Category Archives: products

Not sure about an ingredient? Google it!

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A few weeks ago I was at home visiting my parents and my mom had gotten some Argan Oil conditioner from a friend for her birthday (Argan Oil is such a trend right now, I’m seeing it everywhere). She was hesitant to use it, so I gave the ingredients on the back a good once-over and tried it myself. Afterwards my hair felt so shiny, sleek, and soft, and smelled so darn good. But I had a few questions about some of the ingredients, so I went downstairs to try Googling them. I always check the ingredients on every product I buy, even if it’s being sold at a credible salon by my favorite hairstylist who promises nothing but “the finest” ingredients.

There are a lot of things to know. Sulfates are bad as a rule, as most of us know (this is the ingredient that creates lather in a cleanser) and alcohol high-up on the list of ingredients can make a product very drying. Conditioners should be chock-full of glycerin, aloe, essential oils, and other natural moisturizing agents that help your hair hold on to moisture (thereby reducing frizz). Gel should have as few harmful ingredients as possible also, since this the last thing you put on and it stays in your hair until your next wash.

I found another Argan Oil conditioner brand at Target recently and read the back. It had everything I wanted in a conditioner, but toward the bottom I saw things like “behentrimonium methosulfate” and a few chlorides. Now here’s where it gets really complicated — these aren’t all bad. This particular sulfate, for example, is also a “surfactant” and is commonly used as a de-tangler. It is not harmful and is not one of the “bad sulfates.”

My suggestion is to always Google any ingredient on the back of a product if you’re not sure about it. You will find tons of hits on blogs, forums, science web sites, and various credible sources that will help you make a decision. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when you’re committing to trying something new! Also–the shorter the ingredient list the better, as a rule. It will have less preservatives and will be less drying. As curly girls it is very important that we pick moisture-rich conditioners, and we can’t glean that kind of information about a product by simply reading the fancy words on the front of the bottle!

(Don’t) Whip it!

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Well ladies, winter is here. Harsh winds, low temps, and rough fabrics aren’t the only things that affect our precious locks each season… in fact, one of the clearest culprits is the artificial heat streaming through our homes and offices. It’s drying (just notice how you can’t breathe when you wake up each morning due to stuffiness) and abrasive, and it is doing the same thing to your hair that it is doing to your sinuses and skin. I’ve been dealing with a flaky, itchy scalp for months now, and nothing seems to cure it. I have been massaging with conditioner, doing weekly intensive oil treatments, and haven’t straightened it more than once or twice. What’s a girl to do?

Well, Curly Girl suggested that we try massaging our scalps with homemade whipped cream, or for us lazies, Reddi Whip.

I’ve been wanting to try this for a while now, so over the weekend I went out and bought some. My boyfriend cracked it open and used about a quarter of it on his dessert, claiming he thought I bought it for him (sorry, honey), but there was still plenty in there. I carried it into the bathroom and went to work in the shower, massaging it into my scalp as I do with conditioner. Then I used No-Poo to massage it out, and washed and styled my hair as usual.

After getting out of the shower I was cleaning dishes, and thought I smelled something really nasty, like dirty feet or unwashed underwear. I figured it was the garbage, but it wasn’t. Then I went into my bedroom and started folding my clothes to put them away, and smelled it again. I took off everything I was wearing for the sniff test, and it was all clean. I thought it might be the cats, but it wasn’t. In the middle of the night I woke up to a sound, and smelled it again. I figured it must be the laundry, but it wasn’t!

This morning I caught another whiff and put on some perfume to try to drown it out, whatever it was. I was showered, my clothes were clean, I must just be imagining it. When I got to work I turned my head upside down for my usual curl ruffle, and as I put a hand near my face, I smelled it! I knew that I’d found the source! Then… I felt sick. It was coming from my scalp… all of the whipped cream must not have washed out! My scalp and hair smell like spoiled milk.

Unfortunately I don’t have any dry shampoo on me, and I’m headed to an intense cardio and then dance class after work tonight. I’ll scrub my scalp when I get home, but that’s about 11 hours from now. The good news is, my scalp isn’t flaky or itchy anymore! I guess I’d suggest trying this, but only on a weekend, and be sure to use Low-Poo or the Lemon-Aid (lemon juice-conditioner mix) immediately afterward.

The things we do!