Since I've made a few changes to my hair regimen based on my hair's porosity level, I have noticed a difference in my hair. It retains moisture a lot better, it feels softer, there is less breakage.
Some of the things I have done to adjust my products to help my hair along:
Shampoo (5.5 pH):
1.5 tbsp conditioning shampoo
1.5 tbsp water
1/4 tsp lemon juice
3 drops tea tree oil and 3 drops of lavender (for alleviate scalp ailments)
Conditioner (5.0 pH):
per 2 tbsp conditioner
1 tsp aloe vera juice
1/4 tsp of EVCO, EVOO, Argan and Avocado oil
(3/8-3/4 tsp hydrolyzed wheat protein if doing a protein conditioner)
Leave in (4.5 pH):
1 tbsp Knot Today
1/2 tsp aloe vera juice
1/2 tsp Jojoba oil
1/2 tsp castor oil
Styler (4.5-4.0 pH):
1 tbsp Camilla Rose Jai Almond Twisting Butter
1 tsp aloe vera juice
1/8 tsp lemon juice (to lower to 4.0 for high porosity areas)
Spritz as needed (4.0 pH):
high porosity
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp aloe vera juice
2 tbsp veg glycerine
low porosity
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp veg glycerine
These adjustments seem to be working for my hair so far. I notice my hair responds by clumping and curling really well. Little to no frizz and moisture that last for days and it feels very soft. I am also trying to stick with a set a product for a period of time to really give this new regimen a chance. So far so good because I notice if I deviate from this process even slightly I will get different results. I've also been able to learn which products do not work well.
Showing posts with label pH Balance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pH Balance. Show all posts
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Low/High Porosity Woes
A few days ago I posted information on hair porosity and how important it is to hair care and length retention. So what does this mean for your hair, especially if you are like me and have "spotty" or different porosity levels?
Well, there is some confusion regarding the way in which hair responds to moisture, manual manipulation and heat. To begin, many believe the cuticles can be easily opened and closed by simply applying particular products or heat to the hair, however it does take a lot more effort than that. While it is true, certain harsh chemicals have the ability to lift the cuticles, the the key word here is "harsh". You must remember, when this occurs your cuticles are being forcibly raised because the hair is out of balance. This is not something you would want to do to your hair on a consistent basis (e.g. weekly) . More importantly, forcing your cuticles to open on a consistent basis is not something you can do without severely damaging the hair over time. In other words, you can not "fix" your hair's porosity.
So what can you do? Although you can not "fix" the current state of your hair, you can minimize the damage that can happen because the cuticles are raised (high) or resistant (low) to absorbing moisture. Keep in mind, these practices are temporary and must be done on a regular basis and they only serve to help you retain the length you have as you grow in hair that is healthier and balanced (e.g. normal/medium porosity). This is why it is good to evaluate your hair every six months or and make adjustments as you continue on your hair journey.
Tips for Low Porosity
Tips for High Porosity
source
source
Well, there is some confusion regarding the way in which hair responds to moisture, manual manipulation and heat. To begin, many believe the cuticles can be easily opened and closed by simply applying particular products or heat to the hair, however it does take a lot more effort than that. While it is true, certain harsh chemicals have the ability to lift the cuticles, the the key word here is "harsh". You must remember, when this occurs your cuticles are being forcibly raised because the hair is out of balance. This is not something you would want to do to your hair on a consistent basis (e.g. weekly) . More importantly, forcing your cuticles to open on a consistent basis is not something you can do without severely damaging the hair over time. In other words, you can not "fix" your hair's porosity.
So what can you do? Although you can not "fix" the current state of your hair, you can minimize the damage that can happen because the cuticles are raised (high) or resistant (low) to absorbing moisture. Keep in mind, these practices are temporary and must be done on a regular basis and they only serve to help you retain the length you have as you grow in hair that is healthier and balanced (e.g. normal/medium porosity). This is why it is good to evaluate your hair every six months or and make adjustments as you continue on your hair journey.
Tips for Low Porosity
- Beware of and minimize your use of products that have a low pH or highly acidic (e.g. aloe vera juice, citric acid) because these substances work to keep the cuticles closed.
- Use light to medium water based moisturizers and minimize products that are loaded with heavy oils or butters as these will simply sit on top of the hair.
- Use lighter oils (e.g. jojoba, argan or grape seed) to seal in the moisture you are using on the hair.
- Use steam to help add moisture to the hair.
- Apply products to damp or slightly dry hair instead of wet hair.
- Focus more on increasing moisture levels, while minimizing protein as this type of hair often retains protein quite well.
- Stick to monthly protein treatments to avoid protein overload.
Tips for High Porosity
- Use a moisturizing shampoo
- Use products with a low pH or highly acidic (e.g. aloe vera juice, citric acid) because these substances work to keep the tighten the opened cuticles (it will not "close" them).
- Use thicker butters and products with heavier oils as it will seal the cuticles and trap in the moisture you receive from the product.
- Use of protein (hydrolyzed wheat or silk) conditioners regularly (weekly to biweekly) to help fill in gaps and holes that are present in the hair shaft.
source
source
Sunday, September 7, 2014
What the pH?!
So now that I understand a little bit more about porosity and how important it is to hair growth, I have decided to make a few changes. Before I explain what those changes will be I wanted to highlight some information on pH balance, as porosity and pH balance go hand in hand.
Without getting too technical, it is very important to understand how pH aids in maintaining optimal hair balance as this affects hair growth (length retention), its appearance (shine vs dull, frizz vs sleek, curl definition) and how your hair responds to products/ingredients (styling results).
Healthy hair is naturally more acidic, falling between a pH of 4.0-5.5. Several environmental factors can negatively affect the pH balance of our hair, such as chemicals, harsh shampoos, styling products and heat. When the hair is pH balanced, the cuticles remain slightly closed allowing it to remain strong and healthy and shiny. When the pH balance of the hair is too high the cuticles are raise and the cortex of the hair shaft is exposed, which can lead to tangles, frizz, knots making the hair more susceptible to damage and breakage. Similarly, when the scalp's pH is too high, you will experience various scalp disorders (e.g. dry, itchy, dandruff).
One way to create and maintain a healthy pH balance is by using products that is close to the appropriate pH range to help maintain (or restore) the hair's ideal pH levels when it is too high. The cuticles on curly hair tends to remain open as the curl pattern make it difficult for the cuticles to lie flat. Therefore, the products we use is very crucial. Learning this information has been a tremendous help to me as I try to get my hair back on track because similar to porosity, it has helped me understand why my hair is reacting to certain products in a negative way.
Armed with my pH testing strips, I tested all of the products I currently use. I recommend that you do this as well since very few companies post the pH level of their products.Testing strips will come in handy for another reason as well, which I will explain below. I also included the ideal range for these products.
Shampoo (6.0-5.0):
Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo 7.0
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl and Shine Shampoo 7.0
Conditioner (5.0-4.0):
Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner 6.5
Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner 5.5
Cantu Shea Butter Mask 5.0
Aubrey Organics White Camellia Ultra-Smoothing Conditioner 4.0
Leave In Conditioner (4.5-4.0):
Knot Today Detangler 7.0
Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Hold & Shine Moisture Mist pH 6.5
Giovanni Direct Leave-in pH 6.0
Moisturizer (4.5-4.0):
Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk pH 7.0
Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream 7.0
Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter Cream 6.5
Shea Moisture Yucca & Baobab Volumizing Hair Milk 6.5
Oyin Handmade Honey Dew Lightweight Quenching Lotion pH 5.0
Stylers (4.5-4.0):
Komaza Care Califia Styling Pudding 7.0
Komaza Care Coconut Hair Pudding 7.0
Camilla Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter 7.0
Camilla Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter 7.0
Entwine Coutour Jellé Styler 6.5
Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera Gelly 6.0
Eco Styler Gel (Olive Oil) 6.0
KCCC 4.5
As you can see a lot of the products I use do not fall within the appropriate pH range. Pair this information with the issues associated to high and low porosity I can understand why I have been struggling with frizzy, brittle, dry hair for so long.
So what does this mean for my hair? Well, I don't think it would be practical to run out and buy a slew of new products, but I do need to find a solution to address the issues I am having with my hair if I hope to retain my lengths. One solution would be to "create" pH balanced products that will work best on my hair. This best way to accomplish this is to simply add ingredients that test higher in acidity to my hair products in an effort to lower its alkalinity. This would include ingredients like:
Aloe Vera Juice 4.0
Vinegar 2.5
Lemon Juice 2.0
ACV 3.5
This is where those additional testing strips I discussed above will be helpful. Once you've added one of these ingredients to your products, retest it to make sure it falls within the appropriate range. For example, I add some distilled water and 1/4 tsp of lemon juice to approximately 4 oz of shampoo lowering it from a 7.0 pH to 5.5 pH. I've noticed a difference in how my hair feels after shampooing when I've done this over a period of time.
If you are going to add anything to your products to lower its pH level, it is highly recommended that you separate a small amount of the product you would like to use and gradually add one of the ingredients listed above to ensure that you do not "spoil" the larger batch.
I hope this helps you out as much as it has helped me.
HHG!
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Hair Porosity...What's the Big Deal?
Porosity seems to be on (almost) everybody's lips. Why? How does porosity effect the quality of our hair? Well, porosity refers to how well your hair absorbs and retain moisture. It is determined by the cuticle layers, which allows moisture to pass in and out of the hair. If the cuticles are tightly closed (also known as low porosity) it will be difficult to get moisture into the hair. If the cuticles are raised (also known as high porosity) then it will be easy to get moisture into the hair, however you will have difficulty retaining that moisture.In both situations, the lack of moisture will result is dry hair, which has an increase chance of breakage. Normal porosity is the optimum hair state we want to achieve (or maintain) because it allows moisture to enter the hair shaft, while preventing too much moisture from escaping. The result, is healthy, shiny hair that thrives and behave in a predictable way (e.g. maintains hair style, easy to manage and manipulate).
Porosity levels may be determined by genetic factors, but it can, and is often affected by external factors such like the environment, heat treatment, chemical use and how you handle your hair. Understanding and identifying your hair's porosity is important because it will ensure you are using the right products to address your current hair condition and meet your hair goals.
I emphasize "current" because hair porosity can change over time. A person can also have different porosity levels throughout their hair. I for one have both low and high porosity hair. After doing some research, this was how I figured it out:
How to Determine Your Hair Porosity
Does it Float?
One way to determine your hair's porosity is the water method. The water method or the "float test" examines how the hair behaves in room temperature water. Take a few strains of hair from different sections of your head (e.g. back, left side, right side, crown and front). Place it on top of a glass of water and wait 1-2 minutes to see how it responds. Do not push or manipulate the hair while it sits on the water. If it floats, your hair has low porosity. If it sinks to the bottom of the glass then your hair is highly porous.
There is some debate as to whether or not one can truly test hair porosity this way because of the hair's structure. For this reason, there are a few other ways you can use to help figure how how porous your hair is.
How Fast Does It Dry?
After washing and conditioning your hair as you normally would, allow your hair to air dry without blotting it dry or adding any additional products. Do not dry off your body for this test. If you hair dries faster than your body does, your hair is highly porous.
Is It Smooth?
Another way to test your hair is to take a few strains of hair and gently slide your hair up the shaft from the tip to the root. If you feel any resistance or it feels rough, your cuticles are not flat and therefore porous. While this test alone is not definitive, pair it with the other two test you did to help determine your hair's porosity.
It's best to use all three test to help determine where your hair falls. So,
Low Porosity: hair floats, dries after your body, stains feels smooth to the touch.
Normal Porosity: only one of the three tests indicated you had high porosity.
High Porosity: two or all three of the tests indicated you have high porosity
The above test is not an exact science. These test are only used to help gear you in the right directions to help you care for your hair more effectively. Unless you carry out very expensive lab base test, you will not be able to truly determine the porosity of their hair in a definitive way. However, what is clear is the fact that hair responds in very unique ways based on its porosity level.
You have no idea how helpful this has been because I can now make better decisions when I treat and style my hair. Things made a lot more sense once I figured out what was going on with my hair and why certain DC treatments worked for a while then completely ruined my hair. For example, I have both low and high porosity level. Low porosity does not respond well to too much protein, while high porosity hair requires it to minimize breakage due to gaps and holes in the hair shaft. In the past I thought I was protein sensitive because sections of my hair would break easily and I was looking at my hair as a whole. As a result, I would only do mild protein treatments once a month. The problem is, the parts of my hair (side, front and crown) would suffer because it needed protein much more than that. I couldn't figure it out and got so frustrated because I wouldn't see any real progress in these areas (past posts will confirm this). The back of my hair, which loved the lack of protein and needed increase moisture thrived and still thrives.
With this new knowledge I have made adjustments to my regimen and I've noticed a difference in the feel and look of my hair. I just wish I knew this information before.
So what does this mean for my hair? Stay tuned....
source
source
source
Porosity levels may be determined by genetic factors, but it can, and is often affected by external factors such like the environment, heat treatment, chemical use and how you handle your hair. Understanding and identifying your hair's porosity is important because it will ensure you are using the right products to address your current hair condition and meet your hair goals.
I emphasize "current" because hair porosity can change over time. A person can also have different porosity levels throughout their hair. I for one have both low and high porosity hair. After doing some research, this was how I figured it out:
How to Determine Your Hair Porosity
Does it Float?
One way to determine your hair's porosity is the water method. The water method or the "float test" examines how the hair behaves in room temperature water. Take a few strains of hair from different sections of your head (e.g. back, left side, right side, crown and front). Place it on top of a glass of water and wait 1-2 minutes to see how it responds. Do not push or manipulate the hair while it sits on the water. If it floats, your hair has low porosity. If it sinks to the bottom of the glass then your hair is highly porous.
There is some debate as to whether or not one can truly test hair porosity this way because of the hair's structure. For this reason, there are a few other ways you can use to help figure how how porous your hair is.
How Fast Does It Dry?
After washing and conditioning your hair as you normally would, allow your hair to air dry without blotting it dry or adding any additional products. Do not dry off your body for this test. If you hair dries faster than your body does, your hair is highly porous.
Is It Smooth?
Another way to test your hair is to take a few strains of hair and gently slide your hair up the shaft from the tip to the root. If you feel any resistance or it feels rough, your cuticles are not flat and therefore porous. While this test alone is not definitive, pair it with the other two test you did to help determine your hair's porosity.
It's best to use all three test to help determine where your hair falls. So,
Low Porosity: hair floats, dries after your body, stains feels smooth to the touch.
Normal Porosity: only one of the three tests indicated you had high porosity.
High Porosity: two or all three of the tests indicated you have high porosity
The above test is not an exact science. These test are only used to help gear you in the right directions to help you care for your hair more effectively. Unless you carry out very expensive lab base test, you will not be able to truly determine the porosity of their hair in a definitive way. However, what is clear is the fact that hair responds in very unique ways based on its porosity level.
You have no idea how helpful this has been because I can now make better decisions when I treat and style my hair. Things made a lot more sense once I figured out what was going on with my hair and why certain DC treatments worked for a while then completely ruined my hair. For example, I have both low and high porosity level. Low porosity does not respond well to too much protein, while high porosity hair requires it to minimize breakage due to gaps and holes in the hair shaft. In the past I thought I was protein sensitive because sections of my hair would break easily and I was looking at my hair as a whole. As a result, I would only do mild protein treatments once a month. The problem is, the parts of my hair (side, front and crown) would suffer because it needed protein much more than that. I couldn't figure it out and got so frustrated because I wouldn't see any real progress in these areas (past posts will confirm this). The back of my hair, which loved the lack of protein and needed increase moisture thrived and still thrives.
With this new knowledge I have made adjustments to my regimen and I've noticed a difference in the feel and look of my hair. I just wish I knew this information before.
So what does this mean for my hair? Stay tuned....
source
source
source
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Retaining Moisture with ACV
First off, I have to say ACV is the truth! I wanted to wait after a few more wash days before posting my thoughts on ACV as a final rinse treatment because I wanted to make sure the benefits I saw weren't a fluke. Let me say it was not. As I am writing this (approx 1 hour and 30 min after shampooing my hair) my hair is still damp and moist!
I use to read Sunshyne's blog and think, what does she mean it takes 2 hours to dry her hair--whoa, her hair must be mega thick! Little did I know hair density had absolutely nothing to do with moisture retention, which was what I was struggling with. After reading some of the entries on her blog and some of the things she does to retain moisture (she apparently struggled with dryness as well) I had to try some of her hair remedies out. I am glad I did. My hair feels strong, moist--OMG I love my hair right now! This is what I did (I added a few extra things to my treatment):
Boil 2 1/4 cups of filtered water. After boiling, remove the pot from the stove and add 1 tbsp of mix dried herbs (equal parts sage, rosemary, rose hip, horsetail and nettle). Cover pot and allow herbs to steep overnight. In the morning strain herbs from brew then add 1/4 cup of ACV. After rinsing your conditioner pour brew over hair and massage into scalp (be sure not to tangle hair--this brew has no slip). Allow to sit for 30 sec-1 min then rinse thoroughly. Proceed to style as usual. That's it! Magic in your own kitchen. Who would have thought?
Original recipe:
1/4 cup ACV
2 cups water
Original recipe:
1/4 cup ACV
2 cups water
I am currently very happy with the results from my regimen now that I have added this final rinse treatment. I need to streamline it a bit--I am doing a lot of stuff to my hair right now (pre-poo, dc, oils, ect...), but I want to continue with it for a while. It works, and if it ain't broke, why fix it?!
ETA: I have since modified this recipe to 3/4 tsp per 2 cups of water after reviewing Kimmay Tube's video on pH balance. I've also changed the herbal mix as well. Since changing it I have had good results, but now I can use this recipe on a weekly basis vs. once every other week/month. See my updated regimen for details.
ETA: I have since modified this recipe to 3/4 tsp per 2 cups of water after reviewing Kimmay Tube's video on pH balance. I've also changed the herbal mix as well. Since changing it I have had good results, but now I can use this recipe on a weekly basis vs. once every other week/month. See my updated regimen for details.
HHG!
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