About Shampoo Ethnic Hair That Aren't Always True.

How Often Should I Shampoo Ethnic Hair?

Ø It is generally recommended that the hair be washed no more than every 7-10 days. Shampooing more often than that tends to dry it out. However, shampooing ethnic hair varies by hair texture. For example, an individual with very fine hair will need to shampoo their hair more often than an individual with medium to coarse hair. For coarse hair sometimes it is necessary to rinse and saturate hair before applying shampoos. This will rinse out any build-up of products such as gel, hair grease, mousse, and leave in conditioners.

Ø The Process of Shampooing:

Ø Shampoo hair in shower or kitchen sink. If possible, attaching a removable spray nozzle to the sink or showerhead greatly aids the process.

Ø Squeeze some shampoo (approximately 1 tbsp.) into the palm of your hand and gently massage the shampoo all over the hair.

Ø Using the ball of your fingertips (don't use your nails-scratching can irritate the scalp), gently massage the scalp with in and out motions, moving your fingers through the hair starting around the hairline and the nape of the neck and working your way to the center of the scalp.

Ø When an individual has tightly curled tresses, be sure NOT to gather the hair in a bunch on top of the head, as this may cause unnecessary tangling.

Ø For thicker hair, it may be necessary to apply and rinse out shampoo two or three times, with one-two minute rinses in between. It is recommended to wash the hair within the sections they divided it into when combing it out. This can make the washing process easier.

Considerations for What Type of Shampoo to Use:

Ø Assess the characteristics/ needs of the type of hair for which you're selecting a shampoo. You may have to try several before finding one that "fits". Generally you want to look for a mild, moisturizing shampoo with a balanced pH value. The pH balance refers to the alkalinity and acidity of a particular product. A pH of 5 is supposedly the closet to that of normal hair and scalp. A balanced

Ø pH value will help maintain the hair's natural acidity level giving hair its shine and manageability.

Ø The one ingredient to be careful to avoid in a shampoo is lauryl (or laureth) sulfate. Shampoos with this ingredient are designed to strip the hair's natural oils, and were not created for very curly hair.

Ø Use of a "clarifying shampoo" every 4-6 weeks removes residue build-up from all of the various products being used on the hair (e.g. shampoos with protein, oils, gels, etc.).

Ø Shampoos and conditioners suggested and targeted towards ethnic hair make thick hair more manageable.

Why Do I Need to Use a Conditioner and How Often?

Ø Conditioner is a lotion/cream for the hair and is intended to improve the surface qualities of the hair by smoothing the cuticle, keeping hair soft and giving it sheen. A conditioner should be applied after a shampoo.

Ø What Type of Conditioner is Appropriate to Use?

Ø An "instant conditioner" is one that coats the hair and gives it body and shine. Instant conditioners flatten the raised cuticle, make the hair soft and manageable, and help protect the inner structure of the hair shaft from damage by acting as a barrier. This type of conditioner should be used whenever the hair is washed. When choosing an instant conditioner, look for ones that contain some combination of such ingredients as lanolin, cholesterol, sulfonated oil, vegetable oil, proteins and polymers.

Ø Instant conditioners come in "rinse out" forms as well as "leave in" forms. Either is acceptable, and can be tried based on the needs of your hair. Using a leave-in conditioner after washing helps when combing through hair and blow-drying with an attachment. It can also help protect hair from heat of blow-drying.

Ø The only caution with a "leave-in" conditioner is that curly hair that is silkier or finer in texture may be left with a film or residue if the leave-in conditioner is too heavy for the texture type. In this case, rinsing it out is advised. A light leave-in conditioner that is in the form of a spray can be used afterwards before brushing/styling the hair.

Ø A "penetrating conditioner" is a deeper conditioner that is absorbed into the hair and improves the appearance of the hair. They are made from animal proteins and keratin. This type of conditioner should be used at each wash if hair is damaged (e.g. ends are split, growth is uneven, hair is exposed to chlorine, colored, etc) or if the scalp looks very dry. If the hair is not damaged, this type of conditioner is good to use once a month. Allowing a penetrating conditioner to stay in the hair for at least 15 minutes before rinsing it out is often beneficial. Another technique to get the most value out of such a conditioner is to apply the conditioner and then wrap a moist warm towel or plastic shower cap around the hair for at least 15 minutes. Afterwards, rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear.

 Why Do I Need to Use a Conditioner and How Often?

Ø After shampooing the hair and rinsing it thoroughly, gently squeeze all of the excess water from the hair. Section the hair, and add about a handful of conditioner to the palm of your hand and massage the conditioner through. A wide-tooth comb is an excellent tool to use to work conditioner through the hair. You can also use the fingertips to do this.

Ø Give special attention to working conditioner through to the ends of the hair, as the ends tend to be the driest part of the hair and the most prone to tangling and knotting.

Ø Rinse (or leave on if you've used a "leave-in" conditioner) and then comb out and twist the hair into 6 to 15 sections depending on how thick and long the hair is.

Hair Product Ingredients to Watch Out for:

Many of the commercially available hair care products use potentially harmful ingredients. In the interest of good health, the list below contains ten commonly found product ingredients to avoid. 

Check the list of ingredients on hair products. The closer it is to the top of the list of ingredients on the bottle, the more that particular ingredient is found in that product.

Comb-Out Process for Hair 

Why It's Done:

Ø It is recommended that hair be sectioned in order to comb it out because it divides the hair into manageable parts and aids the overall process. The focus is removing tangles in order to be able to work with the hair more easily & not hurt the individual in the process.

Ø When to Do It:

Ø Always comb out the hair after it has been washed and conditioned.

Ø Comb out the hair when you're getting ready to change styles.

What to Use:

Ø The following tools are used in the comb-out process: wide-tooth comb, clips or cloth-covered bands, light oil, and boar-bristle brush. Rattail combs should only be used for sectioning coarse hair. A rattail has fine teeth and can pull out coarse hair if you comb hair with it.

Ø Using a natural bristle like boar's hair is a good decision. The boar bristle hair brush bristles are similar to the keratin of your hair and absorb the dirt and oil just like your hair. In addition, the tips of the boar hair

Ø brush, are rounded and when used it gently massages your scalp. This brush does not damage the hair.

Ø Paddle hairbrushes are flat and wide. They help in brushing long hair and for styling it. Brushing your hair with a paddle brush also gives you a slight scalp massage. These brushes are used to style layers, as they do not add volume to layers.

What Not to Use:

Ø When combing out the hair small tooth combs are not recommended because they will pull the hair and cause breakage.

Ø Do not use rubber bands because this will cause the hair to become tangled and cause breakage.

Ø Do not use synthetic bristle brushes because this pulls the hair and causes breakage.

What to Do:

Ø Use a rattail comb to divide the hair into 4 - 8 sections, depending on the thickness of the hair. The tighter the curl pattern of the hair, the more sections you'll need. The looser the curl pattern, the fewer sections are needed.

Ø When using the rattail comb to divide the hair into workable sections, be careful not to dig the comb into the scalp. If the hair appears to be tangled, gently pull the strands apart with the fingers.

Ø After each section is separated, hold that section of hair together with a cloth covered elastic band or twist the section and hold it securely with a clip.

Ø Once all of the hair is sectioned, untwist or unclip one section of hair.

Ø Hold the hair firmly at the root, and using a wide-tooth comb, start combing the hair at the ends and work your way up to the roots. The movement should be quick, but not painful to the individual. Do not comb wet, coarse hair with the rattail comb as hair loss may result.

Ø After all of the hair is combed through apply a small amount of oil to the scalp (don't over saturate) and massage a little oil all over the hair. Use oil that contains sage, olive, rosemary, and almond or lavender, which are the best oils for the hair and scalp. Avoid using heavy substances such as lanolin, petroleum and mineral oils, as they attract dust and dirt and may clog the pores. If pores are not able to breathe, the natural hair-growth process may be slowed.

Ø Based on the texture / coarseness of the hair, take the boar-bristle brush and brush the oil into the hair, then twist and clip each section so that it doesn't become tangled as you work on the next section.

 Blow Drying the Hair

Why It's Done:

Ø Blow-drying the hair makes it straighter and easier to comb and style. It is a good alternative to achieving a straighter look without using harsh chemicals that can affect the scalp.

Ø Many persons find it easier to undertake the styling process (e.g. braiding) when the hair is straighter and dry, however, if you choose not to blow-dry the hair, you can move right into creating a style (e.g. braiding or twisting).

Ø What to Do:

Ø Blow-drying is most easily done section-by-section through the hair. After you've combed out the hair, oiled the scalp and twisted each section, remove one clip at a time and blow-dry each section individually.

What to Use:

Ø Use a blow-dryer with a comb nozzle attachment. Blow-dry each section, drying the ends first, and then drying the hair down to the scalp.

Ø Use the stretch method with a blow-dryer minus the comb nozzle attachment. Firmly grip hair in one hand and apply heat while stretching the care.

Hair Care Basics and Tips A Quick Review

Hair should be treated as gently as you would a fine washable silk blouse. The better you treat your hair, the easier it will be to grow and the better it will look. With some exceptions.

African-American hair is usually coarser in texture, tighter in curl pattern and more delicate and vulnerable to damage from environmental and chemical treatments.

The hair tends to be dryer and more prone to breakage because the curl pattern makes it more difficult for the oils to work their way from the scalp to the ends of the hair. The points where the hair curls and twists are also points where the hair tends to break.

The more of these points the more the hair is prone to breakage. Because the hair can be kinky, it tends to tangle more and pulling these tangles out can cause breakage.

 Washing & Conditioning:

Ø Wash the hair no more than once a week or once every week and a half (7-10 days), more than that can dry it out.

Ø Use the pads of the finger in a "scratching" motion to cleanse the scalp/roots, rather than using hands to lather entire head (Using gentle and direct "scratching" motions will reduce tangling).

Ø Comb the hair out while you're conditioning it to remove the tangles while it's wet and relatively slick.

Ø Using a leave-in conditioner after washing helps when combing through hair and blow-drying with an attachment (It can also help protect hair from the heat of blow-drying).

Ø Do a deep conditioner or hot oil treatment once a month.

Ø For youth that exercise and sweat, rinse the salt out of the hair even if you don't wash it (Condition it afterwards with a daily leave-in conditioner).

Moisturizing and Styling Tips:

Moisturizing:

Ø Oil the scalp on a regular basis with good natural oil like jojoba (Daily moisturizing or "greasing" the scalp with a light oil or light grease can be helpful in maintaining a desired level of moisture).

Ø Massage the scalp on a regular basis to promote circulation and oil production (Brushing the hair can help promote oil production from the sebaceous glands as well).

Ø Avoid overuse of products with a mineral oil or petroleum (They tend to block the pores and are not readily absorbed. (DO NOT USE PETROLEUM JELLY!)

Ø Remember that water (moisture) is the hair’s friend, so make sure the hair gets plenty inside and out. If you used to press the hair or blow it out and learned to fear water because it would dry it up, you need to get over

Ø this (Spritzing a little water on the hair every day is a good idea). Get a spray bottle and spray it, just a little, over the hair.

Ø If you relax the hair, you've weakened the hair and reduced the ability for the scalp to naturally oil itself (Following the tips listed above will help improve the hair's moisture content).