THE NATURAL HAVEN

Hair meet up: Catch me there

2012-05-22T18:51:00.000+01:00

So I am 'going' to my first hair meet up ....... ever! Well, I am technically cheating and skyping in to the meet because it is in (the very much missed) UK and I am not. It is the Midlands (Birmingham) Natural Hair Meet up and it is taking place this Saturday 26th of May.

I will be doing a skype Q&A for those attending answering any science/hair related questions.

My thanks of course to Lorien who is organising the meet up and who has invited me twice now. Hope to 'see' some of you there if you can!

For details on the meet up, tickets and charges, see the facebook page here - http://www.facebook.com/events/160615000661212

Detangling Dry Natural Hair : Why it works

2012-05-15T10:04:00.001+01:00

The question today is should you try detangling dry hair? Normally people relate dry detangling with broken hair especially if you use a comb or brush and the teeth get stuck at points. This point is the reason why I think that hair that is not straight or wavy generally does not respond well to being combed when dry with a comb or brush.

However, finger detangling where you can feel tangles and not rip through the hair is a different matter. For some natural hair, dry finger detangling or mildly damp hair (water misted or light conditioner applied) works better.

The Experiment : How natural behaves when wet

I made a swatch using 25 strands of my shed hair. Each strand was selected because it had a visible follicle and therefore could be correctly aligned. Hair strands that were cut to a fixed length of 10 inches.

Simulation of Wet Detangling: If your hair has a high level of shrinkage, very wet hair will only cause it to coil up defeating the purpose of detangling. The coiling means that each strand is able to interact with other strands and therefore intertwine and possibly knot (a reason why you should also consider not washing this type of hair free)

In this image the hair swatch has been soaked in water for 1 minute, wiped dry and then photographed

In this image the hair swatch is braided first, soaked in water for 1 minute, wiped dry, unbraided and photographed

Simulation of Dry Detangling: On dry or semi dry hair, the situation is different. The strands are forced to align making it easy to find tangles and when left loose tend to stay relatively apart from other (i.e stay detangled)


In this image the hair swatch is dry and is stretched out


In this image the hair swatch is dry and loose (i.e the force holding the stretch is removed)

Note: Dry detangling is not suitable for everyone. If your hair naturally forms spirals or corkscrews, can clump up when conditioner is applied to it or has a loose wave or curl, dry detangling is not ideal for your hair. The clumping of the curls protects your hair from breakage as the strands are strengthened by being in a cohesive group. Additionally your hair is probably best styled by encouraging this clumping. Therefore conditioner combing on wet hair is most suited for that type of natural hair.

The Natural Haven in Netherlands

2012-05-14T09:34:00.003+01:00

Well hello from the Netherlands! Remember how I said it would be two weeks, well it was not! It was a serious nightmare getting all my stuff from UK with the shippers (see the side note).

On the plus side, I am back and ready to blog. I have 67 comments on the blog that I have not moderated yet (I love reading your comments so yay.....lol).

New blogs will resume tomorrow and we can get all serious and scientific :)

My Random Tidbits on The Netherlands

Fun fact: Did you know that it is actually The Netherlands and not Netherlands? I keep saying Netherlands though for some reason.

Natural Hair: The hair scene in Netherlands (Eindhoven) so far is not much natural hair at all. I see a lot of braids and weaves on Black women.

English: There is a myth that people in Netherlands speak English quite well. It is a myth. The truth is that the level of fluency really fluctuates and when it really matters (i.e you have to fill out an official form or get a work contract) it will always be in Dutch. I have the advantage that my husband is fluent in German and English and technically Dutch is a mix of the two so although he cannot speak it, he can actually read it extremely well. If you want to live in Netherlands, learn Dutch - you really need it for your tax refund at the end of the year (and with the level of taxation here, you want your refund!).

Weather: Many Dutch people think that their weather is quite miserable. I guess it is a matter of perspective because if you are from UK, this weather is fantastic, warm and actually quite dry (trust me when we say it sometimes rains all day in UK, we actually mean ALL day for 24 hours with no pause).

Green Points: Bikes, bikes everywhere.....it is very nice to see. Also, the type of bikes here are called Holland bikes and people ride with their backs quite upright. I cannot ride a bike (no natural balance, do not want to fall off in practice) so I am seriously getting myself a trike (yep like a kiddy trike but for an adult - driewieler fiets volwassenen:))

Money Matters: Netherlands is overtaxed and overpriced. You can save yourself quite a bit of money by going to amazon.de. Ordering from Germany (including delivery) is usually significantly cheaper than ordering locally especially for anything that costs 200 euros or more.

Side note: In case you are wondering, I used Anglo Pacific to ship. I read many negative reviews online but ultimately chose them because they offered substantially better pricing. If you have to start work in your new country or if you are relying on your shipment to start work, I would tell you, please never use Anglo Pacific. The UK part of the service is excellent (you get a good quote, you get free heavy duty boxes, they will load your goods for you) but that is where the service ends. Never ever request anything retrospectively, it will not be done and whatever arrival date you get, plan for at least 3 more. Plan to call the company internationally several times and never expect a phone call to be returned. Additionally, plan for bruises because although the delivery to your door is supposed to be on a palette (i.e all boxes wrapped together), some vehicles used cannot offload the palette which means you have to physically off load the boxes yourself.

On the move!

2012-04-18T12:41:00.000+01:00

Het is goed he. Two virtual mangos if you can tell me which country I am moving to! Yes, I am currently on the move and will no longer be in brilliant Blighty (sob sob). I am going to abandon you for a couple of weeks. There is still lots and lots of juicy stuff in the archives though and in preparation for the upcoming posts that you requested, I really recommend reading

1. How shampoo works (related to sulfate free shampoos)
2. Curls and Kinks (related to midshaft splifts)
3. Is deep conditioning a myth (related to part 2 of the same series!)

If all that is familiar to you then you have to try The Academy or Natural Bloom!

Hair Science - Your Vote

2012-04-12T17:19:00.001+01:00

I decided to get a little more efficient and prepare in advance. I would like to ask what would you like to see next on the blog.

I am currently working on
-sulfate free shampoos (are they really gentler)
-the science as to why dry detangling work for some hair
-why do midshaft splits form, how can they be reduced
-is deep conditioning a myth (part 2 ...dum dum dum)

What else would you like to see in the coming months?

How to dry finger detangle hair

2012-04-05T16:44:00.000+01:00

This video is the best one that I have seen demonstrating dry finger detangling on type 4 hair. Yes it takes forever and a day (literally) but the advantage is that if your hair is fine and kinky, you can with patience preserve more of your hair by reducing breakage.

She does go on to detangle again with conditioner. This is something I do not do because I find the dry detangle to be sufficient. Anyway, the point of this post is to say, here is a video on how to dry detangle hair.

Scalp matters: Treating dandruff and scalp eczema

2012-04-05T14:28:00.001+01:00

Now that we know the difference between dandruff and scalp eczema as well as their cause, the next step is treatment or management. First though, if you believe that your dandruff is severe or if you think that you might actually have scalp eczema/seborrheic dermatitis, it is really important to have this diagnosed by a doctor. The reason is that in severe cases, the simplest treatments may not work effectively enough on their own and what you may require is a management plan.

Here are the methods used to treat dandruff and scalp eczema:

1. Avoid Natural Oils

If you have dandruff or scalp eczema, it is very important to know that many natural oils actually contain the oil that feeds the fungus Malassezia that causes the condition. This oil, oleic acid is present in the popular four natural oils - coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil and castor oil. It would be worth your while avoiding using these oils so as to not exacerbate the condition.

2. Over the counter Anti-Dandruff Shampoos

These are the standard first treatment for dandruff. They are very effective and routinely stop flaking and itching rapidly. The shampoo contains antifungal agents such as pyrithione zinc and ketoconazole which work on reducing fungus on the skin. Many dandruff shampoos require that you wash your hair between 3-5 times per week to help get the antifungal activity to the right level. After flaking and itching has stopped, it is indeed possible to go back to whatever your normal wash routine was using the antidandruff shampoo either as your regular shampoo or just alternating it with your regular shampoo. If this is not effective, a prescription strength shampoo may help.

3. Management of Scalp Eczema

For some people with scalp eczema, simple over the counter anti-dandruff shampoos may work but for others they will not. The best thing to do is to work out a management plan with your doctor. You will be able to try out and see which method of treatment works best for you. The options include prescription strength shampoos and anti itch creams for the vast majority of cases. In more specialised cases where there is no improvement, oral antifungal treatments and even steroid treatments can be considered. This is why it is important to get scalp eczema diagnosed.

4. Natural Treatments

The general problem with natural solutions is that they have not been studied in great detail. It would be nice to have a set formula and method of application but unfortunately the science is really lacking here. I am however including this section here for the experimentalists out there who are determined to get an alternative/natural medicine solution. Pure neem oil is thought to have antifungal properties (Current Science, pp1336-1345, 2002) and tea tree oil has been shown to reduce flaking but not itching in dandruff. A raw honey/water solution was shown in one experiment to help stop dandruff within 1-2 weeks (the solution left on the hair for 3 hours) (Eur J Med Res 2001, pg 306-308,2001).

Telling Porkies: Shea Moisture and Parabens

2012-04-04T14:01:00.000+01:00

One of my facebook readers brought my attention to a response by Shea Moisture to my recent post in reference to Japanese Honeysuckle Extract which was posed by a user of their products.

I do absolutely regard it as slander that someone in Shea Moisture wrote,

'Regarding this article, it contains amisinformation (sic), and doesn't reference any study or information that backs up its claims.'

This IS a science blog, I am a scientist, I write factual and evidence based posts. Do not misrepresent or misinterpret my work as a company and think that I will not say something about it. Present facts to me and oppose my words on what I have actually written

Side note - I would still try a Shea Moisture conditioner and it may work better with an apology lol

(I am not allowing comments on this post as it is like beating a dead horse,its only purpose is to say do not write something online and think that it will not be read. If you have not already, feel free to read and judge the original article for yourself)

Scalp matters: Understanding dandruff and scalp eczema

2012-04-02T22:55:00.004+01:00

This is a post that I wrote for BGLH but it is quite relevant for those of you suffering from scalp issues so here goes!

Quite often people mix up dandruff and scalp eczema. The truth is both of these conditions are very similar and they both actually share the same cause but knowing the difference between the two can greatly help to get the correct treatment and management.

What is dandruff?

Dandruff is characterised by loose skin flakes which are normally white in colour. There is also usually some itching but this is usually not very severe.

What is eczema?

Scalp eczema,like dandruff is also characterised by flaking and itching. The big difference is that scalp eczema often results in greasy, yellowish flakes and the itching can be quite severe and accompanied with inflammation (meaning skin feels hot and is swollen). Additionally if you have eczema elsewhere (under the nose, on the hands/legs etc) the likelihood is that what you may perceive as dandruff on your head may actually be eczema.

What causes dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis?

Dandruff and eczema have a similar cause and three main things create the right environment:

1. Fungus: Our skin and infact our bodies are covered in bacteria and fungi both inside and out. This is perfectly normal and should not be any cause for alarm. The reason why the scalp begins to flake is that a normal fungus that is found on the skin is produced in higher amounts than normal. This fungus is known as Malassezia and it affects the scalp because its food source is a specific fat found in sebum.

2. Sebum: The fungus Malassezia uniquely prefers one specific fat in sebum known as oleic acid. By specifically choosing to consume this fat above all others in sebum, the composition of sebum is altered . This alteration is then thought to lead to the cells on the scalp losing their adhesiveness and flaking off.

3. Individual susceptibility. The fact is that some people have dandruff and some do not. Some people have eczema and others do not. For some people high levels of the fungus -Malassezia or indeed of its food source - oleic acid, does not result in dandruff. However, for others, even slight changes in the balance leads to problems.

Myths

Dandruff and scalp eczema are not linked to washing hair frequently or infrequently. Having dandruff or scalp eczema does not mean that your personal hygiene is low.

References

1. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc pp 15–19, (2007)

2. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 10:194–7 (2005)

3. Science 304:304–7 (2004)

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose: Have The Ingredients Changed?

2012-03-28T10:45:00.000+01:00

Do you recall the old saga of the AOHSR labelling? Well, reader Celine certainly does and just sent me an email saying,

'Just wanted to give you a little heads up regarding AOHSR. I remember your previous post on the labelling of ingredients and that water should come first. I just bought a new bottle and I now see that water comes first when it was not there before. I guess they changed the ingredients'

If you need a refresher - I previously said water should always be the first ingredient in any water based conditioner (often 50-80% of the volume) - (here and here) and that you should be mightily suspicious if your conditioner did not list water. Some readers said to me back then that Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner had no water listed but was your favourite conditioner. I maintained that water should always be the first ingredient in a conditioner and asked Aubrey Organics about this and they responded to say that they would eventually be changing their labels to straightforward labelling and water would appear first (here).

Following Celine's email, I went over to the main website and looked at the new label. I believe that what they used to label as coconut fatty acid cream base has now been expanded (see the ingredients highlighted in blue). The rest of the ingredients are identical to the previous label. I do not think the formula or ingredients have changed (it does not say that they have on the website),I just think the label now reflects the full ingredients. I always thought the use of coconut fatty acid cream base was misleading so well done to Aubrey Organics to correcting the label to industry standards.

Old Label

Coconut Fatty Acid Cream Base, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice, Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii) (Organic), Triticum Vulgare (Wheat Germ) Oil, Jojoba Oil (Organic), Rosa Mosqueta (Organic), Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Seed Oil, Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) Extract, Hops, Balm Mint (Melissa Officinalis) Extract, Mistletoe (Viscum Album), Chamomila Recuita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Yarrow, Chrysanthemum, Angelica, Forsythia, Honeysuckle Oil, Carrot (Daucus Carota) Oil, Aubrey's Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamin A, C, E)

New Label

Aqua, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glycerin, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat Germ) Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil)*, Rosa Moschata Oil* (Rosa Mosqueta, Rose Hip Oil), Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel), Humulus Lupulus Extract, (Hops), Melissa Officinalis (Balm Mint) Extract, Viscum Album (Mistletoe), Anthemis Nobilis Extract (Roman Camomile), Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Extract, Angelica Acutiloba (Japanese Angelica) Extract, Forsythia Suspensa Fruit Extract, Magnolia Biondii (Magnolia)Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Oil , Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Daucus Carota Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit Oil), Retinyl Acetate (Vitamin A), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C).

Japanese Honeysuckle Extract: parabens in 'paraben free' shampoo and conditioners?

2012-03-25T18:12:00.003+01:00

This question comes courtesy of facebook reader Ayo, she says:

' I just found out that Japanese honeysuckle that Shea Moisture uses in their products as a preservative is actually a paraben. Yet the label stresses No parabens and extra all-natural jargon. No bueno for me!'

Ok so I did some digging up, thanks to some of the links that Ayo gave me and here is my final conclusion.

1. Is Japanese Honeysuckle Extract a paraben?

From a consumer standpoint, I would say that if you want to avoid parabens, you need to avoid Japanese Honeysuckle Extract. It most certainly looks like and behaves like a paraben. To make this clear, I would like to show you the structural similarities between a lab created paraben and parahydroxybenzoic acid found in Japanese Honeysuckle Extract.

WHAT IS A PARABEN?
Japanese Honeysuckle Extract (Natural)	Methyl Paraben (Synthetic)	Basic Chemistry
Full name: Parahydroxybenzoic acid	Full name: Methyl Parahydroxybenzoate	Full name: Parahydroxybenzoate (where R can be any group)

Now, technically the word paraben refers only to the lab created version, therefore manufacturers are technically not deceptive to say that Japanese Honeysuckle Extract is not a paraben. A similar comparison would be perhaps where someone adds raw honey to a drink and labels it as no artificial sugar added. In reality, honey contains sugar but it is technically not artificial in origin.

2. Does Japanese Honeysuckle Extract behave like a paraben in the human body?

Yes, studies on parahydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA - the active ingredient in Japanese Honeysuckle) do show that it behaves in pretty much the same way as a paraben does i.e it can be taken up easily through skin and it can bind to cells sensitive to hormones. Methylparaben is regarded as more potent than PHBA but both are regarded as hormone disruptors ( J Appl Toxicol, pp 301-9, 2005).

3. Should companies that state products are paraben free include Japanese Honeysuckle Extract in their products?

No, they should not but they are not breaking any law by doing so. Until scientists define PHBA as a paraben, a manufacturer can add it in to any product and say it is paraben free.

4. What are your thoughts on parabens and cancer?

I personally do not avoid parabens. The truth is that parabens are very weak hormone disruptors and PHBA occurs naturally in plenty of food that we regard as healthy (olive oil, carrots, strawberries, blue berries etc). Women who are the main users of cosmetics, are exposed to much more potent hormone disruptors in the form of contraceptives, upto 100,000 times more likely to bind to tissue than parabens. Parabens are actually not known and never have been proven to cause cancer, this is a myth that even the author of the paper which was used to present this opinion disputed.

I do however think that consumers who choose to avoid parabens for whatever reason do have the right to know what is in their products and that companies should not use a pretty name like Japanese Honeysuckle Extract to disguise what is in effect a near identical ingredient to a paraben.

5. Is there a real paraben free line?

I do think that consumers should really educate themselves more. The truth is that scientifically parabens and formaldehyde releasers are the two known effective preservatives. I know that people often talk about grapefruit extract and vitamin e oil but as of right now, there is no compelling evidence of their efficacy (grapefruit extract efficacy actually disputed due to contamination with parabens).

For a product to be able to sit on a shelf for several months, it needs an effective preservative. Paraben free lines tend to use things like alcohols, urea and formaldehyde releasers or as we now know PHBA.

The Natural Haven : On Sulfates in Shampoo

2012-03-19T17:09:00.000Z

I am putting forward a few summary science related posts on key topics that are frequently asked about especially by readers new to the blog. I am kicking off with sulfates (or sulphates if you write the Queen's English) in shampoos:

Q. Do sulfate shampoos break hair?
A: Yes but then again so does water, combing, sunlight......pretty much everything except living in a dark room and never touching your hair. (Read more: See how much hair breaks when shaken in water or different sulfate shampoos)

Q: Are all sulfate shampoos harsh?
A: No, some sulfate shampoos can be very harsh, especially those that contain surfactants such as SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) and ALS (Ammonium lauryl sulfate). Shampoos labelled as clarifying are often quite harsh to skin. Some sulfate shampoos contain surfactants that are considered quite gentle for example SLES (sodium lauryl ether sulfate) which is a modified version of SLS.

Q: What is a surfactant?
A: You must have missed the masterclass from several years back - catch up here!

Q: Why are sulfate shampoos harsh?
A: It is not just sulfate shampoos that are harsh, non sulfate ones can equally be harsh. Shampoos feel harsh because they strip hair and skin (i.e scalp) of oil and this causes the skin to retain less water, feel dry and itchy. The better a shampoo is at cleaning oil, the harsher it will feel. (Read more: Why are shampoos harsh)

Q: Do sulfate shampoos have a high pH?
A: In general no, most commercial sulfate shampoos are in the pH range 5-7 (Read more: Comprehensive list of pH values of shampoo)

Q: Should I therefore be concerned if my shampoo feels like it is stripping my hair?
A: Yes you should be unless it is your intent to rid your hair of build up or excessive product in which case a good clarifiying product is necessary. Ordinary use shampoos contain other ingredients to help make them less irritating to skin and you should aim to use a shampoo that is gentle to your hair and skin.

Q: Do sulfates in shampoos cause cancer?
A: No, there is currently no evidence to show that they do. The most effective surfactant SLS is often wrongly associated with cancer but there is nothing in its production process that would result in a known carcinogen. However, its gentle version SLES is produced through a process known as ethoxylation which gives off a by product that is marked as a possible carcinogen - 1,4 dioxane. SLES is still considered safe as the dioxane produced readily evaporates into air. (Read more - myth sls causes cancer)

Q: Do you think sulfates should be avoided?
A: I think that people need to make their own decisions and learn to read ingredient labels. In my personal case, I know that from testing, my scalp and skin prefers SLES as a surfactant for normal washing and really dislikes a different sulfate surfactant - ALS. I have tried two sulfate free shampoos and I found them expensive and wasteful because I required a lot of the product to get my scalp clean. Other people like sulfate free shampoos, some people totally avoid shampoo, some people avoid SLES, ALES etc because of cancer concerns.........make your own decision to suit what your scalp and mind prefer.

Natural Hair Mistakes

2012-03-15T18:09:00.000Z

This question comes from Mali who wrote to ask, 'I am into my 3rd year of being natural and I feel like I have not fully understood my hair. I keep making mistakes which end up making me cut my progress off. The last one was keeping twists in for too long and they ended up matting my hair in sections. How can I mistake-proof my natural hair?'

A: I do not know if you can really mistake proof your hair. I know that even after understanding my hair (finally after years!!), I still made mistakes. The thing is I knew before I made the mistake that it was a mistake but I did it anyway. My most memorable ones are:

1. Using a blowdryer to dry my hair
- What I know for sure : I know that my hair and heat do not and will never agree.
- What I did regardless of what I knew: I was in a hurry to dry my hair after a swim session because we were going for a formal dinner afterwards and I did not want wet hair. I chose to use a low heat setting and a heat protectant too. I thought that since I am not straightening my hair, just drying it, it would not lead to the same consequences as when I used heat to straighten it.
-The consequences: One single low heat blow dry session did lead to super dry ends and serious split ends as it always did. I cut about 4 inches over the course of a year because the ends were very damaged.

2. The tangle teezer aka the shredder

-What I know for sure : My hair is happy with finger combing (and unlike most people is happy with finger combing on dry hair!). My hair and combs/brushes disagree.
-What I did regardless of what I knew: I used the evil shredder aka tangle teezer (Oh why?!!) (No offence intended to those who like and use this brush but I hate it with a passion)
-The consequences: One single combing session and I end up with atleast 8 inches of mid shaft splits, holes and multiple split ends. I think it will take another year or so to get my hair free of the mess that the tangle teezer created (it has already been a year, and I spent it basically trimming 1 inch off every 2 months to gradually get rid of the worst damage) .

The lesson: Fool me once and it is a mistake, fool me twice and it is my fault
I have learned that mistakes are part of the natural hair journey. They help you learn and gain experience for the future, remember your hair is going to be with you for the rest of your life, cutting off a few months or even a few years progress is certainly good incentive to NEVER repeat that error.

The one positive with my mistakes is that I only make them once. I do not question my own judgement (i.e could I have used a better technique, surely other people heat style, why not me or surely other people comb, why not me). I have learned to accept that my hair will always show me when it is not happy........and the tangle teezer is evil (except on long haired cats).

What are your mistakes or have you managed to be completely mistake free (share your secrets!)

pH of Leave In Conditioners and Styling Aids

2012-03-12T11:33:00.002Z

Following on from the pH of shampoos and pH of conditioners, here are those of leave in conditioners and styling aids/finishing products

pH of Leave in Conditioners and Styling Aids
PRODUCT	pH
Brand: Herbal Essences
Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream ^T	(4.0)
Touchably Smooth Leave In/ Antifrizz Cream ^M	3.8-5.0
Long Term Relationship Split End Protector Leave In ^M	5.5-6.5
None of Your Frizzness Smoothing Leave In Cream ^M	4.0-5.0
Totally Twisted / Tousle Me Softly Mousse ^M	5.3-6.3
Totally Twisted Curls Scrunching Gel ^M	7.5-8.5
Set Me Up Heat Protection Spray ^M	4.0-5.0
Brand: Pantene
Pro-V Restoratives Detangling Leave-In Cream ^M	4.5-6.5
Pro-V Curly Hair Style Mousse Curl Defining ^M	5.3-6.3
Pro-V Smoothing Frizz Defense Cream ^M	3.8-5.0
Pro-V Curl Defining Gel ^M	5.5-6.5
Pro-V Curly Hair Style Gel ^M	5.9-6.9
Brand: Aussie
Hair Insurance Leave-in Conditioner Spray ^M	5.0-6.5
Sydney Smooth Heat Protector + Leave-in Conditioner Spray ^M	5.0-6.5
Sydney Smooth Tizz No Frizz Gel ^M	5.2-6.2
Brand: Tresemme
Naturals Finishing Spray ^M	5.0-5.7
Naturals Mousse Lightweight Mousse ^M	4.8-6.5
Curl Defining Mousse ^M	5.5-6.2
Leave In Conditioner Detangle Treatment ^M	3.5-4-0
Brand: Aphogee
Green Tea Leave In Conditioner ^M	2.5-3
Pro Vitamin Leave In Conditioner ^M	5-7
Brand: VO5
Leave In Conditioner Deep Nourishing ^M	5.0-5.5
Advanced Leave In Moisturising Creme ^M	5.0-5.5
Detangle and Shine Leave In ^M	3.4-4.0
Brand: Sally
Ion Swimmers Leave In ^M	4.5-5.5
Silk Elements Leave In ^M	4.0-5.0
Brand:Shea Moisture
Shea Butter Leave In Conditioner ^T	(5)
Curling Souffle ^T	(5)
Brand: Devacurl
DevaCurl AnGEL ^M	5.7
DevaCurl Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam ^M	6.8
DevaCurl Mist-er Right ^M	5.6
DevaCurl Set It Free ^M	7.0
DevaCurl Set-Up and Above ^M	6.5
DevaCurl MirrorCurls ^M	6.3
DevaCurl B'Leave-In ^M	6.3
DevaCare Arc AnGEL ^M	5.7
DevaCurl Styling Cream ^M	5.3
DevaCurl Spray Gel ^M	5.6
Brand:Kinky Curly
Knot Today ^T	(7)
Brand:Lush
R&B ^T	(5)
Brand: Infusium
Leave in Treatment ^M	5.5-6.4
Brand: Giovanni
Direct Leave In ^T	(4.5)
Brand: Oyin
Whipped Pudding ^T	(4.5)
(pH values are only reliable for water soluble liquids. A conditioner with solids cannot have a reliable pH value. Non water soluble oils do not have pH value)
Coconut Oil	-
Shea Butter	-
Castor Oil and Olive Oil	-

The values in the table are sourced as indicated below
^M- manufacturer value
^T - The Natural Haven test value
* - This value is untested but likely given the shampoo is soap based

If you have not yet added your conditioner/styler to the research list then please leave a comment!

The companies that I am awaiting a response:

Shea Moisture, Kinky Curly, L'Oreal, Carol's Daughter, Burts Bees,Lush, Elasta QP, Curls, Aveda, Oyin

Housekeeping : thenaturalhavenbloom.com

2012-03-05T11:02:00.001Z

Hi everyone,

Just to let you know I will shortly link the blog to the domain www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com. I am still remaining on blogger though so you should still be able to follow on thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com if you wish.

There will be no major changes to the blog, just simply moving it to a .com domain for higher visibility by the search engines (and hopefully spread more free knowledge on hair science!).

Ps: If you are curious about the name, I settled for thenaturalhavenbloom because it combines both the blog and the magazine in one name. My first choice, thenaturalhaven was already taken (you snooze you lose!)

Short and Chic Hair: March Natural Bloom Issue

2012-03-01T16:47:00.000Z

30 pages of hair styles for hair under 12 inches long? It is only the special edition of Natural Bloom. For the contributors with blogs, there are links to your sites (if you missed out giving me your link, just drop me a line and I will add it to the publication). Enjoy and as always, it is best viewed full screen!

Inbox tales: When I started blogging

2012-02-23T14:33:00.001Z

I have always thought that it is important to be polite even when someone is clearly not the same (rude, aggressive, dismissive, uninterested etc). I started off blogging with this in mind, always be courteous, always be kind, never swear and get people to talk without fear of judgement..

Fast forward to today and I get plenty of emails along the lines of 'I'm terrified my hair is going to be 4c or I transitioned and I cannot believe my hair is the worst of them all, 4c.' I honestly think some of you are testing my patience, either that or you think I am nicer than I really am and will entertain you.

Can I please say that being terrified of your hair texture is just plain old daft. I almost said stupid but I thought I would soften the blow a little bit as only peculiar English can. The way your hair grows is how it will grow. Instead of being terrified, wait for your hair to grow out and learn how to style it and appreciate it for what it is and not what it is not.

Are you a blogger? What did you start out doing that you are now being pushed to rethink? Are you bored to death of the type 4 hair bashing?

Short and Chic Hair Series

2012-02-21T12:11:00.000Z

There is a little bit of change on the horizon.

1. I am resurrecting the short and chic series. The lovely ladies who already submitted their photos will be featured. If you would like to join them, you just need to email me a picture of your natural hair. Please note that this series is for short/shortish hair only and the following three lengths are wanted

-Under 6 inches
-6 - 9 inches
-9 - 12 inches

If you would like to join in please email your photo with the subject 'SHORT AND CHIC' so that I can easily pick it up. The series is going to be presented as a look book so please submit your best quality photos.

2. I will shortly be moving to a new domain. I will give you ample notice so that you can update your feed. If you use the the blogspot address, this will just redirect you to the new landing page :) The new domain will allow the blog to be more visible to search engines and therefore bring the hair research to a larger pool of women :)

pH of Conditioners

2012-02-20T09:45:00.002Z

Following on from the pH of shampoos, here are those of hair conditioners. This particular list is just rinse out and deep conditioners. There will be another list for leave ins and finishing products.

pH of Conditioners
PRODUCT	pH
Brand: Herbal Essences
Hydralicious ^M	5.0-6.5
Hello Hydration (mask) ^M	4.5-6.5
Hello Hydration (tall jar) ^M	5.5-6.5
Totally Twisted ^M	5.3-6.7
None of Your Frizziness ^M	4.0-5.5
Long Term Relationship ^M	4.2-5.6
Brand: Pantene
Pro-V Color Preserve Volume ^M	4.0-6.0
Pro-V Color Preserve Shine ^M	3.5-6.5
Pro-V Relaxed and Natural ^M	5.3-6.7
Curly Hair Series Moisture Renewal ^M	3.5-6.5
Brand: Aussie
Moist ^M	4.8-5.8
Moist 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner ^M	4.8-5.8
Sydney Smooth Treatment 3 Minute Miracle ^M	3.8-4.7
Brand:Aubrey Organics
Honeysuckle rose ^T	(5.5)
Brand: Tresemme
Naturals Nourishing Conditioner ^M	4-5
Naturals Conditioner Moisture ^M	4-5
Moisture ^M	4-4.8
Conditioner Vitamin E ^M	3.8-5
Brand: Aphogee
Two Step Protein Treatment ^M	2.8-3.2
Balancing Moisturizer ^M	4-5.5
Brand: Suave
Suave (all) ^M	5-7
Brand:Creme of Nature
Kiwi and Lime ^T	(6.5)
Brand: VO5
Tea Therapy ^M	3.7-5.2
Moisture Milk Strawberry and Cream ^M	3.7-5.2
Kiwi Lime Squeeze ^M	3.7-5.2
Brand: Alberto Balsam
Coconut and Lychee ^M	3.7-4.5
Mandarin ^M	3.7-4.5
Brand:Shea Moisture
Restorative Conditioner ^T	(6.5)
Purification Masque ^T	(6.5)
Brand: Jane Carter
Solution Nutrient Replenishing Conditioner ^T	(7)
Brand: Devacurl
DevaCurl One Condition ^M	4.7
DevaCurl Heaven in Hair ^M	3.7
DevaCare One Condition ^M	4.7
Brand: Nexxus
Humectress ^M	4.5-5.5
Brand:Trader Joe
Nourish Spa ^T	6.5
Brand: Yes to
Yes to Carrots ^T	(6)
Brand: Giovanni
Smooth as silk ^T	(6.5)
50:50 Balance ^T	(6.5)
(pH values are only reliable for water soluble liquids. A conditioner with solids cannot have a reliable pH value)
Terresentials Mud Wash	-
Rhassoul Clay (mixed with liquid)	-
Bentonite Clay (mixed with liquid)	-

The values in the table are sourced as indicated below
^M- manufacturer value
^T - The Natural Haven test value
* - This value is untested but likely given the shampoo is soap based

If you have not yet added your conditioner to the research list then please leave a comment!

The companies that I am awaiting a response:

Shea Moisture, Kinky Curly, L'Oreal, Carol's Daughter, Burts Bees,Lush, Elasta QP, Curls, Aveda, Oyin

African Threading : Rave!!!

2012-02-16T12:16:00.001Z

Source

Have you heard of African threading? It involves wrapping thread around hair and is often used to create sculptural styles and originated in west Africa (a modern African version in the pic to the right). Some salons in the US are offering the same service actually as a heatless stretching method, the nwele technique ( fyi as a Swahili speaker that should be nywele meaning hair). Last week however as I was tweeting away I found a different version which seemed a lot more practical for those like me who prefer simple, quick styles.

I love love love Nadine's version which actually looks like a twist. This is not something that I have seen before and I have just tried it on my hair and love it because
1. My hair looks fuller compared to a box braid
2. The method is super fast compared to braiding
3. There is no fiddling with the ends when it comes to undoing
4. Nice stretching achieved and fully protective

You do need some dexterity to be able to do the style on your own head. I have officially abandoned box braids until swim season when I will have to see how these hold up to regular swimming.

Giveaway Winners

2012-02-14T09:24:00.003Z

It is Valentine's day and here are the winners of the fab Moroccan inspired Sheabutter Cottage Giveaway

1. Nappy Headed Black Girl (rosemary)
2. Afropean Queen (rosemary)
3. Rochelle B (rosemary)
4. Angela (of Pocketfulla Possy) (rosemary)
5. MG (rosemary)

I just realised all the winners went for the rosemary hydrosol! Interesting :)

Please send me an email with your postal address by 20th February, 2012 (midnight UK time) to claim your prize!

Many thanks of course to Akua of Sheabutter Cottage for this giveaway

pH of Shampoo : The Ultimate List!

2012-02-13T17:24:00.001Z

Update 13/02/2012 : Newly added - Matrix, Deva Curl, Renpure

Original - 05/02/2012

Here we go. For those keen on pH and pH balance, here are the first results of my research. The bigger manufacturers were totally helpful since they clearly have good records of the products they make.I also managed to test a few based on those that my circle of friends owned. I will be chasing up many more manufacturers. I promise to name and shame any who do not give up the data (because your consumer deserves to know!)

I know this will be asked - why do manufacturers give a range rather a fixed figure? The reason is that they use buffers which keep the product within a pH range. These buffers will self adjust the pH of the product if a small amount of acid or base is added (eg if water drops into the product, if acids present on your skin find their way into the bottle etc).

By popular demand, I will be doing another list for conditioners and leave ins. I will put up request posts a little later in the week (once I send out requests to all the manufacturers).

pH of Shampoos
PRODUCT	pH
Brand: Herbal Essences
Drama Clean ^M	5.4-6.6
Hello Hydration ^{M, T}	5.3-6.7 (6.5)
Dazzling Shine ^T	(6.5)
Totally Twisted ^M	5.3-6.7
Tousle Me Softly ^M	5.5-6.5
Long Term Relationship ^M	5.2-6.6
Brand: Pantene
Pro-V Smooth ^{M, T}	5.5-6.5(6.5)
Pro-V Hydrating Curls ^M	5.5-6.5
Pro-V Relaxed and Natural ^M	5.3-6.7
Curly Hair Series Moisture Renewal ^M	5.3-6.7
Brand: Aussie
Aussie Moist ^M	5.4- 6.4
Brand: Matrix
Biolage (shampoos and shower gels) ^M	3.5 - 9
Brand: Tresemme
Natural with vitamin E ^M	5-6
Naturals Moisture ^M	6-6.5
Naturals ^M	5-6
Brand: Aphogee
Deep Moisturizing ^M	5-5.5
Shampoo for damaged hair ^M	6-7
Brand: Suave
Suave (all) ^M	5-7
Brand:Creme of Nature
Kiwi and Lime ^T	(6.5)
Brand: VO5
Milks Strawberries and Cream ^M	5.5-6.5
Tea tree tingle ^M	5-6
Kiwi Lime ^M	5.5-6.5
Brand: Dove
Moisturizing Shampoo ^M	5-7
Brand: Johnsons
Top to toe baby wash ^T	(5.5)
Brand: Renpure
Organics - Moisturising Shampoo ^M	6.0-6.8
Brand: Devacurl
Devacurl and Devacare no poo ^M	6.5
Devacurl and Devacare low poo ^M	6.5
Brand: Nexxus
Shampoo Therappe ^M	4.8-5.5
Brand:Trader Joe
Trader Joe Nourish Spa ^T	(7)
Brand: Yes to
Yes to Carrots ^M	(6-7)
Brand: Giovanni
Smooth as silk ^T	(6-7)
Tea tree ^T	(6)
(These are alkaline soap based shampoos)
Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose (HSR) ^T	(9)
Aubrey Organics GBP	(9)*
Alaffia (all)	(8-10)*
Oyin Honey Wash	(8-10)*
Castile Soap/Dr.Bronners	(10-11)*
Karen' Body Beautiful Cool Clarifying Shampoo	(8-10)*
(pH values are only reliable for water soluble liquids. A shampoo with solids cannot have a reliable pH value)
Terresentials Mud Wash	-
Rhassoul Clay (mixed with liquid)	-
Bentonite Clay (mixed with liquid)	-

The values in the table are sourced as indicated below
^M- manufacturer value
^T - The Natural Haven test value
* - This value is untested but likely given the shampoo is soap based

If you have not yet added your shampoo to the research list then please leave a comment!

The companies I have emailed and I am awaiting a response:

Shea Moisture, Kinky Curly, L'Oreal, Carol's Daughter, Burts Bees, Lush

Giveaway : 5 winners- closing tommorow!

2012-02-12T12:15:00.001Z

Last reminder! The Sheabutter Cottage giveaway is closing tomorrow and five of you will be selected as winners! A lovely Moroccan inspired Valentine's treat with argan oil, rhassoul clay and your choice of rosewater or rosemary hydrosol sprays.

Natural Hair Happenings

2012-02-11T10:45:00.001Z

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. I would appreciate it if you could help support some of my fellow bloggers.

1. Alice who gave us kibae - the Ethiopian secret to perfect wash and go's is collecting details on international blogs (i.e not US based). If you know of or run a natural hair blog that is not in USA, please give her a shout.

2. Koos aka Krystal who was the style feature in the January edition of Natural Bloom would love to be Refinery29's next big style blogger. Please vote for her!

UK readers: Natural Hair Salon in London!

2012-02-10T14:06:00.000Z

This post is on behalf of reader Brittney and she asks 'I was just wondering do you know of any good natural hair salons in London? My hair is in desperate need of a good cut and I've had bad experiences with places just hacking off my hair.'

Now I know many of us naturals go the DIY route but surely in London with the largest concentration of people of African origin in UK, I am certain some of you will have a recommendation.

To help you along here are some salons that I have googled and I would love to know if you have been to any of them

1. Aveda - select salons
2. Adornment
3. Eftal Natural Hair
4. Morris Roots
5. Purely Natural Hair and Beauty

Remember we are looking for recommendations, not just names! Good, bad or indifferent - all reviews are welcome.

Image Credit