CURRENT FAVORITE PRODUCTS

• Note: I don’t sell product and I am not allegiant to any brand, so this list is ever changing as I try and discover new things. Stay tuned for the latest and greatest.

A NOTE ON CREAM CLEANSERS:

Cream cleansers are a one-step, low lather, very gentle cleanse that will not strip oils from your hair. (Examples are New Wash by Hairstory and Hair Glow by Afterworld Organics, Creampop by Cult and King). Here’s the deal…I am not into cream cleansers. I only recommend them in specific cases:

• people who like to wash their hair every day because they sweat or work out alot

• people who have platinum bleached hair with fashion tones because it will not strip the color

Here’s why I don’t use them. It all comes back again to water. Oil repels water. No matter what a brand’s marketing tells you about never having to wash your hair, I have observed from experience that oily buildup, be it from nature, or product, or environment, forms on the hair over time with clients who only cream cleanse or never shampoo their hair…which then becomes a barrier to the actual hydration the hair needs (reminder…oil repels water, and hydration comes from water alone).

If you’ve been using a cream cleanser for a while and noticed that it started out great but over time your hair started feeling a little waxy looking on the outside, but dry on the inside, that’s what is happening. The scalp and hair that is blocked from absorbing water and nutrients that it needs to be healthy, nourished, and hydrated. Over time it can result in scalp irritation, flaking, or in the worst case, reduced strand diameter if the follicle becomes suffocated.

If this sounds like you…you are not alone. But the good news is, all you need to do is wash your hair with a good old fashioned shampoo followed by conditioner!

making informed decisions no matter what you use…

the “why” behind choosing a product FAQ:

WHAT ARE PRODUCTS FOR? (it may not be what you think)

Products are often marketed to us as what keeps our hair hydrated and healthy, but that is not actually what products do.

Hydration is what controls frizz and keeps hair healthy, but the only place hydration comes from is WATER.

When you break down haircare centering water, not product, it all makes a lot more sense. I think of it like this…

Shampoo “opens the door” to water. It does so by removing the barriers to moisture like oil and buildup from product or environment (oil repels water). (Note: This is also why I do not recommend co-washing or conditioner cleansing). I look for shampoo to leave my hair “naked” but soft, not stripped dry. How often you shampoo, to me, depends on how you want your hair to present itself and when it looks its best. Generally this means every 3-10 days, but it varies for everyone.

Conditioner “closes the door” on water. Conditioner usually has a slightly more acidic PH than shampoo, which closes the cuticle, smoothing the hair, trapping the water inside, and having emollients to add slip to prevent breakage when detangling. I look for conditioner to leave my hair with slip and smoothness for easy detangling, but not weighed down.

Styling Products “lock the door” on water, either preventing it from leaving (dryness) or blocking it from coming In (humidity). How strong of a lock is what differentiates product.

HOW TO CHOOSE A PRODUCT?

The choice of styling product is actually based on desired finish and how much hold or volume you want to have.

Per the analolgy above, Do you want to have a latch or a deadbolt?

Creams and leave in conditioners have the least amount of hold and frizz control, but the softest finish. Volume will depend on whether they are heavy or light.

Gels have the most amount of hold and frizz control, but a “harder” finish in process. However, a good gel will only be crunchy in progress. Once the hair has dried, you “break the cast” of the gel and your hair will be well defined but soft to the touch. Volume will be low while setting, but can be brought back when dry.

Mousses (foams) fall somewhere in between. More hold than a cream. More volume than a gel.

WHAT INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR?

Most products are a combination of humectants and sealing agents.

A humectant is an ingredient that attracts water and draws it in to deeply hydrate hair. Examples of humectants are glycerin, aloe, and flaxseed.

Sealants trap the water in to minimize it coming in (think of how humidity affects your hair) or going out (think of how dry air affects your hair) when you don’t want it to. Examples are oils and filming agents.

1. I only use products that are free of “parfum” or syntheic fragrance. Why? Ever wonder why perfume scent is so much bigger and longer lasting than an essential oil? It is unfortunately probably due to an ingredient that is either carcinogenic or disruptive to hormones, like a phthalate. Legally, fragrance formulas are considered proprietary and do not have to be disclosed, so often some pretty nasty stuff can be lurking in there.

2. I personally don’t care if all ingredients are 100% natural, as long as they are not toxic to your body or the environment. I do this by checking each ingredient on EWG (the environmental working group).

3. The final thing to check for is if you are allergic to something. People can be allergic to all natural things, so it may not be “toxic” in a general sense, but may be toxic to you if you are allergic.

I share this basic science behind product choices because I think it’s easier to have success with an application if we know WHY we are doing what we are doing. Also, to give you all the freedom to find your own favorite products, knowing the logic behind what to look for. Credit to my education with @Cutitkinky for this knowledge that applies to all hair types and textures.