Makeup of Hair

Your hair is made up of a few parts, and is a little complex. Understanding these parts, and their individual functions can be beneficial when it comes to achieving healthy hair, and scalp. It's also very important in growing long, healthy hair, and maintaining the hair you have currently.



The main parts of your head of hair involve your scalp, hair, hair follicle, sebum, and the sebaceous gland.

What exactly are these?



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Hair: Keratin that's composed of two parts; the shaft (the visible part above the scalp) and the follicle (which can't be seen and is below the surface of the skin).

Keratin: Protein that gives hair its strength. It makes up your hair, nails, and top layer of skin.

Follicle: Is the living part of the hair containing blood capillaries. The follicles shape influences the shape of the cortex, which in turn determines what the hair type will be. Ex. curly, straight, wavy

Shaft: Is made of three layered keratin layers. Ex. cuticle, cortex, medulla

Sebum: A natural oil that's produced by the sebaceous glands. It helps protect the skin and hair from drying out. It's usually odorless unless there's bacteria present.

Sebaceous Gland: Responsible for producing oil that protects the hair and skin.

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To maintain healthy hair it's very important to protect and nourish all parts of your hair.

Cuticle in Detail

• The outer most layer of hair
• Gives hair its sheen
• Made of tight scaled keratin layers- think roof shingles
• It's transparent
• Functions as a protective layer to the hair
• Part that absorbs conditioners
• Causes tangles and snags if the layers are lifted or damaged
• Can't repair itself once damaged

Cortex in Detail

• The second layer of the hair shaft
• Makes up the majority of the mass
• Contains pigmented cells that gives hair its color
• Helps determine the elasticity of hair
• Area of the hair that experiences damage from heat and chemicals
• Holds moisture

Medulla in Detail

• Center of the hair shaft
• Isn't continuous throughout the length of hair
• Thick or coarse hair has a medulla
• Thin hair usually lacks it
• Blonde hair doesn't have one
• It's purpose is unknown

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The shape of your hair follicle determines whether your hair will be straight, wavy, or curly. You can have more than one type of hair, or even curl pattern on your head.

The size of your hair follicle determines the thickness.

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Hair Facts:

• There's over 100,000 hair follicles on your head
• Thick curly hair tend to be short, because sebum can't reach the length of the hair shaft causing the hair to be dry and brittle
• Hair uses the same cells that are responsible for bone growth
• There's a muscle fiber connected to the sebaceous gland that controls goosebumps and your hair standing up on end.
• An unbalanced diet can cause brittle and dry hair
• Hair gets it shine from sebum the scalp produces
• Made of about 10% water
• Animal hooves, claws, and feathers are made of the same thing as your hair - keratin
• Sebaceous glands are found everywhere except on the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands

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If growth and retention are important to you when it comes to hair you should keep all of this in mind. Once your hair is damaged (sun, heat, chemical, etc) it can't be undone. To correct badly damaged hair your only option is to cut it. You can temporarily repair hair with smoothers, conditioners, sealants, silicones, etc, but they're not permanent solutions. Making sure you care for your hair properly can help prevent unwanted chops.



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(Above) Blue: Cut mark   Red: conditioners

1. A healthy hair can experience slight damage from normal wear of a day. Chlorine, dyes, heated tools, winter hats, brushing, and hair accessories can all wear on your hair over time. The key is protecting your hair and being aware of its state. If you keep up with necessary trims there will be minimal hair removed.

2. After a while your hair can become frayed, experience heat damage, or break off from over processing. You may notice uneven pieces of hair, fly aways, or split ends. This is when you want to start taking action before it spreads. Unattended split ends can travel up the length of the hair causing more damage. These splits get caught on each other, and this causes tangles which can cause further damage.

3. Conditioners, silicones, and oil treatments, for example, can help temporarily seal split hairs, but it's not permanent. After washing those seals are removed and need replaced. This is why conditioning is important. Once the cuticle of your hair is damaged it can't repair itself. It's up to you to maintain and protect the hair.

4. If your hair is continually neglected, or trims aren't being done as necessary you may end up having to cut more than anticipated in order to correct the damage.

5. You can see the difference between trims. If you address it early you'll retain more length than if you put it off. Hair grows at about 1/4 inch a month so in order to retain some length you don't want to cut more than that. Example: Roughly 1.5 inches can be grown in about 6 months time. If you trim more than that it's like knocking your hair length back 6 months. So your hair may healthier if it was damaged, but you won't see the growth. That's why it's important to stay on top of it!



How often do you trim your hair? What do you do to make sure your hair is healthy?

Follow me on Twitter @MzDezy or like my Facebook Fan Page and let me know!!

Quick Style: Wash n Go

Here's one method of how I do a quick, simple wash n go! This took a max of 10 minutes to complete, if that.

Things needed:

Wide tooth comb

Conditioner

Spray bottle

Essential oil (EO) of your choice

Towel (optional)

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To Make an EO Mix: I use a spray bottle that's easy to control and hold in one hand. Fill it with warm water, then (depending on the size) add about 3 drops of lavender EO, and give it a quick shake.

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I try to never comb my hair while dry, because it rips, tears, and risks damaging it. Detangling almost always takes place while I'm washing my hair, and it's covered in conditioner. Detangling while conditioner is on your hair helps lubricate and protect the strands. Conditioner also smoothes the cuticle making it harder for strands to catch, tangle, or pull while combing.

To begin I soak my entire head (using warm, not hot, water) and rinse until the water runs clear. I do this to make sure any product that may be in is rinsed out. Next, I co wash (cleanse hair/scalp using conditioner instead of shampoo) rinse again, then squeeze (not twist) excess water out. After rinsing I soak my hair in conditioner, making sure all sections are covered evenly.



Soaked in conditioner!!

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Once the conditioner's in I spray down my entire head very well with the EO mixture. To prevent product build up you want about half of the conditioner to be diluted. When the EO mix is in I massage it around for a few seconds, and then detangle using a wide tooth comb. I start around the edges and ends of my hair, and then work my way closer to the crown and roots. If necessary I hold sections of hair so that strands aren't pulled or ripped out in the process. The wide tooth comb helps in the detangling, and it help define curls without manipulating them too much. If you twist, pull, or rub curly hair while it's wet (or in the drying process) you can cause unwanted frizz. This is why I don't use a towel for wash n go's, but if you choose to be gentle!

Just a little conditioner left after the EO mix spray down and detangling!

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****This is all done on the side of my tub and/or holding my head upside down (let gravity help you) ****

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Ignore the brows 0_o I was trying to get them together while doing my hair and I need an outline to help  ^_^"

Notice the definition on my curls!! I love it!



Tadaaa...hair and brows done in about 10 minutes! You can move your hair around to where you'd like it to be when dry. Try not to manipulate it too much so that you may prevent frizz.

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Pros to Wash n Go's:

• Low maintenance- to refresh in the mornings just spritz with the EO mix and fluff
• Moisture (water) gets sealed in your hair by the oils in the EO mix
• You're helping your hair maintain its flexibility by keeping it moistened and conditioned
• Time needed for styling is minimal
• Can be done with cheap/expensive product
• Conditioner coats the cuticle adding protection to the hair
• Protein conditioners strengthen hair from the inside out
• Conditioner help define and give a slight hold to curl patterns in hair without gel

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Want More Info on Essential Oils? View some of my older posts!!

Learn some different types of EO and their specific uses here.

Have a specific need such as dry scalp, lice, oily hair? Check this post out!

Want to see another wash n go method?

Check out my wash n go using Eco Styler Argan Oil gel.

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Quick Tips:

***Using the above method you can turn an old twist/braid/knot out into a quick wash n go. This is helpful when you just have to do something to your hair but are short on time!

***Jazz up a wash n go by adding an accessory such as: hair flower, clips, colorful head band, or a fancy scarf.

***If you have different hair/scalp needs experiment with different EO mixes to help. Example: if you have oily hair, or dandruff you may want to try a Rosemary EO mix.

***I don't recommend this style for someone who's transitioning. Unless you have very little relaxed ends remaining it may not look the best if long pieces remain straight.

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I'd like to thank everyone who submitted an entry for my 1st Giveaway!! All of the entries were VERY good and creative...I loved them! I'll be announcing the winner soon! Be on the look out for more Giveaways.

I also want to welcome, and thank everyone who's joined/liked A Natural Hair Affair on Facebook, have followed my blog, and watched my YouTube videos! I appreciate all of the questions, feedback, emails...everything! I love talking to new people, learning and exchanging info! Keep it coming ^_~"

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Coconut Oil

My latest venture was making whipped shea butter with coconut oil! I love shea butter, coconut oil, and essential oils, so why not make something great out of all of them? This time around I made sure to take pictures of the process.

What I Used:

• Raw Unrefined Shea Butter
• Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• Olive Oil
• Carrot Oil
• Vitamin E Oil
• Lavender Essential Oil (EO)
• Lemon Essential Oil

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Using a double boiler, on a medium heat I melt the shea butter and coconut oil. About two parts raw unrefined shea butter was used to about one part organic extra virgin coconut oil. It takes a few seconds for it to melt completely. That's fine, because I don't want to cook the oils; I just want them melted.



Once the majority of the shea butter and coconut oil is melted I turn the heat down to low. Using a plastic knife I gently stirred the remaining chunks until melted. After completely melting, I add in Vitamin E Oil, Olive Oil, and Carrot Oil. It looks like popcorn oil.



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Next, it's time to cool the oil down to stop the cooking process, and so that it may be whipped! I put the entire pot into the freezer for about 3 minutes. After removing, I use a hand mixer (on a medium setting) to whip the oils together.



I mixed the oils for about 3 minutes before returning the pot to the freezer. In the beginning you'll notice that the mixture returns to its liquid state. The friction caused by the mixer reheats the oil, so the process of mixing/chilling has to be repeated a few times.



Soon you'll see froth on top of the oils. This is caused by the air forced into the oils by the mixer. You want to see this; it's what will make the whipped product light and fluffy.



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After repeating this process a few times the mixture will start to thicken up.



At this point you want to start paying extra attention to your mixture. Keep blending, but cut the time in the freezer down so you don't over chill the mix. It'll remind you for a watery pancake batter. If you want a more airy product set the blender speed to high. This will force more air into the oils.



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Now is when I add in any EO that I plan on using. For this mixture I used about 6 drops of Lemon EO and about 30 drops of Lavender EO before blending. Smell the whipped mix, and if the scent isn't to your liking adjust the number of drops you use.



When you see a "skin" forming on the top after putting in the freezer you no longer need to chill the mixture. Continue to blend until you reach a consistency that you like. Keep in mind that the mixture will solidify a little more after it completely chills.



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When the shea butter-coconut oil mixture starts to look like a body butter, or thick lotion I stop blending. This is the consistency I desire. If you keep blending the result will be more airy and solid. Stopping here gives you a creamier product. In the end both ways will melt at body temperature.

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Using my plastic knife I scrape in my whipped shea butter into small glass jars with air tight lids. A piping bag (like bakers use) could be used to help transfer the whipped shea butter into containers.



As you can probably tell, the results resemble a lotion. The consistency will vary depending on the air temperature. The amount of coconut oil you use will help determine this. If stored in a cool place it'll remain soft, but solid.



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Pros of this Mix:

• The acid in Lemon EO will help seal the hairs cuticle trapping in moisture
• Lemon EO acts as a clarifier to your hair helping to remove excess product and add shine
• Lavender EO is great for dry, oily, or damaged hair, because it helps normalize natural oil production
• Both Lemon EO and Lavender EO help fight the causes of dandruff.
• Coconut oil melts at about 75 degrees, so your natural body temp helps it spread. Less product needed
• Coconut oil is a natural antimicrobial
• Shea butter and coconut oil are both great hair and skin conditioners
• Shea butter has many healing properties
• Shea butter is quickly absorbed by the skin
• Carrot oil is high in antioxidants that help fight hair loss
• Olive oil helps improve elasticity (how far hair can stretch before breaking) of dry hair
• The whipped mix isn't as thick as raw shea butter, so people who were turned off by that have a new alternative

Uses for this Mix:

• Apply to wet hair after shampooing, and before styling for a leave in conditioner
• Use to protect the ends of your hair if they're damaged
• Massage into the scalp at night
• Could be used for two strands, finger curls, and other protective styles
• A hot oil treatment since the mix will liquefy with heat
• Use in a wash n go for extra protection
• Treat heat damaged hair

There are a few samples of my whipped shea butter mixtures floating around out there. Hopefully soon I'll have a couple reviews back on it. Try to create your own mixes. What would you use??

Whipped Shea Butter

Going to a salon on occasion is great, but once I figure out the routine that's used for my hair, products, etc. I'm off to doing it myself. Doing this saves me money, time, and helps me take care of my hair the best. This applies to finding a great store bought product. I like to research ingredients, the how's and why's, then I'm off to making it, and usually replicating it cheaper. An example of this is my whipped shea butter mix! I absolutely love shea butter. I've used it for years on my skin, my hair, cuts, itchy spots, light burns, etc. Other things I commonly use is Vitamin E oil, olive oil, and lavender essential oil (EO). I know all of the benefits of these, so why not combine them into one great product?!



The final result!!!

What I Used:

• Unrefined Shea Butter - Great healing and moisturizing properties
• Carrot Oil - Beta carotene helps dry/chapped skin. Great for hot oil treatments, because it helps smooth and strengthen hair
• Vitamin E Oil - Can help prevent scarring, sooth burns, protects against UV rays
• Olive Oil - A deep penetrating moisturizer, natural cell generator, and anti-inflammatory
• Sunflower Oil- Great for mature, damaged, or sensitive skin. It's easily absorbed, and full of omega oil, vitamin A, E and D
• Caster Oil - Rich in fatty acids, a humectant (draws moisture) and natural anti-inflammatory
• Grapeseed Oil - Great for sensitive skin. It's light and good to use as a carrier oil for EO
• Sweet Almond Oil - Skin conditioner that's good for eczema, dry, or itchy skin, and is easily absorbed. It's a good substitute for Olive Oil
• Jojoba Oil - Closely resembles the oil your scalp natural produces. It's actually a non greasy liquid wax.
• Lavender EO- Natural disinfectant of the skin and hair. Helps stimulate blood circulation, and calms the skin
• Ylang Ylang EO- Means "flower of flowers" and is the essence from a flowering cananga tree. Helps normalize sebum (oil) production in the skin, condition hair, and stimulate hair growth.
• Peppermint EO - Contains fatty acids, calcium, vitamin A and C. It stimulates blood circulation, is good for oily skin, and dull hair 

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After carefully melting, mixing, cooling, and blending my Whipped Shea Butter was created!! I'm in love with it. I used this after washing my hair, and before putting my hair on flexi rods. This is day 5 and my curls still look fresh, my hair is super soft, shiny, and smells good! I'll continue to make and use this mix.  There are so many beneficial ingredients and I'm not limited to just hair use. This whipped shea butter can be used as a skin conditioner also, in place of lotions or creams.

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Pros:

• It's a light weight product. The whipped shea butter melts with body temperature
• The scent is light and it smells great
• A little goes a long way
• It cost less than $10 to make about 1 pound of whipped shea butter
• Multi-functional; can be used on hair and the body
• It's non greasy and is easily absorbed into the skin

Alternative Ingredients:
Coconut Oil
Tea Tree Oil
Mango Butter as the base
Coco Butter as the base
Aloe Vera Oil
Cotton Seed Oil
Honey*
Rosemary EO
Soybean Oil

Do you have a recipe for whipped shea butter? What ingredients do you use?

Shea Butter

Shea butter is one of my favorite products to use for my hair and skin. It's definitely something that can always be found in my house. There are so many beneficial qualities and uses for it. Shea butter has natural fatty oils that help seal in moisture, nourish, and protect both your hair and skin.




Shea nuts


What is Shea Butter??
Shea butter is actually the fat that's extracted from an edible nut of the shea, or Karite tree. Karite (ka-ree-tay) means, tree of life. It can take 1 tree up to 20 years to mature, and they can live over 200. Fruit from the tree take up to 6 months to ripen. Shea trees are indigenous to countries in central Africa.

This is typically the way I find shea butter sold locally.

Difference between refined and unrefined??

Unrefined shea butter is in its most natural state. It hasn't been stripped, or put through any chemical processes. Unrefined shea butter is most beneficial, because it retains all of its vitamins and healing properties. Refined shea butter has been chemically processed to help extract it from the nut, alter the color, texture, or even smell. This process strips shea butter of its vitamins and can leave contaminants behind.

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Facts:

• Melts at body temperature and is easily absorbed, so a greasy feeling isn't left behind
• Used in some chocolates as a cocoa butter substitute
• Raw/Unrefined shea butter is best, because there are no contaminants in it such as solvents or preservatives
• A humectant (holds moisture)
• A natural anti-inflammatory
• Absorbs UV rays
• Helps improve wrinkles, eczema, sunburn, stretch marks, mild muscle aches, scars, and other skin ailments
• Full of Vitamin A and E
• Naturally contains a form of latex
• Can range in from a light beige to a yellow color

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Difference between shea and other seed oils??

The main difference is the nonsaponifiable (healing) fraction. This is the proportion of vitamins and nutrients needed for healing properties. An oil or butter can have great moisturizing (saponifiable) properties, but if it provides a low percentage of nutrients or vitamins to the skin the benefits of its use are low. Most seed oils healing fraction is than 1% while shea has 5% to 17% depending on how it's processed. This high healing percentage, along with sheas great moisturizing abilities is what makes it stand apart from other seed oils.

Grades of Shea Butter:

A (cream to grayish yellow in color) - Raw or unrefined; usually extracted using water

B- Refined

C (white in color) - Highly refined; usually extracted with a solvent. Vitamin content starts to lower

D- Lowest uncontaminated grade. Nutrients and the natural scent are almost completely removed

E- Has contaminants. May be used as a moisturizer, but is poor quality for any other benefits

****Color depends on factors such as: the region, age of tree, season, and the type of processing.

Common Products with Shea Butter:

• Skin Moisturizers
• Shaving Creams
• Anti-Itch Creams
• Soap
• Cosmetics

****Remember to check the ingredients. If you're going to spend extra money, because a product contains shea butter make sure you're getting all you can!  H E R E!!  I show you how to look at the ingredients list.