The majority of us are constantly on the endless search to find styling and hair care products that tame, twist, smooth and lock our strands into the perfect coif. Some work…for a while. Most don’t work at all, leaving us to deal with one bad hair day after another. Now we know that a significant amount of the ingredients utilized to achieve our desired hair styles are also potentially destroying our hair and body health, not to mention the planet. Yikes.
What causes bad hair days?
In order to explain fully, let’s start with breaking down the simple anatomy of the hair itself. The average human has 100,000 hairs over the entire head. These individual hairs consist of the root (widest part of the hair that grows in the hair follicle), the shaft (middle length of the hair from root to tip) and the tip.
For hair treatment and styling, we are typically most interested in the shaft, which contains three layers in itself: the deepest layer called the medulla, the cortex or middle layer where all the strength is contained, and the outermost layer called the cuticle.
The cuticle is a fascinating keratin-covered layer that looks like scales on a fish or shingles on a roof. Its biggest mission is to protect the cortex, and its stores of nutrition and moisture, that keep the hair healthy, shiny and elastic.
Obviously, one concerned for hair health and performance would think that hair care products are all focused on supporting the cuticle, right? Wrong! Being that the cuticle is made of a series of scale-like layers, it’s at its strongest and most protective when those scales are flat and compacted. However, most styling products, treatments, shampoos and conditioners leave the cuticle depleted and ruffled, which cause those scales to flare out. Not only does this create a porous layer that rapidly allows moisture and nutrients from the cortex to be lost, it also allows for environmental moisture and pollution to flow right in. Hello, frizz, dullness and brittle hair! Additionally, these flared-out scales get easily caught on other strands of hair, causing tangles, breakage and extremely uncontrollable curl patterns.
Most products advertise the promise of volume but achieve it by stripping your hair to create a flare-out. This makes the hair shaft seem fatter and more cooperative initially, but over time, it loses moisture and the crucial protection that keeps the hair internally healthy. That’s why it only works for so long and you still battle frizz, dryness, lack-luster and bad hair days.
How to get good hair
Acidity! Personal care for hair and body are generally rated on a pH spectrum from 0 to 14. Anything lower than a 7 is considered acidic. Those that rise higher than 7 are defined as alkaline. Your hair and scalp tissue are happiest and most resilient (aka cuticle is smooth and compacted) at a pH of 4-5 on the pH scale. However, the majority of shampoos and conditioners on the market fall at an 11 or 12, which strip the cuticle and cause the flare-out. What the heck?!
Other factors important to consider are that most hair products use chemical “band-aids” that should be avoided like silicones (dimethicone, trimethicone, etc.) and PEGs to create the illusion of resilience, emollience and shine without actually supporting your hair’s ability to maintain it naturally. It’s a temporary illusion that causes long-term damage. You will also find potentially toxic preservatives, dyes, and fragrances that easily flow right in because your hair and scalp (some of the most spongy and absorbable tissue on the body) are left unprotected and vulnerable.
Fortunately, natural hair care is not just cleaner when it comes to ingredients, but some natural brands are actually getting smarter! Look for clean brands that tackle function with an acidic pH of 4 to 5.5. Additionally, look for formulas that incorporate nutritional ingredients to support the anatomy of the hair itself.
Nutrition is an important factor in hair growth and health, and it is now being acknowledged as such. For example, scientists are now linking a lack of zinc in the diet to hair growth. Not only is it important to get nutrients like vitamin B complex, vitamin E and minerals such as magnesium, zinc and sulfur into your daily diet, you should also be looking for these components on the ingredient panels of your hair products. Eating a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, nutrient-dense protein and tons of essential fatty acid-rich fats is powerful for overall hormone balance and function; however, even more so when you can additionally apply these elements topically.
Look for powerful oils like argan, marula, and avocado, which contain super high vitamin E and powerful omega fatty acids for shine, moisture and resilience. Pumpkin oil, otherwise known as green gold, also contains crucial trace minerals like zinc and magnesium. Superfoods like blueberry, pomegranate and pea protein are excellent sources of antioxidants and amino acids for keratin support and repair. Tried-and-true ingredients, like cocoa butter and essential oils, are always amazing for softening and shine; however, exciting new cutting-edge plant science shows significant clinical results for hair performance as well. Ingredients like Argan and Echinacea plant stem cell extracts help support the hair at the follicle and root level, for both regeneration and optimal hydration balance to the scalp and hair!