The skin-care trend has reached its peak. Starting from the minimalist step to the 10-step skin-care routine. But don’t you think something is still missing? Yes, it is hair and scalp care! Caring for our scalp and hair are just as important as it is for our skin. Their fundamental steps are pretty much the same. Whether you’re looking for a basic routine or something extra, we got you covered!

The Basic Routine

Caring for your hair is not as hard as you think, and your hair is just as important as taking good care of our facial skin. Cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting. The exact same steps as your regular skin-care routine!

1. Cleanse
2. Moisturize
3. Protect

#1. Cleanse:
ShampooJust like you have to wash your face, your scalp needs to be washed to remove the oil, debris and dirt. Did you know that you can use skin-inspired ingredients in your shampoo? Ingredients such as hyaluronic acid (to keep your scalp moisturized), niacinamide (control sebum production) and nourish scalp (ceramides, to keep the scalp barrier healthy), and many more. Moreover, there are specific ingredients for each different scalp type.

• If you have a sensitive scalp (prone to irritation, flakiness and itchiness) choose a shampoo with calming ingredients such as oat, chamomile or niacinamide. Try to avoid fragrances and colorants in shampoo to prevent more irritation.
• For an oily scalp, ingredients such as tea tree, niacinamide or clay will help to absorb the excess oil and will control your scalp’s oil production. This will keep your hair on point for longer days without that greasy hair ruining your day. Good hair day is just a wash away!
• If you have a dry and flaky scalp, look for ingredients that are hydrating, moisturizing and repairing. Ingredients such as piroctone olamine, aloe vera and hyaluronic acid are your scalp’s best friend!

#2. Moisture:
Conditioner and Hair OilJust as washing your face takes moisture out of your skin, so does washing your scalp and hair. Therefore, it is important to moisturize them to prevent more water loss. Both water and oil balance are crucial because water can loosen up the cuticle protection from our hair, making each strand of hair more prone to damage and brittleness. But, at the same time, your hair requires a certain amount of moisture to be able to protect itself. This is when an occlusive oil can maintain our healthy crown.

After water loosens up the cuticle protection from our hair, a conditioner will seal that back in and make your hair smoother and shinier in no time. It will prevent future split ends, breakage and will further strengthen your hair strands. Use the conditioner right after shampooing.

If it’s not enough, and your hair still needs that extra shine and moisture, add a pump or spray your favorite hair oil! They usually smell amazing, as well, so it’s like catching two birds with one stone.

#3. Protect:
SPF for Your HairSun protection for your scalp is just as important as it is for your skin. It prevents UV radiation damage and free radicals’ formation. Do you know that your scalp and hair undergo “aging”, as well, as we age? UV damage is one of the factors for thinning of the hair as well as grey hair. That’s why protecting your hair with SPF is the secret to full, healthy and youthful-looking hair.

Oil-Free, lightweight spray sunscreen is the easiest and most convenient option to protect our hair from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Apply a generous amount to your scalp and hair before heading outside, especially if you head out during the middle of the day.

When You’re Feeling Extra

When you have a Korean 10-step routine for your face, why not for your hair? This is especially great when you are in a pampering mood, and you want your scalp and hair to join the party. Give your crown the love that it deserves.

1. Exfoliator
2. Tonic / Serum
3. Mask

#1: Exfoliator (Hair Scrub)
Exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin-cell buildup on the top layer of your skin. Exfoliate your scalp one to three times a week with either physical (salt, sugar or coffee scrub) or chemical exfoliators (Glycolic acid, salicylic acid) to reveal new and fresh skin. Wave goodbye to flaky hair!

#2: Hair Tonic and Serum
It can do more than just boosting hydration levels on your scalp with their skin-benefiting ingredients. If you want to prevent or even care for hair loss, you might want to give hair tonic-serum that is infused with hair-strand strengthening ingredients. Growth factors, biotin, peptides, and vitamins can help nourish your scalp and strengthen them from down the root. Massage the product in while applying to improve absorption while improving blood circulation around the scalp.

#3: Hair Mask
Long bath and hair mask. What can be better? Either the cream hair mask or hair pack, all of them are nourished with hair-nourishing and moisturizing ingredients. They are perfect for an additional weekend self-care ritual. Your hair will definitely thank you for that and shine like it never did before.

Slather the mask all over your hair down to the tips and cover it all with a hair cap for 20-30 minutes before rinsing off your hair.

For those who like it simple without getting your hands messy, you can get and invest on a prepacked hair mask. It usually comes in one individual hair cap covered in a hair mask; it can be a travel-friendly option for those of you who travel a lot.

Hair is the crown for every man and woman, and well-cared-for hair and a healthy crown will definitely boost your confidence and performance.


This article is from The Right Hairstyles

Jim Markham, founder and CEO of ColorProof Color Care Authority, notes that, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, 40 percent of American women will experience thinning hair at some point in their lives. But the causes—and therefore prevention and treatment techniques—can vary greatly. Here, we check in with leading haircare, lash and brow experts to determine how beauty pros can best proceed when faced with clients who crave a dose of added fullness.

Root Causes
Heather Ka’anoi, artistic director for John Paul Mitchell Systems, notes that aging, stress, hormonal imbalance, excessive styling, inadequate nutrition, pregnancy, an unhealthy scalp, heredity, breakage, dramatic weight loss, hypothyroidism, or an iron deficiency can cause hair loss. To identify the range of causes, Syrenthia Quinones, brand education manager for Nioxin, sums them up in six general categories.

Genetics: A family predisposition to thinning hair involves natural, age- related hormonal changes caused by the conversion of testosterone into the toxin dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can be inherited from a mother or father.

Stress and Trauma: Stress can produce increased levels of testosterone, which converts to DHT, interrupting the hair growth cycle. Stress also constricts the blood supply through the capillaries, restricting oxygen, nutrient uptake and vitamins to the follicle.

Health: Underlying issues may include a malfunction of the hormone- producing thyroid or the natural changes women experience after pregnancy and menopause.

Environmental: Air and water pollutants, chlorine, metals, and minerals left in the hair and on the scalp—as well as pseudo-estrogens and toxins from within our bodies—can contribute to thinning.

Medication: Hair follicles are extremely sensitive to changes in the body—e.g. hormonal therapies like birth control, steroids, specific chemotherapies, and medications for blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, or acne.

Nutrition and Diet: High consumption of animal fats, rapid weight loss and liquid protein diets can result in a lack of amino acids, biotin, iron, protein, and zinc—all essential for healthy-looking hair.

With these main culprits in mind, experts can break down how each affects the hair. Amir Yazdan M.D., founder of GroMD, explains that hormonal concerns, generally caused by elevated levels of DHT or menopause, create an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone, while conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (which can increase testosterone levels) or a thyroid imbalance may be to blame. April Cox, national trainer for Eufora, adds that everyone has testosterone in their bodies, as well as the enzyme 5-alpha reductase—but when testosterone and 5-alpha reductase couple together, that forms DHT, creating havoc on scalps, thinning the hair bulb and, in turn, creating thin hair and lock loss.

​Markham remarks that at various times of life, the capability of hair follicle stem cells decreases, inhibiting the ability to regenerate the cells responsible for new growth. Rising levels of DHT cause follicles to shrink and produce thin, atrophied hair (and eventually stop producing new hair altogether). Stem cells, which contain the chemical messengers responsible for hair production, increasingly fail as we age, and the follicle is unable to generate a new, healthy growth phase—resulting in aging scalp tissue, thinning hair and graying. “There’s also poor microcirculation and buildup. A poor blood supply results in sluggish cell turnover, leading to the buildup of sebum and dead skin cells that plug the follicle, preventing hair growth,” Markham notes. “Finally, there’s the failure of new growth to anchor: As tissue repair mechanisms fail, the new, weakened hair is unable to anchor properly and begins to fall out.”

To complicate matters further, Michelle Blaisure, product development director for Bosley Professional Strength, reports that hair loss is often multifactorial; your client could have a myriad of causes at play, including genetics. “About 20 percent of women thin due to an inherited condition known as female pattern hair loss—the same inherited predisposition (androgenetic alopecia) that causes up to 66 percent of men to lose their hair by age 60,” Blaisure details. “Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is genetic predisposition causes the follicle in the crown and hairline to be sensitive to DHT, which, over time, shortens the hair life cycle, producing finer and weaker tresses, and can lead to changes in density. Men can go completely bald, often starting in their late teens or early 20s, while women experience di used thinning and may notice it in their mid-30s and 40s, when perimenopause starts.” Additionally, aging causes the hair growth cycles to slow, leading to a higher percentage of hair staying in the resting cycle—which, over time, leads to density and diameter changes: less hair, texture alterations, and weaker, drier, frizzier locks as hair loses its lipid layer.

Stress, a more common agent for hair loss in women, causes an increase in cortisol (the stress hormone), which over time “steals” hormones and nutrients the body needs to function well, leading to imbalance and deficiencies. “Since we don’t need hair to live, hair is last in line to get what it needs to grow in a healthy manner,” Blaisure explains. “Any type of traumatic event can also disrupt the hair cycle, leading to sudden excessive shedding (typically happening about three months after the event), but this will usually self-correct after a few months.” Additional culprits, she adds, can be chemical processes (think relaxers and bleach) if they cause damage to the scalp, leading to inflammation, breakage and hair loss; this can even extend to overuse of dry shampoo.

Health states or conditions also play a role: During pregnancy, hormone levels are high, but after childbirth, hormones return to their normal range—so all of the hair that didn’t fall out during pregnancy suddenly sheds at once. “ is also starts at about three months and usually self-corrects over time,” Blaisure notes. “Alternatively, many autoimmune disorders can cause hair shedding, and women seem to be more prone to these conditions.” Dr. Yazdan points to autoimmune conditions—a classification of conditions wherein the body attacks itself, which can include destroying the hair follicles—such as alopecia areata, frontal fibrosing alopecia and many more—as culprits. “Medications such as hormone replacement and birth control pills, steroids and, of course, chemotherapy, may cause hair loss, but differently in different clients,” adds Blaisure. Side effects of medications or chemotherapy treatments can generally be reversed if treated early, Dr. Yazdan explains, and notes that trauma, such as traction alopecia, accidents, surgeries, etc., can lead to short-term loss that can pass over time. Furthermore, Blaisure says, studies show that deficiencies in certain nutrients—namely vitamins C, D and B12, and minerals such as iron, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids—may contribute to hair loss. And, as hair is part of the skin structure, when the scalp receives sun damage, this injury can also impair the follicle.

​Finally, according to Bridgette Hill, aka “The Scalp therapist,” the location of the thinning can assist with determining if the cause is reactional or genetic. “Thinning around the hairline generally indicates a genetic predisposition, while allover thinning with no definitive bald patches typically points to reactional thinning,” Hill details. “The hair loss plan and products to treat reactional thinning will be needed temporarily, whereas a genetics-related hair loss plan and products would involve a lifetime change in her overall hair regimen.”

Read more of the article here for information on Preventative Measures, Extensions & Wigs, and Lash & Brow Losses.

Itchy, dry, red scalp. It’s embarrassing, painful and frustrating. And that’s just the way it looks. Having a scalp which is suffering these symptoms is also incredibly itchy, painful and can even sting and burn.
Is any shampoo safe?

Will any scalp treatment work?

Are you making your scalp worse by using anti-dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis or anti-psoriasis shampoos?

Fact: the signs of contact allergy or irritant reaction to shampooing products can look and present exactly like dandruff and psoriasis.   You read that right, a badly chosen dandruff shampoo can actually exasperate your condition.

It’s easy to waft this away.

I’ve been using the same shampoo for months/years with no issue – it definitely cannot be my shampoo.

Or…

I used this shampoo a few days ago – it didn’t cause me a reaction straight away so it definitely cannot be my shampoo.

Fact: allergic contact dermatitis is not immediate. It can also take months and years of exposure to build.

This is why shampoo allergy can be enormously hard to pinpoint.

If you’re beginning to see that your scalp symptoms could be more than just dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis – keep reading. We spoke to Matthew Zirwas, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Bexley Dermatology, and 15 year expert in working with common, but difficult to treat, dermatologic diseases and problems.  And we spoke to Ruth Holroyd, founder of the award-winning blog What Allergy to find out more.

During the course of this article you’re going to learn;

What is an allergy and how do shampoo allergies develop?
What is the difference between an allergy and an irritation? – helpful if you’ve previously had a patch test
What shampoo ingredients cause allergies?
What is usually the first sign of contact dermatitis?
​
We start at the beginning…

​Last year, after a conversation with a freediver at an event for work (I know, weird flex), I made the decision that I seriously needed to do something about cutting back on my plastic consumption. We were talking about ocean plastics, and she told me a story about how dolphins like to play underwater by passing things like shells and pufferfish to each other… but now, she sometimes sees them playing with pieces of plastic. It’s been estimated that there is going to be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. And while it may be too overwhelming for most of us to go cold turkey and completely detox our homes from plastic, like this writer did, small plastic-free changes definitely make an impact. The beauty industry is a big contributor to plastic consumption—like, I hate to say it, your shampoo bottles. That’s where shampoo bars come in.

These little guys have been gaining popularity because they have way less plastic packaging than your fave liquid shampoo because, you know, they’re bars. Bonus, they’re also TSA friendly. (That also means you won’t have to use those tiny shampoo bottles they put in your hotel room.)

A word of caution to this tale: If you’re switching from a shampoo that gets super sudsy—i.e. probably contains SLS—bar shampoos may take some getting used to, because they don’t lather as much. That means your hair probably isn’t going to feel as “squeaky-clean” as it would after sudsing with a traditional shampoo. Also, most directions involve rubbing the bar directly on you head which, not gonna lie, sounds like it may be strange at first. Just like with any beauty product, not all shampoo bars are created equal. We scoured the internet to find the best shampoo bars on the market. Of course, one of those viral Lush bars made the list (and reviewers say that these bars last seemingly forever.) Behold, the fruits of our labor.

These are the best shampoo bars, according to the internet

For those of us who grew up with shampoo in a bottle, shampoo bars are a relatively new hair care product. I have written a lot of information in blogs, FAQs etc. about shampoo bars.

There is a list of links at the bottom of this page that may help answer your questions.

Shampoo bars are quite easy to use. This page is dedicated to some shampooing techniques. If you have a technique that works for you, please leave a comment to share with others. 

Why Is A Shampooing Technique Important?

Shampoo bars are superfatted and thus contain extra oils and butters to nourish your hair. If you do not lather up really well, you will have areas that remain coated with the soap oils, which will; make it look “gummy.”

If you are used to commercial shampoo and shampoo twice, you will have already noticed that the second wash produces a lot more lather. The first wash is mixing with the dirt and excess oil in your hair so the second wash is working on cleaner hair. The same is true for our shampoo bars.

So lather up, once, twice, maybe even three times at first. Then be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse!!! Again, if you have long hair, pay special attention to the middle back of the hair so that you rinse all of the soap out of your hair.

Technique #1: Use The Bar Directly On Your Hair

• Begin with thoroughly wet hair.
• Gently rub wet the shampoo bar directly onto your hair from scalp to ends in a combing motion.
• Cover each section of your hair. Gently massage scalp and hair, adding more water as needed, until a good lather forms.
• To prevent tangles, be sure to always work from the top down, don't pile your hair on your head and use your fingers like a comb, not a mixer.
• If you rub the shampoo bar directly on your hair, remember you are washing your hair with superfatted soap.
• The most common trouble spot, especially for people with long hair, is at the nape of the neck. 
• It is very important to work the shampoo into your hair with water and really build up a good lather on your head so there are no patches of soap left on your hair.
• Lathering up also allows the dirt and extra oils to be washed away.
• Rinse, rinse, rinse! 
• Repeat if desired

Technique #2: Create The Lather in Your Hands
Some find it helpful, especially in the beginning, not to rub the bar directly on their hair. They use their hands, a puff or a sponge to create foamy lather, and only use the lather to wash. It can be very helpful in making the hair less tacky until the adjustment takes place.

• Begin with thoroughly wet hair.
• Rub the wet shampoo bar between your wet hands to create a nice lather.
• Using your fingers like a comb, smooth the lather along your hair.
• Gently massage it into the scalp and hair, as you would with a bottled shampoo.
• Work up a good lather
• Rinse, rinse, rinse!
• Repeat if desired.

Relax, you can wash your hair with natural shampoo everyday if you desire! It cleans thoroughly without drying or coating your hair or scalp. Dry and style your hair as normal.
 
Ida's Technique for Long Hair
Men and women with short hair seldom have hair adjustment problems. Folks with long hair have to experiment a bit and I have found that often times the technique can make all the difference. The most common spot for build-up, especially for people with long hair, is at the nape of the neck. 

You have to experiment with your unique hair type. I have long, fine hair.

Below is my technique for using a shampoo bar.   I...

• tie my long hair into a loose ponytail
• thoroughly wet my hair 
• wet the shampoo bar and rub the bar across the top of my head in strokes from front to back until I have covered the entire scalp area. (I have found that if I rub any shampoo vigorously in all directions, my fine long hair gets very tangled)
• massage my entire scalp in a combing motion to work up a really good lather. I do not rub the bar or work the lather on the length of my hair.
• take out my ponytail and rinse, rinse, rinse allowing the shampoo to drip down the length of my hair. (I have found that this rinsing is enough to clean the length of my hair.)
• rinse for at LEAST one minute as I rub my fingers through my hair to be sure that all of the shampoo is rinsed away
• squeeze gently on the length to remove excess water and cover with a towel while I dry off the rest of me. I do not rub the towel over my wet hair because it causes nasty tangles.
• use a wide-toothed comb and gently comb from the bottom up
• dry and style your hair as usual

This "How To" is from Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve Company

Still more here >>>
Everything You Want To Know About Shampoo Bars!