Category: shampoo

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The No Shampoo Alternative: NO POO

The Lupie Chick


The main reason to go no ‘poo is your health. The number of chemicals in shampoo and other bath and body products is frightening. Your skin is the largest organ on your body. Whatever gets put on your skin gets absorbed into your body, into your bloodstream and into your organs, as has been proven by many studies. Essentially, whatever is toxic to put in your mouth is toxic on your skin as well.

Chemical Content of Shampoo

Following are just a small sample of the toxins found in most shampoos and their detrimental side effects.

Alcohol, isopropyl (SD-40) is a very drying and irritating solvent and dehydrator that strips your skin’s moisture and natural immune barrier, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, molds and viruses. It is made from propylene, a petroleum derivative, and is found in many skin and hair products, fragrances, antibacterial hand washes as well as shellac and antifreeze. It can act as a “carrier,” accelerating the penetration of other harmful chemicals into your skin.

It may promote brown spots and premature aging of skin. A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients says isopropyl alcohol may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis, anesthesia and coma. A fatal ingested dose is one ounce or less.

FD&C color pigments are synthetic colors made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic.

Mineral oil is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. It interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders.

Propylene glycol (PG) and butylene glycol are petroleum plastics which act as surfactants (wetting agents and solvents). They easily penetrate the skin and can weaken protein and cellular structure. Commonly used to make extracts from herbs, PG is strong enough to remove barnacles from boats!

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are detergents and surfactants that may pose serious health threats. They are used in car washes, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers — and in 90 percent of personal care products that foam. Animals exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation and even death.

How to No ‘Poo

Dissolve about 1 tablespoon of baking soda in just enough water to make a paste. Apply this to your roots only; work it in and let it sit for a minute.

In order to stimulate blood flow, clean your pores and get off built up grime, use your finger tips to massage your scalp. Start by making a circle on the top of your head in the area you’d wear a crown. Focus on the back of this circle to begin with. Next, fill in the circle. This is where your part will be; grease here affects the way your hair looks. Trace while still scrubbing with your fingertips around the bottom edge of the circle. Keep making massaging circles underneath each one, drawing lines in circles around your head.

Lastly, massage the back of your skull and your temples/sideburns. This will result in less grease and more growth. After doing this, your scalp will feel alive. Many women swear their hair grows faster after a visit to the salon — it does, and this massage method is why.

When scrubbing, you’re actually rubbing your fingers back and forth in short movements. Be gentle; you don’t want to break your hair. Next, pour about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a cup and add water. (I keep two plastic 12-ounce cups in my shower and just mix when I get in.) After you rinse the baking soda out, pour the apple cider vinegar over the ends of your hair, let it sit for a minute and then rinse it out. That’s all there is to it!

No ‘Poo Troubleshooting

Remember, there is a transition period from two weeks to two months depending on the person. Here are a few tips:

• If your hair becomes frizzy, try using less baking soda or leaving it on for a shorter period of time. Adding honey may also help.

• If your hair becomes greasy, try using less apple cider vinegar, switching to lemon or lime juice, leaving out the honey, and/or using a comb instead of a brush. Also, make sure you’re applying the apple cider vinegar just to the ends of your hair.

• If your scalp itches, try the following essential oils; tea tree, lavender, rosemary. If your hair becomes dry, try a tiny bit of oil (any oil, I use olive) smoothed on bottom of hair.

Ready to make the change? Sure! Don’t be afraid to go no ‘poo. You know how to do it! Enjoy the journey – you’re on your way to a healthier you!

au naturale, conditioners, corn rows, flat twist, miss sixx, mouisturizer, natural hair, pillow cases, shampoo, silk, treatment methods

Essential Night Time Routine for Natural Hair

The Lupie Chick

Along with the appropriate moisturizer, shampoos, conditioners and treatment methods, doing the right things before you sleep is important to ensure your natural afro or curls is well looked after.

Twists or Corn-rows Before Bed
Natural hair doesn’t need to be wrapped (using a comb or brush to sweep the hair around the head into a mound) before bedtime because it doesn’t need to be kept straight. The best way of preserving shape and keeping hair strands together is to twist the hair in sections or plait it in corn-rows.

The smaller the twist, the tighter the curls in the morning once they are loosened, but generally dividing hair into fist-sized sections and twisting (by diving each section into two and twisting gently but firmly until you reach the tip) is adequate, as are corn-rows plaited from the front to the back of the head. Both styles keep the hair in shape rather than splayed out all over your head.

In the morning, separating the twists or corn-rows with your fingers is preferable to combing it out. The less use of combs and brushes the better as these can pull out natural hair which is very delicate.

Moisturize Both the Scalp and Ends
Natural hair, especially the ends, needs more moisture than other types of hair. Dry ends lead to breakage so keeping both the scalp and tips well-oiled at night is a must. Light oils (olive or avocado oil works well) are better than thicker ones like Pink Oil, which can just sit on your hair and make it lank and heavy. Sparse oiling of the scalp followed by a bit more for the ends of each of your twists is recommended before bed time. The average sleeping time of six to eight hours, and the lack of harmful interference from sunlight or winds means nightly moisturizing is the best time for giving your hair the nutrients it needs. Repeat the light oiling for both the scalp and ends in the morning.

Silk Scarves and/or Silk Pillowcases
As you sleep, your hair rubs against the pillow and against itself which can also lead to breakage. This rubbing can be reduced with the use of a silk or satin pillowcase because these are made from softer materials that’s kinder to hair than cotton. The hair oils you’ve put in is also more likely to remain on your hair if you use silk or satin pillowcases.

Because natural hair doesn’t need to be wrapped, you can twist and sleep without a scarf, provided you’re sleeping on a silk or satin pillow case. You may, however, choose to wear a scarf as extra protection, and it’ll also ensure smoother hair in the morning.

There may be other night time routines you find work well for your hair, but doing these three things regularly goes a long way in managing natural hair.

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Shampoo Bars: Cleanse Your Hair Naturally and Inexpensivenly

The Lupie Chick

Most liquid shampoos on the market include an array of synthetic ingredients. Lather isn’t necessary for a shampoo to clean well, but consumers typically expect shampoos to lather well. If it doesn’t create rich lather, they don’t think the product cleans all that well. The dilemma is that few all-natural ingredients exist that provide ample lather. Most liquid products contain synthetic lathering agents, including Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, commonly abbreviated as SLS. SLS draws moisture from the skin and can cause dryness and irritation. This is especially of concern to those with psoriasis, eczema, dry skin or scalp conditions.

A Shampoo Bar resembles a bar of vegetable based soap, but it is formulated especially for hair. One of the many advantages of Shampoo Bars is that they can be formulated using all-natural ingredients including vegetable oils, vegetable butters, essential oils and other nutritives especially beneficial to the hair and scalp. They also tend to lather well.

The Advantages of Shampoo Bars

Shampoo Bars frequently contain all-natural ingredients.

They tend to lather better than all-natural liquid shampoos.

They don’t require preservatives. Having said that, they can go rancid over time. It is recommended that you use your Shampoo Bars within six months of purchasing.

They are convenient for use while traveling, camping or for keeping in your locker at the gym.

Shampoo Bars are easy to pack and modest in size.

They won’t leak like liquid shampoos can and can be included within carry-on luggage without breaking any current TSA regulations for carry-on items.

Shampoo Bars last a long time. In comparison, they are less expensive to use than liquid shampoos.

The Disadvantages of Shampoo Bars

It takes a little longer in the shower to cleanse the hair using a shampoo bar (Tip: Follow the How to Cleanse Your Hair Using a Shampoo Bar section below).

The lather of some shampoo bars is a bit trickier to fully rinse out of the hair (This can be minimized by following our advice below).

If you often have overnight guests that do not bring their own personal selection of shampoo, they may feel awkward about using a Shampoo Bar on their hair.

How to Cleanse Your Hair Using a Shampoo Bar

Over time, you will most likely develop your own hair cleansing style that best suits your hair type and length of your hair. Start, however, by following these guidelines:

After you enter the shower, rinse your hair well.

Rub the shampoo bar directly onto your hair, working your way from your scalp down to the ends. Repeat until you have fully covered each section of your hair.

Massage your scalp and hair until a good lather forms.
Rinse the shampoo out of your hair.

Repeat.

Conditioning/Clarifying Your Hair Inexpensively
Combine 1 part vinegar to 9 parts water to create a clarifying rinse.

After you have shampooed your hair, pour the clarifying rinse over your hair and scalp so that it has completely covered each section of hair from root to ends.

Rinse.

Your hair will not smell like vinegar after you blow it dry or allow your hair to naturally dry.

Tips for Purchasing Shampoo Bars
Have fun shopping for handmade shampoo bars. The packaging, visual appeal and aroma of shampoo bars can range from the simple and extend into the extraordinary.

Look for shampoo bars that include the ingredients and type of oils that are used. Shampoo Bar makers are not required to list the ingredients they use in their soaps, but many do. Ingredients that include the word “fragrance” are made with synthetic fragrance oils. Those that include oils in the format of “Lavandula officinalis (Lavender) Oil” are made with essential oils derived directly from natural botanicals.

Because shampoo bars are made using vegetable lipids (oils and butters), the bars can go rancid over time. It is best to plan to use the soaps that you purchase within six months. In stores, watch out for shampoo bars that have dusty labels or appear old. Avoid purchasing or using shampoo bars that contain orange spots. Those orange spots indicate areas of the shampoo bars where the natural oils have turned rancid.

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Carols Daughter Launch The Princess and The Frog Bath Collection

The Lupie Chick


Carol’s Daughter is launching(in October) a new line of bath products inspired by the upcoming film The Princess and the Frog. The film features Princess Tiana, Disney’s first African-American princess, as the heroine.

What: The Princess and the Frog bath collection by Carol’s Daughter

Description: The Princess and the Frog bath collection by Carol’s Daughter is a limited limited-edition line of hair and bath & body products made with natural ingredients such as aloe leaf juice, cranberry extract, sunflower seed oil, olive oil etc. The collection includes a shampoo, conditioner, hair detangler and bubble bath packaged in packaging featuring scenes from the movie. The product line is geared for African-American hair but is suitable for all races.

Product Highlight(s): Affordable, AA owned

Price:$10.00

Where to Buy: Carolsdaughter.com

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Darking you hair with Tea!

The Lupie Chick

Before commercial hair dyes, people used freshly brewed tea to darken their hair and add long-lasting shine.

A black tea rinse is a cheap and easy way to update your look in the comfort of your own kitchen!

Instructions:

1. Boil 2 cups of water.

2. In a non-metal bowl, pour boiling water over 2 tablespoons of black tea and let steep for 20-25 minutes. Overnight is best.

3. Strain to remove tea leaves.
4. After shampooing, pour tea infusion over the hair. Let sit for 20-30 minutes and rinse thoroughly.

5. Follow with a light conditioner or leave-in for additional softness and manageability.The results with be subtle but you should notice a difference after 2-3 treatments. I hope that helps!

For more tips and techniques, http://www.healthytextures.com.