Beat Dandruff with a GIVEAWAY!

Since I'm a blogger, I get tons of information from all different sources. When I find it interesting I'll share with you guys. The latest thing I just have to share is an email I got from Design Essentials regarding Dandruff. Written by Tara Coyt, "Don't Do Dandruff." It simply explains the cause of dandruff and what can aggrevate the situation. Here is an excerpt:

Why Me?

Most adults have a certain amount of malassezia, a naturally occurring fungus that, when it grows out of control, causes dandruff. The fungus eats up natural oils secreted by hair follicles, causing scalp irritation that results in unsightly, oily white flakes (dry scalp usually produces smaller dry flakes). Dandruff plagues more men than women and is most likely to occur in both sexes from teen years through middle age.

What Makes It Worse?
A number of differing factors can worsen dandruff conditions:
· Increased oil production
· Hormonal fluctuations
· Stress
· A suppressed immune system
· Parkinson's disease
· Infrequent shampooing and
· Extra sensitivity to the malassezia fungus

Awesome information, but what I don't agree with is one of the ways to rid yourself of dandruff - shampoo often. Shampooing often sounds like a great way to beat dandruff, a clean scalp is a healthy scalp right? Yes, but if you are using the wrong type of shampoo (or one that has SLS) your shampoo might be causing the dandruff. Or even worse, you're SLS laden shampoo might be causing your dry scalp. Once I started using shampoo's without SLS in them I found that I did not have to deal with dandruff issues, it was that simple. No more Sulfur 8 for me!

More ways to beat Dandruff if you keep reading! + the GIVEAWAY!

Beauty Break: Lavanila Laboratories Vanilla Passion Fruit

I'm a sucker for anything that's healthy, but don't get me wrong I don't immediately love it because it claims to be healthy.  Instead, I'm always up for trying something healthy and when I smelled the new Lavanila Laboratories Vanilla Passion Fruit I was hooked.  It's a fruity scent with a hint of vanilla.

Here's some more infomation: This limited edition fragrance is a crisp, tropical explosion of Passion Fruit, Guava and Peach Nectar steeped in warm base of sandalwood and Madagascar vanilla. Created by master natural perfumers and backed by research, this love-attracting scent is uniquely infused with a romantic blend of powerful aphrodisiacs prized for their seductive properties. The Healthy Fragrance in Vanilla Passion Fruit harnesses the power of natural aphrodisiacs with an infusion of Blue Lotus, Juniper Berry and Clary Sage to lure love and set the mood for passion.

WHY IT’S HEALTHY: Unlike traditional fragrances, The Healthy Fragrance is made of 100% natural ingredients. Free of chemically laden alcohol, petrochemicals and phthalates, Lavanila uses timeless blends of pure essential oils, active botanicals and vita-rich technology for long-lasting, anti-oxidant rich fragrances bursting with beauty benefits.

Available at Sephora.com for $58.00

Hair Steaming - Why it works

Hair steaming is the process of conditioning the hair using steam. There are mainly two different types of hair steamers, a table top verison and a vertical steamer (large kind on a stand - the type you would see at a hair salon). I personally, prefer a stand up steamer because it's larger and seemingly more powerful than it's tabletop counterpart. Regardless of the type of steamer you choose the benefits remain the same, the most common being increased moisture. Lack of moisture is a big problem in the black hair care world, the best way to put it is that black hair (meaning hair types most commonly found on African American people) is more prone to drying out and resulting in breakage. Note: Black hair is certainly not the only hair that can benefit from steaming, but that's what we are talking about here. Here is how hair steaming works: The heat mixed with steam opens up the follicle and also opens up the hair cuticle to allow moisture to seep down into the hair shaft nourishing from the inside out. Why it works: With the follicle and hair cutlcle opened up wide your favorite oils, conditoner, and deep condtioners can really penetrate deep down.


Note: Once I am completely done steaming I always rinse my hair with cool water to help close up the follicle and hair cuticle.

Dusting vs Seek & Destroy

In attempts to prevent the need for a haircut (resulting in loss of progress) instead of just a trim, I have been dusting my ends. Dusting your ends, is when you snip off just the very ends of your strands. After you are finished you really shouldn't even be able to tell that you've snipped the ends. The mission is to rid your hair of split ends that can travel up the hair shaft causing more damage if it's left to continue splitting. Have you heard of seek and destroy missions? That's a little bit different. Dusting is when you do your entire head, snipping and snipping until you've snipped all the sections of hair, call it a mini trim. Seek & Destory is different because you are just looking for split ends or ends that looks shabby and snipping those off. For the record, I do both.

Hair Confession: Sometimes when I'm watching TV I'll grab the scissor and a towel and start a search and destory mission during the commercial breaks.

How about you? Which do you prefer dusting or going on seek & destory missions?

Beauty Break: Estee Lauder Love your Lips

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Estée Lauder introduces the Love Your Lips limited edition collection launching this February.

Love Your Lips is a limited-edition collection of 12 lip-loving Estée Lauder Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick shades and 4 NEW Kissable Lip Glosses. Each lipstick features a special “L♥VE” logo on the bullet and the glosses are packaged in uniquely designed vials specially adorned with the same logo. These two undeniably attractive lip formulas will make sure your lips don’t go unnoticed this Valentine’s Day.

Estée Lauder Signature Lipstick’s lustrous, creamy, comfortable formula delivers hours of moisture and wear to lips with a sensual, high-shine finish. Each lipstick carries a Valentine’s message of “L♥VE” engraved on the front and back of the bullet. Available in 12 lip-loving shades including 3 new shades:

Cherry Kiss, Pink Kiss, and Coral Kiss.  To purchase visit an Estee Lauder counter near you!

Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries - Hair Closet Review

Now that I've been on this Mega-Tek kick, wearing nothing but buns I've been spritzing on a moisturizer daily.  I've been using Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries, for some reason when I first got this product I liked it but I wasn't head over heels in love with it.  Now I can't get enough, my bottle is almost gone and I stalked to re-launch of the Oyin site just to make sure I would have a new bottle by the time this one is empty. 

Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries is my daily moisturizer and I follow it up with an oil.  My hair loves this stuff, it's amazing and as soon as I spray it on my hair it's super soft and feels moist and ready to be bunned up.  I'm hoping this stuff can help me retain every centimeter of my growth.

Visit OyinHandmade.com to purchase for just $11.00

Humidifier & Hair Care

I finally got a humidifier.  I did not buy the humidifier for my hair, if that's what you were thinking, I purchased it because the heat in my apartment is very drying.  So drying that I would wake up in the middle of the night with terribly dry nares, dry lips, and a dry throat, can you imagine?  My skin didn't feel dry, but just about everything else did.  Once I got my humidifier I placed it in my bedroom and I've been running it whenever I sleep, the dry nose, lips, and throat are a thing of the past and I'm sleeping way better. 

Feeling kind of creative, I decided to check around and see if there are any other uses for my humidifier (read: can I use it to amp up any of my beauty treatments).  Here is what I found:

Humifidiers can help rid your hair of static because it feeds the air moisture and in turn the moisture gets to your hair. 

I have a hard time thinking it would really help my hair especially since I sleep with a scarf covering my hair, but maybe I will see a difference in my skin.  If anything I'll be sure to let you know. 

Note: The photo is the exact one that I have, it has a cool mist and warm mist option.  I've been using the warm mist option.  It's a Venta Sonic.

Sponsored Post: Ceramic Large Hair Brush

I'm a big fan of round brushes for when I blow dry my hair, a round brush helps me to get my roots straight.  Once you see one round brush you've seen them all, right?  Wrong!  I thought that was the case until I saw this brush, what makes it stand out is the tapered tip that helps you part your hair.  The BrushLab Pure Ceramic Large Hair Brush is my new favorite because I don't need a comb to separate the hair as I blow dry.    I'm not sure if the tapered tip was a design decision to make it look cool or if it was designed with separating the hair but regardless it's genius!  Not to mention the price tag is low at $10.98 and available at BrushLab and ULTA beauty stores.

Mizani True Textures for Natural Curls

Mizani has a new hair care collection out and it's just for natural hair.  Don't think that'll stop me from trying some of the products.  You know I love a good sulfate free shampoo and conditioners "made for" natural hair are usually super moisturizing.  Check out the info on the new Mizani line.

Mizani True Textures: Designed specifically to care for naturally curly hair, True Textures addresses the unique characteristics of each curl type with specific products to meet individual needs, such as moisture, frizz control, and curl definition.

Mizani True Textures Curl Balance Sulfate-Free Shampoo - This gentle, color-safe cream shampoo is formulated to cleanse while keeping natural curls fully moisturized, bouncy and healthy-looking. Lightweight, sulfate-free formula rinses clean while retaining and restoring moisture to detangle and soften curls.

True Textures Cleansing Cream Conditioning Curl Wash - Designed for frequent use, this creamy, low-lather sulfate-free cleanser gently refreshes hair and scalp with a mild foaming action while adding extra conditioning to soften and revitalize curls in between shampoos and deep conditioning treatments. This one-step product combines mild cleansing, detangling and moisture in one.

True Textures Curl Replenish Intense Moisturizing Mask - This ultra-rich, deep penetrating treatment quickly absorbs into strands to revitalize and infuse hair with intense moisture. Perfect for dry, brittle hair, this formula includes essential nutrients to enhance shine, and definition for improved manageability and curl elasticity. Use as an express conditioner or as a weekly intense conditioning treatment.

True Textures Perfect Curl Defining Cream Gel - Designed for loose curls and waves, this lightweight crème-gel re-energizes natural spirals without build-up. Frizz-taming formula boosts natural “lift” to give lasting curl support, memory and control with a satiny finish. Combining the moisture of a styling cream and control of a gel, this product enhances manageability and separation to refresh curls.

True Textures Moisture Stretch Curl Extending Cream - Designed for coiled to extremely tight styles, this moisturizing, curl-smoothing cream helps to loosen and elongate tight, unruly coils without weight or residue. Defines highly textured strands by reducing frizz and shrinkage and revealing flexible, individualized spirals with a clean, touchable finish. Perfect for curl set and finger twist techniques.

Golden Globe Beauty: Halle Berry

Halle Berry can do no wrong!  She's amazing and her hair is a celebrity in it's own right.  You can recreate this piecy look with Aveda Light Elements Texturizing Cream and Shaping Wax. 

That's it I'm done with Golden Globe coverage, but I really had to post a pic of Halle her hair was just that HOT!  K - Bye!

Golden Globe Beauty: Zoe Saldana

Zoe Saldana is having an amazing year and it keeps getting better.  Zoe shined on the red carpet despite the dismay weather, I'm loving her hair!  TRESemme celebrity stylist Mara Roszak created soft curls for the fierce star. See below steps on how to recreate the look:

1. Starting with damp hair, apply TRESemme 24 Hour Body Foaming Mousse, and part hair to one side (slightly off center). Blow dry with a small round brush.

2. Spray a soft hold hairspray all over head, like TRESemme 24 Hour Body Finishing Spray, and curl 1" sections using a 1" barrel curling iron. Let hair twist as your wrap, and pin to scalp.

3. Let the hair sit in pin curls for at least 10 min. Take out pins, and brush delicately, without a lot of tension to keep the shape.

4. Use a small drop of TRESemme Anti-Frizz Secret Smoothing Crème on palms of hands, and gently flatten out roots to tame any fly-aways.

5. Pin one side (side with less hair) behind the ear, and finish with TRESemme Frizz Shield Finishing Spray. Make sure to keep the "S" form around the face.

My Hair Steamer

Guess what?  My hair steamer arrived!  I'm super satisfied with my purchase so now let me spill the beans on the details of my purchase.  I decided to purchase a hair steamer via Ebay. 

Ebay Seller: Best Choice Products

Purchase Date: January 11th (monday) in the wee wee hours of the morning.

Date Received: January 15th (friday) around 6pm

Item Purchased: HAIR STEAMER BEAUTY SALON EQUIPMENT COLOR PROCESSING

Purchase Price: $114.95

Shipping Cost: FREE!

I've used my steamer and it's the best thing ever!  More steamer info and complete review coming soon, but I know some of you have been asking about the make and model and other info.  I didn't want to share until I received my product without any issues before letting you guys know about the seller, etc. 

Wash Day: DevaCurl No Poo & One Condition

I've decided that I'm going to use a very moisturizing, sulfate free shampoo, followed up by an extremely moisturizing conditioner.  Why am I going over board with the moisturizing products?  That's because I'm doing extremely well applying my Mega-Tek Growth Mix, since Mega-Tek is a heavy protein I want to make sure that I don't end up doing more damage than good on this Mega-Tek Challenge. 

Pre-Poo:
Saturated hair with coconut oil and did a scalp massage before bed, then applied a plastic cap covered by a scalp to my head and went to bed. 

Shampoo:
DevaCurl No Poo

Conditioner:
DevaCurl One Condition left on for a few minutes

Deep Conditioner:
DevaCurl Heaven in Hair Deep Treatment left on for 30 minutes with heat

Results:
DevaCurl No Poo does not lather so I always find myself using more than I really need to, but it's okay because it has no SLS to upset my scalp.  Don't get up in arms if you are relaxed or just have naturally straight hair, DevaCurl products are for all hair types.  It smells great and left my hair feeling awesomely soft.  The DevaCurl One Condition and Heaven in Hair both compliment the scent of the shampoo and left my hair extremely soft and feeling very moisturized.

Some like it HOT: Deep Conditioning

Source

I love deep conditioning my hair, the benefits outweight the cons.  I hardly ever just sit under the dryer while my deep conditioner does it's magic, I'm usually always laptop on lap blogging away or reading some of my favorite blogs.  So my time is not wasted, as if deep conditioning is wasting time, but you know what I mean.... I'm not idling.  But, the biggest thing I hate about deep conditioning with heat is that I sweat.  Regardless of what I'm wearing (or not wearing) I always get extra hot and ultimately start sweating.  It's seriously the worst thing ever... anyone else experience this or am I alone? 

I did it: Hair Steamer

I've been talking about how much I want a hair steamer so I took the plunge and purchased one!  I have tons of closet space in my new apartment so I decided to get the stand up verison over the table top one because I plan on using my brand new steamer weekly and I wanted a good quality steamer.  Part of me was being cheap and debating if I should just use the steam room at my gym where I have a membership, but gym steamers usually have chlorine circulating around (or maybe it just smells like it) and I'd rather be in the comfort of my own home. 

Qualities of a Hair Steamer to look for:
* Auto Shut Off
* Quiet
* Adjustable settings
* Warranty

Expect a Hair Steamer Review once I get it!

Adrienne Bailon @ Hair Rules

Actress and singer Adrienne Bailon (you know the girl who broke Rob Kardashian's heart) hit up the Hair Rules Salon in New York City this week for a much-needed hair boost. The mastermind behind the texture-based salon and hair care brand, Dickey has decades of experience bringing out the best in every texture imaginable, from the runway to the red carpet. “I want something new and different to start of 2010,” Adrienne told Dickey. “I want to go back to blonde – they say that blondes have more fun; let’s see!” So Dickey and his team went to work, giving Adrienne gorgeous golden highlights, a clean cut, and a blowout.

Adrienne's color looks fab!  Want to recreate the look? 

Step 1: Frame the face with light, golden highlights

“Start with a single a single process and a half head of pale, golden highlights,” says Hair Rules colorist Katiria. “These highlights will brighten the face. Add lighter, golden pieces around the front, so that you get the sun-kissed look but you’re still a brunette. This look is going to be easier to maintain. Being a full blonde is a lot to keep up.”

Step 2: Hydrate your hair

“Shampoo your hair with the Hair Rules Daily Cleansing Cream – great for color treated hair,” says Dickey. “This no-suds formula has the perfect pH balance for bringing moisture back into your hair.”

Step 3: Don’t be afraid to get a trim

“Since she’s been trying to grow out her hair, Adrienne was hesitant to go for a cut,” says Dickey. “But when you notice your hair’s losing volume, it’s time for a trim. This will keep the split ends from moving up the hair, causing it to break off.”

Dickey gave Adrienne a simple cut, cleaned up her layers and blended her growing bangs into her haircut. He finished the look by applying the Hair Rules Nourishment Leave In Conditioner and blowing hair dry with a round brush to smooth it out.

Look's a bit like Kim Kardashian's Honey Blonde wig, no?

Macadamia Natural Oil Product Review

When I first heard about Macadamia Natural Oil products I was incredibly excited to try out the entire product line! I thought macadami oil, isn't that Tracyee's favorite oil? Plus, whenever it comes to hair oils I'm all over it because not only can you use oils to seal but you can use some oils to moisturize as well.... HELLO coconut oil! Now with that being said, the packaging is also beautiful with the brown swirls and bright green caps but once I got past the packaging to check out the ingredients my side eye starting coming out. Initially, I was thinking awesome Macadamia Natural Oil, sounds like a great natural line my hair might love. I mean Natural is in the brand name, so I thought they would have limited amounts of cones, mineral oil, etc. I was completely wrong. Despite the shady ingredient list for "natural" products, I still decided to try out the entire line, because hey I try not to get too hung up on ingredients.


Macadamia Rejuvenating Shampoo ($12, Amazon.com)


Product Description: "Macadamia Rejuvenating Shampoo is a moisturizing shampoo for all hair types and is excellent for dry, damaged hair. The Rejuvenating Shampoo gently cleanses the hair while weightlessly replenishing moisture and protecting the hair from environmental elements."
My Thoughts: My hair is chemically relaxed (not bone straight, but it's still chemically treated) so I always reach for a shampoo that not only cleanses my scalp but also softens and moisturizes my hair. This shampoo does neither, instead it dried out my hair. Bottom line: I didn't like it and a shampoo that's excellent for dry, damaged hair would not have SLS.


Macadamia Deep Repair Masque ($16, Amazon.com)

Product Description: "Macadamia Deep Repair Masque is a revitalizing hair reconstructor for dry, damaged hair. A combination of macadamia oil and argan oil along with tea tree oil, chamomile oil, aloe and algae extracts rejuvenate and rebuild the hair, leaving the hair deeply nourished for improved elasticity and shine with long-lasting conditioning benefits."
My Thoughts: This conditioner was good, my hair seemed to like it. The scent was nice and lingered in my hair for a while. It has Argan oil, macadamia oil, and algae extract. On a scale of 1-10, I'd give this conditioner a 6.


Nourishing Leave-In Cream ($15, Amazon.com)


Product Description: "Macadamia Nourishing Leave-In Cream is a leave-in conditioning texture cream infused with nourishing oils to tame unruly locks while adding silky softness, shine and UV protection."
My Thoughts: Despite the use of mineral oil in this leave-in my hair loved it! The scent is great and lingers, each time I took my bun down I caught whiffs of the scent and loved it. This leave-in is creamy, yet sinks right in quickly making my hair soft and easy to slick back into my bun. This earned a spot in my medicine cabinet.





Healing Oil Treatment ($20, Amazon.com)


Product Description: "Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment is a therapeutic oil perfect for all hair types and is especially beneficial to dry, damaged hair. The Healing Oil Treatment is instantly absorbed, weightlessly infusing the hair with moisture and nutrients for silky smooth, healthy looking hair while providing natural UV protection from photo and sun damage. Dry, brittle hair is miraculously rejuvenated with increased shine and control."





My Thoughts: I'm on the fence with this product. My hair loves it up, it makes my hair shiny and it does feel silky smooth. The "oil" is light weight and does sink right into my hair, but calling this product an oil is just wrong. First off, it's pink. What natural oil is pink? It's just not natural and it does contain cones, but since I'm not picky about ingredients I have to say I really like it a lot. I just really hate the use of "natural" in the name because it's anything but. Anyway, it would be great to use when my hair is roller set, it would add more shine and a great scent.


Keep Reading for the ingredients list:

Zoe & Avon

From Avatar to Avon,  Zoe Saldana is having an amazing 2010 and January hasn't even come to a close.  Zoe is the newest celebrity to partner up with Avon to endorse a fragrance, Zoe will be the face of Eternal Magic available April 2010.  Doesn't her hair look amazing in the promo photos?  Looks like a rollerset, but the shine is amazing!  What do you think?

Hair Thoughts

As we go into the New Year, I always start to think about years past and ways I can improve going forward.  This year I couldn't help but think about my hair goals and how I could possibly be preventing myself from achieving the goals that I "think" I want.  I mean over the time that I've been blogging about hair and hair care, I have been able to completely change my hair.  I went from okay looking, but not so healthy looking hair to great looking healthy hair.  Don't get me wrong I still have problem areas I am working on, but for the most part, my hair is healthy.  The texture has completely changed and become softer and more manageable.  I've gone from getting a touch-up from every 5-6 weeks to every 10-12 weeks, sometimes even longer.  So why am I not waist length yet?  I've had minimal set-backs, that really haven't had drastic results on the length of my hair.  The answer?  I'm scissor happy.  Apart from occasionally dustings, needed trims (read: 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch snipped), and search and destory sessions, HAIRCUTS!  12/30/08 I got a Lob, then eight months later (8/20/09) I got my favorite cut of them all.  Everytime I move past APL I get my hair cut, I never noticed it before but when I look back that's the case.  Maybe it's concidence or maybe I'm subconsciously cutting because hair longer than APL is a hassle, remember this?    So my goal for 2010 is no hair cuts, only dustings and seach and destory sessions.

I <3 CurlMart

I LOVE CurlMart.com!  Maybe you might be thinking, okay AHS, but your hair isn't curly it's relaxed so why are you over at Curl Mart?  Well, as you know I'm doing the whole Mega-Tek Challenge thing and I'm trying to use products without protein to avoid protein overload.   So some kinda way I ended up on Curl Mart looking at products and what is so great, is that the site has an ingredient tool bar that let's you know if a product what a product doesn't have it in, ex. Silicions or Proteins.  See, what I'm talking about:

If your product has no cones (or silicone-free) you will see that right next to the product.  No searching through ingredient lists wondering if something has proteins or not.  LOVES it!

Wash Day: Avon Advanced Techniques Moisture Sleek

My last wash day featured Avon Advanced Techniques Moisture Sleek products and my hair came out great, my hair was soft and smooth after I finished.  I did not take any photos because I only dried my hair on a low setting and threw it into a bun.  Here is a rundown of the products I used:

Pre-poo:

Burt's Bees Pre Shampoo Avocado Butter Hair Treatment left on dry hair for 30 minutes with heat

Shampoo:

Avon Advanced Techniques Moisture Sleek Smoothing Shampoo done twice focusing on cleansing my scalp

Conditioner:

Avon Advanced Techniques Moisture Sleek Smoothing Conditoner applied to damp hair and left on for 15 minutes without heat

Results:  I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Avon Moisture Sleek collection worked very well on my hair.  Even though my hair did not feel stripped after using the Moisture Sleek shampoo I won't be over using it because it does have SLS and I personally find SLS to cause my scalp to get overly dry and flakey.  The conditioner was great at providing moisture to my hair and combating frizz.  I noticed that after drying my hair on a low setting, it had less frizz than normal but it wasn't sleek enough to wear out without a flat iron. 

Miss Keys 10 en 1 - Hair Closet Review

The Hair Closet is a new series of reviews that will be featured here on The Anti Hair Slave. Here is how it works, every now and then I will select and review a product from my hair care closet. Sometimes (like this time) it will be a throwback product that I have already review, but I have revisited and re-reviewed.

Miss Key 10 In 1 Conditioner was probably my first Holy Grail product in my hair care journeys. For all of those who have no idea about this conditioner you are missing out. Miss Key 10 en 1 is a Dominican conditioner that has been raved about on various different hair care boards. So naturally, I had to try it out. Luckily, I was able to find it in a local beauty supply store but if you don't have a good bss near you don't fret, it's available online.

I love Miss Key 10 en 1 conditioner because it moisturizes amazingly well. My relaxed hair loves the deep moisture it gets from this conditioner whether I use heat or not. Additionally, I've read several reviews from natural haired ladies praising this conditioner as well. Another great thing that I immediately loved about this conditioner is the scent, it smells amazing and the scent actually tends to linger in my hair after use. After almost three years, I'm still loving Miss Key 10 en 1 Conditioner. It still ranks Holy Grail and is always mention in my top 5 conditioners lists. Not to mention, it's super easy to mix oils into the conditioner and get amazing results.

Ingredients: Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Glicerin, Propylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Distearoylamidoethyl Monium Methosulfate, Behendtrimonium Methosulfate, Polysorbate 60, Pentaerythrityl, Tetraisostearate, Lactamide, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Dimethicone, Diazolidinyl Urea, Fragrance, Methyl Propyl Paraben, Ceramide, FD&C Yellow #5 and FD&C Red #40.

Healthy Hair Needs a Healthy Scalp

Can you have healthy hair without a healthy scalp?  I mean I guess anything is possible, but having a head full of healthy, beautiful hair is a lot easier if it has a healthy well maintained scalp to grow out of.  Look around at all your favorite hair care blogs, do you see much talk about scalps?  Probably not.  A healthy scalp is essential for healthy hair. 

Keep your scalp happy and healthy:

1. Keep it clean!  You wouldn't allow your face to have layers and layers of products slapped on day after day would you?  Why treat your scalp that way?  A majority of your hair care products are meant for your hair, stop smothering your scalp by applying products to it and if you do apply products to your scalp make sure you thoroughly wash your scalp on wash day.  Don't allow your products to build up on your scalp.  Chances are if your scalp is healthy, you don't even need to apply products to it.  Your scalp produces sebum, its own natural oil that nourishes the scalp and prevents it from drying out.  So stick to apply product to your new growth and the length of your hair instead of to the scalp. 

2. Easy on the harsh shampoos!  Most commercial brand shampoos rely SLS or sodium laurel sulfates to clean, these are the same ingredients found in dish detegent, laundry detegrent, and household cleansers.  Sounds harsh right?  Well, the truth is they are.  Switch to a brand of shampoo without SLS and just watch for the changes in both your hair and scalp.  Remember when you shampoo, you are really trying to cleanse the scalp and not so much your hair, because as you cleanse the scalp the shampoo will naturall travel down the hair and that's enough to cleanse it. 

3.  Treat Your Scalp!  Every now and then give your scalp a treat.  Whether it's a nice moisturizing oil or a scalp massage give your scalp treat.  You treat your body and the skin all over your body probably on an at least weekly basis, why not treat your scalp also.  Scalp massages are one of my staple routines, it not only relaxes me it also stimulates blood flow to my scalp which in turns feeds my hair follicles.

Scunci No Damage

I only use Scunci brand No Damage hair ties.  But lately it's been harder and harder to find my beloved hair ties at my local CVS.  The reason why I love them so much is because, they have no metal pieces and no glue holding it together either.  In my opinion, the glue piece is just as damaging to my hair as a metal piece, both get the hair snagged on there which can lead to breakage.  Anyway, I just found some at a beauty supply store in a local mall here so I grabbed two packs, one brown and one black. 

What was your latest hair purchase?

Get Shiny Hair

Get your shine on! Having shiny hair was one of my New Year's Resolutions from 2009 and I'm glad to report back that my goal is accomplished. Between mantaining my hairs health from the inside, sticking to my hair care regimen, and testing out awesome products I was able to have hair bling all year long. Check out my top picks for shiny hair:

(Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 15-Ounce Unit (Pack of 2) $18.46 Amazon.com)

1. Coconut oil - by including coconut oil in your hair care regimen you will begin to see an improvement in the health of your hair over time, but immediately you will notice shine! Coconut oil is a great product to use to add some shine to your 'do.

(Redken Mineral Exilir Dazzling Smoothing Oil, $18.50 Amazon.com)

2. Redken Mineral Exilir Dazzling Smoothing Oil - This is the Queen of all oil sheens. This little purple bottle right here has replaced all my bottles of oil sheen, in fact the rest are all in the way back of the hair care closet because this is the only one I reach for. The spray is very light weight yet provides some conditioning and tons of shine.

(Deva Curl Mirror Curls 1.7 oz, $14.99 Amazon.com)

 3. DevaCurl Mirror Curls - This serum is super light weight, water soluble, silicone-free, botanically infused, and 99% naturally derived. It provides moisture and tons of shine. The scent is also amazing, it's light and fresh. Please don't let the curls in the name confuse you, it's amazing on all hair types.

Healthy Relaxed Hair Care Regimen

If you are new to The Anti Hair Slave, let me share a few fun facts about me and my hair with you.


Hair Type: Relaxed (or tex-laxed because I'm not bone straight)
Hair Color: Natural color - no dye or rinses here 
Update: I do use Henna every few months 
Starting Length: Shoulder Length
Current Length: In between APL & BSL
Update: BSL
Cuts?: Over the past few years I've had several hair cuts, I get scissor happy really easily and I've had a Lob (long bob) @ the end of 2008 and a shoulder length cut in Aug. of 2009.  Then in 2010 I added bangs and got another cut.  
Length Goal?: Current goal is BSL
Update: new goal is MBL 
Problem Area: Nape
Update:  Still my weakest area but not so much a "problem" anymore. 


My current hair care regimen is based on weekly washings, conditioning, deep conditioning and treatments. During the winter I don't like to wash my hair as often because of the cold, for the warmer months my regimen changes up.  Update:  I only relax about every 12 weeks.  


Each week I pre-poo my hair with a pre shampoo treatment, it's usually an oil like coconut oil or Burt's Bees Avocado Treatment. Sometimes, I pre-poo overnight or for 15-30 minutes before shampooing with or without heat. Update:  I use a Huetiful steamer ($125.00, Amazon.com) with my pre-poo treatments.  Plus, usually I start off with a scalp massage using an oil.  


After the pre-poo treatment I shampoo my hair, actually my scalp. I try to focus on shampooing my scalp instead of my hair because shampoo can be really drying to the hair, especially if I'm not using a sulfate free version of shampoo.


Following my shampooing I condition my hair with a quick type of conditioner, meaning a regular conditioning conditioner, not a deep treatment type. I leave that on for about three minutes in the shower and then rinse it out. After that I get out of the shower, towel dry my hair very gently (I don't run or twist my hair with the towel). After it's dry a little I apply my deep conditioner in sections to my hair focusing on the ends, pop on my shower cap and sit with heat for about 30 minutes. Finally, I rinse it out and style my hair using very little heat.



Update:  During the week, I wrap my hair up at night or sleep on a satin pillowcase.  I use JBCO (Jamaican Black Castor Oil, $10.00 Amazon.com) on my scalp and my nape area.  I moisturize my hair with a water based moisturizer (water must be in the first three ingredients) and use an oil to seal it in only when I feel my hair feels dry.  My go-to hairstyle is a low bun.  


Note: The reason why I didn't mention too many products here is because I have a bunch of different things in rotation, most of which have been reviewed right here on this site. Plus, I always testing things for review here as well. So at any given moment I could be using a different product, plus you want to find products that suit your hair needs so when you read about different regimens don't focus too much on the products used. Instead focus on techniques the person is using.