 Copyright MMXII, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
Face it. We all have setbacks. You can be the most dilligent person on the planet and still find that you have breakage or are shedding like a beast. The fact that we all will have a setback or two at some point during our journey does not mean we should give up or throw in the towel. Setbacks should be looked at as an opportunity to examine your methods and determine where you can make adjustments or tweaks. Indeed, setbacks are a learning opportunity. There are times when you will find that you may have excessive shedding or breakage or visit a stylist who delivers more than a "trim." Or you might discover that wet detangling is causing you more harm than good or that heat usage means you can't get past shoulder-length. Products can also cause setbacks. You might find yourself in protein overload because you were co-washing with protein too often, or moisture overload because you avoided protein for far too long. The trick to dealing with these setbacks is in realizing that it can be a one-time occurrence if you take your lesson from it, redouble your efforts and move on stronger than ever. One great trick when a product doesn't work or that salon visit goes all wrong is to jot it down in a little notebook or calendar. These notes can serve as reminders about what not to do again. Throwing your hands up in defeat and giving up on consistent care is exactly the wrong thing to do. Once you have honed in on the problem, your efforts should go toward finding solutions - whether it be reading blogs or watching how-to videos. A setback means it's time to do your research! Find out what others who have your problem are doing to solve it and cautiously take steps in that direction, making sure to take note of progress and little failures. If you're growing out your hair, the name of the game is consistency over time. So the next time you face a setback simply pull up those bootstraps and soldier on.
 Copyright MMXII, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
Ever feel that your hair is so dry it's going to fall right off your head? Or did you do a chemical service or process that left your strands as parched as the Sahara Desert? Well there are emergency measures that you can take to restore the moisture balance to the hair. Try any one of these emergency fixes:
1. Drench damp hair in moisturizing conditioner and apply saran wrap. Cover with a dorag and winter hat overnight. Rinse thoroughly in the morning.
2. Apply coconut oil liberally to damp strands. Tie a plastic grocery bag over the hair like a miniature greenhouse. Leave for several hours then shampoo and condition as normal.
3. On a daily basis, when you are working at the computer or watching TV, put a plastic conditioner cap over your hair and let it incubate for several hours.
4. Add coconut oil to your favorite deep conditioner and apply to the hair for several hours. Co-wash out with a moisturizing conditioner.
5. Make a mixture of 1 cup rose water, 1 tbsp. glycerin, and 2 tbsp. moisturizing conditioner. Spritz hair nightly and seal with coconut oil.
6. Saturate hair in moisturizing deep conditoner then apply tin foil. Cover the foil with a hot towel and leave on for several hours. Rinse thoroughly.
7. Apply straight mayonnaise liberally to hair and cover with a plastic conditioner cap. Leave on for several hours then shampoo and condition as normal with moisture-based products.
8. Co-wash the hair with a moisturizing conditioner for three days in a row. Allow hair to rest on the fourth and fifth day then repeat.
 Copyright MMXI, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
First off let me say that if you suspect that you might have female pattern baldness or alopecia see a doctor. That said, much of the thinning women experience can definitely be addressed. Topical solutions are fine but most of the problem is the damaging things we do to our hair. Stopping those damaging practices gives each wave of new growth an opportunity to preserve its initial thickness! Once again the number one offender is heat use. Frequent use of super-heated tools not only wears away the diameter of each strand but it also leads to breakage, resulting in a thinned out, see-through appearance. To combat this, halt all heat use or reduce it dramatically. You will see your thickness begin to return as the new growth fills in. Another serious culprit is what I call relaxer abuse which not only damages the hair shaft but the scalp as well, inhibiting growth. These abuses include overlapping onto already relaxed hair, relaxing from root to tip every time, and overprocessing or leaving relaxers on too long. All of these are major no-no's and break down the shaft which leads to breakage/thinning. Only relax new growth! Time the relaxer to the minute - never leave it on past the recommended time. Other damaging practices that lead to thinning and should be avoided are over-manipulation - too much combing, brushing and fussing with the hair; pattern breakage from damaging accessories, clip-ins, braids and weaves; and double processing or using permanent dye on relaxed hair. There are products that can aid the appearance of thickness. Both Cassia and Henna are shown to increase the diameter of the hair strand. A monthly application of either treatment is recommended to begin seeing results. Castor oil has also led to increased thickness for many women. Simply add castor oil to your regular moisturizer. Many women have also reported amazing results with a shampoo called Biotene H-24. One of my readers reported that it worked so well that she had to stop using it! The main thing to remember is to put a halt to all damaging practices and you'll begin to see thin hair as a thing of the past.
 Copyright MMXI, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
If you are protein-sensitive but your hair is lacking in strength you have other options! Protein is not the only strengthening show in town. Tannins have a similar strengthening effect on hair. Tannins are astringent compounds that bind to proteins, amino acids and alkaloids - helping to regulate growth and deterioration. As with any strengthening treatment, you still have to maintain your moisture balance so follow up any such treatment with a moisturizing deep conditioner. Many teas and plants contain tannins. Black teas are loaded with strengthening tannins. For this treatment steep 1/4 cup organic black tea in 2 cups hot water overnight. Use it as a rinse just before applying a moisturizing deep conditioner. Henna is also loaded with tannins. Try a paste of water and colorless henna, or Cassia Obovata, applied to hair for 1 hour to strengthen. Follow with a moisturizing deep conditioner. Cassia can be obtained at Indian markets or online. Pantene has a product line with Cassia called Nature Fusion.
 Copyright MMXI, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
You might be asking 'what are ceramides and what can they do for my hair?' Ceramides are a family of lipid or fat molecules that reside in the cell membranes of a substance. The components of ceramides are aminos and fatty acids. Scientists have found that one of the functions of ceramides with regard to hair is as a "glue" of sorts - keeping the scales that form the hair's cuticle attached and in place. They also found that in damaged hair these important lipids had actually disappeared. Further, it has been proven that the addition of ceramides to the hair serves to fortify strands and prevent breakage. Ceramides actually bind to the hollowed or weakened areas of the hair strand and inhibit further moisture and protein loss. Most products on the market use a synthetic form of ceramide. Some brands that have ceramide products are L'Oreal, Aubrey Organics, Optimum Care, Proclaim, Silicon Mix and Redken. Two common synthetic ceramides are 2-oleamido-1 and 3-octadecanediol. While these synthetic forms are equally as effective as natural forms, those looking to go as natural as possible will be pleased to know that ceramides are also present in some oils. If you are in the market for length-retention it is highly recommended that you incorporate a ceramide product or oil into your regimen. Some ways to do this include incorporating products that contain ceramides or adding a ceramide-containing oil to your regimen as a sealant or pre-poo. Please note that although olive and coconut oils are not high in ceramides they both have been clinically proven to help stop protein loss in the cortex - so these particular oils have beneficial properties that are similar to ceramides. Oils containing ceramides:
Walnut Oil
Rice Oil
Almond Oil
Wheat Germ Oil
 Copyright MMXI, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
I am constantly asked to weigh in on the Brazilian Keratin Mania that has swept the hair care nation. I am a libertarian when it comes to hair care. If it works for you then do it! Salon-based keratin treatments must be entered into with caution however. Many of these treatments contain the carcinogen formaldahyde. This is being breathed into the lungs during the process and is being heat-adhered to the hair. A hot blow dry and 450 degree flat iron are requirements - it cannot be done without them - so if heat damage is not your thing think twice. Additionally the base polymers used to bond the keratin to the hair are actually plastics so strands are subject to dehydration as moisture and nutrients cannot penetrate to the cortex while these substances are bonded to the hair. This is why it has to be done over and over again to get that just-stepped-out-of-the-salon effect. Many Youtubers who have had it done end up doing a negative update video a month or two after the treatment. One diva raved about it in a video then in her very next video was in box braids. Not so much? Home kits are a much safer way to go. Brands like Liquid Keratin and Organix don't contain formaldahyde and don't bond to the hair for as long. As with any new process du jour do your homework and know your stuff when entering the world of Brazilian keratin.
 Copyright MMXI, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
When Tressbuzz tells women that she generally as a rule does not use styling products she is met with shock and disbelief. What? No gel, no hairspray, no wrap foam, no mousse, no setting lotion? No, no, no, no and no. You see, one day about a year ago I went to the bathroom to take down my overnight set. I had used wrap foam. As I tried to comb through the hair I realized that many of the hairs were either knotted or glued together and breaking. I turned the product over and saw the same ingredient used in common ADHESIVE. Later, at the Walmart looking for an alternative I realized that almost every styling product was an amalgamation of glues and "bad alcohol." I thought back over the years and realized that virtually every styling product I had ever used led to buildup, and gunky dried out tresses with single and double strand knots. Why was I gluing my hair together? Was it really worth the waxy buildup and knots? No. I have discovered that overnight sets do not even need assistance. They hold all day on their own. If there ever is a necessity for "hold" aloe vera or flax gel work wonderfully and rosewater with grapeseed oil makes an amazing setting lotion. I decided that day to save myself the money and never looked back. Now I am a total convert to free flowing, light airy strands!
 Copyright MMXI, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
One of the most frequent questions I get from women is "what are hidden proteins?" We all know protein overload can lead to brittle, hard, breaking hair. If you are protein sensitive you KNOW it with a capital "K". If you are doing everything right but are still experiencing hard, brittle hair you will want to check your shampoos, conditioners, leave-ins and stylers for hidden proteins, as excess use can lead to overload - something that is hard to recover from. Many of the proteins in products will actually say protein, however here is a list you may not know about:
keratin
collagen
gelatin
placenta
aloe vera (whole not juice)
milk
lactase
lactis
soy
soy milk
coconut solids/cream/milk
egg solids
ovum
nut solids/milks
grain solids (buckwheat, corn, amaranth, rice, etc....)
corn silk (extract)
hydrolized silk
silk amino acid
silk extract
silk powder
silk solids
wheat germ
wheat
avocado
yogurt solids
mayonnaise
whey
algae
kelp
seaweed
Regarding the above list, please note that oils derived from these items (nut oils, grain oils, etc.) have no (or negligable) protein as proteins do not survive the rigorous oil pressing process. Also note that some people are so protein sensitive that protein building blocks - aminos, peptides, etc. - will harden their hair. So keep an eye on your products' ingredient lists and get serious about monitoring your protein/moisture balance!
 Copyright MMXI, DE Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
On different forums and blogs people are continuously saying they threw out a product because it had alcohol in the ingredients. Tressbuzz wants to do her part to stop this madness! Not all alcohols are created equal. There are indeed alcohols that are stripping, drying and detrimental to hair growth. However there are also what we call fatty alcohols that are actually very good for the hair, so check those labels before sending products to the landfill! Here is a breakdown:
SHORT CHAIN ALCOHOLS - Highly evaporative and may lead to dry tresses as they can cause other forms of moisture to evaporate away as well:
Ethanol
SD alcohol
SD alcohol 40
Denatured Alcohol (denat)
Propanol
Propyl
Isopropyl
FATTY ALCOHOLS - Higher carbon ratios cause these alcohols to be fatty and have lubricative properties. These alcohols are emollient and have a smoothing and softening effect on the hair's cuticle:
Lauryl alcohol
Cetyl alcohol
Myristyl alcohol
Stearyl alcohol
Cetearyl alcohol
Behenyl alcohol
OTHER ALCOHOLS IN HAIR PRODUCTS
Benzyl alcohol - Used as a preservative. Found to have little to no effect on hair health.
Propylene Glycol - Used as a humectant which attracts and binds water to the hair; as such it is extremely moisturizing.
So the next time you see the word "alcohol" listed on a product remember there are good ones and bad ones. No worries with beneficial alcohols but seriously limit the use of bad alcohols.
|
