Winterize Your Hair Routine

You've winterized your wardrobe. 

How about your hair routine?

Unlike the humid days of summer, winter air is much drier. Given this, even the

 healthiest head can experience dry hair and tight, itchy scalp.

 Avoid it all by winterizing your routine. Here's how...

• Go ahead, take the appetizer and the desert! Treat your hair to an appetizer and dessert. In hair lingo we'd call that a pre-poo and deep condition treatment, respectively. Both spoil your hair with extra vitamins, nutrients, proteins and moisture! This is one time when pigging out is a GOOD thing! 
• Learn all about pre-pooing and deep conditioning (including a DIY recipe) here>>> Pre-pooing 101

• Kick the -ates! If you haven't already, move to a sulfate-free shampoo during the winter. Sulfates are detergents. While great for cleansing, sulfates are very drying to the hair! So shelf the sulfates during the cold months. 
• Learn all about sulfates here>>> Sulfates 101

• Hold the humectants! Humectants are substances that attract water. Great, right? Not always. During the humid days of summer,humectants extract water from the air. During the arid or dry days of winter, humectants extract water from your hair! Humectants commonly found in hair products include Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B),  propylene glycol , PEG compounds, hydrolyzed proteins (ie elastin, collagen, silk keratin), vegetable glycerin, honey, and sugars (ie fructose, sucrose).

• Swap the jacket for a coat! You've packed away your thin summer jacket for a thick winter coat. Do the same with your oils! Replace your thin oils like grapeseed and extra virgin olive oil for heavier/thicker oils and butters like castor, coconut, jojoba oil and shea butter. 
• Learn about natural carrier and essence oils here>>> Oils 101
• Are you using the right technique when applying your oils? Click here to find out >>>Applying Oils

• Stop showing so much skin! Protective styles are great year-round but just like summer dresses and sandals, skin is best shown in the summer! If your protective style exposes your scalp to the dry winter air (ie cornrows, bantu knots, etc.), you'll likely notice that your scalp feels tight . If you're wearing extensions, you'll notice it even more because the added hair steals moisture from your own hair and scalp. This is especially true if you're using fake or cheap hair. Much like cloth, fake or cheap hair will absorb additional moisture from your hair. So invest in good hair and as much as possible, choose styles that shield your scalp and ends.
• Learn more on protective styling here>>> Protective Styling 101

• Spread the Love! While too heavy for the sweaty days of summer, applying sealant to your scalp is a great way to prevent and relieve winter's tight and itchy scalp. Run a little of your winter oil over your well-watered scalp! Need something thicker/heavier than oil? Prefer the feel/consistency of hair grease? Make your own!
• Try it!: Mix shea butter and natural oil to your desired consistency. A ratio of 2: 1 is fairly consistent with hair grease. Example: Add 1/2 cup of shea butter with 1 cup of your favorite oil(s). Be sure to add a bit of honey or tea tree oil to your mix. Both are natural preservatives! Just remember. If you use tea tree oil, use sparingly. Like all essential oils, a little goes a LONG way!
• Buy it!: Not a DIY type? Try my product! Quench is a mixture of shea butter, essential oils, aloe vera gel, vegetable glycerin, minoxidil (Rogaine), honey, vitamin E and natural fragrances. Got thirsty tresses? Quench them! 
• Pick it up under the "shop" tab of my blogsite!
• Note: NEVER apply synthetic hair grease to your scalp. Unlike natural sealants, the main ingredient in hair grease is typically mineral oil or one of its cousins; petrolatum, petroleum and paraffin. Shea butter feeds your hair vitamins and minerals. It protects with natural sunscreens and it stimulates with natural anti-oxidants. Mineral oil does none of these things. Applying it to your scalp seals in water but it suffocates your hair from receiving added water and oxygen. It attracts dirt and it requires a harsh detergent to be removed....and this will lead to further drying.
• Learn more about grease here>>> Hair Grease 101

• Cover it up! Despite the myth, wearing wet hair in the winter does not cause colds. Colds come from viruses, not cold weather! Nonetheless, it's good to cover your head to keep warm and more importantly, to slow down the rate at which moisture escapes from your hair. So cover it up!

• Quick Tip! Cotton and wool suck your hair dry so only cover your head with hats, hoods and scarves that are lined with silk or satin. Not lined? Fret not my friend. Check out this quick tip video for a work-around!

Voila! Your routine is now winterized!

What are some steps you take to winterize your hair routine? Share in the comments or 

come over to the chat room to share! >>> CHAT!

Beware the Bandwagon!

Ok. Here's my beef/rant/tantrum for the day. Being on YouTube, Facebook, Blogger, etc DOES NOT make you a natural hair expert. I find more people willing to simply "follow" someone's advice because they sell themselves as an expert. Fact is, if you can run a digital camera/webcam, you too can sell yourself as an "expert". I say, no matter who it is (myself included) before following someone's advice or a natural hair trend...you need to make sure that what is being said/sold makes sense and is backed up by science. I try to ensure that I give you the science...not just my two cents...when I post, blog, vlog. 

Don't get me wrong, I understand that when you are newly natural, you want to find someone who can help you along the journey. I too jumped on the natural hair bandwagon. But, while I started on that road I QUICKLY jumped off.

I started doing videos and blogs because I found there was WAY too much opinion and WAY too little science/research behind a lot of people's "advice". I say it all the time...the first step towards healthy hair needs to be education...not allegiance...education. That is why I did The ABC's of Hair Speak. I see people running to buy this, try that, etc...yet they have NO clue as to WHY they should or should not try something/some process. I do the opposite. I learn the science and then use that knowledge to decide if someone's advice is worth taking.....very often...it's NOT!  

I say all of that to say this...before you jump on the next natural bandwagon, heed the words of one Vanilla Ice...STOP, COLLABORATE and LISTEN! 

Here's some advice on following 'natural hair gurus' and jumping on 'natural hair' bandwagons....

Think I'm being overly-dramatic? Well no need to take my word for it. Grab your shoes honey. It's time for a trip down memory lane.

The Rio Hair Naturalizer System

I might be aging myself but around the time I was in high school (mid 90s), commercials began running for a miraculous new product line called the Rio Hair Naturalizer System. The line included two products, a relaxer without (neutral) and a relaxer with hair dye built-in (the "black/licorice color enhancer"). Why you ask? Hey, nothing says health like hair that's been fried, dyed, and laid to the side in one sitting (rolls eyes). 

While the Halle Berry/Toni Braxton look was just around the corner, the Rio system came out when we brown girls were trying to get the Robin Givens, Jody Watley, Karyn White, look. Hardly the fool, the World Rio Corporation capitalized on this trend by heavily marketing to African-American girls and women. Heck, you couldn't listen to "black radio" or watch "black tv" without seeing a commercial for the stuff! Be it Showtime at the Apollo, Martin, In Living Color, or A Different World, every commercial break featured a commercial/infomercial for the stuff. 

Promising to make hair bone straight by "retexturiz(ing), revitaliz(ing) and gradually releas(ing) tight curls; the Rio commercials came replete with the stereotypical prototype of beauty- a light-complexion black woman with super thick, super long, super straight hair blowing in the studio-created gales of wind (think Black Christie Brinkley). Bless her heart, not only did Debbie Allen star in the Rio commercials...she brought her daughter along as a sacrificial lamb.

As if the prospect of having Debbie Allen hair wasn't enticement enough (because face it, for many of us, it was), Rio took their advertising game to a whole new level!!! To prove itself a safe, chemical-free, all-natural product, the Rio clown...I mean spokesperson... eagerly downed a mouthful of the relaxer for our viewing pleasure. Well needless to say, the masses couldn't pull those credit cards out fast enough! Rio permeated the hood like gub'ment cheese!

Fast forward a few months/year later...

While the jury is still out on Rio as a meal, as a relaxer/hair dye, the response was resounding...OH HELLLLLLLLLLLLL NO!!!

Reportedly, the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) had NEVER BEFORE received so many complaints about a cosmetic product. Thousands of Rio customers filed reports (and later lawsuits) claiming dry hair, burnt scalps, discolored strands, uncontrollable breakage, and worst of all, massive hair loss/alopecia; both short and for many, long-term.

Now I don't mean to make light of a truly sad situation but y'all already know. There are very few things that can take a perfectly reasonable black woman from calm, classy, and cultured to hot, hurt, and damn-near-homicidal so quick as messing with her hair! I can't even imagine the grief those poor FDA officials took behind this! Heck, it even made the national news. Check out Tom Brokaw's special report on the fallout (no pun intended, womp womp womp).

Skip to minute 8:40 for the report:

Want to learn more about the Rio fallout? Check out this article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)'s September 2000 publication of Dermatology. 

Click here>>>http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=190616

Want a good laugh on another bit of natural messiness? Enjoy!....

Got your own natural hair bandwagon stories? Got personal trials and tribulations you'd like to share. Please do so in the comments section. Remember, we're all in this together. One natural's mistake is another's precaution! 

My Natural Hair Journey...the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Every day, people ask me what's the secret and how to get started on the journey.

The answer is simple- JUST DO IT!

1. Start by educating yourself on the basics including the science of hair. You can do this several ways but the most common way is to dive into vlogs, blogs, websites, YouTube, Facebook, etc. While I also suggest this route, I suggest you do so discerningly. There's LOTS of great information out there but there's also lots of junk! Pick a few sites/channels/personalities and then do a bit of homework. Check out a few of their blogs/vlogs/etc. Does the information they're sharing pass the sniff-test? Does it come across as objective or is there a bit of subjectivity/salesmanship behind their opinions? Finally, fact-check what you're hearing. Don't believe everything you hear. Make sure that the information being shared is scientifically sound. Once you've found sources that pass these tests, bookmark them!

2. I won't lie. It can be hard; especially the first year! While some people have no problem rocking a TWA (teenie weenie afro), I was not one of those persons. I was HORRIFIED with the way I looked with a TWA. But with patience, prayer, and a few good wigs I made it. I say all this to say stay encouraged. The time WILL pass. Don't be afraid to try wigs, weaves, or even scarves but if you can stick through the first year (aka the hump), you'll never look back.



3. STAY ENCOURAGED!!! This short video should help!

Why did I go natural? Find out all about it in this video:

Tribute to Titi Branch, Co-creator of Miss Jessie's Products

Like many, it was with a heavy heart that I learned of the passing of entrepreneurial genius, sweet and giving spirit, and inspirational motivator Titi Branch, co-creator of the Miss Jessie's line of products.

Source: NV Magazine Obituary

Titi Branch, was the co-founder of Miss Jessie's a leading company in the natural hair care industry. She created their signature Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding® for the Brooklyn hair salon, Curve which she ran with her sister Miko. 

As sales for the product skyrocketed the sisters decided to move the salon to the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn where it was renamed after their family matriarch -- their no nonsense grandmother Miss Jessie. With the renaming of the salon in 2005 came the additions of Curly Meringue®, Curly Buttercreme® and later Baby Buttercreme®. Branch was not a chemist but a creative spirit who used her kitchen as her laboratory to create these products.

The Queens-native was a graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in economics. She worked as a field producer for WABC-TV in New York City prior to Miss Jessie's. Her entrepreneurial career started prior to delving into the hair care industry. Titi and her sister were taught by their father to be independent and their first business together was a Kool-Aid stand as kids. They also ran a a cleaning business after graduating college.

 Later Titi launched a booking agency for hair and celebrity photographers called Icon Creative Artists. This led to her reconnecting with her sister, a hairstylist, in business. After adding her to the firm's client roster and the success that followed the next step was the creation of the salon, which opened originally in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn and the launch of Miss Jessie's -- the products are now on the shelves of Target, CVS, Ricky's, Duane Reade, Walgreens, Walmart and various other national retailers.

Born June 10, 1969 Titi Cree Branch died on Dec. 4, 2014... She is survived by her parents, sister, nephew and many loving relatives. She also leaves behind her boyfriend and business partner in her last venture Maestro's Classic, a line of beard care products.

In my own words....

While I never had the chance to meet her personally, I have had the chance to chat with both Miko and Titi online. Despite working in the same competitive space, I never received anything but positivity and encouragement from either. Confident, classy, creative, and always willing to lend an inspiring word; this is the legacy Titi has left with me. 

During this difficult time, my prayers are with Titi's sister, family, friends, followers, and extensive network of loved ones. Despite what many think, its not money, fame, fortune, 'likes' or 'upvotes' that make life worth living. It's the relationships we develop, the persons we love and the persons who love us. Maya Angelou once said the following:

 'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

Let this be another chance to consider those words. Let those you love know it. Don't assume they know! Tell them, touch them, embrace them, lift them through your words, and most importantly, ask for God's coverage of them in your prayers. Titi may be gone but she will never be forgotten. I shall consider her whenever I remind myself that 'I stand on the shoulders of giants!'

RIP my beautiful sister. May God welcome you home with these words.....
'Well done'!!!!!!! You can come on in!

Prayerfully,
Journey to My Roots

Andre Robert Lee, a friend of Titi's put together the following video montage in her memory....




Please feel free to leave condolences, experiences, etc in the comments section below.

The trials, triumphs, and truths of the natural hair journey

Wow! Where has the time gone?

Oh wait, you didn't think I went through the TWA (teenie weenie afro) stage? 
Yes ma'am/sir! While I've finally reached my personal hair zen, the three years it's taken to get here has been nothing short of a journey; and it started with the TWA! 

Learn the why, when, and how's of my decision to go natural in this video:

While some people ease right in, I gotta keep it real! For me, the first year of going natural is HARD!!!. When talking to newly naturals, I refer to this time as "the hump". You go in thinking it's about hair but very quickly you find that it's about sooooooo much more! 

I've always prided myself on being a lioness- strong-minded, self-determined, driven, and never-easily led. Despite these qualities, I was surprised by how much I too had internalized the myths, untruths, and hurtful stereotypes society projects onto women; particularly women of color as relates to the ideals of beauty. Until it was gone, I never understood how my hair was so inter-mingled with my sense of beauty, confidence, and even self-worth.

Starting with denial and ending with acceptance, I can gladly say that I've made it through!
How about you? What part of the journey are you in? What feelings have you dealt with?

Have you gone through the stages of natural?
Check it out. Not only will this video inform, it will truly inspire and uplift you!

STAY ENCOURAGED FRIEND!!!

Like you, I've made many mistakes and learned many lessons. Fortunately, it's only hair. IT WILL GROW BACK!

Just remember, while healthy hair practices, great products and perfect technique are important, the key to success comes down to one thing; 
P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E!

Don't take my word for it. Check out these natural hair queens!

Stick with it!

With a bit of education, a dab of Quench and a touch of patience, you too can reach healthy hair zen!

                                                                                                                                                                       

           
                   
             

    

Chime in Journeyers!  

What stage of the journey are you in? 

What has been the most important lesson you have learned along the way? Share your thoughts in the comments section or click on the icon below to chat with us in the Facebook group page! 

See you there!

Problems??? Click here>>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/JourneytomyRoots

Winterize Your Hair Routine!

You've winterized your wardrobe. 

How about your hair routine?

Unlike the humid days of summer, winter air is much drier. Given this, even the

 healthiest head can experience dry hair and tight, itchy scalp.

 Avoid it all by winterizing your routine. Here's how...

• Go ahead, take the appetizer and the desert! Treat your hair to an appetizer and dessert. In hair lingo we'd call that a pre-poo and deep condition treatment, respectively. Both spoil your hair with extra vitamins, nutrients, proteins and moisture! This is one time when pigging out is a GOOD thing! 
• Learn all about pre-pooing and deep conditioning (including a DIY recipe) here>>> Pre-pooing 101

• Kick the -ates! If you haven't already, move to a sulfate-free shampoo during the winter. Sulfates are detergents. While great for cleansing, sulfates are very drying to the hair! So shelf the sulfates during the cold months. 
• Learn all about sulfates here>>> Sulfates 101

• Hold the humectants! Humectants are substances that attract water. Great, right? Not always. During the humid days of summer,humectants extract water from the air. During the arid or dry days of winter, humectants extract water from your hair! Humectants commonly found in hair products include Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B),  propylene glycol , PEG compounds, hydrolyzed proteins (ie elastin, collagen, silk keratin), vegetable glycerin, honey, and sugars (ie fructose, sucrose).

• Swap the jacket for a coat! You've packed away your thin summer jacket for a thick winter coat. Do the same with your oils! Replace your thin oils like grapeseed and extra virgin olive oil for heavier/thicker oils and butters like castor, coconut, jojoba oil and shea butter. 
• Learn about natural carrier and essence oils here>>> Oils 101
• Are you using the right technique when applying your oils? Click here to find out >>>Applying Oils

• Stop showing so much skin! Protective styles are great year-round but just like summer dresses and sandals, skin is best shown in the summer! If your protective style exposes your scalp to the dry winter air (ie cornrows, bantu knots, etc.), you'll likely notice that your scalp feels tight . If you're wearing extensions, you'll notice it even more because the added hair steals moisture from your own hair and scalp. This is especially true if you're using fake or cheap hair. Much like cloth, fake or cheap hair will absorb additional moisture from your hair. So invest in good hair and as much as possible, choose styles that shield your scalp and ends.
• Learn more on protective styling here>>> Protective Styling 101

• Spread the Love! While too heavy for the sweaty days of summer, applying sealant to your scalp is a great way to prevent and relieve winter's tight and itchy scalp. Run a little of your winter oil over your well-watered scalp! Need something thicker/heavier than oil? Prefer the feel/consistency of hair grease? Make your own!
• Try it!: Mix shea butter and natural oil to your desired consistency. A ratio of 2: 1 is fairly consistent with hair grease. Example: Add 1/2 cup of shea butter with 1 cup of your favorite oil(s). Be sure to add a bit of honey or tea tree oil to your mix. Both are natural preservatives! Just remember. If you use tea tree oil, use sparingly. Like all essential oils, a little goes a LONG way!
• Buy it!: Not a DIY type? Try my product! Quench is a mixture of shea butter, essential oils, aloe vera gel, vegetable glycerin, minoxidil (Rogaine), honey, vitamin E and natural fragrances. Got thirsty tresses? Quench them! 
• Pick it up under the "shop" tab of my blogsite!
• Note: NEVER apply synthetic hair grease to your scalp. Unlike natural sealants, the main ingredient in hair grease is typically mineral oil or one of its cousins; petrolatum, petroleum and paraffin. Shea butter feeds your hair vitamins and minerals. It protects with natural sunscreens and it stimulates with natural anti-oxidants. Mineral oil does none of these things. Applying it to your scalp seals in water but it suffocates your hair from receiving added water and oxygen. It attracts dirt and it requires a harsh detergent to be removed....and this will lead to further drying.
• Learn more about grease here>>> Hair Grease 101

• Cover it up! Despite the myth, wearing wet hair in the winter does not cause colds. Colds come from viruses, not cold weather! Nonetheless, it's good to cover your head to keep warm and more importantly, to slow down the rate at which moisture escapes from your hair. So cover it up!

• Quick Tip! Cotton and wool suck your hair dry so only cover your head with hats, hoods and scarves that are lined with silk or satin. Not lined? Fret not my friend. Check out this quick tip video for a work-around!

Voila! Your routine is now winterized!

What are some steps you take to winterize your hair routine? Share in the comments or 

come over to the chat room to share! >>> CHAT!

                                                         

Natural Oils

The natural oils commonly used in hair and cosmetic products can be categorized into two buckets- essential oils and carrier oils. 

Learn all about both in this video tutorial and the blog below! 

Essential Oils:

Essential oils are called such because they carry the "essence" or scent of the plant/flower/vegetable from which they were derived. Essential oils are often used as perfumes or to give fragrance. Essential oils are VERY strong/highly concentrated so a small amount goes a long way! Using too much of an essential oil can cause irritation/burning. Common essential oils include peppermint oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil, tea tree oil, lemon oil, and tea tree oil.

Try it!: 

Tea tree oil (malaleuca oil) is an essential oil with natural antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Because of this, tea tree oil makes a great natural preservative. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your homemade/DIY concoctions to keep them sanitary and to preserve their shelf life! Because of its camphoraceous nature, tea tree oil (like peppermint, rosemary, and eucalyptus oil) is also good for combating scalp problems such as sensitivity, dryness, and itching. After using an electric razor (ie after a son's haircut or after shaping up your hairline) blot a bit of tea tree oil onto a piece of cotton. Rub the cotton across the hairline, behind the ears and across the forehead. The tea tree oil will prevent the development of hair bumps and limit skin irritation! See how I use it my video on Shaping up Necklines>>>

Lavender oil is one of my favorite essential oils. With its calming scent, lavender has been used for centuries to lower stress, reduce anxiety and facilitate relaxation. Add a few drops to a hot bath and dab a few drops along your pulse points to relieve stress at the end of the day.

Carrier Oils
Carrier oils are called such because they are great for "carrying" or diluting essential oils. Carrier oils seal in moisture, feed your hair (vitamins A.B, C, D, E, proteins, amino acids), stimulate growth (anti-oxidant cell regeneration), and protect your hair (natural sunscreen)! Common carrier oils include grapeseed oil, castor/Jamaican black castor oil, olive/extra virgin olive oil, almond/sweet almond oil, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, argan/Moroccan oil, apricot oil, and jojoba oil.

Try it!

Grapeseed oil is a carrier oil that acts as a great heat protectant. With a smoke point of 400+ degrees, grapeseed oil will protect your hair from the high heat of a blow dryer, flat-iron, or pressing comb. I used grapeseed oil to protect my hair during my first flat-ironing. It worked wonderfully! Check it out>>>

Castor oil is a carrier oil thought to reverse thinning or balding. Use castor oil along your edges or in other areas where thinning/balding is a problem! While plain castor oil is great, Jamaican Black Castor Oil aka JBCO is even better.

 Made from the darker castor beans of Jamaica, JBCO is a rich treatment that should be part of every healthy hair routine. One of my staple/must-have products is the Strong Roots Red Pimento Hair Growth Oil by Tropic Isle Living. It's a rich blend of JBCO, organic coconut oil, glycerine, lemon oil, lavender oil, and the growth-stimulating red pimento oil. Get it online from Oils from Jamaica (www.oilsfromjamaica.com). Use promo code JTMR and you'll get a small discount to help with shipping! Learn all about it in this video review>>>

Despite being called as much, jojoba is not a carrier oil but instead a wax. More than any other oil, jojoba oil closely resembles the structure or skins' natural moisturizer, sebum. For this reason, jojoba oil is a GREAT option for folks with oil sensitivity (ie those with nut-based allergies or those who have skin breakouts as a result of using oil).

Extra virgin olive oil is a carrier oil that is great for cooking and even better for sealing, feeding, and protecting your hair. While olive oil is great, extra virgin olive oil is better for the hair because it is less acidic and goes through less processing than olive oil. If nothing else, most of us always have some EVOO in the cupboard...use it! Dilute your favorite natural butter (shea, coconut, mango) by adding 2 parts extra virgin olive oil to one part butter!

Where can I get them?

Now that you know about oils, you may be wondering where to pick them up. Nowadays more and more grocery and convenience (ie Target, WalMart, Big-Lots, etc) stores carry various oils. Sometimes you'll find them in the cooking section and sometimes you'll find them in the vitamin/herbal supplement section. Three of my favorite places to get oils are Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market, and online at Vitacost (www.vitacost.com). While GNC and Vitamin Shoppe also sell various natural oils, I find that they are a bit more costly than the other options.

Quick Tip:
Try this quick trick to use oils without making a mess!

Chime in!

What are your favorite natural oils? How do you use them? 

Share in the comments section below or come on over to the chat room and chime in! 

See you there >>> http://facebook.com/groups/journeytomyroots

Cowashing & Nopooing 101

Since going natural, there are a couple of things I swear by. One of them is cowashing or nopooing.

What's it mean?

• Cowash: To cowash is to cleanse the hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. 
• Thus conditioner (co) + washing (wash) = cowash

• Nopoo: To nopoo is to cleanse the hair with something other than a sulfate-based shampoo. It may be conditioner (= cowashing) or it may be something else. Examples of non-sulfate cleansers include saponified oil bars, glycerin bars, African black soap, etc.
• Thus cleansing - shampoo = nopooing

Why cowash/nopoo?
The cleansing ability of most shampoos comes from sulfates. Sulfates are salts that bind to dirt, oil, product, etc. Water then rinses this bound debris from the hair. In addition to dirt, product, and oil, sulfates remove sebum, the hair's natural moisturizer.

While excess sebum causes the hair to be oily, your hair is meant to have some level of sebum at all times. In the right balance, sebum keeps the hair moist, pliable (resistant to breaking), and protected from the sun. When used in excess, sulfates remove ALL the sebum from the hair. Removing all the sebum from your hair leaves it dry, limp, and fragile.

The benefit of cowashing/nopooing is that these techniques limit (cowashing*) or eliminate (nopooing) the use of sulfates. By limiting or eliminating the use of sulfates, you limit or eliminate the potential for drying, stripping, and damage.

Q: Don't most conditioners also include sulfates?
A: YES! While most conditioners also include sulfates, they include them in MUCH lower concentration than shampoo. Thus cleansing with conditioner leaves the hair clean yet not damaged.

How do I know if my product contains sulfates?
When reading an ingredient list, sulfates are easy to find because they usually end in the letters "ate".

The most common sulfates used in cosmetic products include:

• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), 
• Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), 
• Ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS), and 
• Behentrimonium methosulfate (BMS) 

Sodium lauryl sulfate is the harshest of these sulfates and should be avoided whenever possible. It's usually found in cheap and low-quality cleansers. Behentrimonium methosulfate and its cousin Behentrimonium Chloride (BC) are much gentler cleansers. They are often used in infant and sensitive skin products. You'll also find them in the higher quality cosmetic products. When picking a shampoo or conditioner, look for products that include these instead!

Learn more about sulfates here>>>

Exceptions:
While sulfates can be drying/damaging to the hair, there is a time when they should most definitely be used. Sulfate-based shampoos should be used anytime you've used a product with significant levels of mineral oil (or its cousins petrolatum, petroleum, paraffin, and paraffin wax).

Mineral oil, petrolatum, petroleum, paraffin, and paraffin wax are low-quality, non-water-soluble humectants that bind tightly to the hair. This means they sit on top of the hair and are not removed by water alone. Rather, these ingredients must be removed by a strong cleanser such as a sulfate-based shampoo. So after using products with mineral oil, be sure to cleanse the hair with a sulfate-based shampoo. Just be sure to pick a product with one of the more gentle sulfates.

Learn more about mineral oil, petrolatum, petroleum, paraffin, and paraffin wax here>>>

Try it!

Cowash: Some of my favorite cowashers include Tresemme (Naturals, Flawless Curls, or Remoisturize) Conditioner and Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner. Get either at your local WalMart, Target, drugstore or grocer.

Nopoo: Some of my favorite liquid nopoos include Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Shea Butter Shampoo or SheaMoisture Moisture Retention Shampoo. You can get the JBCO Shampoo online at Oils from Jamaica (http://www.oilsfromjamaica.com). Use promo code JTMR for a small discount!!! You can get the SheaMoisture shampoo at your local WalMart, Target, or Walgreens.

Some of my favorite solid/bar nopoo cleansers include the all natural bars made by Hekalu Naturals (http://hekalunaturals.com) and those made by Lia Naturals (formerly Jarmelia's DIY Hair and Skin Care Products (http://www.diyhaircareproducts.com). 

Learn even more about cowashing and nopooing (and see me do it) in my video tutorial. Haven't subscribed to my YouTube channel? Please do so and please "like" the video>>>

Share your thoughts! 

Do you cowash/nopoo? What are your favorite products? 

Share your feedback in the comments section below or better yet, join us in the Journey to My Roots Chat Room/Group on Facebook. 

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