Lather, rinse, repeat. We all know how to shampoo, but finding the right product to use isn’t always so simple. There are plenty of them on the market — exfoliating, volumizing, brass-busting — but clarifying shampoos have the most confusing nomenclature. Like, what is a clarifying shampoo anyway? Doesn't it do the job of a standard shampoo? What makes it different? For answers, we chatted with experts in the know for insight as to what "clarifying" really means.

First off, clarifying shampoos are deep cleansers that aim to remove residue and buildup. Hairstylist Cash Lawless notes that your stylist may suggest one based on these factors: the amount of buildup you've got, your porosity (how well your hair can absorb moisture), how often you use product, your natural sebum production, styling routine, heat usage, and if your hair is color-treated.

"Do you use leave-in hair products? Do you heat style? Most importantly, does your hair feel dull, limp, heavy, or dirty after washing it? If so, then it’s time to clarify," says Lawless. Those with color-treated hair should be extra careful with clarifying shampoos. Many formulas can change your color — especially deposited color — so Lawless suggests clarifying if needed before getting a dye job.

Clarifying shampoos have a reputation for stripping hair, because, well, they're meant to eliminate buildup. Cosmetic chemist Ginger King says that many clarifying shampoos use chelating agents like EDTA and tetrasodium EDTA, which latch on to metal ions that may be in your water. "[Their] function is to 'chelate' (form a bond with) metal ions in water so that the water is softer and better for the hair," she says. She notes that while EDTAs are less harsh on your strands than other surfactants, that doesn't mean they can't be stripping and drying. This is why some brands add moisturizing agents to their clarifiers.

But there are some clarifying shampoos without EDTAs in their formulas. King mentions that EDTAs can cause sensitivity for some people over time, but other than that, "there are no health concerns." So, the point remains: Use clarifying shampoos sparingly and only when you need them.

As for how often you should use them, "It’s a personal decision,” says Lawless. "But in general, I recommend every two weeks for those who use styling products, [as well as] heat and who don’t wash every day."
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Now that you've got the lowdown on clarifying shampoos, check out the ones hairstylists recommend.

They may have had a reputation for trade, braids and fearsome raids, but the Vikings were far from a single group of flaxen-haired, sea-faring Scandinavians.

A genetic study of Viking-age human remains has not only confirmed that Vikings from different parts of Scandinavia set sail for different parts of the world, but has revealed that dark hair was more common among Vikings than Danes today.

What’s more, while some were born Vikings, others adopted the culture – or perhaps had it thrust upon them.

“Vikings were not restricted to blond Scandinavians,” said Prof Eske Willerslev, a co-author of the research from the University of Cambridge and the University of Copenhagen.

Writing in the journal Nature, Willerslev and colleagues report how they sequenced the genomes of 442 humans who lived across Europe between about 2,400BC and 1,600AD, with the majority from the Viking age – a period that stretched from around 750AD to 1050AD.

The study also drew on existing data from more than 1,000 ancient individuals from non-Viking times, and 3,855 people living today.

Among their results the team found that from the iron age, southern European genes entered Denmark and then spread north, while – to a lesser extent – genes from Asia entered Sweden. 

“Vikings are, genetically, not purely Scandinavian,” said Willerslev.

However, the team found Viking age Scandinavians were not a uniform population, but clustered into three main groups – a finding that suggests Vikings from different parts of Scandinavia did not mix very much. 

The team found these groups roughly map on to present-day Scandinavian countries, although Vikings from south-west Sweden were genetically similar to their peers in Denmark. Genetic diversity was greatest in coastal regions.

Further analysis confirmed the long-standing view that most Vikings in England came from Denmark, as reflected in place names and historical records, while the Baltic region was dominated by Swedish Vikings, and Vikings from Norway ventured to Ireland, Iceland, Greenland and the Isle of Man.

However, the team say remains from Russia revealed some Vikings from Denmark also travelled east.

The study also revealed raids were likely a local affair: the team found four brothers and another relative died in Salme, Estonia, in about 750AD, in what is thought could have been a raid, with others in the party likely to have been from the same part of Sweden.

In addition, the team found two individuals from Orkney, who were buried with Viking swords, had no Scandinavian genetic ancestry.

“[Being a Viking] is not a pure ethnic phenomenon, it is a lifestyle that you can adopt whether you are non-Scandinavian or Scandinavian,” said Willerslev, adding that genetic influences from abroad both before and during the Viking age might help explain why genetic variants for dark hair were relatively common among Vikings.

Dr Steve Ashby, an expert in Viking-age archaeology from the University of York said the study confirmed what had been suspected about movement and trade in the Viking age, but also brought fresh detail.

“The evidence for gene flow with southern Europe and Asia is striking, and sits well with recent research that argues for large-scale connectivity in this period,” he said.

“[The study] also provides new information about levels of contact and isolation within Scandinavia itself, and offers an interesting insight into the composition of raiding parties.”

But Judith Jesch, professor of Viking studies at the University of Nottingham said the study is unlikely to rewrite the history books.

“We long ago gave up on the most colourful popular myths about Vikings, and recent research has focused on the Viking age as a period of mobility, when people from Scandinavia migrated in various directions, and often back again, encountering and interacting with other peoples, languages and cultures in a process which I and others have called diaspora,” she said.
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Even so, Jesch said the study offered food for thought. “Archaeologists have long suggested that many cultural ideas reached Scandinavia through the Danish gateway, so it will be interesting to discuss further what this gene flow [from Denmark to Norway and Sweden] means in terms of how culture is diffused. Did it happen as a result of the movements of people or by some other process?,” she said.

What Are Hair Toppers?

With toppers, they’re kind of a mix of both extensions and wigs; honestly, you get the best of both worlds here. They clip in at the top of your hair, but since they have a much smaller cap, they sit flatter. With toppers, you also get to rock your natural hair and blend it in with the topper. Similar to other forms of fake hair, you can purchase curly hair toppers, toppers with bangs, or even custom pieces with balayage to match your own style. The possibilities are really endless.
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Reasons to Try Hair Toppers

Now, why should you choose a topper over other forms of faux hair? Believe it or not, toppers make life easier in so many ways. There are a number of celebrities and TV personalities who choose to wear toppers to add fullness and allows them to have a more styled and sleek look on screen, without the added work or heat damage. It’s just like wearing extensions or wigs for the added fullness, without all of the efforts. For those suffering from hair loss (androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, postpartum thinning, alopecia areata, just to name a few), toppers can be a total lifesaver. They are much less damaging than extensions and can cover the crown, which is a common area for women with thinning.

More often than not, women are choosing toppers over wigs because you still have the choice of incorporating your own hair, giving you a more natural look. Toppers are generally less full than wigs, so for someone transitioning to fake hair due to hair loss, it’s a much gentler switch. Switching to fake hair can feel like a drastic change, so being able to wear your own hair helps to ease your way into the fake hair world. As someone who has hair loss, I definitely appreciate that. Basically, toppers provide the added fullness and thickness you get from all forms of fake hair, with much less effort.

While I do think that toppers are a great alternative in the faux hair world, like anything, they have their cons, and the last thing I want is to leave you thinking this is a perfect fix. Nothing ever is perfect in life, right? I often receive questions about what brand is the best women’s hair topper, and my answer is always, I haven’t found it yet. Toppers are great, but they can still cause some damage, as the clips that secure it to the hair can create traction and pulling over time. Due to my own personal hair loss issues, I can wear a topper for about 4-5 hours before it starts to get uncomfortable. Those of us with hair loss generally have a more sensitive scalp, so the experience will be different for everyone.
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Toppers also need to be maintained, just like any form of fake hair. They need to be gently washed and dried to prevent damage to the piece. As you can probably imagine, the more expensive the topper, the more care it requires. Lastly, toppers really only work if you have hair. So, if you suffer from severe hair loss with little to no hair at the top of your scalp, toppers may not work for you as they need a decent amount of hair to clip onto.

This year are started a section for the "Follically Challenged".  There are so many conversations and articles on the topic and I want make sure you are getting good information. ​

This month I have another article for you about

 12 Most Common Causes of Hair Loss
in Women

We all want to feel healthy and happy, especially in today’s world where we are surrounded by uncertainty and change. If you’re like me and many other women who have experienced unexpected hair loss, it can increase your anxiety. There is good news, however. There are many reasons why you may be experiencing sudden hair loss, most of which are temporary and reversible. Here are 12 of the most common causes of hair loss in women.

What Causes Hair Loss in Women?

Hopefully, these causes for hair loss in women will ease your worries and help you change your routine to reverse hair shedding.

#1: Stress

For many of us, stress has become a significant factor in our daily lives. Unfortunately, when left unchecked, stress can lead to many health-related issues, including hair loss. According to experts, the average human scalp has about 100,000 hair follicles. At any given time, each of your hair follicles is in a different phase of this cycle: Anagen phase (growth), Catagen (transition) phase, Telogen phase (resting), and Exogen phase (shedding). If your hair loss has been triggered by stress, managing your stress could be the key to returning to a healthy rate of hair growth. So, next time you’re starting to feel that stress level rise, remember to take deep breaths and look for healthy stress relievers. Your hair will benefit and so will you.

#2: Weight Loss

I have personal experience with this one. When I recently lost about 35 pounds in three months, I started to notice I was losing more than my normal amount of hair on a daily basis. I was eating a balanced diet, but it was restrictive in calories and resulted in fairly rapid weight loss. The research shows that rapid weight loss can cause hair loss by causing your hair to go into its resting phase, also known as telogen effluvium. According to Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff, “The stress to one’s system from sudden or excessive weight loss can throw hair follicles into their resting phase. This is when many hairs are shed…This resting phase usually lasts two or three months. Hair growth returns to normal after that.”

#3: Childbirth

Known as one of the most physically and emotionally charged times in a woman’s life, it’s no wonder that some of us experience sudden hair loss during and directly after childbirth. According to the medical experts, this is often due to hormonal shifts brought on by pregnancy. During the nine months of active pregnancy, our hair stays in its growth, or Anagen, phase, and does not get shed like it normally would. Therefore, when hormones shift again postpartum and the hair enters its resting phase, the excess hair is shed, which can seem alarming. However, it is usually temporary and a natural part of the childbirth process.

#4: Hot Oil

How many of you love a good hot oil treatment for your hair? I know there’s something extremely relaxing about the heat and feel of it as it sits on your scalp. While there are some great benefits to it, you may want to be careful when indulging in this activity. It has been found that excessive use of this and other chemical treatments, such as permanents and dyes, can cause scarring to your hair follicles, which may result in hair loss.

#5: Hair Styling

As may be expected, if you engage in excessive hair-styling techniques that put extreme stress and pulling on your hair, such as tight braiding, pigtails or cornrows, over time, that could result in some hair loss. So, the next time you try one of these styles, you may want to give your hair a little grace and loosen the braid just a bit. Your scalp and hair will thank you.

#6: Genetics

Sometimes, the cause of our hair loss is as simple as genetics. Experts at the Mayo Clinic state, “The most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition that happens with aging. This condition is called androgenic alopecia, male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness. It usually occurs gradually and in predictable patterns — a receding hairline and bald spots in men and thinning hair along the crown of the scalp in women.” If you find yourself experiencing the same hair loss as others in your family, this may be the cause.

#7: Scalp Health

We all love a good dry shampoo or leave-in conditioner, right? While they have some great benefits for our hair, excessive use may cause inflammation and/or clogging of our hair follicles. Because most hair loss is related to the condition of our scalp and follicles, clogging them can lead to hair loss. The key to preventing this loss is to find a hair-care regimen that works for you and one that also promotes a healthy scalp. Shampooing, rinsing and scalp treatments can help prevent this loss and lead to a healthier you.

#8: Shrinking Follicles

According to experts at WebMD, 30 million American women experience a hereditary condition that causes hair loss, affecting about 50% of all women. It is known as female-pattern baldness. According to WebMD, “Typically, each time a normal hair follicle is shed, it is replaced by hair that is equal in size. But in women with female-pattern hair loss, the new hair is finer and thinner — a more miniaturized version of itself…” What eventually happens is the follicles shrink and can even quit growing altogether. You should visit your doctor or dermatologist, if you think you may be experiencing this type of hair loss, as they can help determine a treatment regimen.

#9: Menopause

While many women may experience increased hair loss when going through menopause, experts say this may be more an effect of aging than the actual menopausal process. For many of the reasons above, as women get older, they experience changes in their hair follicles around the ages of 50 to 60. This could be due to hormone changes, stress, diet or other health conditions.

#10: Vitamins

We all know that good nutrition and proper supplementation are keys to a healthy lifestyle. They are also vital to the health of our hair. Nutritionists have found the most influential nutrients which can be linked to healthy hair are Vitamin B12, Biotin, Folate, and Riboflavin. Many of these can be found in the food we eat, as well as in well-rounded multi vitamins.

#11: Medications

Some medications may cause hair loss, especially if stress on the hair follicles is a known side effect. Prolonged stress may result in hair loss. It is always best to consult with your doctor about prolonged medication use of any kind.

#12: Diet

Finally, indulging in a healthy, well-rounded nutrition routine is crucial to overall health, including your lustrous strands. One commonly misunderstood part of our diets is fat. Some have found that a lack of healthy fats in a person’s diet may lead to hair loss. Experts state that adding healthy fats to your diet is extremely important for hair growth. Fat helps the body assimilate vitamins that are essential for healthy hair. Focus on eating unsaturated fats like Omega 3s.

So, there you have it, my top 12 causes for hair loss in women. Whatever the reason, if you are experiencing unexpected hair loss, you should contact your health-care provider for more information and resources. Here’s to less stress and shining strands of luxurious hair in 2021!