popped into a hair salon intending to get a detangler, where we happened to speak with a distributor of various products, including Redken and Nioxin, who was very knowledgeable. He took a few minutes, drawing a diagram, to explain basic hair biology including the follicle, shaft, clogged pores, the sebaceous gland, testosterone / estrogen levels and ageing in males and females - all in a few minutes! (Much of this is echoed at this website, also saved here, locally, in case that web site disappears.) He recommended a Nioxin treatment (I have very fine hair with minimal hair loss / thinning (to date), so I would probably use Nioxin Thinning Hair System 1, but upon reviewing comments online and the costs, I think that I'll get by pretty well without it. He mentioned that it contains cross-linking proteins, etc. that help protect the hair, as well as cleansing agents that keep the follicles / shafts clean / unclogged, and draw blood circulation closer to the hair root (nutrition), and balance the detrimental effects of testosterone. I hinted (but didn't state outright) that my own plans to counteract that was my upcoming, anticipated feminizing hormonal therapy - lol ! ;-)

We did take his advice regarding the conditioner however, purchasing the Redken Body Full Conditioner in lieu of a detangler, that I have been using as he suggested - a dime-sized dab following shampooing - and carefully rinsing.

To further protect my hair, I am being extra careful / gentle when shampooing, conditioning and drying my hair with a towel, afterwards using a wide-tooth comb, then a wide-tooth brush, then finally a hemi-spherical medium spacing (teeth) brush to brush my hair. The wide-tooth comb is invaluable for very gently chasing out the tangles, without breaking the strands! I have a small file, with a few hair care tips.

Does Bodybuilding Lead to Hair Loss?

The Problem: You are a bodybuilder. After disciplined weight lifting you are finally seeing results from your hard work. But now, you are starting to lose your hair. One possible reason: I visited a Body Building site to see if I could get an understanding of the sport and some possible answers. I learned that the process of bodybuilding increases testosterone levels in the body. Higher levels of testosterone are necessary to build muscle mass, so that is something that bodybuilding enthusiasts strive for.

Why is this a problem? Hair follicles naturally produce an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. This enzyme reacts with testosterone and creates dihydrotestosterone, called DHT for short. DHT is toxic to hair follicles. DHT is what causes male pattern baldness in men and also, to a lesser extent, in women. In men, it may begin with a receding hairline, horseshoe pattern hair loss, balding in the crown or general overall thinning. Women generally notice receding at the hairline or general thinning. The level of testosterone in a bodybuilder's system is at its highest level immediately and up to 60 minutes after weight lifting.

What do you do if you want to continue working out and still keep a thick head of healthy hair? You don't have to remember the technical terms, just use the correct products to treat the problem. Shampoo immediately after your work-out with a product that removes DHT. DHT cannot be removed by simple shampooing. It takes special cleansers. Shampoo every day with that product for continued protection.

My suggestion: I have experienced the best results using Nioxin. This is a 3 step system. It not only removes DHT, it creates an environment for healthy hair growth.

• Cleanser - This is your shampoo. It cleanses your scalp and hair of DHT, environmental pollutants and product build-up. One gentle, one-minute shampoo and rinse is all that is needed.

• Scalp Therapy - This is your conditioner. It moisturizes and invigorates your scalp. Gently massage this into your scalp for 3 minutes. Rinse well and towel dry.

• Treatment - This supplies nutrients to your hair follicles for better growth. Apply this to your scalp and leave it on.

Hair Detangling Tips

Tangled hair can be difficult and painful to comb and brush. Utilize these tips for easier detangling.

1. Apply Leave in Conditioner Directly to the Knot Before Combing. One way to loosen a tangle is to spray a leave in conditioner directly on the knot and allow it to soften the hair so that it can more easily be combed out. This process is easiest after a shower on clean and newly conditioned hair, and the knot is most easily worked out with a wide comb.

2. Work from the Tips of your Hair to the Scalp. Comb out tangles in the bottom of your hair first, and work your way up to avoid loosing huge chunks of hair. Be patient and gentle with the knots, and section off hair to avoid getting overwhelmed.

3. Use a Wide Toothed Comb Before Brushing. If you are addicted to bristle brushes, use a wide toothed comb to brush through and remove all of the knots in your hair before brushing. Bristle hair brushes can damage your tangled hair by breaking strands and can cause your hair too look more frizzy and dry.

4. Comb Hair when it is Still Wet. Manage your tangles by only combing your hair while it is still wet. If you have severely tangled hair, combing your hair while it is wet will reduce the breakage and allow you to focus more easily on trouble areas. Use a wide toothed comb to ensure you do not damage your hair, and realize that although it is easier to comb curly hair when it is wet, water is said to make straight hair more vulnerable.

5. Treat your Hair Overnight for Stubborn Tangles. Your hair may need an overnight conditioning mask if it is full of tangles that do not want to budge. Try pure jojoba oil on the hair and wrap it in plastic or sleep in a shower cap. When you wake up, your hair will feel oily but it will also be softer and easier to manage.

6. Employ a Hot Oil Treatment Once a Week. Weekly hot oil maintenance is a good way to get rid of the tangles you have and try to prevent more tangles from developing throughout the week. If you think this regimen sounds expensive, consider using coconut, olive, or almond oils which can be bought in bulk at health food stores. Purchase a small plastic bottle for heating your oil, and heat with hot tap water for 5 to 10 minutes before applying. You can apply hot oil in the shower and allow it so soak in with a shower cap while you finish your cleansing routine, and rinse when you are about to get out.

Loving Long Hair

• Start With Shampoo. Clean, well-conditioned hair is much easier to style. Shampoo and rinse thoroughly. Add conditioner, and comb it through all the way to the ends. (We keep a wide-toothed comb in the shampoo rack in the shower.) The ends of the hair need the treatment the most. After all, they've been hanging out there for years!

• Towel-Dry Gently. After washing and conditioning the hair, tip your head forward. Place a towel on top, and gather all the hair into one bundle with it. Blot the hair tenderly. Do not scrub and rub. Air-Dry Whenever Possible. Our busy schedules will dictate that we grab those hot-air dryers often enough. When you can afford the time, just let your hair dry on its own. Each time you give your hair a rest from the heat of electric styling tools, you give it a chance to recover.

• Comb Out Wet Hair. Never use a brush for wet hair. Most people think this is the gentler choice. It is not. Use a wide-toothed comb, and gently comb through clean, wet hair. Work Through One Section at a Time. Parting the hair into small tresses and combing through each one separately is the kindest thing you can do for long hair. Holding a small section of hair, begin at the ends and comb downwards (never upwards against the hair shaft). When that length is smooth and tangle-free, you can move up the hair, and comb downwards from there.
• Don't Over-Brush. Once your hair is styled, try to keep your hands out of it. Don't brush your hair continually, all day long, as this encourages breakage. Brush it only when you need to style or neaten it. Fight the temptation to grab, twist, twirl, and wind your hair. This is an unconscious habit for many, and the over-handling can harm hair.

• Avoid Tight Accessories. Rubber bands, metal clips, and too-tight scrunchies can also break hair. Sleeping in these is particularly damaging. Have you ever seen the ponytail-high line of split ends in an otherwise lovely head of long hair?

Long Hair - Detangling

There is a real trick to getting the knots out of your hair without damaging and pulling half of it out, leaving yourself with a sore head! The following general tips will help, especially if your have mid to long-length or curly hair:

• Brush your hair using a paddle or pad brush (http://www.virtualhaircare.com/virtual%20salon/blow%20and%20style/brushtips.html) before shampooing to lessen the tangles later.

• Get a good detangling comb. These should have wide teeth and a handle for ease of use. Never brush wet hair, always comb it to avoid splitting.

• It is often easier to work with conditioner in your hair when you comb it than after you have towel dried. If you're not too keen on standing in the shower for ages then try a spray detangler whilst you are combing.

• When towel drying, try not to rub the hair: rather squeeze out the excess water.

• Start combing from the ends rather than at the scalp working in 6cm long sections get the tangles out, working each section until you can comb the whole length of your hair. It will also help to gently tease apart clumps or sections of hair rather than doing the lot in one go. Clip sections that you are not combing out of the way.

• Sleep on a silk pillow case to stop your hair matting during the night.

• Spray shine (available in many different forms from various manufactures) is a good product to use on dry hair before brushing.

How Often Should A Girl Wash Her Hair?

FrizzOff.com - Hair Tips

P&G Hair Care - Table of Contents

P&G Hair Care Tips

The Secrets To Having Beautiful Healthy Hair

• If you have long hair, shampoo your scalp, divide it into section, and massage each section from roots to ends.

• The best way to rinse out shampoo is standing under running water; dunking your head in the bath water will not make it clean.

• While you rinse your hair, which is at its most fragile state, do not rub it. The correct way is to just simply let water run down your hair.

• Should rinse in lukewarm or cold water instead of hot water, which will dry out both your scalp as well as your hair.

Massage and apply conditioner like a professional. Squeeze a blob of conditioner into your palm. Dip the middle and index fingers of your other hand into the conditioner. Rub the product between these two fingers and your thumb of the same hand. Apply the conditioner to your hair by gently pinching small sections of hair between fingers and thumb, starting at the scalp and gently pulling the hair all the way to the end. Repeat section by section, until you have conditioned all hair. Please remember that your fingers must be coated with conditioner. The last step is using a wide-toothed comb to brush your hair to the end to ensure conditioner reaches the end and to loosen any tangles. Rinse thoroughly so that when you touch your hair, you don't feel like touching the conditioner, but your beautiful hair.

• If you are a regular swimmer, apply some conditioner to your hair while it is still dry to prevent any tangles while you're swimming. It also helps you to put on your swim hat easily.

• Towel-dry your hair to reduce excess moisture before applying conditioner.

• If you have long hair, apply conditioner with your fingertips through your hair, especially at the ends, which are the most sensitive. For maximum benefit, you should leave the conditioner on for at least 2 minutes.

Do not comb hair straight from the roots to the ends, because if there are any tangles, they will cause more tangles. Thus, you should comb the ends first (1/3 length of hair), followed by combing from roots to ends.

Massage and style like a professional. Squeeze a blob of conditioner into your palm. Dip the middle and index fingers of your other hand into the conditioner. Rub the product between these two fingers and your thumb of same hand. Apply the conditioner to your hair by gently pinching small sections of hair between fingers and thumb, starting at the scalp and gently pulling the hair through your conditioner coated fingers, all the way to the end. Repeat section by section, until you have conditioned every section of your hair. Please remember that your fingers must be coated with conditioner. The last step is using a wide-toothed comb, brushing your hair to the end without touching the scalp. It helps loosen any tangles, as well. Rinse thoroughly so that when you touch your hair, you don't feel the conditioner, but only your beautiful hair.

How much intensive conditioner should you use? As much as you feel the volume of your hair needs, but you should not use too much, otherwise the conditioner will sit on your hair, especially on the roots because they don't need much conditioner.

Massage and style like a professional. When you are ready to wash out the intensive conditioner, remove the towel, comb through the hair again with a wide-toothed comb and rinse thoroughly. To make the most of the ingredients, wrap your head in a towel. If you have long hair, tie it back in a loose bun. This works to keep the head warm and helps to prevent the moisture escape. If you stay at the beach all day, comb some intensive conditioner though dry hair. If you have long hair, tie it back in a loose bun. The application of intensive conditioner will help protect your hair and make it easy for styling in the evening once you have shampooed it. Do remember that prevention is better than cure: Intensive conditioner should be used regularly to ensure your hair is not brittle or having split ends. Damaged, perm and colour hair need intensive conditioning more than others, the benefits it provides, will be appreciated for any hair types.

12 Steps To Having Beautiful Hair

1. Brushing. Brush your hair before washing to get rid of dust coated on your hair as well as any tangles. Forget the saying "Brushing your hair 100 times a day will make it shine beautifully" because brushing hair too much will cause it to break easily and weaken its shaft.

2. Washing. Use only the right shampoo according to your hair type. Pour shampoo into your hands and rub them together to give some lather, avoid putting shampoo directly to your hair. Rinse your hair properly, if there's any shampoo left on your hair, it will cause dandruff and itchiness.

3. Massaging the scalp. To stimulate the scalp's blood circulation and encourage the hair's strength and growth.
   • Rubbing: massage your scalp with your fingertip pads, in a circulating motion from base to top.

   • Pushing the scalp: Rhythmically push with the soft pads of your fingertips, alternately push and release, must be careful do not scratch with you nails which will damage your scalp thus will also damage the roots of your hair.

   • Tapping: Softly taps the sides of your head with the soft pads of your fingertips, repeat it softly all over your head.

4. Increased moisture. Coditioner Condition your hair from the ends to 1/2 your hair length (Hair close to the roots will be supplied with natural conditioners from your scalp). If you apply conditioner close to the root of your hair, it will eventually become sticky not long after washing.

5. Increase the shin and prevent tangles. Rinse the last water with vinegar after shampoo, mix a table-spoon of vinegar with 600 ml. of lukewarm water, comb and rinse again with lukewarm water.

6. Rinse with cold water. Lukewarm water will enlarge the roots causing it to lose natural nourishment, making hair brittle and lifeless. It would be better to use cold water which will not enlarge pores and at the same time will give your hair the best shine.

7. Blot softly. Do not use towel to dry your hair since towels will absorb all the moisture and destroy the hair's elasticity, instead squeeze excess water with your fingertips, then pat your hair with a towel. This method will better maintain the moister balance in your hair.

8. Combing. Do not comb your hair while it is still wet. When your hair is wet, it is twice as big, you could damage your hair easily, use a wide-toothed comb instead. Dividing your hair into sections and comb the ends first, work your way up to the roots until it is tangle free.

9. Let your hair dry naturally. Heated appliances will destroy your hair shaft. If your hair is long, make a loose bun on top of your head, your hair will set itself when it is dry. If your hair is short, apply some gel and comb thoroughly.

10. Stop frizzy hair. When your hair is dry, put some hair spray on your comb and comb thoroughly. The method will help arrange your hair to sit nicely for a longer time and you will sport shiny looking hair.

11. Use hair-styling products. Using a hairdryer too often damages hair. You should put on some hair-styling products first. The best one would be those that help to protect your hair. If you must use a hairdryer, make sure it is 10 cm. away and should not blow at the same spot far too long.

12. Nourish sun bleached hair. We often protect only our skins from the UV rays, but hair is not immune to damage either. Once your hair is under the hot sun, its structure will be damaged, turning your hair into brown-red colour and make it brittle. Before sunbathing, you should put on some hair nourishment to protect your hair from the UV rays. On the brightest sunshine days, you should put on a hat or use your umbrella to protect your hair.

The tress test: They promise so much hope on the store shelves

Yes To Carrots Pampering Carrot Juice Shampoo & Pampering Hair Mud Conditioner

• Jean Bailey: This shampoo did nothing special for me. It didn't give my hair any extra body or sheen. It smelled too sweet, almost like candy. When I was younger I use to use shampoos that smelled like that ... it made bees follow me.

• Cary Edgar: Despite ingredient lists that read more like vegan salad dressing than shampoo and conditioner, this was nothing short of perfection. I love it! Many all-natural products fail to really clean as well as they promise, but this is by far the best shampoo/conditioner I've ever used. The trick with these products was to follow the exact directions -- massage into the scalp and leave for 2-3 minutes. This worked so well that I didn't need any additional styling after blowing my hair dry; every strand fell effortlessly into place.

• Ilina Ewen: I like this line but hate the logo and packaging. And the name is a little weird too; sure doesn't roll off the tongue easily and sounds silly when saying it aloud. Try it with me. "Yes to carrots." Sounds goofy, right? The shampoo smells good and lathers up nicely. I don't like the $7.99 price tag. For the record, my husband liked this one best, but he wouldn't pay $7.99 for anything in the health and beauty aisles.

• Susannah Skiver: I cannot stop raving about this! It did something amazing for my hair's body and smoothness -- like adding unknown oomph. I don't know how to describe exactly what went on, but my sisters, who also used it, agreed that it was better than any shampoo they've tried yet. Additionally, it smelled great and combed out nicely. Yes yes yes to carrots!

• Art Stone: I love carrots. I liked the products, too. The smell was a little strong. I could smell these before I opened up the manila envelope containing them. But the smell was not bad, and the products felt and worked great. This was a friend's favorite.

Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Time Renewal Shampoo

• Jean Bailey: I have always been a fan of Pantene products. They always deliver what they promise. This shampoo didn't let me down. Since this shampoo promises to improve the condition of your hair over a month I need that much time to give a full report.

• Cary Edgar: I feel like this is fine as an everyday, run-of-the-mill shampoo, but I'm skeptical when such tremendous claims are made for any product. You're in denial if you think that some $5 shampoo can undo two years of damage. If someone has that many problems with damaged hair, I think that a good haircut is a better solution than this. For me, this was like any other Pantene product I've tried before.

• Ilina Ewen: The blue color was unexpected and alarming. I was wary about using something that was so blue ... not because I thought it would color my hair but because it just seemed so laden with unnatural chemicals. The color reminded me of dandruff shampoo. In the end, I didn't notice anything special. Then again, I haven't had damaged hair since I used Clorox to bleach it in boarding school and followed up with purple, yes purple, dye. Since that bad hair experiment of 1983, I have been fortunate enough to have healthy, albeit sometimes frizzy, hair. Maybe if I had some damage to start with I would have seen a difference. The packaging is terrible. I wouldn't be attracted to or buy this off the shelf.

• Susannah Skiver: After about half a week, my hair actually did feel stronger and definitely looked healthier. It gained some body, and smelled great! I didn't use it for more than a week, but went back to it from time to time for a few days, and each time I noticed a similar improvement.

• Art Stone: This is clearly not a product meant for guys. The smell was very feminine and I found the blue color just weird. The packaging of this product looked more like an award than a shampoo. Since I have not spent years coloring and perming my hair, I felt unqualified to judge the promised results of using the shampoo.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Milk Shampoo

• Jean Bailey: I really liked this shampoo. It didn't strip my hair of its color just like it promised. It had a fresh clean smell and gave my hair a great sheen. I will continue to buy this product. Along with that great conditioner we all liked by Charles Worthington, I feel like I have hit a home run.

• Cary Edgar: This didn't leave a radical impression either way. The lather was soft and I felt like it cleaned my hair sufficiently, but the after-effect was dry after several days of use. My husband tried it and he also felt like it over-stripped his hair. The only thing that I really liked was the clean and simple scent, but I can find that in other products that cost less and work better.

• Ilina Ewen: This one was my favorite, mostly because of the packaging. Love the little milk bottle but expected the shampoo to be white and milky, not a weird clearish cloudy color. I didn't notice stronger hair, and I don't color my hair (though I notice more gray hair everyday!) so I can't speak to color loss. I did have silky smooth hair with less frizz, more shine. The shampoo had a light, pleasant smell and was gentle enough to use on my kids. Not worth the $13 price tag, but no shampoo is.

• Susannah Skiver: This had a citrus-y, peppery scent that was half nice, half weird. It made my hair feel really heavy-- like it was over-moisturizing it. I have naturally oily hair to begin with, and this was not good for it. I couldn't use it for more than a few days without feeling icky and switching back to my regular shampoo.

• Art Stone: No idea what sexy hair is, but it sounds like something I should have. I did like the packaging and the product. I liked the texture and smell and thought it worked well. This was my favorite.

Redken Scalp Relief Dandruff Control

• Jean Bailey: Since I don't suffer from dandruff, I asked my friend, Carlos, who does, to try it. He was highly impressed! Carlos reported that the shampoo gave his scalp a nice cool sensation. It also gave his hair great sheen and manageability. He thanked me twice in one week for letting him try it.

• Cary Edgar: Not having dandruff myself, I asked a good friend to test this out for me. She gave a solid report back saying, "Although the scent was much stronger and more medicinal than I would be interested in on a regular basis, there was a marked improvement in the condition of my scalp (and dandruff) after only four days."

• Ilina Ewen: This one is difficult to comment on. It's a little much to admit to dandruff too. Neither I, nor anyone in my household has dandruff, so I can't speak to the efficacy of the product. I do like the packaging because it has a minimalist cool, not medicinal, vibe. Redken has made dandruff control a bit more palatable and less embarrassing. In other words, it doesn't scream "dry scalp! dandruff! white flakes! Ever wonder why I don't wear black?!" to anyone who is peeking into your shower (you know who you are).

• Susannah Skiver: Ugh! Like many dandruff shampoos, this smelled awful! It made my hair feel really smooth and too-fine (my hair is already "like silk threads" according to my hairdresser). I have no dandruff problems anyway, but at least it didn't make my hair feel more oily.

• Art Stone: I tried this a week before wearing a tux. Dandruff often shows up on black jackets. It worked well. Not much else to say, as this seemed like it was being presented as a medical or scientific product.

Sunsilk (Anti Poof Or Kinks And Waves Smoother) Shampoo And Conditioner

• Jean Bailey: This shampoo says it makes your hair straighter if it is wavy or kinky. It did relax some of the wave in my hair. It seem to make the blow drying job a little easier and left my hair silkier ... lots of sheen.

• Cary Edgar: This was brilliant! Like Yes To Carrots, I was surprised with this one. Letting my hair air-dry eluded me prior to using this. The best test I gave it was one Saturday morning when I washed my hair and left the house while it was still wet to watch my husband's soccer game. I let it dry naturally while cheering from the sidelines and by the final whistle, my hair was bouncy, but tame, even and gorgeous. This is great for a busy schedule.

• Ilina Ewen: No more stubborn kinks or unwanted waves?! Bring it on! I've been coveting the straight, silky mane that Reese Witherspoon has been sporting post-Ryan. What a disappointment. I wish I had taken photos of my hair on Sunsilk and my hair on any other shampoo. Here's what you would see: exactly the same thing. I have naturally curly, sometimes frizzy, hair. I used the whole regimen: shampoo, conditioner, product, to no avail. Even after blow drying, my hair was wavy, kinky, and still a bit frizzy. Sometimes the crown of my head was straighter than normal, making the curls at the ends look all the more ridiculous. I ended up with a braid or a ponytail everyday I used Sunsilk.

• Susannah Skiver: My hair is straight as a rail; I have zero problems with poofiness or kinks, so I gave this to my friend Amanda to test. Her words: "It helped somewhat with the poof, but not more than any other anti-poof product I've used. It also made my hair unusually flat at the top, and it kind of felt product-y in general."

• Art Stone: I am not sure what poof is, but my gut reaction is that I would be pro-poof, not against it. In any case, I tried it and found it unremarkable. I have nothing bad to say about it, but nothing particularly good.

Meet the beauty panel:

• Jean Bailey - 59, Raleigh, airline sales agent
• Cary Edgar - 27, Raleigh, communications director
• Ilina Ewen - 38, Raleigh, consultant and mother
• Susannah Skiver - 20, Chapel Hill, student at UNC
• Art Stone - 44, Raleigh, state employee