The Pros and Cons of Blow-drying and Air-drying Hair

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that hair dryers use air and heat to dry wet hair.

Do you know the primary component of hair? It’s protein, just like an egg. Protein is very fragile to heat, that is, using excessive heat will result in moisture loss, dryness, and split-ends. This is why hair will begin to feel very hard and stiff after frequent blow-drying. Unfortunately, hardened, damaged hair will not be able to return to its original condition. I believe this is why many prefer to air-dry their hair because of the damage that blow-drying causes.

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Yes, there are benefits to drying hair naturally, such as less damage, longer-lasting colors and perms, and saving time and energy. However, there are far greater negative consequences to air-drying hair.

1. Bacteria live on the scalp and hair, and they multiply in the wet conditions. So, if your hair stays wet for an extended period, then these living bacteria will begin to cause an unpleasant odor. EWW!

2. There are cuticles that coat and protect the surface of the hair. In a wet state, these cuticles begin to peel off, which causes split ends.  Also, when you lose these cuticles, the inner layers become exposed and emerge from inside the hair shaft. OH, MY!

3. When hair stays wet and cold, it leads to poor blood circulation and increases the chance of thinning hair. NOOO!

So, blow-drying slows down the spread of bacteria, keeping hair protected and coated with cuticles. The key is not to leave the hair wet for an extended period and reduce blow-drying time to reduce scalp and hair damage. The best way is to quickly towel-dry immediately after taking a shower to dry the moisture from the hair and scalp, thereby reducing the need for extended blow-drying.

I hope this helps everyone to understand the pros and cons of both methods. Yes, some hair types and styles require you to dry your hair naturally, but remember, the two key points are to towel-dry and use product to keep your hair healthy.

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Think beautiful, Stay beautiful.

8 best foods for healthier, stronger hair

Are you feeding your hair? You are what you eat and your hair is no exception.  These are the foods you can incorporate in your every day meals for healthier hair:

1. Eggs

Eggs are rich in B vitamins called biotin, which helps strengthen hair and promotes hair growth. It's also packed with proteins, minerals, selenium, iron, zinc and sulfur making it a power food for healthy hair.

2. Salmon

Omega-3 fatty acids are important fats our bodies can't make ourselves so we need to source it from food. That's why salmon is healthy hair's best friend. Omega-3s help maintain both oil and moisture which keep your scalp and hair hydrated. Other fish like herring, sardines, trout and mackerel and plant sources including avocado, pumpkin seeds and walnuts are also good sources of Omega-3s.

3. Oysters

Oyster is an important source for zinc. When you don't have enough zinc, keratin bonds in your hair start to weaken leading to hair loss.

4. Chicken

Protein is what most of your hair is made up of and is an important element in strengthening your hair. Without sufficient protein, hair essentially goes on strike leading to an overall loss of hair. Chicken, along with fish, grass-fed beef or lean pork loin are all good sources of lean proteins.

5. Beans

Beans also pack a protein punch to promote hair growth. They're also a great source of hair friendly vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc and biotin. Kidney beans and soybeans are especially great choices.

6. Black Sesame

Black sesame seeds are loaded with niacin. Niacin helps to maintain the structure of blood cells and improves blood circulation. Increased blood flow to your scalp, brings more oxygen and nutrients to your hair follicles, ultimately promoting hair growth.

7. Dairy Products

Calcium is an important mineral included in dairy products like low-fat milk and yogurt. When you don't have enough calcium, nerve cells in your brain won't function properly bringing a negative effect in hair growth.

8. Dark Chocolate

40% -60% cacao chocolates have polyphenols acting as a great anti-aging element to your hair.

Hope you enjoyed reading about some of the foods that promote your healthy hair. Of course there are other foods good for your hair so we encourage you to look into them as well. We also believe that extreme dieting and food restrictions are unhealthy both for your hair and your body. Build your beauty from within with well-balanced nutritious meals every single day.

What causes dandruff and how to get rid of it

Photo by Abdiel Ibarra on Unsplash

Let’s face it. No one likes dandruff but hiding under a hat ain’t gonna fix anything. Get to know the different causes of dandruff and how to treat it.

To start off, did you know that there are two types of dandruff?

1. Dry dandruff

2. Oily dandruff

Let’s take a look at each one in detail.

Dry dandruff

This is one of the most common types of dandruff. When your scalp is dry, the bond that holds your skin cells together begins to weaken, thus causing dead skin cells falling off from your scalp. The dryness comes from several reasons. It could come from external factors like the winter dryness or irritation caused by your shampoo. It could also come from health diseases like thyroid disease and diabetes, as well as internal factors like lack of estrogen or vitamin A.

Oily dandruff

This type of dandruff is essentially caused by a combination of these 3 factors:

1.    Accumulation of sebum oil secreted from your scalp.

A lot of times, improper or irregular shampooing habits can lead to this. If your scalp isn’t clean, the sebum combines with all the dead skin cells and dirt forming itchy flakes.

2.    Malassezia

Malassezia is a fungus naturally found on your scalp. But when there’s excessive oil on your scalp, it serves as food for this fungus, thus helping them grow immensely. This in turn, produces an increased turnover of skin cells, causing unwanted flakes.

3.    Lack of immunity

So, now that you know the different causes of dandruff, here are a few hair care recommendations to treat it.

Shampoo for Dry Dandruff:

KARITÉ INTENSE NOURISHING OIL

This is a pre-shampoo oil treatment made with shea extract which adds deep nourishment and hydration to your scalp, restoring even the driest scalp.

Photo Credit: Rene Furterer

Shampoo for Oily Dandruff:

CURBICIA REGULATING SHAMPOO

This shampoo made with Hydrolyzed Curbicia extract (Squash seed) deep cleanses the scalp while eliminating and regulating excess oil production.

Photo Credit: Renee Furterer

Hope this was a helpful hint for you! And as always, feel free to hit us up with any specific questions.