pH Balancing 4 Healthier Hair

So I ran across Kimmaytube from the YT the other day and my eyes have been GLUED to all her videos. This lady is good….REAL good. She doesn’t endorse products but she breaks down the “science” that it takes to promote healthier hair. One of the things stressed was knowing the pH of a product and how it can affect your hair. I noticed that some of us (including myself) use Dr. Bronners to shampoo hair, but we didn’t know it has a pH of 10! That is high! If you want to learn more read my notes below that I took from watching her videos or you can do a search for KimmayTube on YouTube.

When it comes to relaxed hair, pH balance is an important, but often overlooked, It is the element to ultimately achieving healthy hair. Relaxed hair at the ideal pH has closed and smooth cuticles, which gives the hair strength and shine, prevents excessive tangling, and allows the hair to retain moisture. Relaxed hair at the wrong pH is dull and dry, tangles and mats, and breaks easily. I believe this may also be the reason for my hair snapping and breaking for about 3 weeks.

Choosing products that are too high or too low in pH will affect our skin and hair by either nourishing it or irritating it. So it is extremely important that we know the pH of the products we put in our hair. Not knowing this can cause all kinds of issues ranging from dandruff to burning of the scalp.

Quoted from Paul BEGOUN & Kimmaytube:

· If a hair care product is too alkaline (PH 8 and over) it can cause the hair shaft to swell and damage the cuticle and cortex. (pg 77)

· Apply a substance with a pH greater than 7 (more alkaline than hair) decomposes the hair’s acid mantle and begins eating away at the hair’s outer cuticle layer (pg45)

· A product with a PH less than 2 (more acidic than hair) also decomposes hair. Therefore, anything with a pH greater than 7 or less than 3 is bad for the hair.

·A pH of 3 is quite acidic and can theoretically denature hair

And any product with a pH of 4.5 to 7 works great for the hair, either by complementing

the hairs natural acid mantle or by leaving it alone and not disturbing it

· The goal of any hair care product should be to leave the pH of hair alone or to move it slightly in the acidic direction (to help the cuticle lie flat) and that’s about it.

Acidifiers for closing your cuticles and retaining moistures in your hair after washing it.

Apple Cider Vinegar = 3.0ph (safer when diluted to at least 4.0

· Aloe Vera Juice = 4.0 – 4.5. It is good for a leave in conditioner ingredient or your water bottle spritz. Aloe Vera juice is a great hair acidifier.

· After wetting your hair, use an acidifier within the pH range of 4.0 -6.0 to close your cuticles. Water is more alkaline than our hair.

· You can mix your acidifier with a leave in conditioner product of your choice or make your own with jojoba, coconut or castor oils.

· Acidifiers close the cuticles of all hair types, but afro textured hair needs them the most. Our hair is often times more porous due to its flat shape. Keeping your pH in check will close your cuticles and help to lock moisture in.

· Be careful with Lemon Juice. It is highly acidic and can eat through hair

My Closing Remarks & Important Stuff 2 Remember:

When an alkaline substance is applied to hair it opens up the cuticle.

So, we know that an alkali will open up the cuticle and an acid will flatten it, we can decide on which types of products we want or do not want to use on our hair

Aloe Vera juice is a great hair acidifier

At a time I was using Dr Bonners soap to shampoo by hair with and it has a = Ph of 10! I was REALLY damaging my hair

And any product with a pH of 4.5 to 7 works great for the hair.

Pure water has a PH of 7, while your hair and skin have a pH of 5. You should avoid both strong acids and strong alkali as they will both burn your scalp.

Most shampoos will have a pH balance of around 7. On the other hand, lemon juice and vinegar have a PH balance of 2 or 3 and baking soda has a pH of 8 or 9.

Now off topic: pH & Our Skin

Did you know this?

When it comes to cleansers, look for products that are mild and have a pH of 5.5. Bar soaps normally have a high pH, around 9 to 10. This means that bar soap can change the pH of skin and promote overgrowth of certain types of bacteria which increase acne outbreaks and duration. Use alcohol-free toners to help restore the skin’s pH after cleansing. Avoid over washing as water has a pH of 7. Avoid cleansers with harsh chemicals as these cause major pH imbalances that are difficult to restore.

28th Jan 2011 Update - Back Shot

I forgot to add a back shot. I am not too happy with my back because their is a area where it broke off really bad in the back from matting. My left side (pictured) is good but its my right side that is ALOT thinner. :( Crazy thing about it tho, is that it is really long. I will post pictures of that when and if that side recovers. But for now here is my left side.

MAC WONDER WOMAN COLLECTON - SPRING 2011

MAC is going to make me go broke, because  I want the whole damn collection! L Here are some pictures I found on the net.

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Rough, Tough, Hard, Dry, Tangly and Brittle Hair...

So I am not sure if I already posted about how my hair was snapping and breaking. I finally got protein overload. L I am have been slipping so much on hair care since starting to wear lace fronts and its sad…but no MORE….if I am too lazy to do my daily regimen, I am going to at least cowash and deep con at least 2-3 times a week.  When my hair was breaking I knew it was either moisture or protein so I found the information below from a website….. thought  I would share it with ya’ll.

 

Post credit to:

http://www.sistersofthefaith.com (Great informative site!)

 

How Do I Perform a Proper Wet Assessment?
It would be difficult for you to wet assess your hair by holding a single strand and pulling on both ends. That type of stress would be considered “undue” stress, because no single hair is ever really subjected to that sort of tension at one time. Any strand of hair (healthy or not) that you pull on by both ends has the potential to snap depending on the pressure you apply to it. Hair should be wet assessed by the normal act of combing though it or touch-testing it.

Wet Assessment Hair Breakage Break Down
If your hair:
(When Wet or Dry) Stretches slightly and returns to its original length without breaking, you are balanced! Stick with maintaining!

(When Wet or Dry) Stretches a little more than normal then breaks, you need more protein in your regimen.

(When Wet or Dry)Stretches, stretches, stretches with no significant breakage yet, add a bit more protein to your regimen.

(Wet)- Feels weak, gummy, mushy, or limp, you need to add more protein to your regimen.

(Wet or Dry) Experiences very little to no stretching, and simply snaps or breaks, you need to increase the moisture in your regimen.

(Dry) Feels rough, tough, hard, dry, tangly, brittle, or any combination of those, you need more moisture in your regimen.

Unsure? Err on the side of caution and give your hair more moisture. So now that you have figured out what type of hair breakage you have, what should you do?

Addt’

When the Balance is thrown off by too much protein

If this describes your hair at any time listen up! To correct this imbalance, you will need to go into a simple deep conditioning and moisturizing regimen. Protein induced breakage conditions can take several weeks to correct repair, and this form of breakage requires much more intensive conditioning and treatment than moisture induced breakage does. It is by far one of the most aggressive and common forms of breakage. It is much easier to overload your hair with protein and cause breakage, than to overload your hair with moisture and cause breakage. That is why if you are not sure what is causing your hair breakage, you should always try giving it moisture first. Depending on your level of breakage, this regimen may need to be followed for consecutive washes.

 

 

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My 27th Jan 2011 Update!

Here is a quick picture from the right side of my hair. The ends are defintely getting alot thicker!

My Custom Kinky Lace Wig

NYX GIRLS SPOTLIGHT

I have to say I am in love with the NYX Girls “Spotlight” nail polish! The pictures do not do this nail polish any justice. In the light it looks like sparkling diamonds! I know it’s a little extreme but it’s just that pretty! I purchased this from Cherry Culture.

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This e-mail, including any attached files, may contain confidential and privileged information for the sole use of the intended recipient.  Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is strictly prohibited.  If you are not the intended recipient (or authorized to receive information for the intended recipient), please contact the sender by reply e-mail and delete all copies of this message.