Our stylists know things we don’t.
by Jo Confino
​
Are we looking in the wrong place when it comes to finding champions who can turn us away from our environmentally destructive ways?
 
Researchers at a university in the United Kingdom believe that hairdressers, rather than politicians, scientists or celebrities, could be the secret weapon in convincing us to reduce our carbon emissions.
 
Given that hairdressers get up close and personal with billions of customers, they are the perfect vehicle for helping to change people’s behavior, according to Dr Denise Baden, an associate professor at the University of Southampton’s management school. Even better, they deal with many of the environmental challenges that need addressing, such as water and energy use as well as the toxins in many hair care products.
 
A new study by Baden shows just how much difference people can make if they change their routines.
 
A person who carries out a daily hair wash with two shampoos plus rinse-out conditioner creates a weekly carbon footprint of around 9 kilograms, or nearly 20 pounds of carbon emissions. But this could be cut down to just 1 kg (roughly 2 pounds) if they change to a twice-weekly hair wash using just one shampoo plus leave-in conditioner, the study says.
 
Her research, which is funded by the U.K. government, also shows how important it is that hairdressers educate their clients to reduce the use of heated appliances such as hair straighteners, curlers and blow dryers. Not only does taking a more natural approach improve hair condition, but it also reduces energy costs and protects the planet, according to Baden.
 
She and her team have now developed a carbon footprint calculator, which demonstrates the effect hair care routines have on the environment and points out five changes that can make a big difference:

1.     Do not wash your hair every time you shower — and whatever your routine, allow an extra day to go before shampooing.
2.     Shampoo once rather than rinse and repeat.
3.     Cut down shower time by using a leave-in conditioner.
4.     Shower rather than take a bath and limit the time to four minutes.
5.     Let hair dry naturally.
 
This is not the first time that hairdressers have been recognized for their potential to get important information to a mass audience. The United Nations Population Fund, in collaboration with UNAIDS Secretariat, back in 2009 identified barbershops and beauty salons in Guyana as information hubs to help reduce HIV.
 
“We’re not asking hairdressers to become sustainability consultants or to compromise on standards,” Baden said in a written statement. “Instead, we’re trying to educate businesses that less is more and to spread this message to their clients. For example ... [p]roducts such as leave-in conditioner not only save energy, time and money but are also great for giving body to fine or flyaway hair.” 
 
“Our approach has been to train the trainers so they can in turn affect the behaviour of their clients,” she added. “Just one hairdresser can affect the practices of hundreds of clients.”
 
The next step for Baden and fellow researchers is to develop a sustainable hairdressing certificate for salons, hairdressers and training colleges.
 
While all this may seem like a clever approach to helping limit climate change, there is one key challenge that Baden has not yet been able to overcome. While hairdressers are often adept at chatting about topics ranging from relationships to the weather, they do not often make proactive change agents.
 
As Baden pointed out in a 2014 interview: “Early adopters of social innovations characteristically have more years of formal education, greater rationality, higher IQ, higher aspirations and higher status occupations than late adopters. None of these attributes are typical of hairdressers. Therefore it is unsurprising that our pilot research found no examples of hairdressers taking the lead on sustainability innovations.”
 
But the world is changed one person at a time, and Baden points to the feedback from one hairdresser who went through a sustainability-focused training session: “Taking that approach has given me more pride in my work and in my profession as a whole. I no longer feel like ‘a blonde with scissors,’ I feel like a professional who is making a difference.”

by: Sabrina Perkins

​Deep conditioning is a necessary component of healthy hair care, and while it should be completed during every wash day, it is not the end of the world if skipped. There are several reasons why someone may occasionally skip this step just like there reasons why you need to do them, especially if using a clarifying shampoo. Conditioners close the hair’s cuticle layer that was opened by shampoo for optimal hydration, frizz free, and stronger hair. 

For many curlies, it is best to deep condition after every wash day, but what if you wash your hair often? Jasmina wanted to know just that when she posted this question in Curly Q&A.

Question
Hello! Is it ok to deep condition anytime I wash my hair (2-3 times a week)? 

Answer
Just like anything else in life, you can have too much of a good thing. Some need to deep condition more than others, for example you need the extra moisture if you

• swim regularly
• use heat tools
• have color-treated hair
• spend a lot of time in the sun
• have damaged hair

 
The more damage you put on your hair requires deep conditioning but finding that sweet spot to the right amount depends on your lifestyle you lead and the needs of your hair. Here are some tips to help guide you.
 
What is a deep conditioner?Deep conditioners are thicker conditioners with ingredients that penetrate the hair shaft. They are intended to temporarily repair and nourish between the hair cuticles with its higher viscosity. They are heavier and need to be left on the hair longer to fully penetrate the hair shaft. Applying with heat allows for it to penetrate easier and better and these conditioners have penetrating oils and other ingredients that fight frizz, dryness, and damaged strands.
 
How often should you deep condition?You should deep condition after every wash but for some that is a huge time commitment and it may not be necessary. Washing your hair more than once or twice a week may be too often. Too much conditioning can create over-moisturized hair and disrupt the proper balance of moisture and protein that hair needs. Deep conditioning once or twice a week is more than enough, anything more than that may be overdoing it. Your hair will let you know.
 
What does over-conditioned hair look like?Over-conditioned hair, also known as hygral fatigue, is limp, mushy, or lifeless. It may be over-conditioned or over-moisturized and the quickest fix is to use a protein treatment. If you find your hair appears mushy or limp and you are deep conditioning more than once a week, try reducing how often you deep condition to just once a week.
 
On the other hand, if your hair is responding well to 2-3 deep conditioning treatments, then there is no need to make a change. Many women with color-treated hair or those who use heat regularly probably need that extra moisture, so allow your hair to guide you on what it needs. Trial and error will be the best way to determine if deep conditioning several times a week is ideal or too much for your hair, so look for the signs of over-conditioned hair and remember to maintain the protein-moisture balance.

"  As wavies and curlies, we tend to play the game of keeping hair clumps out of the drain on wash day. "

Why does curly hair shed "more"?Since we don’t brush our hair daily, many hair strands that fall out naturally throughout the day get caught up in other curls and therefore, it does not come out until it is time to wash and detangle. This is because the average person loses between 50-100 strands a day so if you don’t wash or brush until 3rd day hair you may be getting rid of around 300 strands! According to the American Academy of Dermatology, this is what is known as hair shedding.

While some hair shedding should not be cause for concern, there can be a time when looking down at your drain becomes worrisome. There are different factors in life that can cause what is known as excessive shedding. First, know the difference between this and hair loss.

What's the difference between hair shedding and hair loss?

Hair shedding
Hair shedding is a normal body function where some of the hair strands fall out to make room for new hair growth, you can lose between 50 to 100 strands a day--and sometimes even up to 150--and this is still considered normal, according to WebMD. You will grow back new hair to take the place of the hair that you are shedding. Hair shedding can also be seasonal, meaning you lose less hair in the summer months and start losing more hair in the fall and winter months. One common cause of excessive shedding is childbirth. Many mothers lose hair after giving birth, but not to fear as this pattern usually only lasts for a few months and then reverts to its normal rate. Other causes of excessive shedding are quick weight loss, stress, sickness or surgery, in which case it is best to see your doctor.

​Hair loss
Hair loss is when the fallen hair fails to grow back. If you have hair loss you will start to notice either a bald spot or the look of your hair actually thinning as no new hair is growing in to replace the hair that you are losing. Hair loss can vary, some may lose hair gradually and slowly start to notice thinning at the top, while others may actually experience clumps of hair falling out. Hair loss can be caused by factors such as a poor diet, tight hair styles, stress, genetics, or a combination of these things. The good news: most hair loss issues can be treated. Consult with your medical doctor for professional advice.

While there is no way to prevent normal hair shedding, there are ways to improve our hair's health and further prevent true hair loss by caring for ourselves from the inside out--this includes making sure our diet contains enough protein and iron, in addition to making sure we thoroughly cleanse the scalp on wash day. Also, don't forget to be gentle when creating a braided hairstyle or updo.

Now you can wash your hair in peace knowing that although your hair shedding may clog your drain, it’s probably nothing more than your body making room for even more hair. If your hair loss exceeds the normal patterns that we have described here, be sure to seek the advice of a doctor to determine the cause and best course of treatment.

(source)

By Julyne Derrick
 
It probably won't surprise you that you're likely not shampooing your hair correctly. In fact, most of us make several mistakes every time we lather up. We don't spend enough time scrubbing our scalps, we don't rinse thoroughly and sometimes we skip the conditioner.
 
And those are just a few things we're all doing wrong. In this article, I share exactly how to properly wash and condition hair (it should take you about 15 minutes max) so that you're left with hair so squeaky clean it will feel as if you just got a professional shampoo at a salon.
 
My hair is a testament to these tricks actually working. Now that I wash my fine, oily hair correctly, I can go several days between shampoos (with the help of Klorane Dry Shampoo on Day 2). My hair has never been silkier, softer and just plain awesome. Now I just need to perfect my blow-drying technique and I'm set.
 
Here are the 9 biggest mistakes people make when shampooing their hair (plus, how to fix them)....
 
They Don't Wet Their Hair Thoroughly
I recently read a comment from a celebrity stylist that stayed with me because I have probably broken this rule every time I've shampooed my hair. He said most people don't wet their hair thoroughly before applying shampoo. Every strand needs to be soaking wet in order to truly get clean.
 
The good news is, it just takes about a full minute standing under the shower stream to ensure every strand is drenched. I can sacrifice that.
 
They Use Too Much -- Or Too Little -- Shampoo
Most people have no idea how much shampoo to use in the shower. I have a pump on my fancy bottle of Kerastase shampoo (I'm such a sucker) and I always pump it twice just out of habit. That's a lot of shampoo (probably about 3 tablespoons worth) that would plop into my palm. At $80 a bottle, I have been washing a lot of money down my bathroom drain.
 
At the same time, using too little shampoo won't get your hair clean enough.
 
Turns out there's a magic size when it comes to shampoo and it's all based on coins. For short hair, aim for the size of a nickel. For medium-length hair, aim for a quarter. If you have long hair, a half-dollar will do you. Squeeze the shampoo in your palm, and then using your fingers, apply the product to your hair starting at the scalp and crown.
 
They Don't Focus Their Attention on the Scalp
If you've ever had a professional shampoo at a salon, you know how much time they spend on your scalp. I always thought the long shampoo was really a head massage -- a luxurious perk that went along with the $200 bill for my fancy NYC haircut -- but it turns out scrubbing the scalp is a very important step in an effective shampoo.
 
Most people (myself included) do not spend enough time scrubbing their scalps.
 
From my research, experts agree we should scrub our scalps for at least 3 minutes. That's the magic number: 3 minutes. No matter your hair length or hair type, we should all be scrub, scrub, scrubbing our scalps with the pads of our fingers -- not our nails -- for 3 minutes. And we should do this in a brisk, circular motion. Now I will be the first to admit that 3 minutes is about 1 minute too long for me. I have tried to abide by this rule and I simply can't, so for those of you who, like me, have Shampooing Attention Deficit Disorder, I say do your best.
 
In her article, "How to Shampoo Your Hair," About.com women's hair expert Kendra Aarhus explains that focusing your initial shampooing efforts on the scalp helps remove dirt, sebum and build-up that collects there. Spending 30 seconds to a minute on your scalp scrub as I used to do is like quickly running a mop over a dirty floor rather than scrubbing the surface of its grime.
 
In fact, Aarhus recommends using this initial shampoo to focus only on the scalp, not the actual hair, which brings us to...

They Don't "Rinse and Repeat"
I always thought the directions on the back of every shampoo bottle to "rinse and repeat" was a bunch of BS meant to get us to buy more shampoo.
 
Turns out some of us should rinse and repeat, especially those of you with long hair. If you have short or really fine hair, you can skip the R&R.
 
It works like this: After you've scrubbed your scalp for 3 minutes, it's time to rinse. A quick 15-second rinsing should suffice. Then it's part 2 of the shampoo, only this time you'll be focusing your efforts on your hair, not your scalp. To do this, take about a dime-sized amount of shampoo and apply it to your hair. Focus on massaging the shampoo into your actual hair strands. You can spend as little as 20 seconds on this part or longer if you are a product junkie and you use lots of sprays, serums, mousse or gels.
 
All these rules! I know. But it's no wonder that before I learned them I went through a bottle of dry shampoo a month to buy some time between shampoos. It turns out I was doing a half-assed job my entire life. Now that I know how to properly wash my hair, I'm washing it less often. And my guess is you will, too.

They Don't Thoroughly Rinse the Shampoo Out of Their Hair
If you're like me, you can't wait to get over the work part of your morning showers. I can stand there in a meditative state for a long time under the spray of water, especially in winter (oh the havoc I wreck on my skin!), but when it comes down to the actual work part of scrubbing my hair, I aim for fast and efficient.
 
This means I typically whip through the rinse portion of my hair washing process. And likely, you do, too. Aren't we a fine bunch of sorry hair washers?
 
It turns out we are doing more harm than good because it's actually shampoo that causes build-up on hair, not conditioners, according to the experts at NYC's Le Salon. This is why it's important to spend at least a full minute rinsing hair of shampoo before moving on to the next step.

They Skip the Conditioner (and They Don't Apply it Properly)
Yeah, I have fine hair and therefore I have always thought of conditioner as an "Evil, Grease-Causing, Weigh-Down-My-Hair-Even-More-Why-Don'tcha" product that belongs solely in the bathrooms of people with dry, coarse and/or frizzy hair.
 
Well, it turns out I was wrong.
 
Fine hair is susceptible to knots and tangles, which is one reason it's good to use conditioner even on fine, oily hair. The trick is to use conditioner only on the bottom 2/3rds of hair. Do not let the conditioner touch your scalp.
 
Another mistake we tend to make is in applying conditioner because who knew there was a proper way? According to NYC stylist Eva Scrivo in her book, On Beauty by Eva Scrivo (buy it from Amazon, it's worth it), it's best to first squeeze hair of the excess water before applying a dime-sized amount of conditioner on the ends first and then working the product up the hair, applying more as you go. It's important to really work the conditioner into the hair. And while there's no need to let it sit on hair, unless it's a deep conditioning treatment, I recommend you let the conditioner work it's magic while you wash the rest of you and/or shave your legs.
 
I have to admit, I was really skeptical about conditioning my hair, but now that I'm following the rules and using conditioner, my hair has never been softer and silkier. I rarely put it back in a ponytail anymore and it's lost all traces of frizz. Consider me sold.

They Don't Comb Their Hair in the Shower
I never knew those fine-toothed combs all the beauty writers tell us we should use to get out the tangles belonged in the shower. And I surely didn't know they were meant to be used while the conditioner was in the hair.
 
According to this article I love on PureWow, it turns out if you want to avoid tangles and hair breakage (who doesn't?), brush conditioner through hair with a wide-toothed comb or a boar's bristle brush.
 
PureWow reports it's also a myth that you must use a wide-toothed comb, a brush will work as long as you use it on hair before the conditioner is rinsed out.
 
I have to admit that I skip this step, but I recommend you try it if you suffer from tangles and hair breakage (I don't).

They Get Lazy and Don't Thoroughly Rinse The Conditioner Out of Their Hair
I have never been guilty of this because I have never used conditioner. Yeehaw! 
 
But it turns out many people with dry hair make this mistake a lot. They think leaving a little bit of conditioner on their hair will make it softer and easier to manage. This is a myth. Conditioner will just sit on hair, making it look dull and flat, according to Scrivo. Scrivo (who is not only brilliant, but my friend, smile) says women with dry, coarse hair are better off using a leave-in conditioner instead.

They Don't Finish Off Their Hair With a Cold Water Rinse
It turns out that rumor you've read over the years in magazines that rinsing your hair with cold water will make it shinier is actually....true.
 
Scrivo writes, "It's a good idea to finish your shower with a cold rinse. A hot steamy shower raises the cuticle, while a colder temperature makes it contract. A flatter cuticle has a smoother surface that reflects light and look shinier."
 
I will always be guilty of this because I'm a cold water wuss, unless I'm showering outside in 100-degree heat. But if you are a brave soul who is thoroughly committed to having shiny hair, then you should go ahead and move that tap to the left, or right, or whatever direction leads to "cold. Really, really cold."
 
Happy shampooing my friends!