Hair Care News

How Can Vitamins for Hair Reduce Breaking?

Posted on March 22, 2012 with No Comments

Vitamins for hair can reduce tearing, splitting and breaking by adding nutrition and minerals that makes the shaft, cuticle and papilla of the follicle stronger and more pliable (flexible). The follicle shaft is made of proteins and keratin; deficiencies in these or fundamental vitamins such as B12 can leave hair weak – prone to heat damage, tearing by flat irons, and breaking due to dryness.

As follicles continue to weaken and become dry, breakage becomes worse. Brushing, combing, tangles and chemical treatments make matters worse too.

Vitamins for hair can ensure you have the adequate daily supplements needed to build strong follicle shafts that guard against breaking and excess dryness. The minerals and vitamins found in most supplements for hair have been researched to provide the healthiest conditions to propmote growth, strength and shine.

The longer hair grows, the more opportunities that it will break off. You will want to know the cause of why this is happening. Perhaps you are not aware of any obvious causes, like the tension when you wear a tight pony tail all day long, or a scalp ailment that results in hair loss by either falling out or by breaking off. You may not even think of having hair that has been over treated by yourself or in a salon, with chemicals; even your diet can be implicated in the condition of your hair. These can all quite frequently be causes of hair loss.

Breaking Hair From Vitamin Deficiency

Vitamin deficiency will affect the overall health of a person. However, it may not be noticed for quite some time in other organs. The integument has a faster cellular turnover than do most other organs. This makes a deficiency noticeable much faster in hair and in nails. Vitamins B and E are especially important for good hair health to prevent breakage. Biotin supplements are very beneficial in providing nutrients to of hair follicles. Another B vitamin, B 12 is necessary to grow normal hair.

B Vitamins And Hair Loss Prevention

B 3 (niacin), B 6 (pyridoxine), B 9 (folic acid) and B 12 (cyanocobalamine) all have an important part in either the production and maintenance of red blood cells or the energy synthesis and immune system maintenance thereof. In this role, they will all affect hair breakage or hair loss either directly or secondarily. Each B vitamin mentioned is needed for proper function of the hair follicles to produce healthy hair. B vitamins can be found in many different foods and deficiency with a healthy diet should be rare. However, there are certain conditions and instances when the body becomes deficient and supplements should be taken.

Biotin’s Role In Hair Growth

Biotin (B 7) has a role in gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis is the function of synthesizing glycogen from glucose. It also is involved as a coenzyme in the synthesis of fatty acids and some amino. It has an important part in the function of the cell cycle and without it hair growth and hair health will be affected. Deficiency in biotin is relatively rare but that is not to say that it is nonexistent. Certain medical problems can be responsible for a biotin deficiency. These must be addressed by a physician. Hair will react to this deficiency unless it is properly addressed.

Vitamin E’s Role In Preventing Hair From Breaking And Falling Out

The role for vitamin E is to sustain overall health of the body. In doing so, it also supports the health of hair. To keep hair healthy and elastic, rather than brittle and falling out, the immune system must be in good functioning order. It helps the circulation on which the nutrients for the body depend. Blood will deliver vitamins and minerals to the individual organs. One of the more interesting functions of vitamin E is that it indirectly increases prostacyclin release from endothelial tissue. This event then effects the enlargement of blood vessels, including capillaries, which deliver nutrients to the hair follicles. One of the most valuable properties of vitamin E for hair is in its anti-oxidant properties. It will repair damage from free radical of environmental and endogenous disease processes. Vitamin E and Biotin are common and key primary ingredients in healthy hair vitamins to reduce breaking.

sFree® Announces New Sulfate-Free Emu Oil Shampoo

Posted on February 25, 2012 with No Comments

sFree®, a leading brand in sulfate-free shampoo and conditioners, announced today it has introduced a new line of sulfate-free and fragrance-free Emu Oil shampoos and conditioners. The announcement comes after consumer testing and requests for emu oil shampoo that is also sulfate, paraben and sodium laurel sulfate-free.

sFree® is the manufacturer and distributor of several products such as sFree Moisture and Growth Shampoos as well as a complete selection of conditioners – from light-weight to those that are silk protein based.

Sfree® Emu Oil Cleanser is a sulfate, fragrance & paraben free shampoo. Emu oil is a natural anti-inflammatory which helps ease scalp tension and stimulates hair growth.

For those unfamiliar with Emu Oil or its benefits, it is and has been used for centuries in Australia and New Zealand. First used for treating skin problems (burns, cuts, rashes, etc.), it has quickly made its way to the hair care arena – becoming a key ingredient in shampoos and conditioners for dry hair, in particular. Its well known for infusing moisture into the scalp and directly into the hair shaft, greatly improving moisture content and thus reducing dryness, split ends, breaking, and improving strength.

Emu oil is a natural anti-inflammatory which helps ease scalp tension and stimulates hair growth. It also has been shown to reduce soreness and stop swelling. It helps the scalp heal faster and rebound from minor aches and irritations. Emu oil is a natural emulsifying agent which means it blends well and will not leave an oily residue on your hair and scalp.

While emu oil products have become increasingly popular as folks in the United States “discover” its benefits, so has ssulfate-free hair products. As a society we are becoming more sensitive to non-natural and non-organic products. And, there is significant clinical evidence that sulfates can damage the hair – making the hair weaker, increasing split-ends, slowing growth, and in some cases where there may be allergic reactions to harsh sulfates, thinning and hair loss.

As a result there is increasing demand for emu oil and sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners. This is where sFree® Hair Products has focused its efforts.

Follow this link to learn more about sFree® hair products.

What’s The Best Hair Care Products For Damaged Hair?

Posted on November 12, 2010 with No Comments

Have you ever wondered what is the best hair care products for damaged hair. If you have then we are both in the same agreement everyone claims their products are better
than others.  That is why we are looking for the best hair care products for damaged hair.

For years I’ve tried all types of products especially the ones my friends have used. Nothing had seemed to be the right one for me. I have very damaged hair from years of blow drying using the flat iron and just the daily day to day environment. I have always tried to use products that were not harsh to my scalp, but sometimes not everything is perfect.

I was told if I looked online for products and not just in stores I could probably find something that would work for me.

So that’s just what I did. I found a conditioner for dry damaged hair. The conditioner had really made a difference. The active ingredient is natural and is called Emu Oil. Emu Oil is great for all hair types and supplies the hair with a ton of moisture. Emu Oil is also know as a carrier oil which helps penetrate the other natural based ingredients into your scalp which has helped to care for my damaged hair.

I kept looking online to see if there was something else I could use for after shampooing and conditioning my hair and I found a leave in conditioner that is great for damaged hair. You just spray into towel dried hair and style as normal, This product contains Horse Tail extract which is good for strength and shine.

I use these products on a day to day basis and I wouldn’t trade them for any others. My advice don’t just look for convenience you might have to do some serious research online instead of just store to store shopping.

Best Hair Repair Product

Posted on October 11, 2010 with No Comments

When it comes to hair repair natural is always better so look for shampoos that are naturally based. Also vitamins and minerals play a huge role when it comes to the health of your hair, look for vitamin shampoo, this will help load your hair with the vitamins that it needs. A good leave in conditioner goes a long as well when it comes to fighting frizz and battling split ends.

Silk protein is good for you hair as well so find a thick silk protein conditioner this will help patch up the weak areas on the hair follicle. Finding the right deep conditioning treatment for you is very important as well. Look for a treatment that can be used no more than once a week. Any more than that and it will leave your hair oily.

A good moisturizing conditioner is needed as well when your hair starts to dry. This conditioner should be neutrally based like an emu oil conditioner or jojoba conditioner. These conditioners will help once you start to get dry or brittle hair. To get a deep conditioned look you can also use argan oil to help hydrate and style your hair as well. Oils such as emu, jojoba or argan oil help moisturize your hair but do not use to much because they could leave your scalp greasy.

So when it comes to the best hair repair product, its best to find a complete treatment. A good shampoo, conditioner, deep treatment and hair oil can make a world of difference.

Need Frizz Help?

Posted on November 23, 2009 with No Comments

With cold, dry weather comes the annual mecca for frizzy hair help.  We, our customers, and co-workers see a dramatic increase in questions about how to deal with hair that is overcome with frizz, static electricity, and damage.

Tame Frizzy Hair

For most of us in the industry and for most anyone who is fairly serious about their hair, we know that dry air (lower humidity), wind and cold depletes oils and moisture.  The dryness makes hair less resistant to humidity, decreases moisture content, and becomes harder to control, style and manage.

Frizzy Hair Help - For Beautiful Hair

There are several things we can do to reduce frizz and get your locks the help they need.

• I always recommend switching to a moisturizing shampoo during the fall and winter if you do not use one on a daily basis.  Shampoo/conditioner combos generally work well but are often hard to find – at least good ones that don’t weigh down your hair or leave it feeling “too silky”.  Most folks’ hair works well with a good emu oil shampoo for improving moisture.  We’ve written several blog entries for emu oil, its impact on the follicles and scalp, so I won’t go into detail (though there is a link above).  As a side note, its good for scalp health and works well for treating any flakiness or dry scalp you may be having also.
• Watch the use of heat appliances.  Flat irons, blow dryers and curling irons can wring the moisture our of most styles very quick.  Besides the resulting frizziness, this is one of the leading contributors to hair damage.  Weakening the follicle shaft causes breaking and split-ends.  Use a thermal protectant.  Most are leave-in conditioning sprays that can be used before heat is applied.  They help coat the follicle shaft and make the shaft “slippery” so they don’t snag on flat irons and break.  They also help seal-in moisture.
• Try an oil treatment.  A couple of good ideas are Jojoba Oil, Argan Oil and Emu Oil.  I recommend using Argan Oil.  Argan oil is natural (unless combined with something not natural) and increases drying time and conditions.  For the money, its a great investment for treating dry, frizzy hair – you don’t spend as much time styling and you get conditioning and protection.  MoroccanOil is a very popular name-brand as is Marrakesh Oil, and Agadir.  All are 100% argan oil and/or have been supplemented with Vitamin E or Hemp oil.  On a personal note, Marrakesh is my favorite…I love the smell.
• From a styling perspective, you can cut-down on frizz and fly-away using styling aids.  Gels, hairsprays, mousse, pomade, et al are good for holding a style in place.  Make sure they don’t contain alcohol and that you don’t allow product residue to build-up.  This can increase dryness and promote scalp problems like psoriasis, dandruff and associated symptoms like scalp flakes, scabbing, inflamed scalp tissue and itchy head.

Getting successful frizzy hair help is often just paying attention to how and when your hair frizzes.  Noticing time of day, products you are using, temperature, can give you some clues as to how to tame frizz and get your hair behaving.

Moroccan Oil Series – Product Reviews

Posted on July 13, 2009 with No Comments

Innovation has never been the strong suit of the hair care industry. Instead, companies rely mostly on taglines, bylines, smooth talking salesmen, pretty commercials, and emotion-based marketing tactics to promote their wares that, more often than not, use the exact same formulas and chemicals.

Moroccan Oil

Strip away all the hype, cover your eyes, randomly pick a shampoo, and you’d end up with exactly the same product with only slight differences in ingredients more often than not.

Therefore, the introduction of the Moroccan Oil® brand and its “Series” of products is a refreshing change in a market swamped with bland, over-hyped shampoos, oils, treatments, conditioners, 2-in-1 shampoos and conditioners, and many other miscellaneous formulas that offer the same end via the same means. However, could it be that Moroccan Argan Oil® itself is an overrated product as well? We’ll find out in this review.

One of the things that separate Moroccan Oil® from other brands is its manner of dosage and treatment. In order to get a natural, silky softness that whole generations of hair care brands claim to provide, you need only apply a few small drops (Argan Oil) to clean, wet hair from its roots to its tips. Say goodbye to the greasy feel of other serums that weighs down.

Moreover, this truly revolutionary product line works its concentrated magic by nourishing your scalp with valuable antioxidants like Vitamins F and E, penetrating deep into the roots and repairing all its split ends in one fell swoop. Considering that it does all this in just a few drops, it may not be an exaggeration to refer to this product as a super serum of sorts that works well on all types – especially for shine, faster drying and improved smoothness.

One of the things I think is now so great about their line is that in addition to their best selling Argan Oil treatment, they have now introduced the “Moroccan Oil Series” that includes: a Moisture Repair Shampoo and Conditioner, an Intense Curl Cream, Gold Glimmer Shine, and a Restorative Hair Mask – all with Argan-based formulations or with the use of unique and pretty effective ingredients.

The true test to Moroccan Oil®’s mettle is, of course with its shampoo, how it handles two extreme types—the coarse, dry ones and the thinning, breakage-prone ones. Considering its potency, it won’t really help in restoring follicles that have begun to shed, especially considering the fact that it contains no DHT blockers in its formula.

Furthermore, it caters more to the latter dry type because untangling knots and curls is its specialty. It can be used on any hair type, but the puffier and more unruly, the better it performs.

As for the drawbacks, its subtle, incense-like smell may not be for everyone, especially those who prefer a tropical aroma over its spicy Caribbean coconut smell. Although its benefits reach panacea-like proportions (it protects against ultraviolet rays and pollutants, leaves no build up or residue, and so on), its results may vary from person to person.

Regardless of its shortcomings, Moroccan Oil® remains styling and hair care products of choice for types ranging from thin, (but not thinning) normal to thick and coarse. As such, until a better product comes along, it gets a nigh-perfect 9.5 out of 10 star rating.

Using Argan Oil to avoid heat damage

Posted on April 19, 2009 with No Comments

We recently reviewed Moroccan Oil along with several other products that contain Argan Oil.  Our review will be published in the coming week.

Argan Oil is derived from the Argan plan (bush, shrub?) indigenous to Morocco.  Marrakesh Oil and “Miracle Oil” are also names you will see, but they all have their primary base in Argan. 

We found drying times to be reduced by as much as 50%!  That’s a lot.  It reduced blow drying time significantly.  Our test stylist said…

I was stunned by how fast hair dries, it was softer, and made the hair shine more!  My clients love it and have begin using especially with long and curly hair.   J. Brown – Stylist and Salon Owner

This isn’t a sales pitch, but rarely do we come across a product that works so well and actually does what it says – in a way that is immediately noticeable.  While quicker drying time has the obvious benefit of shortened styling time, the greatest advantage is its’ ability to help avoid heat damage caused by dryers, flat irons and curlers.  We see many clients, customers and some stylists use tools to style and dry; while this is part of their use, over-styling can lead to split-ends, pre-mature breaking and tearing of the follicle shaft. 

If you interested in trying some of these products, follow the “Hair Products” link to the right and type in “Argan Oil” in the search bar. Or, purchase at HealthyHairPlus.com by clicking on this link >> Argan Oil.