Diary of a Hair Obsession

My new growth had some serious attitude so I had to lay that to rest. Combing was close to impossible without making my scalp extremely sore so I thought it best to relax early instead of making a bad situation worse by trying to stretch longer. I relaxed yesterday at 9 weeks and 2 days.

For those of you following the blog, you know that I’m having some unexplainable excessive shedding. Still don’t know the culprit for sure, but stress is coming to mind since I’m long off all the medications I was on and I’m back to my regular products and it’s still occurring. They’re not many reasons to explain losing hair by the handful, but stress will do it to you every time. From discussions with my stylist it’s really not an uncommon occurrence. She sees it often and reassured me that my hair loss is nothing compared to some of the cases she’s seen. That made me feel a little better but still it’s a major setback for me.

When I walked into the salon I was mentally prepared to lose 2-4 inches. My stylist however was disappointed when she saw that she’d only need to trim 1-2 inches lol. She was ready to give me another cute cut, but instead she did the honourable thing and fessed up that it wouldn’t be necessary to trim that much.

Mizani Butter Blend was the relaxer of choice. I also received a heavy protein treatment with a Dudley product – DRC 28. This is some heavy stuff…not for the faint hearted or the scent sensistive (it smells terrible) but after using it my hair felt very strong. Mizani Scalp Care conditioner was then applied to moisturize my hair and help curb my itchies. It had a nice tingling feel to it, no doubt from peppermint oil. (Peppermint oil seems to be the new ‘hip’ ingredient in shampoos and conditioners. Have you noticed?)

No pics this time around because my designated picture-taker was not available, but no length progress either because of the last 2 setbacks.

P.S.  The photo at the top of this post is my hair inspiration….one day.

Since starting the Hairlista Coconut Oil Challenge, I felt that it was as good a time as any to do some research on this powerhouse of an oil.   I knew it had benefits, but what exactly about this sweetly aromatic oil made it so beneficial to a beauty regimen?

This humble oil is one of the most popular oils used in soap making, one of the best natural ingredients for skin care, weight loss, improved digestion and relief from heart disease, cancer and HIV.  While the benefits are vast, this post will concentrate on the benefits of coconut oil as it pertains to hair.

What is coconut oil?
Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera) is the oil extracted from the mature coconut palm meat through a wet process or dry process. In the wet process, coconut milk is made and then the oil is extracted from the milk, whereas in the dry process the oil is extracted straight from the coconut kernel. Coconut oil has long been touted as being an excellent oil for the hair and scalp but why?

The Benefits
For one, it is an excellent emollient.  Coconut oil  is comprised of some 92% saturated fatty acids which help retain moisture in the hair and thus deter moisture loss.  It is therefore good as a moisturizer and deep conditioner.

It is also one of the few oils that penetrates the hair shaft.  Studies have confirmed that the ability of coconut oil to penetrate the hair shaft is likely due to its low molecular weight and straight linear chains.   These characteristics coupled with its high affinity (or attraction) to hair proteins cause the coconut oil to penetrate the hair shaft.

It is easy to see how the ability to penetrate the hair shaft and the high affinity to proteins makes coconut oil so beneficial for the hair.  Not only does the high affinity to proteins help it penetrate the hair shaft, but it also discourages protein loss and reduces the occurrence of hygral fatigue.  Studies conducted in India confirm that when compared to mineral oil and sunflower oil, “coconut oil was the only oil found to reduce the protein loss remarkably for both undamaged and damaged hair when used as a pre-wash and post-wash grooming product.” Another study suggests that coconut oil reduces the ability of the hair shaft to swell and thereby reduces the likelihood of hygral fatigue.  Hygral fatigue is caused when the hair swells and constricts due to the absorption and loss of water.

But the benefits don’t end there.  In addition of all the aforementioned, coconut oil also comprises of antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial properties due to the triglycerides (Caprylic Acid, Capric Acid and Lauric Acid) which kill bacteria and fungi.  This makes coconut oil an excellent treatment for keeping the scalp clean and eliminating dandruff.

To realize the full benefits of coconut oil, you should use virgin coconut oil or coconut oil that has not be refined.  Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh coconut meat or non-copra whereas refined coconut oil is made from dried copra.  Scent and taste are the main differences between virgin coconut oil and refined coconut oils.

Virgin Coconut Oil vs. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
No industry standards currently exist to differentiate between “Virgin” and “Extra Virgin” coconut oil.   Even though some manufacturers label their product as “Extra Virgin”, it is likely a marketing gimmick or just some arbitrary classification.  “There is no official classification or difference between “virgin” and “extra virgin” as there is in the olive oil industry, since the two oils are completely different in fatty acid composition, harvesting procedures, and terminology.” Something to remember the next time you go shopping for coconut oil.

Sources:
Aarti S Rele, R B Mohile. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. Journal of cosmetic science (2003). 54(2):175-92.
K Keis, D Persaud, Y K Kamath, A S Rele. Investigation of penetration abilities of various oils into human hair fibers. Journal of cosmetic science (2005). 56(5):283-95
S B Ruetsch, Y K Kamath, A S Rele, R B Mohile. Secondary ion mass spectrometric investigation of penetration of coconut and mineral oils into human hair fibers: relevance to hair damage. Journal of cosmetic science (2001). 52(3):169-84.
Tropical Traditions. Virgin vs Refined: How is Coconut Oil Produced?

H & S Claims: Head & Shoulders advanced Smooth & Silky shampoo and conditioner are formulated with moisturizers to restore a silky smooth look to dry and frizzy hair, while leaving hair 100% flake free*.

Starts at the scalp to smooth each strand and to calm dry frizzy hair
Gentle and pH balanced for everyday use even on permed or colour treated hair
For best results on hair and scalp use Head & Shoulders conditioner

*visible flakes with regular use

Active Ingredients: 1% Pyrithione Zinc

Inactive Ingredients: Water,Sodium Laureth Sulfate,Sodium Lauryl Sulfate,Cocamide MEA,Zinc Carbonate,Glycol Distearate,Dimethicone,Fragrance,Cetyl Alcohol,Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride,Magnesium Sulfate,Sodium Benzoate,Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide,Ammonium Laureth Sulfate,Benzyl Alcohol,Sodium Chloride.

Price point: I received a 50ml sample for free.

My 6¢: I received this shampoo as a sample.  To be honest I didn’t have high expectations of this shampoo because it’s a dandruff shampoo and those tend to be inherently infamous for being drying.  With pessimism in tow I decided to suppress my reservations until the sample was used up.  It’s been a few months since I first used it so now I get to voice my opinion.

I was pleasantly surprised by this shampoo.  It is a white shampoo (not some crazy psychedelic blue) that is not too runny but not too thick either.  The smell is pleasant.  A couple floral notes, but nothing overbearing.  Prior to the first time using it, I had mentally prepared myself for the detangling task up ahead.  You all know what I’m talking about. Wet hair + dandruff shampoo = insane tangles.  Or so I thought.  I applied a small amount, worked it into my hair and let it sit to do its thing.  To my surprise I could still run my fingers through my hair after it had been sitting for some 3 mins.  This was an unusual experience for a dandruff shampoo.  In doubt I checked the container to make sure that they had shipped me the correct sample. They had!! I was impressed.   When I decided to do subsequent lathers however, I noticed stripping.  My hair was no longer “smooth and silky”.  For that reason when I use this shampoo I try to either restrict myself to one lather (if my hair is not too greasy) or do a first lather with a moisturizing shampoo and then lather with the Smooth & Silky shampoo.  Either of these methods yields the best results in terms of reducing stripping and tangling.

As far as being 100% flake free – In my experience it did stop the itchies (if only for a few days), however I seem to have stubborn dandruff so the problem would resurface after a week or two.   To be fair I probably should have used the product every week for a few weeks to fully alleviate the problem but such was not the case.  I only used it when I felt the itchies.  In addition I did not follow with the Head and Shoulders  Smooth & Silky conditioner (which they recommend for best results).   Despite all that I still think it did a good job of curbing my itchies.

As far as the “smooth and silky” claim goes, it does provide some smoothing due to its silicone content and pH balancing, but my friends don’t expect a miracle.  Your hair will not feel like “butter”.  Sorry, let me correct myself – my hair did not feel like butter.  I still had to follow with a moisturizing conditioner to give me the slip I love.  I can’t really speak to the results in combination with the  Smooth & Silky conditioner because I only used that conditioner once and can’t say I was overcome by smoothness or silkiness from its use.

Ingredient wise it doesn’t have the best line-up of ingredients, but neither do a lot of other products on the market.

Overall this is good product to get rid of dandruff and limit tangles if used moderately.  However, I wouldn’t go as far as saying that it you can use it daily.  I think that would be too drying for us with textured hair.

My overall rating: (3.5/5)

Last weekend I paid to have my hair braided.  Now this is more of a rant than a post so be forewarned.

To make it easier on the braider (and on myself to be honest), I took the time to scour the Internet and find a style that I liked and could envision myself wearing.  I figured that would eliminate any misinterpretations that might arise if I tried to describe what I wanted.  It took me about a week to find the perfect style… it was the cutest thing.

Once I found the style I searched for a braider.  I didn’t necessarily want to go to a salon because there are many talented braider out there that can do the job for a fraction of the cost.  The challenge became  finding one.  Long story short, I contacted a braider and they agreed on price.  Appointment booked!  Hair purchased!  I was excited!!

I arrived at the location and showed the braider a video I had found of the style.  It was quite a comprehensive video.  Now if I take the time to show you a photo,  I’m expecting my hair to look similar to the photo…not exact but relatively similar.  However, if I also show you a video of the style being created from start to finish I sure as hell expect it to look EXACTLY like in the video!  Such was not the case after my cornrows were finished.  It looked similar, but not exactly like the style I wanted and for that reason I was grossly disappointed.

The technique the braider used to add hair was not the best and you could see where each join occurred along the plaits.  Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t look totally bad, in fact the bf quite likes it, but I had my heart set on a particular style and that’s not what I have.  Maybe I’ll try my luck with another braider so if you know any talented braiders in the Toronto area that can:

• do modern cornrows (not single braids);
• look at a photo or video and replicate the style;
• braid so I don’t feel like I’m also getting a face lift and
• listen to their clients

Please, PLEASE  send me their contact info.

Despite the disappointing results I decided, I’d paid for it, it wasn’t hideous so I was going to wear it as long as I could. To help maintain the braids I mixed together Infusium 23, Better Braids Braid Spray, Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Leave-in Conditioner and Keracare Essential Oil into a spritz bottle and applied it to my braids once a day. I covered my head with a wig cap and the remaining ponytail with an old pants sock. All that was then rolled up in my silk scarf before I went to bed.

Around mid week, I changed my braid spritz to just Better Braids Braid Spray and Virgin coconut oil. There was nothing wrong with my previous spritz mixture….I quite liked it but I just wanted to see how my hair would respond to coconut oil in the mix. I can’t speak to the results yet, but I do love the smell….uuummm virgin coconut oil smells so yummy.

Originally the braids were to last me 3 weeks, but I doubt they’ll survive that long. Since my hair is relaxed the straight ends are starting to fuzz. After I wash them this weekend, I’ll re-evaluate whether I need to take them down this weekend or whether they can last another week or so.

This is the style I wanted and below are the pics of what I have *sigh*.

Last wash day I focused on eliminating the excessive shedding that had plagued me over the last few weeks.  After prepooing with coconut oil overnight and leaving it in until the evening time, I gave my hair a good wash.  First I lathered with some Head & Shoulders Smooth & Silky Dandruff Shampoo to help curb the itchies I was experiencing.  Let that sit on my hair for a few minutes then rinsed and lathered again with Kenra Moisturizing Shampoo.  Once all the shampoo was rinsed it was time for a little Kenra MC to detangle.  I usually try to detangle before any kind of protein condish or treatment to avoid a mass of tangles afterward.  Alot of hair was shed, but that no doubt was due to the fact that my hair was in cornrows all week and therefore was not combed.  I was therefore losing a week’s worth of sheded hair and for that reason I didn’t even bat an eye at the amout of hair in the shower.

I then decided to try a product that had been sitting in my hair stash for some time – UBH Deep Conditioner.  It felt very invigorating on my scalp.  As per the instructions I covered my hair with a plastic cap and deep conditioned with heat for about 30 mins.  After rinsing my hair felt stronger.  To balance the protein however, I subsequently applied a good helping of Kenra MC and again sat under the dryer for about 20 mins.  Afterward, my hair was easier to comb through and detangle.

As I was preparing to have my hair braided, I didn’t bother with a rollerset.  Instead I applied Lacio Lacio and Kenra Essential Oils and blow dried on a low setting.  My hair felt good and there was no breakage or shedding.  The ends were a little scraggedy so those were promptly trimmed.  Overall a good wash.  No mishaps this time around.

Below I’m introducing my Wash Day Summary.  It’ll let me take a quick glance back at my wash day routines without having to read the entire post.

After the little nape incident, I decided it was time to go back to my roots and do something that my mother did when she had no time (or no desire) to be plaiting my hair on a daily basis – CORNROWS!

I love cornrows, however, I don’t wear them too often because of the time you need to invest.  Damn! Those things take time and trying to plait an entire head of cornrows on your own head is just not good for your sanity.  Besides the actual cornrow plaiting, sectioning/parting the hair is by far one of the most important steps.  Crooked parts and your cornrows look like crap.  Taking that into consideration, imagine parting cornrows on your entire head – not fun!

Last weekend however, I was in desperate need of a low no manipulation hairstyle.  I didn’t want to have to touch my hair at all last week, and what better way to accomplish that than a few cornrows.  Sounds simple enough?  I set off to work with my comb, moisturizer and 2 mirrors (one in front and one behind).  The parting took me forever, but I eventually (some 4 hours later) finished.  Unfortunately I didn’t take pics (I’m kicking myself for not taking them) but this was the first time I attempted cornrowing my entire head (usually I just do the front) but they actually looked decent enough for me to go to the office with them.

I can’t explain to you the ease of my morning ritual sans the hair fussing.  It was such a breeze.  In fact I’m sold on these cornrows.  I don’t think I’ll be doing them myself every time, but I’m willing to pay a couple dollars ever so often to have someone do them if it means that I don’t have to worry about my hair in the morning.  Add to that the no manipulation aspect and cornrows are a definite winner.

Does anyone else incorporate cornrows as a low manipulation hairstyle? Or use then to retain length?

Hair journeys are particularly marked by ups and downs and for the past two weeks I’ve been challenged by the downs.

Let me explain.  After I got back from vacation I noticed that the nape of my head had a patch. The hair in that area was very short – close to non-existent. Strange considering that all the hair around the same area was at its regular length.  Could it be the beginnings of alopecia?  I hoped not.

A few days later I noticed that sections of my hair were coming out by the handful….I couldn’t understand it;  just the week before I had done a wash and rollerset with excellent results.  What could have changed within a week that so drastically impacted my hair?  I was worried. I’m a heavy shedder but that was an abnormal amount to be considered shedding. I felt like my hair was literally ‘dropping out’.

Frantic, I started to analyze what (if anything) had changed in my regimen or my life that could have affected my hair. Unfortunately a lot had changed:

1. Skipped my weekly light protein treatments while on vacation
2. Incorporated two new products to compensate for the products I had left behind
3. I became  ill and was on multiple medications to help me get through the day

One or a combination of those factors seemed to have a negative impact on my hair.  I still don’t know for sure which one or ones but when my hair started coming out I immediately stopped taking the medications  (apparently I rather be sick than bald lol) and halted the use of all new products.   Since then I’ve reintroduced one of the new products without any negative impact so I’m pretty sure that particular product was not the problem.  The other product (which will remain nameless for now)  I will introduce at a later stage.

As I write this post everything seems to have calmed down. As concerned as I was, I was determined not to become anal about it because that might have made the situation worse.  I’ve accepted that this is all part of quest for healthier hair….just another plunge on this rollercoaster of a hair journey.

I signed up for the Hairlista Coconut Oil Challenge.  I haven’t exactly been happy with my hair in the last few weeks so when I saw that this challenge I thought that it was a good way to try to get my hair back on track.  I’m a week behind the official challenge, but that’s ok, I’ll just finish a week after they finish.  The 2 month challenge is basically to use coconut oil to deep conditioner each week.  It gives you the option of a basic level and an advanced level and within those levels you can choose how you want to deep condition (i.e. with heat or by prepooing).  I’m doing the basic level simply because I can’t commit to sealing everyday with coconut oil.  I think it might have my hair too weighed down by mid-week.  I’ll let you know how it goes but so far so good.  If you’re interested, be sure to check out the challenge over at Hairlista!

As a result of this challenge I found a neat way to prepoo with coconut oil.  I’m not sure if other ladies do this but this is what I did:  I cornrowed my hair last weekend because I wanted a low manipulation hairstyle (more details on this approach in a subsequent post), so last night I prepooed the cornrows.  Yes I didn’t bother to open them, just took an applicator bottle full of nuked coconut oil and squeezed it all along the cornrow till the very end.  I repeated this for each individual cornrow until all the cornrows had been covered in coconut oil.  Afterward I applied a plastic cap and a nylon wig cap overtop to keep the plastic cap from sliding off while I slept and finally covered both of those with my silk scarf.  I initially did this whole process out of laziness, but after opening them up today I realised that my laziness was really an act of genius for 2 reasons:

1. I was able to sleep like a mad person without the plastic cap budging (I have never been able to accomplish this while sleeping in a plastic cap) AND
2. I managed to saturate every single piece of hair with coconut oil by using this approach instead of trying to section my hair and apply it that way.

I think this approach worked well and I may actually start cornrowing my hair in 4 large cornrows to pre-poo in the future.  Just thought I would share.  If you have neat ways of prepooing your hair overnight leave a comment and let me know.

Hi Fellow Hairobsessors,
I’m urging to each and everyone who reads this to make a donation to help Haiti recover from the devastating and crippling effects of the massive earthquake they experienced on January 12, 2010.  Your donation doesn’t have to be large, every little bit helps, but you can’t help if you don’t do anything.  Take a moment to donate…please.

As a Caribbean native, it’s especially touching to me because of it’s proximity to “home” but it could easily have happened to anyone of us.  Make a difference! Donate!  Who knows when you’ll be the one needing help from strangers.

Here are some sites where you can make donations.

Thanks for reading.

Steam Claims:Steam accelerates salon permanents, colorings, and other processes. Steam conditions and softens hair as a gentle alternative to conventional heat applications.

• Two heat settings
• 30-min timer
• Collection bottle for excess moisture included
• Roller base w/ adjustable height
• Adjustable hood angle

Ingredients: n/a

Price point: $230 CDN

My 6¢:Hair steamers first caught my attention on one of the hair boards I frequent where a professional stylist was commenting on the benefits of steam for deep conditioning.   She outlined how steam improved the moisture levels of your hair and thus made it less prone to breakage.  At the time I was struggling to incorporate more moisture into my hair and felt that a steamer might be the way to go.  That was over a year ago, and in September I was finally able to cross the steamer off my wish list.

The steamer I purchased is a standing model (Annis D-200A) with 2 heat settings (low and high) and a 30 minute timer.  I decided against the table-top version because 1) it wasn’t available in Canada (or at least I couldn’t source it without exorbitant shipping) and 2) I hate being confined to a table when doing my hair.   For the steamer to work, one of the heat settings needs to be in the on position and the timer needs to be set.  The steamer only uses distilled water, so I purchase a gallon every 2-3 months for this purpose. One complaint is that the flow of steam is not constant.  I’m not sure if this has to do with the water levels in the dispenser bottle, but sometimes I get a good steady blast and other times the steam is flowing but not as heavy.  It’s no Pibbs but it gets the job done.  A nice feature of the steamer is that the hood is constructed so that the condensed water trickles into a run-off bottle which can be detached to be emptied.  I managed to crack the bottle that collects the run-off water (I think I dropped it).  A replacement bottle was going to cost me $14 ($5 for the bottle plus $9 shipping) so instead I used some wire to secure an empty water bottle to where the run-off bottle used to hang.  It looks a tad ghetto but it was free and guess what it’s doing the exact same thing the other bottle did i.e. catching the run off water.

Steaming has replaced my normal deep conditioning method of using a plastic cap under a dryer.  I’m not knocking that method cause I used it for years, but I find that steaming is so much better.  I shampoo as usual, slather on my conditioner and sit under the steamer with my hair uncovered for 30 minutes…if I’m watching a tv show I can sometimes sit under it for an hour.   More often than not I’ll also pre-poo with the steamer…I just rub on my pre-poo (usually a mix of my favourite oils – coconut, avocado, shea) and sit under the steamer for 15-30 minutes.  How does it compare to a regular dryer deep-conditioning?  A dryer only uses dry air whereas a steamer uses steam….steam is basically vapourized water.  Water equals moisture.  When you steam you hair uncovered you directly infuse moisture.

After using  the steamer a few times I could definitely see a difference in my hair.  My hair looked and felt rejuvenated.  My rollersets were better, my hair was soft, had bounce and my curls lasted longer.  I try to steam every time I wash my hair (once weekly).  On the odd occasion I can’t because of time constraints or because I’m out of town but that is more the exception than the norm.  I don’t believe that my hair has been over-conditioned from regular use of the steamer…to counteract any over-moisturization I usually balance with a light to medium protein treatment as needed (usually every 1-2 weeks).

If you’re trying to combat dryness, a steamer will definitely help, however if you think it is the end all to all your hair problems and you don’t need to do anything else but steam once a week, think again.  For one, don’t take the quality of  conditioner for granted because you are steaming.  Use a good quality deep penetrating conditioner to achieve good results.  I switch up my conditioners but usually I use Kenra, ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Pak or Mizani Moisturefuse (not my favourite).  Secondly, you still need to be on top of your hair maintenance regimen- moisturizing, sealing, trimming, moisture/protein balance etc.  I ended up with split ends even while using the steamer because I neglected my ends.  This is testament to the fact that while a steamer is a good tool to have it is not the Saviour of all of your hair woes.

Would I recommend a steamer – ABSOLUTELY if you can afford it.  It believe it adds great value to your deep conditioning routine, but it must be coupled with a sound hair regimen for the best results.  If you can’t afford a steamer, the sauna in a local gym or the DIY Steam Treatment method are good alternatives.

My overall rating: (4/5)

I’m giving this hair steamer a 4-star rating not because of it’s lack of effectiveness, but because of the device itself.  I love it, but I think that the construction of the device could have been better.  For one, the run-off bottle shouldn’t be hard plastic that can crack so easily.  Secondly, I would prefer if the flow of steam was consistent.  Besides that, this has been a great addition to my hair arsenal.