Thats Soooo VAiN

The new faces of fashion runways...

2012-03-07T05:22:00.000-08:00

How Long Does it Take To Grow Out Natural Hair

2012-03-02T04:24:00.001-08:00

By Audrey Sivasothy, author of The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care

“How long will it take me to grow out my hair and reach my hair length goals?”

This question, and the many variations of it, is one of the most frequently asked hair questions I get. Unfortunately, it is also one of the toughest questions to answer. Many factors determine the length of time it takes for a person to grow out their hair and reach certain hair lengths. This article will try to offer some guidance for length planning. As you read, bear in mind that the time estimates listed for growing out the hair in this article are just that-estimates. You’ll see that by the number of “typicallys and generallys” sprinkled throughout the article. There are just so many factors that influence when hair length goals are met including genetics, your anatomical structure, and the level of care and attention you give your hair. Growing out the hair takes years of consistent, diligent care. Though many folks are interested in achieving longer hair lengths, they do not realize the significant time investment that is involved in growing hair. Unrealistic goals and magical creams and potions that promise faster growth results but fall short on the promises make it easy to become discouraged. The only tried and true method for growing out the hair is good old fashioned time. Never fails!

General Considerations

Hair grows approximately ½ inch per month, for a total of six inches in one year. This rate is an average across races. Asian hair grows slightly faster than this average, Caucasian hair grows near the average,and black hair tends to grow at or just below this average each month. Genetics will also influence how close to the average ½ inch you get each month. Ultimately, the estimated time length for growing out the hair and reaching any hair length goal depends on two main factors: each individual person’s hair growth rate and their retention ability. A faster hair grower will always reach their goals sooner than a slower grower if the retention rates are the same. A slower grower will reach their goals consistently over a faster grower who poorly retains their length. Two individuals may grow their hair at the same exact rate while only one reaches her hair goals consistently, this is an instance of an ends retention problem for one of the growers. I often hear ladies say, “My hair is not growing, no matter what I do”-and for chemically relaxed ladies in particular we see that this is not true every 8-10 weeks when they are going in to have their relaxer retouched! Your hair is ALWAYS growing, retention may be the issue.

The Typical Process

Growing out the hair tends to follow a certain path. Generally changes in the look, thickness, and feel of the hair come first. Usually it is within the first 3-4 months of your hair journey that you’ll notice these improvements in thickness, and this tends to happen before you ever see any additional length. The big difference in length usually happens around 6-8 months into the journey provided you have been diligent with your hair care. For me, I started my journey in about June/July of a year, and noticed my hair getting thicker around October of the year. By December and January, I could see the length starting to come as well.
The timetable below is one that is suggested by the literature, but my personal hair growing experience has been different with personal setbacks, style changes, and trims all throughout my journey. Be forewarned, it is a very generalized timetable and not something you should feel compelled to follow to the letter. I certainly have strayed from the mark! Please note that this timetable is so open to interpretation that I almost hesitate to post it here, but some may find it useful!

Timetable

Shoulder length:In general, assuming that you are starting from a fresh, bald shave it should take you about 2 to 2 ½ years to reach shoulder length with great hair care.

Armpit Length: Between shoulder length and brastrap length lies another popular hair length in the hair forum world known as “armpit length” (APL). This is the length along the back that is defined by the imaginary line drawn across the back where the arm meets the back (armpit) and then travels across to the other side. From shoulder length, APL could be anywhere from 6-15 months away- obviously depending on individual trim rates and retention.

Brastrap Length: About 9 months to 18 months from there, you can expect to be reaching brastrap length (BSL). I’ve seen it done in both. This is the length along the back where the bottom strap of your bra rests.* This length is typically 3 years out from a clean shave.

Midback/Waist: From a clean shave, it will take you about 3-4+ years of healthy hair care to reach midback length (between brastrap and waistlength), and possibly another six months to a year to reach waist length considering the length of your torso/back and any trims you may do along the way.

This is the general schedule that I have in mind when I’m thinking about growing out hair. Keep in mind that these measurements are all mathematical and based on ½ inch a month growth and probably “average” height. If your growth rate is slightly slower than average, and you are a taller person-these estimates will be different from someone who is shorter, but has a faster than average ½ a month growth. Trimming, then takes the estimates to an entirely different dimension so there is a lot of wiggle room here. The bottom line is that it does take several years to reach many of the lengths along the back.
Growing out black hair is basically a commitment to care. You almost have look at it as an investment in your hair. Though some of the health returns are immediate (shine, thickness, strength), the length returns may be several years off. If you are aggressively trimming, experimenting with colors/styles, or have setbacks along the way, (raises hand) of course– it will take much longer for you to reach your different goals. If it is taking you longer to meet your goals, do not be too hard on yourself. Consider re-vamping your regimen or changing a few products or techniques. And don’t, don’t, don’t compare your progress to others no matter how tempting it might be. That is a surefire way to throw in the towel and give up! We are all different and our paths to whichever hair goals we have will be just as different. There is no one way there, and I’ve even had to come to grips with the fact that I am not a ½ inch a month timetable follower myself!

A word of encouragement

Finally, there are always exceptions to the rules. Some of us take longer to reach various hair milestones (raises hand), while some of us reach them in record time. In any event, be encouraged ladies! Sometimes change is hard to see. The problem is that we are faced with our hair everyday. You know how when someone has a baby and you don’t see the baby for a few months and then BAM the kid is practically graduating from college the next time you run into them?! Hair is like that too. I’ve run into many ladies that say, “I’ve been at this for a few months now- I’ve changed everything! But I don’t see very much growth. I am about to quit!” The problem with this thinking is that whether you quit or not, time is still going to continue to move right along. You are going to have to pass that time anyway! Six months, 12 months. . . healthy hair care or not! Wouldn’t you rather be six months down the line knowing that you’ve done all you can to address your hair with a little growth rather than be 6 months down the line with hair that is in the same condition it was before you started caring for it? So don’t give up! Be encouraged ladies.
*(Note about BSL: Others have suggested that this length be measured using an imaginary line at the height of the nipples and around across the back. Others suggest that it should be measured at the bottom of the shoulder blades on the back.)

Ladies, how long has it taken you to achieve your hair length goals?

Audrey Sivasothy is a Houston-based freelance writer, health scientist and author of The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care (available on Amazon.com & Barnes&Noble.com).
For more insight from The Science of Black Hair— relaxed, natural or in between, visit us on the web atwww.blackhairscience.com and on facebook & twitter.

Seamless Combs: Worth the Money or a Waste?

2012-03-01T20:43:00.001-08:00

Take your fingernails and gently rake them across your skin. Go ahead....I'll wait. Does it hurt? Probably not...but now do it for about 100 times in a row -- in the same spot -- every day. Think you'll suffer a bit of skin damage? Of course you would. Now try doing this on fine silk...you wouldn't would you?

This is what happens every time we use improper tools on our hair. This is where seamless combs become super important. Take a look at your regular $2 comb. Look at the "forks"....notice a little seam running down the middle? That tiny seam, as innocent as it appears, can actually wreak havoc on your hair over time. Do you suffer from Mid- Shaft Splits although you are doing "everything" right to your hair? Do you have weak hair strands? Blame it on the seam, man. That tiny seam rakes against your super delicate hair strands and can cause tiny holes, tearing, and breakage to the hair cuticle.

Enter the seamless comb. The seamless combs, while pricier, are constructed so as to provide little to no damage when combing and detangling the hair. I've used the seamless comb to detangle my hair while wet and dry and noticed I've had significantly less breakage. Using my regular detangling comb (nothing special..got it from Sally's) I would typically use about 10-20 hairs in a combing session. Detangling with my seamless comb...I lost two. Count them. One...two. =O

Color me excited.

I purchased the Magic Star Jumbo Rake from hotcombs.net. It was a little pricey for a comb (about $18) however, I decided it would be a good investment. No matter how great my VAiN Conditioners are...it won't matter if I am compromising my progress by using the improper tools on my hair and ripping my hair out as fast as I grow it.

Don't just take my word for it. Here is a video by a VLogger detailing her love for the Magic Star Jumbo Rake:

Do you use seamless combs? What are your thoughts?

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

Swimming While Black: Protecting Our Hair

2012-03-01T15:18:00.001-08:00

Swimming is a GREAT exercise some Black women shy away from due to its harmful effects on our hair. Protecting our hair while swimming can be a confusing and daunting task--we have to do more to ensure our thirsty strands stay hydrated. Do it incorrectly and you are left with brittle, straw like hair. However, done correctly--you can enjoy a great cardio workout and soft, hydrated hair! Here are some key tips to protecting your hair from harmful, drying chlorine:

1. Rinse hair throughly with filtered water. Let the water run over your hair until your hair is throughly wet and can no longer absorb any additional water.
2. Coat hair with a moisturizing conditioner. This may be the only time I would ever recommend a silicone conditioner as the silicone will lock out the chlorine. Using a good silicone based conditioner will prevent your hair from absorbing so much chlorine and will mitigate the nasty side effects.
3. Seal hair with a thick butter (such as shea or avocado) and/or oil (I prefer using coconut oil).
4. (Optional) Put on swim cap. Note: Do not wear the swim cap if it pulls tightly on your edges.
5. After swimming, cleanse hair with a good shampoo. It's important to use a shampoo that gets rid of chlorine and mineral build up. If your regular shampoo contains EDTA or Phytic Acid it will provide thorough enough cleansing. Some people recommend Ultra Swim, but research has found no substantial benefit in its ingredients.
6. Co-wash hair to restore moisture.
7. Deep condition hair w/ a moisturizing conditioner that DOES NOT contain silicones. Use steam or heat to get the best results.

The rationale behind these steps is to get your hair to swell as much as possible with good hair and conditioner and seal your cuticles so it can't absorb anymore. Afterwards, its important to wash the chlorine off the surface of the hair and repair the cuticles with a deep condition. Voila...no straw hair.

Key tips: if you are swimming regularly, it is important to minimize the amount of heat you use on your hair. Avoid direct or high heat if at all possible. Heat + chlorine = hair on ground and not on head.

Happy swimming!

Hair Breakage 101: Protein and Moisture

2012-03-01T15:15:00.001-08:00

I started writing an article about the building blocks to a healthy haircare regimen...then decided, why re-create the wheel? Lol. Our friends at The Science of Black Hair do a great job at giving an in-depth analysis on the importance of proper moisture/protein balance for healthy hair. Feel free to ask questions...let's discuss!

Hair Breakage 101: Protein and Moisture
~The Science of Black Hair

Do you find random hairs in your comb, on your shirt, on your sinks and on your bathroom floors? Are you finding hair everywhere but securely upon your head? What is going on? You may have a problem with hair breakage.

For black hair in particular, hair breakage is typically a result of an imbalance of important forces within the hair strand: moisture and protein levels.

Moisture
Hair needs water to maintain its elasticity, or ability to stretch. Since water is the ultimate moisturizer, water-based products are best for really getting the greatest moisture benefit. Moisturizers are simply products that are water-based and nourish your hair deep within the strand. Products with moisturizing properties tend to be your conditioners and other specific moisturizer sprays or creams. Moisturizers may also contain large amounts of protein, but these protein based moisturizers do not have the moisturizing benefit that moisture-based moisturizers have. Check labels to gauge protein content. Good moisturizers will not contain cheap, filler ingredients like petrolatum, mineral oil, or lanolin. Avoid products that claim moisturizing benefits and contain these ingredients. There is nothing moisturizing about them! Petrolatum and mineral oil are sealants that seal out the precious moisture our hair needs.

Sealing in your Moisturizers:
Our hair naturally contains moisture, but because our hair is also naturally porous, keeping the moisture inside is a difficult task. Providing additional sources of outside moisture, or external moisture supplementation, is a must for black hair care. Water molecules and moisture from these supplemental moisturizing products easily pass into the hair shaft, but they pass out just as easily. The moisture you apply needs to held in by something. Oil.Natural oils like jojoba, olive, carrot, or coconut oil seem to work best. A light coating of oil after your daily moisturizer will help seal the moisture inside. Oils are made of large molecules. These molecules are too large to absorbed by the hair strand. Applying oils to the hair and scalp will coat them and trap the moisture that is inside on the inside and the moisture that is outside on the outside. The key is to use the oil to "lock in the moisture." If you use oils without a moisturizer or before one, the oil will seal the moisture out of the hair strand and lead to a coated feel and eventual dryness. This technique of moisturizing and sealing has really been helpful to me and is a resonating hallmark of my regimen. Fighting hair breakage and achieving moisturizing success is all in the order in which you apply your products.

REMEMBER! Oils DO NOT Moisturize
Perhaps a words like "nourish" would be better than moisturize. Oil alone will not and cannot moisturize within the hair shaft. An oil (grease) can only coat the outside of the strand, and give it shine- the illusion of moisture. Oil molecules are hydrophobic which means they repel and do not readily mix with water. Remember, if you apply an oil product to your hair before you have added a moisturizing product, you have created a seal on your hair strand that water and moisture cannot penetrate.

Protein
Protein is what gives the hair its strength and structure. Hair is about 70% keratin protein by nature. There are a wide variety of proteins that serve different functions and roles in hair care. Some enhance elasticity, while others reduce it. These proteins bind to the hair cuticle and help temporarily rebuild any weakened areas. Protein-based products reinforce the hair shaft, and help it remain strong enough to fight breakage.Some proteins are stronger than others, but daily or even weekly use of even the milder protein treatments may result in an imbalance between the protein and moisture levels within the hair strands in some people. This is where product percent composition really plays an important role. For example, every product that contains keratin protein is not going to feel the same way across the board, and every product that contains glycerin or water is not going to feel the same either! The protein in question could make up 30% of the product or 0.3%! Who knows! You have to play around with different products to know how strong they are on your particular hair. Your hair protein tolerance will vary from product to product, not necessarily protein to protein. Protein is found most prevalently in products like instant conditioners [], leave-in conditioners, protein reconstructor conditioner treatments, and even some moisturizers.

Women with relaxed or color treated hair need more protein than others. If you are relaxed or color treated, those processes have compromised the protein structure of your hair. Relaxing and coloring breaks protein
bonds, and depending on the type and strength of the relaxer, and level of bond breakage you incur, you will need more or less protein than someone else. There are also some people whose hair is more protein deficient by nature (genetics, low protein dietary intake), so they require more regular protein than others to keep the balance intact. At the end of the day, you must experiment and get to know your own head of hair.

You Can't Have one Without the other!
The unique relationship that exists between the protein and moisture balances within the hair strand is not simply a case of balancing opposing forces one over the other to prevent hair breakage. These two components work together synergistically to produce a healthy head of hair, and neither can work well without the other. Keeping the hair balanced between these two entities is very important. Protein loss from chemical treatments is almost always followed by a moisture loss of some degree. Hair that is properly proteinated absorbs moisture more efficiently because water molecules bind easily to a sound protein structure within the hair. Achieving the proper balance involves using the right combinations of protein and moisture based products for your hair type.

Consider the following scenarios:
Scenario 1: Kim's hair is breaking like crazy and feels like a brillo pad. It is just plain crunchy and dry! Every time she touches it, pieces seem to just pop right off. Snap, crackle, pop. Combing is impossible without tons of little hairs covering her sink and back. Her hair feels hard and rough even when wet. She's given it protein treatments because the product says it is supposed to stop breakage in its tracks and rebuild the hair. But so far, nothing is working and her problem is getting worse.
Scenario 2: Trina's hair is breaking like crazy as well. Her hair feels dry, looks dull, and is very weak. Her hair is too weak to withstand simple combing. It feels extra stretchy when wet and almost follows the comb as she pulls through to detangle. Her hair is just limp and has no life. She's deep conditioned and done hot oil treatments on her hair once a week. Since her breakage began, she has stepped up the conditioning but her problem has gotten worse.

Same Problem- Different Solutions
Both of these women have issues with hair breakage, but the solutions to their individual problems require two very different approaches. The two scenarios above perfectly illustrate what happens when the balance
between protein and moisture is tipped too far in either direction. This article will teach you to effectively recognize the difference between protein based and moisture based hair problems and help you can organize your hair regimen to effectively combat these issues as they arise.

When the Balance Tips, You Must Wet Assess
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Hair is not exempt from this old adage. Growing out your hair is a constant battle between maintaining even protein and moisture balances. Hair breakage is the result of the hair chemistry being thrown off balance. Remember Kim and Trina from the beginning of the article? Hair that is shifted too far on either side of the balance (too much protein or too much moisture) will break.

The Importance of Wet Assessment
Though hair health assessments can be performed on dry hair, determining your cause of breakage is often easiest on wet hair. Hair in its wet state exudes the basic properties of elasticity and strength excellently. In fact, these qualities are often exaggerated on wet hair. Thorough and frequent wet assessments will help you maintain your hair's health and condition.

Hair in its optimal condition will not break when wet unless undue stress is placed upon it through aggressive combing, detangling, or unusual types of pulling stress. Balanced hair will feel soft and supple, yet strong while wet. When you comb through it, it should resist excess stretching and will hardly break if you are careful. Over time, and with trial and error, you will be able to tell what is normal stress for your hair.
If your hair does indeed break when wet, the way the hair breaks under these conditions will give you a sure indication of whether more moisture or protein is required to regain the proper balance.

How Do I Perform a Proper Wet Assessment?
It would be difficult for you to wet assess your hair by holding a single strand and pulling on both ends. That type of stress would be considered "undue" stress, because no single hair is ever really subjected to that sort of tension at one time. Any strand of hair (healthy or not) that you pull on by both ends has the potential to snap depending on the pressure you apply to it. Hair should be wet assessed by the normal act of combing though it or touch-testing it.

Wet Assessment Hair Breakage Break Down
If your hair:
(When Wet or Dry) Stretches slightly and returns to its original length without breaking, you are balanced! Stick with maintaining!
(When Wet or Dry) Stretches a little more than normal then breaks, you need more protein in your regimen.
(When Wet or Dry)Stretches, stretches, stretches with no significant breakage yet, add a bit more protein to your regimen.
(Wet)- Feels weak, gummy, mushy, or limp, you need to add more protein to your regimen.
(Wet or Dry) Experiences very little to no stretching, and simply snaps or breaks, you need to increase the moisture in your regimen.
(Dry) Feels rough, tough, hard, dry, tangly, brittle, or any combination of those, you need more moisture in your regimen.
Unsure? Err on the side of caution and give your hair more moisture. So now that you have figured out what type of hair breakage you have, what should you do?

When the balance is thrown off by too much protein
Hair that is shifted too far on the protein side will break easier, both wet and dry, because it lacks elasticity. Elasticity is what allows us to style, stretch, and manipulate our hair without breakage. Hair that breaks with very little tension or stretching is a sign of an overabundance of protein, and a deficiency of moisture. Any type of stretching or tension will break it because the protein goes in and adds structure to the hair. Too much structure makes the hair rigid, and decreases its elasticity. The result? Brittle, breakage-prone hair. This was the issue with Kim's hair. She was feeding her hair more protein than she needed to maintain a healthy balance.

If this describes your hair at any time listen up! To correct this imbalance, you will need to go into a simple deep conditioning and moisturizing regimen. Protein induced breakage conditions can take several weeks to correct repair, and this form of breakage requires much more intensive conditioning and treatment than moisture induced breakage does. It is by far one of the most aggressive and common forms of breakage. It is much easier to overload your hair with protein and cause breakage, than to overload your hair with moisture and cause breakage. That is why if you are not sure what is causing your hair breakage, you should always try giving it moisture first. Depending on your level of breakage, this regimen may need to be followed for consecutive washes.

Clarify your hair with a really good stripping shampoo [] to remove any excess product buildup. Then, deep condition your hair or 30-45 minutes once, preferably twice a week with heat with a thick, creamy moisturizing deep conditioner. Apply a water-based moisturizer to your hair, concentrating on the ends daily. I would watch out for excess protein in common products like leave in conditioners, moisturizers, gels, and instant conditioners []. Protein hides in a lot of everyday products, so avoid those for a few weeks until your moisture balance is corrected. This will give your hair a chance to even out the protein/moisture balance. A list of product recommendations can be found at the end of this article.

When the balance is thrown off by too much moisture
Yes! There is such a thing as "over-conditioning" the hair and Trina found that out the hard way. Hair that is shifted too far on the moisture side will be "super-elastic" and stretch more because it lacks a sound protein structure. Many people describe the feel of over-conditioned and over-moisturized hair as "mush-like" or "overly soft," especially when wet. This kind of hair has a weak, limp, spongy feel to it. Protein deficient hair will tend to pull and stretch along with the comb and then break. It will always stretch first then break because of the low structural protein stores, and overabundance of moisture. Does this describe your hair? Listen up!

To solve this problem, you will need some kind of protein to give the hair structure again. Moisture Induced hair breakage is typically corrected in one protein deep conditioning session. The mildest forms can be corrected by simply moisturizing the hair twice a day with a protein-based water based moisturizer [or conditioner]. [] For serious or long standing forms of moisture induced breakage opt for a heavier protein treatment like Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair.

Even if your hair is stretching without breakage you should use a light protein product to correct this. When your hair stretches, the strand "thins" and becomes weaker across the cross section. It may not break right then at that very point in time, but stretched out of and beyond its shape, it is compromised and will eventually break at some other point. Your hair should be springing back to position. If it's stretching and stretching without breaking it may be your hair's way of telling you, "Hey, I need a little structure (protein) here! I'm getting waaaay too elastic, but not yet enough to break-- so do something now!" This is where a preventive maintenance protein application would come in. You don't have to wait for breakage to act. Your hair is telling you now! Start light, and work from there. You may not need a heavy protein treatment just yet.

Should I schedule my protein treatments in advance?
Some individuals like to schedule moderate protein conditioning treatments, however, I do not advise "protein-ing" on a specific schedule. Scheduling is good for when you are just starting out and getting into the groove, but you will soon start to see that your hair often has its own plan for when you need different things. Setting aside a week or two in your regimen for protein conditioning is just not effective at addressing your hair needs as they arise. Hair does not know or understand our "schedules." Its needs and wants change from day to day, week to week. Treatments should only be done as you need them. Sometimes that might be weekly, other times it may be every 2 or 3 weeks! Only your hair can dictate that to you.

Scheduling also prevents you from truly developing an understanding of your hair needs because instead of looking for certain cues and signs, you are looking at the calendar. Protein-ing on a schedule can eventually lead to protein overload if you are not careful! It is so much harder to bounce back from an overload of protein than it is an overload of moisture/conditioning.

I'm Balanced- Now What?
Now, once your hair is balanced and the breakage has minimized, you can try to maintain the balance for as long as you can by interchanging your moisture and protein based products. It does not have to be on a
particular schedule. With time and some patience, you will master this delicate balancing act. Happy hair days!

Is Your Hair Porous?

2012-03-01T15:12:00.002-08:00

Is your hair feeling dry, rigid and rough? You may be suffering from porous hair. Porosity your hair's ability or inability to absorb moisture or any chemical service.

All hair is naturally porous but the degree of porosity will change based on daily wear and tear of the hair as well as the number of chemical treatments you apply to your hair. When your hair is chemically treated (permanent relaxers or color treating) its protein structure becomes compromised and its protective cuticle becomes tattered and torn. Hair in this condition suffers from high porosity.

One way of correcting porosity is to treat your hair with a protein treatment. Its the best, most effective way to "patch" the damaged areas of the cuticle. Only protein can bind to your hair's protein structure and mend the scales of the cuticle. Regular protein conditioners will help correct porosity issues and result in more moisturized hair.

Another way to correct porosity issue is to use a slightly acidic conditioner to lower the pH of your hair. The lowered pH will result in the cuticles on your hair closing and lying flat. The flatter your cuticles lie down, the less moisture your hair will lose.

The Low Down on Silicones

2012-03-01T15:11:00.001-08:00

There is a lot of confusion about silicones. The "cone" vs. "no cone" debate is real in the curly hair community. Some women rave about cones and won't use any products without them....others stay away cones as if they are the new plague. In reality...most of us will live somewhere in the middle and learn to develop a healthy relationship with silicones.

So what are silicones and how do they work?

A silicone is a nonmetallic element occurring extensively in the earth’s crust in silica and silicates, having both an amorphous and a crystalline allotrope, and used doped or in combination with other materials in glass, semiconducting devices, concrete, brick, refractories, pottery, and silicones. In general, silicones work by covering hair with a thin hydrophobic (water-proof) coating. This coating serves several purposes: it helps reduce the porosity of the hair which makes it less likely to absorb humidity; it helps reduce moisture loss from the inside of the hair; and it lubricates the surface of the hair so it feel smoother and combs easier.

What's the good?
Because silicones coat the hair shaft, they make detangling the hair **extremely** easy. Any VAiN girl that has suffered through a detangling session that left half her hair on the ground and her scalp raw knows that this is invaluable. "Silicones are also used in rinse-off conditioners, intensive treatment conditioners and leave-in conditioners, where they reduce combing friction, provide an emollient effect, impart gloss and reduce static charge between hair strands. In styling products, their primary role is to add a softening effect (called plasticization) to the sometimes brittle polymers used to hold the style. Some forms have been found to aid in color retention, to boost foaming of shampoos and to enhance curl retention." Silicones are great at providing slip and softness for detangling. (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/the-real-scoop-on-silicones)

What's the bad?
Sounds good, right? So why the negative press?? Silicones are not water soluable and can only be removed with sulfates. Let's think about this....silicones make your hair *appear* and *feel* great but it does nothing for the overall CONDITIONING of your hair. Its essentially a mirage. Moreover, in order to remove silicones from your hair, you need to use harsh detergents which we have already established can damage your cuticles. Women that follow the strict Curly Girl method of sulfate free shampoo will find this problematic. The CG method calls for sulfate free shampoo or co-washing. Co-washing and using conditioners with silicones do not mix and will lead to product build up on the hair due to the water insolubility of the silicone. This product build up creates a shield (a force field if you will) around the hair cuticle making it impossible for water to penetrate and hydrate the hair; thus, creating a drying effect on the hair that can eventually lead to breakage. It can also weight down our curls. (See Curly Girl, by Lorraine Massey and http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curly-hair/curly-hair-shine-killers-how-to-get-the-glow-back).

We land somewhere in the middle:
Silicones are fine for the hair so long as they are shampooed away within 24-48 hours of use to prevent build up. Personally, I prefer to stay away from silicones as I prefer to co-wash my hair and tend to only wash my hair with sulfate free shampoos once every month or two. I'll use the occasional silicone styling product if I know I can wash it out within 48 hours. Over the past year, I've found staying away from silicones, mineral oils, etc. and hydrating my hair regularly has contributed to significant length and hair that is easier to detangle and style. While I may use certain styling products with silicones occasionally...I will never use conditioners with silicones. Conditioners are the most important product in the arsenal of Black women's toolkit. I choose to not use conditioners with silicones to prevent product buildup and ensure proper hydration of my hair.

Are All Silicones The Same?
Yes...and no. Below is a list of silicones found in hair products. Note that only one silicone is water soluble and thus, permissible to use under the CG method.

There are several main categories for silicones approved for use in hair care products:

Cyclomethicones: These are low molecular weight silicones that are ring-shaped. They have been found to provide very light conditioning effects as well as to speed drying time after a wash. These molecules are volatile and will thus evaporate from the surface of the hair, leaving behind no residue. This volatility may perhaps make delicate, curly hair feel drier, but that is just my own speculation

Dimethicones: These have been the most commonly used silicones in conditioning products until recent years. They spread easily onto the hair, provide gloss and substantivity (lasting conditioning effects), and provide a soft, silky feel to the hair. They also reduce static and fly-away hair. All of these effects are influenced by the molecular weight of the molecule, which is not usually disclosed on the product package. Due to their extremely hydrophobic nature (lack of water solubility), these products may build up on the hair over time if a traditional surfactant-containing shampoo is not used.

Dimethiconols: These silicones are either dimethicones or cyclomethicones combined with very high molecular weight dimethicones that possess a hydroxy-functionality (an alcohol group) at the end of the molecule. These molecules provide significant conditioning effects to the hair and also build the viscosity (thickness) of the product. These are not water soluble.

Phenyl Trimethicones: These are also not water soluble and are used for medium conditioning effects as well as a very high gloss and shine.

**Dimethicone Copolyols or PEG-modified dimethicones: These are the only silicones that are water-dispersible or water soluble. They are made by chemically adding groups to the silicone molecule that are water soluble. This unique structure enables these silicones to not only provide excellent conditioning benefits, but also to act as nonionic surfactants. They can provide foam boosting and facilitate good wetting of the hair in a shampoo. They provide lubrication, reduce tackiness (sticky-feel), can go into clear formulations due to their water solubility, and do not show as much tendency to stick to the hair. Since they don’t have as much substantivity (the ability to stick to a surface), they are primarily used only for light conditioning.

Amodimethicones: These silicone molecules are modified by adding amine-functional groups to the structure. This makes them more polar and highly attracted to the negatively charged surface of the hair. Thus amodimethicones are noted for their high rate of deposition onto the surface of the hair, their extreme substantivity, and for great reductions in combing friction in both wet and dry hair. These silicones are considered to be the most useful for extremely dry or damaged hair due to their strong conditioning effects. These silicones are also not water soluble, so due to their high level of substantivity there may be some build-up if hair is not regularly shampooed. However, a preliminary study of this by Dow Corning showed only slight build-up after 3 uses.
Dimethicone Copolyols or PEG-modified dimethicones are the only silicones that are water soluble.

Confused Yet?
Don't be! Bottom line...silicones can be used in moderation and only when followed by a sulfate shampoo to remove buildup. Silicones are great for a quick, easy silky look to the hair. However, if you are a curly girl that suffers from dry hair I would recommend limiting your use of silicones and shying away from conditioners that include silicones that are not water soluble.

And b/c I know you're wondering....yes...VAiN conditioners are silicone free. More bang for the buck!

Happy growing! Stay VAiN!

Castor Oil--The Brickhouse of Hair Oils:

2012-03-01T15:08:00.001-08:00

"She's a brick-house,

That lady's stacked,
And that's a fact,
Ain't holdin' nothin' back"

If you are like me, you have been searching for the holy grail of thick hair. No one likes anorexic locks...we want a lil "va va va voom," right?!? One great way to thicken up your hair is the use of castor oil. Castor oil is one of the most popular oils in the hair community. It is known to thicken hair, promote hair growth, prevent thinning, nourishes, helps reduce split ends, helps to tame frizz, and prevents scalp infections.

Castor oil is a vegetable-based oil derived from the castor bean and is a colorless thick liquid that is composed of approximately 90 percent fatty acids. The high concentration of Omega 9 fatty acids in castor oil provides rich moisture to your hair and scalp, preventing hair breakage and preventing your scalp from becoming dry and flay. Regular use of castor oil on your roots and ends will also promote hair thickness, growth and re-growth to thin and balding areas (though this doesn't work on areas suffering from alopecia). The ricinoleic acid found in castor oil has a high level of anti-fungal properties and is a great remedy to use on mild to severe cases of dandruff. For daily maintenance or to treat hair loss or scalp conditions, castor oil is a natural remedy that renders effective results.

Beware...castor oil is THICK and is best mixed with other oils such as argan, sweet almond oil, or coconut oil. I have naturally thin hair so I have to be extra careful to use just a little castor oil when applying directly to my hair or scalp....otherwise my hair is completely weighed down. My favorite use of castor oil is in VAiN Deep Moisture hair conditioner. The castor oil helps nourish my hair, assists in preventing split ends and breakage, and of course....gives me "brick house" tresses, lol.

Remember...these results will not be immediate. But with consistent use, you will see results.

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

Respect the Pre-poo!

2012-03-01T15:07:00.001-08:00

Prep-poo (pre-shampoo) is a conditioning treatment done on the hair just prior to shampooing. Conditioners and oils are commonly used as pre-poo treatments on the hair to increase moisture content. Since traditional shampoo is known to be very harsh and stripping to the cuticle of the hair, the pre poo treatment is done before you shampoo to combat the feeling of dryness experienced afterwards. Pre Poo treatments can be made with a blend of oils and conditioner or both.

The benefits:
*Softer, well moisturized hair
*Less breakage
*More whip action!

How Do you pre-poo?
Step One: Detangle hair. I find it is also helpful to mist hair with VAiN Moisture Dew.

Step Two: Coat hair with oil of choice ( almond oil, jojoba oil, amla oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, and/or coconut oil would work. VAiN ladies with thicker hair may prefer to add castor oil to the mix. I use the VAiN Hair Like Silk oil blend). Carefully section hair into small sections and work to apply the oil from root to tip. Apply the oil to both sides of your hair and "smoosh" the oil onto hair for deep application with less manipulation. It helps to have an applicator bottle to ensure there is more oil in your hair than on your clothes :)

Step Three: Put on a plastic cap then cover with a satin bonnet or hot towel.

Step Four: Leave on for a few hours. It helps if you clean house or are otherwise active. Your body heat will help the oils nourish your strands. Alternatively, you can sit under a hooded dryer for 20 minutes.

Step Five: Rinse and shampoo. Remove the towel and plastic cap and rinse with warm water. The length is the part of the hair that truly benefits from the pre-poo so keeping a bit of the oil there while you shampoo is helpful. Last, shampoo and condition your hair as normal.

Your hair should feel soft and strong from the pre-poo treatment. Any greasiness or oiliness is the result of inadequate rinsing.

Anyone tried the pre-poo? What do you "poo" with? *ha*

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

The Benefits of Camelia Oil

2012-03-01T15:05:00.001-08:00

Great blog post about the benefits of camelia oil by blogger, Michelle Dawn at Minimalist Beauty.

Camellia oil, also called tea seed oil, is cold pressed from the fruit seeds of the Camellia Sinensis plant, a wild flower that grows in China and Japan. It is rich in vitamins A, B, and E, monounsaturated fats, plant collagen, and antioxidants. Camellia oil is a non-greasy oil that revitalizes hair, skin, and nails, protects the skin from UV rays, reduces scars and new stretch marks, and gentle enough on sensitive skin. It is similar to grape seed oil in texture yet absorbs quickly into hair, skin, and nails with exceptional penetration properties as it is close to skin’s natural sebum.

The use of camellia oil is an ancient Japanese beauty secret that created the glorious smoothness and sheen of the geisha and samurai hairstyles as well as their beautiful flawless complexions. Camellia oil is a wonderful multipurpose oil that can be used as a face moisturizer, around the delicate eye area, hair treatment, body oil, lip balm, and cleansing makeup remover. Camellia oil also has a light sweet floral fragrance that is very lovely compared to many other carrier oils.

I use camellia oil as a daily hair care oil. Because it is high in olein acids it protects, conditions, and provides extreme shine to hair, similar to silicone based hair serums, without any chemicals or residue feeling. It is best added all over to damp hair and also to dry hair ends. It gives my hair an undeniable softness without weighing down my hair heavily or feeling greasy. When using camellia oil on my skin it provides moisture, nourishment, and smoothness that is light to the touch. It is the perfect natural replacement for skin serums.

After much research I found the best priced camellia oil on New Directions Aromatics. They offer both organic and regular camellia oil although organic is always the better option. There are a few hair products that have camellia oil as their main ingredient, yet they may also have chemicals that should be avoided along with it. So it’s best to read the labels of all the cosmetics that you are considering. -Dawn Michelle

VAiN Says: I started using camelia oil in a new line of moisture products by VAiN. This ingredient has shown to improve moisture retention throughout the day and provide improved elasticity to the hair. It is high on my list of favorite oils.

How do you use camelia oil? Ever tried it?

4 Essential Vitamins for Healthy Hair

2012-03-01T15:03:00.004-08:00

Great article by NaturallyCurly.com about the importance of hair vitamins. Its super important for VAiN ladies to nourish inside and out for long, healthy hair. I always take a daily multi-vitamin for overall health and hair growth. Enjoy!

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

4 Essential Vitamins for Healthy Hair:

Having a head of thick, shiny curly locks is a blessing. However, if you don’t take proper care of your hair and get enough of the right vitamins, your curly hair can go from shiny to drab — fast! Trust me, you don’t want that to happen! Here is a list of vitamins for healthy hair you should take daily to make sure that your curls remain bouncy and beautiful every day.

Vitamin A

One of the most important vitamins for health hair is vitamin A. Out of all of the vitamins on this list, it does the most amount of work.
Although you can take it in by eating foods such as cantaloupe, dark leafy green veggies and meat, you will never get the recommended daily allowance on your own, so it’s better to take it as a pill. Here’s why:
It contains antioxidants that work to condition and moisturize the sebum in the scalp.It will fight the free radicals such as pollution that weight down your hair and make it weaker. As a result, your hair will feel lighter and have better body. It will strengthen and thicken your curls so that they will grow longer faster and break much less often.

Vitamin B Complex

When we say complex, we mean that it contains every sort of vitamin B available on the market, including vitamins B6, B12 and biotin. Although the B class vitamins are great on their own, they are a true powerhouse when grouped together. Here’s what you can expect to see:
*A reduction in hair loss so that there’s more hair on your head and left in your comb.
*Less gray hair as vitamin B slows down the graying process.
*Longer hair due to more rapid hair growth.
*Shine, shine, shine!

Vitamin E

Tomatoes are a good source for Vitamin E. Renowned for its abilities to soften the skin, vitamin E is and essential vitamin for healthy hair since it helps with blood circulation and leads to a healthier scalp. When you have a healthy scalp you’ll, notice that: Your curls will be softer and nourished so that you’ll get less frizz and more curls. You’ll get fewer split ends so that your hair will be healthier looking.Foods that contain vitamin E include nuts, spinach and tomatoes.

Folic Acid

If you’re taking vitamin B complex then you’re getting a dose of folic acid and don’t have to worry about purchasing another vitamin. A few reasons that folic acid is important for curly haired girls is that it works to:
*Prevent grays.
*Make your hair thicker.
*Make your hair shinier.
*Add moisture to your hair so that you’ll have less breakage.
*Another bonus to folic acid is that it can be found in whole grain breads and cereals so you can eat carbs without the guilt.

Hair Steamers for Healthy Hair

2012-03-01T15:01:00.003-08:00

Steamers are bonnet dryers that produce moist heat instead of dry heat. They basically create a humid environment similar to a hot shower or a gym sauna. The warm, moist air from a hair steamer gently lifts the hair’s cuticle layers to help reconstructing and moisturizing conditioners absorb faster than they would on their own. Hair steamers are more beneficial because they use moist heat, as opposed to dryers/heat caps which use dry heat. The moist heat offers an added benefit to your hair by infusing moisture into your strands. Here are some other benefits of using steam:

*Increased scalp circulation, which aids hair growth,
*Helps deep conditioners to penetrate hair faster and better,
*Reduces dryness and breakage,
*Faster hair color treatments, and
*Makes the hair softer and reduces tangling.

Always use the steamer before you shampoo, not after. The point of the steamer is to gently lift the cuticle and make it easier for strengthening ingredients to penetrate into the strand.Wetting your hair beforehand will cause your hair shaft to swell and prevent your hair from getting the full benefit of the conditioner. Apply conditioner to dry hair, sit under steamer WITHOUT a plastic cap, and relax with Real Housewives of Atlanta....errr....I mean....CNN. Next, shampoo with a sulfate free shampoo or co-wash and condition as normal.

A 20-30 minute steam treatment once a week is ideal to quench your thirsty strands. For my relaxed VAiN ladies and women with color, steam treatments are ideal to use prior to a chemical treatment to prevent the "crunchy" feel that typically follows after the chemical process.

For super, extra, thirsty strands...try an overnight pre-poo prior to the steam treatment.

There are several home steamers on the market. Personally I use the Huetiful Steamer and love the portability. I was even able to take it home with me while visiting family over Christmas! (Tripping if you think I'd go 2 weeks without steaming my hair, pfsht).

Do you steam?

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

4 Benefits of Aloe Vera

2012-03-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

(via Black Girl with Long Hair)

Hair issues, such as hair loss or thinning, excessive frizz, dryness, or oiliness, as well as scalp conditions, including dandruff, scaly, or itchy skin plague, millions of Americans each day. Aloe vera shampoos and conditioners have been around for years and serves as an ideal alternative to commercial hair products. For gorgeous, healthy looking hair, try natural aloe vera.

Promoting Hair Growth

Aloe vera can be used as a safe and natural treatment to prevent hair loss. It is great for both men and women to promote new hair growth in places that have experienced hair loss or significant thinning. Aloe vera stimulates the production of new hair and may even lessen the effects of Alopecia.

Nourishing Shampoo

The aloe vera plant is packed with essential vitamins and minerals that aid in restoring hair’s strength and beauty. When combined with coconut milk and oils, such as wheat germ oil or jojoba, aloe vera gel can make a revitalizing shampoo that not only works to prevent hair loss but also promotes new hair growth. Aloe vera gel can be added to favorite shampoos to deliver nourishing benefits. When combined with herbs, essential oils, and plant extracts, the nutritive benefits of aloe vera are multiplied exponentially.

Reducing Dandruff

The natural enzymes found in aloe vera can soothe and moisturize the scalp, helping to eliminate the scaly dryness that causes dandruff. It also helps to increase blood circulation in the scalp, which works to stimulate the production of moisturizing oils. Aloe vera reduces the dry, itchy feeling that accompanies dryness or oiliness. It keeps the hair’s natural oils in balance to prevent excessively oily or dry scalp. Aloe vera also brings a refreshing and cooling sensation to the scalp.

Natural Conditioner

Aloe vera acts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair’s sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness. It naturally combats frizz but does not have the greasy buildup that many hair care products leave behind.

Regardless of the scalp or hair’s condition, whether too oily or too dry, aloe vera can restore the proper balance. It has amazing results for promoting hair growth as well as staving off hair loss. Say goodbye to expensive and often ineffective hair treatments. Try aloe vera, nature’s own remedy for restoring health and beauty to hair.

Ladies, do you use aloe vera in your regimen? How does it work for you?

VAiN says: Aloe vera juice is also great at helping to balance the pH of your hair. Aloe vera juice is one of the primary active ingredients in VAiN Moisture Dew that is used for daily hair hydration and pH balancing.

The Benefits of Coconut Oil

2012-03-01T14:58:00.001-08:00

(via The Science of Black Hair)

Coconut oil has many benefits for black and textured hair types. Over the years, considerable coconut oil research has been conducted to better understand the oil and its benefits in hair care. Recent research points to coconut oil’s benefits as both a sealant and hair protein reconstructor of sorts. These protein reconstructor benefits are especially interesting in black hair care applications. Solid at room temperature, coconut oil has been used for generations by women of color in those tropical paradises around the world where coconuts are indigenous and grow freely. If their hair is any testament to the powers of coconut oil in hair care, then coconut oil had me at hello.

Touted early on as a nutritional power food, coconut oil enthusiasts quickly began to look into some of the other benefits of coconut oil. This article will give a brief summary of current coconut oil research findings and discuss implications for black hair care.

How Coconut Oil Benefits the Hair

Coconut oil is a very unique hair oil. This versatile, low molecular weight oil is able to leverage its traditional oil status to seal the hair, but complements this sealing capacity with a strong affinity for hair proteins not found in other hair oils. Because moisturization and hydration are characteristics of water, coconut oil cannot rightfully be called a moisturizer in and of itself. It does however greatly support the moisturization of the hair fiber in ways that other oils cannot and have fallen short.

Coconut oil benefits black hair in two important ways. First, coconut oil’s hydrophobic oil characteristics allow it to inhibit the penetration of water from the surrounding air and environment. Second, coconut oil is able to bind to the natural protein structure of the hair. This helps the hair retain its natural moisture content and reinforces the hair fiber, making it stronger.

Coconut Oil as a Sealant

Rele and Mohile, scientists at Marico Industries, found that while wet hair is able to absorb trace amounts of coconut oil residue into the hair fiber, coconut oil is only able to act on the surface of dried hair with no penetration into the hair fiber. In its sealant capacity, coconut oil acts as other oils. It simply coats and conditions the outer cuticle layer enhancing shine and increasing the hair fiber’s pliability. It also reduces friction and static electricity between the hair fibers.

The Marico Industries researchers also found that using coconut oil as pre-shampoo treatment is better than using it post-wash. This is partly owing to the fact that coconut oil only seems to penetrate wet hair fibers. The constant swelling and shrinking of the hair fiber in response to typical washing, conditioning, and drying stresses the hair. According to Rele and Mohile, when coconut oil is used on the hair as a pre-treatment, a small portion of coconut oil is absorbed into the hair fiber when the fiber naturally swells. The authors suggest that some coconut oil residue may even be able to penetrate into the hair’s cortex, but were very vague about the feasibility of this claim. The authors suggest that this penetration effect is minimal on undamaged, healthy hair. Damaged, or porous hair, is the best candidate for coconut oil penetration because the cuticle is vulnerable and already relatively open. Coconut oil protects the hair by binding to the hair’s inner proteins which reduces the hair’s ability to swell in response to water. Ruetsch et al. found that coconut oil actually reduces the hair protein’s chemical ability to bind to water molecules which keeps water swelling in the hair fiber down to a minimum.

Black hair, which is more susceptible to damage and high porosity problems, tends to take in more water during the washing process. This causes it to swell considerably more than normal, healthy hair when wet. The hair must then shrink back to normal size during drying, but the cuticle can fray, split, or crack as this happens. Damage may be especially pronounced when the hair cuticle is contracting from a state of intense swelling as in porous hair. Coconut oil helps reduce this water uptake and swelling by binding to the proteins and keeping excess water out. This results in less trauma to the hair fiber as it naturally contracts to dry.

Summary

Coconut oil is an excellent hair oil for black and textured hair types. Research shows that coconut oil performs better as a pre-treatment before the hair is shampooed, but also works excellently as sealant on dry hair. Many black women suffer from hair porosity issues as a result of our styling choices. Coconut oil’s ability to prevent protein loss and reduce hair porosity makes it a valuable oil for those who chemically relax, regularly heat straighten, or permanently color their hair.

Ladies, do you incorporate coconut oil into your hair care routine? How do you use it? How does it compare to other oils you currently use or may have used in the past?

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN ;-)

Audrey Sivasothy is a Houston-based freelance writer, health scientist and author of The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care (available on Amazon.com & Barnes&Noble.com)

My Hair Oil Obsession: Emu Oil Benefits

2012-03-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

(via Naturallycurly.com)

It seems as though each day a new product guaranteed to give you longer, stronger, healthier hair is introduced. Some of them even go so far as to claim that they can stop hair loss and even re-grow hair. Although some products can actually stop hair loss and allow for the re-growth of hair, most of them do little to improve the condition of your hair.

Of all the products that make such claims, however, emu oil benefits the condition of your scalp, which is where hair growth starts. This product may actually be everything it’s hyped up to be.

How Does Hair Actually Grow?

Hair actually starts growing below the epidermis, or top layer of skin, of the scalp. Hair follicles go through three separate phases, and each one may be in a different stage of growth.

The first stage is called the anagen stage. The hair begins to grow from the root and gradually works its way to the end of the follicle. This is actually the only time that hair is considered alive. Next is the catagen stage. During this phase, the hair has fully grown, and the hair follicle itself is actually coming closer to the surface of the skin. The hair is actually getting ready to be shed. Nothing happens to the hair itself during this period. Color does not change (unless it is by artificial means), and the length remains the same. It is, for all intents and purposes, “dead,” although a more precise term would be to say the hair is in a “resting” phase. Hair shedding of the follicle and preparing for new hair growth occurs during the telogen phase. This is the phase in which the existing hair falls out, a new hair follicle grows, and the process starts all over again.

Again, each of these phases is occurring at a different time on different parts of your head and body. Of course, the hair on your head is more noticeable; that is why each day you see hair left behind in the sink, on your brush or comb, as weeks pass after a haircut or as you notice your hair growing long again.

Emu Oil Benefits for Hair Growth:

Clinical studies conducted in the United States and other parts of the world show that emu oil works with the anagen phase of hair growth. This is the only phase in which the hair follicle and the hair are actually considered “living,” and thus can be affected by any type of product.

It is thought that emu oil benefits cell growth and provide skin stimulation around new hair follicles as they start and continue the development process. All of these together help hair to grow faster; in addition, the hair grown is said to be healthier.

How Much To Use:

The amount of emu oil you use will depend on your personal preference as well as your hair’s characteristics. If your hair tends to be naturally oily, you may not want to use as much as someone who has normal or dry hair. Additionally, the thickness of your hair will have a bearing on how much you use. Thick hair may require more in order to penetrate each follicle as well as the scalp, while thinner hair may require less.

The length of your hair is also a factor in how much emu oil benefits you’ll get from the amount you use. Longer hair may require more, especially if it tends to be dry. You’ll want to use as much as is needed to make sure the emu oil is applied all the way down the hair shaft. Shorter hair, on the other hand, may tend to be oilier, and, of course, will be closer to the scalp. You will probably need less if your hair is short.

It may require a little experimentation to get just the right amount. Once you’ve found what is best for your hair, however, you can jot it down so you won’t forget, or you can even put the emu oil in a dispenser that allows you to dispense the amount you need. You may want to consider doing the latter if you buy your oil in large quantities.

Where to Buy Emu Oil:

Emu oil can be purchased through online merchants. You can also find it in health food stores, beauty supply stores, and possibly even in some drug or department stores.

**VAiN says: Emu oil is one of our favorite oils for moisture and hair growth. VAiN Deep Moisturizing Conditioner contains an ideal amount of emu oil for hair that suffers from dryness and breakage from lack of moisture. VAiN clients have noticed a significant difference in the condition of their hair in as little as 1-2 uses when paired with a steam or heat treatment.**

Have you tried Emu Oil?

Chasing Big Hair: Oat Flower...Friend or Foe? A Look at Oat Flour for Thickening Fine Hair

2012-03-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

(via CurlyNikki)

CN asks: I'm seeing this oat flour thickening conditioner recipe all over the interwebs. Does it really work?

Nicole answers: Oat flour usually contains around 20% protein, which is twice the amount of protein in all-purpose flour. Hair is made of keratin protein so many conditioning treatments contain small pieces of keratin and other types of protein to reinforce the hair. Oat protein has a relatively high molecular weight which means its particles are usually too big to penetrate through the hair’s outer cuticle layers to give it strength. Instead, oat proteins form a coating on the outside of the strand to make your hair look and feel thicker.

So, oat protein thickens the hair and oat flour contains 20% protein…we have a winner, right? Well, not exactly. Here’s what happens: You make a special oat flour conditioning mixture, put it on your hair, leave it for some amount of time, and then rinse. No matter how long you left the treatment on (even if you sat under the dryer), the oat flour and all of its protein will rinse down the drain. The scientific measurement for how well something can stick to your hair or skin is called “keratin substantivity”. You can’t get the thickening benefits of oat protein from an oat flour treatment because the protein in oat flour has low keratin substantivity. In contrast, henna for example is highly substantive to keratin. Have you ever had orange nails and fingers for days after your henna treatment? The henna’s naturally high substantivity makes it stick to your skin and hair during the rinse phase and for many washes after that.

To experience the natural thickening power of oat protein, you need help from science to increase its substantivity to be more like henna. Look for products that contain “hydrolyzed oat flour”, “hydrolyzed oat protein” or “avena sativa”. Also seek out products that contain panthenol because it thickens the hair similarly to hydrolyzed oat protein. Check out this slideshow from the Good House Keeping Research Institute to see how popular thickening products performed in tests where individual hair strands were measured using lab equipment.

If you are located in the Los Angeles area and would like more information on ways to thicken your hair, make sure you attend my upcoming educational seminar “All Things Natural.” For more information visit: http://hairliberty.org/

**************************************

CN Says-
Dayum! Figures. Deep in my heart, in my soul, I knew. So now what...

Besides henna, have you had success with any 'thickening' leave-in treatments?

VAiN Says-
My hair is suuuuuppper thin...hereditary. The natural circumference of my strands is just small for no reason. However, I have noted thicker hair when I utilize regular protein treatments (about once a month) and regular henna treatments (defaults to every 2 weeks...but have been known to OD and do these weekly). Another great way to thicken hair? Ya'll won't feel me...but just give me a chance....relaxing on the relaxers. Going natural or stretching the time in between relaxers from 6-8 weeks to 12-18 weeks will give you much thicker hair. *crosses heart*

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

There Are No Shortcuts to Beautiful Hair

2012-03-01T14:50:00.001-08:00

(via Hey Fran Hey)

We’re a world of instant gratification. We want what we want and we want it now. Readers tell me they need to lose 20 lbs in 10 days. They tell me they want 6-pack abs by summer. Or that their hair needs to be no less than 18 inches long for a formal event they have in 3 weeks. But when I suggest drinking more water to help detox and shed some of that unnecessary weight, I hear, “but I don’t like the taste of water”. When I encourage finger detangling because I know it helps minimize breakage and in turn helps retain length, I’m told, “I don’t have the patience for all that!” And when I explain that abs take consistent physical training, I’m met with, “but for how long, fran?” Rarely do people want advice on the actual journey. They want to know how it can happen before Tuesday.

I understand. Protective styling is not always our favorite look as naturals. I’m not the biggest fan of having to sit and twist my entire head of hair for hours, only to have to re-twist again in a few days because the shine is gone and the frizz has taken its place. Who is? I’m not one of those lucky naturals that can wear twists for weeks. Mine will last about a week and a half with a few re-twisting sessions in between! And my hair is thick but not thick enough to have a head full of awesome chunky twists. Mine have a lot of room between them. Scalpy. I look 12. But I put them in and I wear them anyway. Why? Because I know it’s what works to keep my hair healthy. I understand those weeks I have to look 12 are worth those days I can wear my hair out and it’s so well taken care of and huge that people on the train can’t stop staring and ask, “is that all yours?” Yes, it is. And I earned it.

Finger detangling takes a long friggin’ time. I know. Sometimes you just want to grab that denman or that seamless comb (or whatever the blogs suggest) and just tear through those knots and get wash-day over and done with. But when half your hair is hanging on that shower wall and the rest is circling the drain, don’t wonder why. When months have passed and your hair is still the same length and fullness, def don’t wonder why! That extra hour you spend calmly separating those knots with your fingers will turn into those extra inches of hair you’re looking for in the mirror. Cipriana’s hair isn’t that long because she’s lucky. My hair isn’t this big because I’m lucky. We both put in the work. We’ve spent years testing and figuring out the right combination of oils and creams. The right regimen of cleansers, the hours of finger detangling, moisturizing, sealing, twisting and the full out patience. Then we do it all over again when we have to; as long as it takes. We’ve earned it. And some will ask, “but why does everything have to take so long?” and I’ll always say it’s your body, why not?

People like to tell me all the time, “all natural products are great and all but they’re way too expensive”. Yeah, a few of the healthier brands can be expensive but if you want to buy them then make a few sacrifices. If I know I have to spend a certain amount on hair products then I cut down on frivolous spending that month and make it a priority. It’s the same thing when buying groceries. Healthy food can be a little pricey at times, but don’t complain about it if you’re inside of h&m and forever21 once a week. I would love to spend money on cute rings, leggings and sweaters all the time but I spend it on vegetables that need to be juiced for the week, instead. Doesn’t sound as fun, I know. But I guarantee that head of broccoli will do more for your body than that cute fuzzy ombre sweater for $14.99.

Granted, there are the exceptions who have naturally long hair no matter what they do to it. Those who can flat iron or dye their coils once a week and won’t suffer a lick of damage. And some who can eat kit kat bars and popeyes chicken but won’t gain a pound. Yes, that can be confusing. But even luck runs out at some point! I rather understand, with certainty, what will give me results. I love the fact I now know exactly what workouts to do when my stomach isn’t looking too flat. And I know exactly what concoctions to whip up when my twist-outs look a little dull. When I’m low on energy I know the vegetables that will help get me back on track and exactly how much water will bring some glow back to my skin after an annoying menstrual breakout. I never set goals for how much weight I need to lose. I’m not looking for a quick fix through random diets or weight loss pills. I just work harder at knowing myself. I don’t set any goals for how long my hair needs to be. I don’t want the unknown growth oil that will make my hair sprout 5 inches or a conditioner that claims to add fullness. I prefer understanding which ingredients my hair responds to. I rather just know my body. I’m at a point where the way I work, my health, is a priority. Hair length, tight muscles and all of those cute aesthetic goals will happen by default. The wonderful perks of treating yourself with care! Maybe you’re not there yet and that’s ok. But just keep in mind, the next time you’re ready to throw the towel in, that most of your goals are going to take some kind of change, a lot of work, serious patience and a little bit of sacrifice. This goes with everything in your life. We hear it all the time but it’s true; nothing worth having is easy.

Ladies, have you come to terms with the work involved in having a healthy hair and body? Or are you still looking for a shortcut ;)

VAiN Says-
On average, hair grows about 1/2inch to 3/4 inch per month. Any product that tells you that you can grown 7 inches in 3 weeks is flat out lying. Save your money. There is a reason why it is called a "healthy hair journey" in the long hair community....healthy, long hair is a journey and won't be an overnight process. In "The Compound Effect" by Darren Hardy, Hardy states, "“Success is not doing 5,000 things really well. Success is doing a half dozen things really well— 5,000 times.”

Give yourself a break. Find a good regimen and stick to it. Not for a week...or even just a month. Stick to it day in and day out. Be gentle and loving with your hair and it will love you back. Be impatient, rough, and seek a quick fix and you'll only end up with what you have always had....short, dry, brittle hair.

So relax...relate...release....and be kind to yourself and your hair.

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

Think your hair hates protein? You may want to think again.

2012-03-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

Protein is essential at maintaining the structure of your hair. "Hair is a made up of a very complex strand of proteins. These proteins work to maintain the health and structure of healthy hair. Think of the proteins in the hair as the infrastructure of a building that holds the entire building together. Without that infrastructure the building would collapse. When proteins in the hair are broken down over time due to stresses (chemical treating/UV sun damage/daily wear and tear on your system and bio hair) it's essential to rebuild and strengthen the damaged portions of the hair to keep the "structure" from breaking down. Continuous damage without regular maintenance repair results in the hair shaft breaking or snapping and of course, those nasty split ends." - (Crowned & Beautiful). Hair also requires moisture to soften the hair, but moisturizers need something (a structure) to "bind" to in order to soften your hair.

With all this in mind, silk protein offers excellent water binding properties and deep repair conditioning effects as they coat the hair shaft and reinforce the structure of the hair. Silk protein is an ideal protein for women who believe they suffer from protein sensitivity and suffer from dry, damaged, brittle hair. Silk protein softens while it strengthens and actually helps your hair to retain moisture better and longer. It attracts moisture and provides a structure for moisture to "bind" to. For those of you that suffer from dry hair and breakage with other, stronger proteins (such as keratin and wheat protein), silk protein offers you an ideal alternative.

Holistic Protective Styling: 7 Great Tips for Building More Protection Into Your Hair Care Regimen

2012-03-01T14:47:00.001-08:00

(via @BlackHair101)

[W]e discussed the importance of looking at protective styling from a holistic standpoint. (A holistic protective styling regimen is one where protective measures are instituted throughout the entire regimen from cleansing to conditioning and general handling.) Actual hair styli ng is just a bullet point in a holistic protective styling regimen. When all of the pieces of protection (styling and otherwise) are combined and applied, length retention is maximized in the shortest time. Now, as I mentioned before, this is the optimal scenario.

But because protective styling is so multifaceted, success can still be had when following only a majority of the components and leaving a few select others out. The premise is that following other protective elements religiously can buy you leeway for others—within reason and moderation of course. You can’t be protective everywhere in your regimen, but fire up your flat iron every day. (Sorry, lol.) But you could for example, color treat your hair or press it for a style change and still go on to have a gorgeous mane. You have to determine an appropriate balance of the “bad stuff” for your regimen and your situation.

Here are 7 great tips for building more protection into your hair care regimen:

1. Work & Handle Hair Slowly!

Short, quick bursts of combing activity stress hair fibers and can lead to breakage of even strong, healthy fibers. Any elastic material (hair included) can be broken with the right stress and force at the right angle of contact. Give your hair a chance to maneuver into position when you are detangling or simply arranging your hair. If you meet a tangle, carefully dislodge individual strands one at a time. Avoid tightening or breaking through your tangles by understanding where the tangle originates and how the strands are physically intertwined. Then simply “reverse engineer” your tangles and unintentional locs.

2. Have a Love Affair With Conditioner.

Conditioners are perhaps the most important product in any hair care regimen. A good conditioner can make up for a multitude of hair sins— it’s not a permanent fix or panacea, of course, but the right conditioner at the right time can make a huge difference. If nothing else happens in your regimen, your conditioning should be a regular ritual. Aim to condition your hair no less than every 7-10 days. Some more resilient strands may require less conditioning. Whatever your regimen strategy, be sure to get your deep conditioning in like clockwork. [VAiN Says- Conditioning you hair at least twice a week is ideal, 7-10 days is a minimum.]

3. Go Seamless.

Avoid styling tools and hair ornaments with inner seams. These are the lines that are created during the natural manufacturing process of hair tools, especially combs. These lines simply indicate that the tool was mass produced from a mold. You can pick up a seamless comb from places like HairSense.com and Tenderheaded.com Use larger styling tools (wide-toothed combs) when possible and work down to smaller tools if a smoother look is needed. Finally, try to incorporate fingerstyling into your routine whenever possible. The “no seams” rule also follows for fingernails as well; ensure that your nails and hands are not snagging your hair. Keep a fingernail clipper or file in your bathroom or styling location to quickly remedy any problem hang nails that pop up. Remove hand or neck jewelry that interferes with styling.

4. Cleanse Your Hair Protectively.

Cleansing time is a great opportunity to build protection into your regimen. Carefully detangle your hair prior to washing— and wash and work in sections whenever possible. If your hair is too short to realistically accommodate working in sections, simply keep your hair oriented downward so that hair and product flows along the natural orientation of the cuticle. Keeping your hair organized in this manner will reduce the opportunity for tangling and unnecessary breakage.

When you are cleansing your hair, ensure that your water is not too hot or too hard (mineral heavy). Hot water is very damaging to our hair, and if your hair is color-treated, it will also fade your color quickly. Hard water is equally problematic for black hair because it can leave invisible, drying films on the hair. Finally, stick to sulfate free products whenever possible to avoid stripping the hair during the cleansing process.

5. Color Your Hair Protectively.

If coloring is your thing, commit to only coloring your hair no more than 3 shades lighter or darker than your natural color range. For the safest color changes, stick with rinses, semi-permanents and deposit-only colors. These colors will not damage the cuticle or cause structural changes within the cortex. If you prefer more adventurous coloring, have it done professionally and ensure that you maintain a proper protein/moisture balance for your hair. Although maintaining this balance is important for all hair types and conditions, it is absolutely essential for those with relaxed and/or color treated hair. Learning to pick up on signs of too much usage of either component is vital to breakage reduction and control.

6. Use Heat Protectively.

Using heat protectively is simply a combination of using heat sparingly and using it under the proper conditions. Rapid heating is what causes damage to hair fibers. If you can slow the rate of heat transfer to your hair, you will cause less damage to your tresses. We can slow down heat transfer to our hair in two ways: (1) by having an appropriate moisture buffer inside the hair fiber, and (2) by having an adequate layer of a low conductivity lubricant (silicone or oil) outside of the fiber. To achieve the best heat protection—only use heat on hair that has been deep conditioned within the previous 24 hours, and always use a thermal barrier (heat protectant) to regulate heat transfer to your hair. Using indirect heat sources like hooded dryers is another way to control the flow of heat to your tresses.

7. Reduce Chemical Use.

If your hair is chemically treated, stretching out the length of time between your touch up applications will help build more protection into your hair care regimen. While this technique will not undo any damage you incur from these processes, it can still improve the overall condition of your hair when compared to chemically treating on a more rigorous schedule. In The Science of Black Hair book, we discuss how relaxer deferment in particular can reduce overall chemical exposure, instances of overlapping, and the creation of stress points along the fiber. With hair coloring, you simply want to avoid taking multiple spins around the color wheel—especially if the colors you are selecting are several shades outside of your natural color range.

And that’s it! Wherever you can build in protection, you’ll give yourself freedom in other places in your regimen. All the Best!

For more insight from The Science of Black Hair, visit us on the web @BlackHair101.

Dealing with Damage Done to Your Hair....by Water?

2012-03-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

(via @naturallycurly.com)

Many curlies have expressed concern over the best way to handle and prevent damage done to their hair by various contaminants and chemicals in their water.

Hard Water:
It is estimated that at least 65% of Americans have hard water at home. The degree of hardness varies tremendously with geography, but those with extremely hard water know intimately the problems associated with it. Pipes can clog, coffee pots die, clothes get a dingy, gray tinge, and the sinks and tubs develop unattractive residue. It is necessary to use more detergent, more hand soap, more shampoo, and more conditioner and fabric softener to get things clean and soft. Perhaps the most aggravating thing for us curly-haired people (and even our straight-haired friends) is the insidious build up that develops on our hair, rendering it dry and unmanageable.

Hard water contains dissolved minerals, usually carbonates of the metal ions calcium and magnesium. Calcium sulfate and iron deposits are also not unusual. These minerals react with soaps and surfactants, reducing their effectiveness at cleansing, and forming a salt that precipitates onto your hair (and your clothes, your skin, and your bathtub). This means that not only are oils and dirt more likely to accumulate due to your shampoo not working as well as it should, but also a scaly film gradually develops over the surface of the hair. This leads to hair that is dry (due to the inability of moisturizers to penetrate this film) and prone to tangles and breakage (due to the roughened cuticle surface). The best way to remove these alkaline inorganic salts is to use shampoos or rinses containing organic acids with multiple acidic sites (see figures below). These sites form a cage around the metal ion of the salt, and the entire complex can then be rinsed from the hair.

These acids are called “chelating agents,” and some examples are EDTA (ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid) and citric acid. Organic acids containing only one acidic site can also be used for removal of these minerals, but may be less effective and require higher concentrations. Some examples are acetic acid (vinegar), salicylic acid, and glycolic acid. Installation of a water softener or shower filter is the ideal method of avoiding this type of problematic mineral buildup at home. However, when that is not an option, the best approach is occasional use of a shampoo with a relatively short ingredient list containing EDTA or citric acid and a strong surfactant such as sodium lauryl sulfate. SLS helps remove any oily buildup that has occurred as a result of the mineral film, and a simple formula without lots of additives prevents interference with the chelating agent. For those who prefer to avoid shampoos and the surfactants found in them, a mixture of distilled water and vinegar can aid in the removal of the minerals. Follow up either treatment with a deep, moisturizing conditioner.

Chlorine Damage:
Our hair gets exposed to chlorine both in swimming pools and in our shower. The effects of overexposure to chlorine can be excessive dryness, tangling, and breakage, as well as color fading. One way to minimize contact with chlorine in the swimming pool is to wet your hair prior to swimming and to saturate it with a good conditioner. This prevents the chlorine from entering the hair through the cuticle. After swimming, rinse hair immediately, in distilled water if possible. A mildly acidic rinse, in lemon juice, citric acid and water, or vinegar and water can also help remove chlorine from the hair. The acidic rinse also seals the cuticle, helping to maintain shine and minimizing tangling and breakage due to raised cuticle scales. Chlorine strips oil from the scalp and hair, so always follow up with a good conditioning treatment, as well.

If you experience problems with a green tinge to your hair after swimming, it isn’t actually chlorine causing the problem, but copper buildup that occurs when the pH of the pool is too low. It can be removed to some extent via a good chelating agent (EDTA, citric acid), but definitely adjust the pH of the pool as well (or recommend it be checked if it is a public pool).

As with hard water build-up problems, an ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure. Several means of protecting your hair and skin from the ravages of chlorine exposure are:

* Wear a bathing cap in the swimming pool

* Swim in non-chlorinated water where possible

* Install a shower filter that removes chlorine

Since most of us encounter water with less-than-ideal components in it on a fairly regular basis, it is a great idea to have on hand a good clarifying shampoo with some EDTA, citric acid, or other acids and a deep conditioner. Non-shampoo users can try a vinegar rinse with distilled water and vinegar. These can help remove buildup from hard water and/or chlorine and keep hair clean and moisturized. Remember to look for a shampoo containing a chelating agent and without too many extra additives or conditioning ingredients.

VAiN Says-
A shower filter is sooooo extremely important for our textured hair. I didn't understand just how important until I purchased mine. My hair was instantly shinier, smoother, and less tangled. Even when I travel now, I wash my hair with bottled water or distilled water...never in the hotel shower b/c lord knows WHAT is coming out of that shower head...

Shower filters are also fairly inexpensive. Your local Home Depot or Lowe's will carry some for as little as $26.99. I ordered a shower head on Amazon for about the same price.

Here is also another article from VAiN about Swimming While Black: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=306562119380761&set=a.288397947863845.62448.284151034955203&type=3&theater

Do you use shower filters? Have you noticed any difference?

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN! :)

Healthy Hair Tip: Love rocking hats?

2012-03-01T14:40:00.003-08:00

Healthy Hair Tip: Love rocking hats? Hats are a great way to give hair a break from over manipulation. I am known for not combing my hair on the weekends and instead, allowing my curls to pop from beneath my handy dandy newspaper boy hat. However, hats can be drying to our already dry hair. The cotton inside will steal moisture from our hair and leave - not only hat hair - but dry, brittle hair. Add a little VAiN Deep Moisture Repair Conditioner to you hair (about a dime sized amount) and VAiN Hair Like Silk to protect the portion of the hair that will be underneath the cap. Your hair will be moisturized and soft instead of dry and crunchy. If you tuck your ends into your cap, add more conditioner and oil to the ends!

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN! :)

Healthy Hair Tip: Protective Styling-Just Do It

2012-03-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

Protective styling is key to a healthy hair regimen. Over manipulation to our hair and over exposure to harmful environmental elements (sun, heat appliances, cotton, etc) can leave our hair dry, brittle, and damaged--especially our ends. Protective styling limits our hair's exposure to these harmful elements by tucking our hair and ends away in styles such as buns, wigs, bantu knots, box twists, flat twists, etc.

Our hair ends are our oldest and most fragile parts of our hair--protective styling helps keep our ends hidden and moisturized. Protective styles don't make your hair grow; however, they do prevent your hair from breaking since your hair may be breaking as fast as (or faster than) it grows.

A few do's and don'ts of protective styling:
DO moisturize and seal your hair before it is placed into a protective style.

DON'T leave your protective style in so long as to allow your hair to become dirty and dehydrated.

DO keep your hands to yourself and out of your hair. The whole point is to keep it hidden. No playing with your twists, knots, etc.

DON'T use tight hair ties that pull edges tightly.

DON'T sleep in you hair buns...give your edges a rest at night.

DO have fun with your hair. No need to protective style 24/7. Allow yourself to show off your progress from time to time :)

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

Do you protective style? How often?

Winter Hair & Glycerin

2012-03-01T14:36:00.001-08:00

A number of curlies love glycerin in the summer time. They flock to glycerin. Glycerin leaves hair soft and hydrated. It even helps as a moisture protectant when applying heat to hair by helping keep moisture inside the hair strand.

Glycerin is hygroscopic. This means it draws moisture (water) from its surrounding. In more humid areas, this means glycerin will draw water to hair and keep the hair moisturized. However, there is less moisture in the air in colder months, so where does glycerin find its water supply? This is the reason why some people say that glycerin is drying in the winter--which is sort of true..... but not really. Make sense? No. Ok...follow me.

If you expose glycerin to air, it will saturate itself to the point where it does not need any more water. And when you put it in water (which it loves), then it will REALLY saturate itself and will not draw water away from your hair. Therefore, the message is glycerin plus water, is good! Glycerin without the water....crunchy hair.

So can products with glycerin be used in the winter? Absolutely. Just be sure that glycerin products also list water as a primary ingredient. Glycerin is used in VAiN Deep Moisture Repair Conditioner and can be used successfully in both the summer and winter due to the water and aloe content. No crunchy hair over here! two snaps

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN!

Trimming for Longer Hair? Myth.

2012-03-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

Myth: Trimming ends regularly will make your hair grow. This not true! Hair grows from the scalp, not the ends, trims are necessary to manicure your hair but not to make it grow. I know....I know....this goes against everything we are taught. But think about...if you are trimming 1/2 an inch to an inch off every 6-8 weeks....it's no wonder you never get any length. You are cutting off all your progress. Instead try cutting your hair every 4-5 months. If you are maintaining a healthy hair regime that is more than plenty. :)

Henna Gloss: When you don't have the time for a full henna treatment.

2012-03-01T14:29:00.000-08:00

Henna gloss is, at its core, a henna treatment that provides you with the benefits of the henna conditioning, but does not yield the strong, red color most associated with using henna on the hair. Henna gloss is also useful if you don't have 6-8 hours to dedicate to a full henna treatment but still want stronger, less porous hair. If you suffer from frizz, breakage, and weak hair...but don't want the strong red color associated with henna, henna gloss may be the treatment for you. Note...I specifically say a strong red color. Henna gloss will still yield a very light "tinge" of red, especially if done multiple times. However, the red color with a henna gloss will not be nearly as strong as the red color from a full henna treatment.

What you'll need/How to apply: Body Art Quality henna--I love using Jamila henna. You will need about 100g depending on the length of your hair. (My hair is between MBL and WL and I use about 150-200g). You will also need equal parts of apple cider vinegar and distilled water (about 1/2 cup each depending on the amount of henna). Mix in a bowl until it forms a thick paste like batter. I don't like my henna too watery as it makes it messy to apply. Let this sit for about 2-3 hours for color release.

Add about 1/2 cup of VAiN Deep Moisture Repair Conditioner to the mixture and 4 tbsp of wheat germ oil. Optional: 3 tbsp of honey Mix well.

Put on plastic gloves and grab a couple of duck billed bobby pins.

Separate your hair into four sections and apply the mixture liberally to each section (much like you would if you were giving yourself a relaxer). Try not to manipulate the hair too much and apply the gloss by smoothing it from root to tip. Completely coat your hair with the mixture. It should look like a mud masque for your hair.

Once your head is completely covered with the henna gloss, put on 2 plastic caps and then wrap with a head wrap/scarf that you won't mind getting dirty. Your body heat will help the gloss penetrate deep into your cortex and provide ideal conditioning benefits. Let the mixture sit on your head for about 3-4 hours. The less time it sits, the less red you'll see. The more time it sits...well you get the idea.

Rinse off in the shower. This. Will. Be. Messy. But don't worry...it will clean up. Follow up with VAiN Deep Moisture Repair Conditioner for 15m under the dryer and voila....defrizzed, thicker, less porous, moisturized hair.

This treatment is safe for ladies with natural hair as well as relaxed hair. Everyone feel free to enjoy!

Click here for my full henna treatment process: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=306229776080662&set=a.288397947863845.62448.284151034955203&type=1&theater

Questions? Do you think you'll try the henna gloss?

Happy hair growing! Stay VAiN! :)