DIY HAIR COCKTAILING....DARE TO BE A MIXOLOGIST!

 stir it up 

Are you an expert hair mixologist, or a novice wanting to experiment with new ingredients and concoctions to better maintain and promote healthier locs. 

We all have our fav over-the-counter hair care products, a few we adore from one line and a couple more from another, but occasionally our hair needs that extra oomph, a tad bit of cocktailing!  Some DIY hair mixologists are increasingly experimenting with a variety of natural oils and other ingredients like eggs to help enhance protein strength, or maybe a pinch of honey to smooth cuticles and increase softness. 

blend don't clash 

But watch out now--be careful not to create a mixture mishap which could cause a catastrophic hair mess, leaving your mane feeling like you dried it in a clothes dryer--brittle and rough, or heavy and weighed down.  Why does this happen? Because you just can’t mix everything with anything.  Sounds simple enough but unfortunately, most of the time, we won’t know what works until we’ve tried it, right? Not necessarily. You should actually do a lil’ internet homework to find out the benefits and disadvantages of your ingredients before getting all mixed up, still leaving a little room for trial and error, of course.  Here are a few basic tips to help minimize your mix-fortunes:

pick the right mix

Know your oils before mixing them with your bestie hair products.  Is it a penetrating oil or a coating oil? Both are good but serve different purposes. If you’re aiming to create a deep conditioning concoction, be sure to use oils like Argan, Coconut, Emu and Avocado..and the list goes on.  An oil’s penetration capability relies heavily on its molecular makeup. (A topic for a separate article :) For now, we’ll keep the conversation simple.  Penetrating oils help prevent dehydration by pushing through the hair cuticles, adding to and trapping any existing moisture.  If your moisture levels are in-check, but your hair seems dull, lacking vibrancy and sheen, then you definitely want to pour up a bit of those great coating oils like Jojoba to achieve more shine while retaining moisture. Side note: research shows olive oil is a good penetrating oil.  For my hair, it seems to work best as a coating or sealing oil.  Figure out what works best for you.

 Tweeting @CrystalKnows

how much is too much 

We all have our fav over-the-counter hair care products, a few we adore from one line and a couple more from another, but occasionally our hair needs that extra oomph, a tad bit of cocktailing!  Some DIY hair mixologists are increasingly experimenting with a variety of natural oils and other ingredients like eggs to help enhance protein strength, or maybe a pinch of honey to smooth cuticles and increase softness. 

It’s always a pretty good rule of thumb to tread lightly during your first attempt at a new blend. Don’t leave your staple hair product swimming in pools of oils, jams and jellies (just kiddin’….I don’t think jams and jellies contain any hair enhancement qualities). But if you’re stirring in natural additives, try using a half teaspoon on your first go around. Give your hair a chance to gauge how much is just enough to accomplish your desired look and feel. You can always make adjustments in your next cocktail. 

if it doesn't work, now what

Relax--don’t get your tangles all in a wad if you don’t see or feel a big difference in your hair after serving up your creation.  Generally, hair will not drastically react to conditioning treatments from the start.  In fact, penetrating oils tend to show their true value after several applications. However, if you’ve applied your cocktail during the third shampoo or co-wash and you still don’t see even the slightest improvements in texture, elasticity or shine, then this is a pretty good indicator it’s time to change processes or change ingredients.  For example, if you were rinsing out your cocktail before sitting under the dryer, the next time you may want to apply the blend, wrap your hair with plastic, or use a plastic cap, and sit under the dryer for 15-20 minutes.  This extra step will assist conditioners in penetrating the hair shafts.

Have patience with yourself and your hair as you experiment with cocktailing. Have FUN!  Before you know it, your hair will show positive signs as evidence that you’ve found the perfect blend. 

Until the next time.....Cheers!! 

 

"ARE PADDLE BLOWOUTS BAD FOR YOUR HAIR?" TAKE THE TEST

by Crystal Styles - Advice Blogger

Public Speaker / Journalist / Columnist / Author
Contributing Writer - Black College Today Magazine
 
Asst. Dir. of Marketing / Social Media Mgr. - Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils, Aunt Jackie's Girls, Texture My Way, Organics, Kids' Organics, Africa’s Best, Argan Smooth and more.

To book Crystal for speaking engagements: Submit your request in the "Contact Crystal" form to the right of this post.

WIN A GIVEAWAY!!

What is a healthy pH Balance for Hair? 

Read the Article Below - Click "HERE" To Email Your Answer

BACK IN THE DAY

Do you remember the days when EVERYBODY sat under a hooded dryer with color-coded roller sets, waiting for your relaxed or natural hair to completely dry before combing and styling.  What happened to those days?  Did newer, better drying methods take over? Or did newer, faster drying methods take over with no regard to whether the method(s) are actually healthy for our hair?

BYE-BYE FLYAWAY
What do I mean?  I'm talking about paddle-brush blow drying (or blowouts).  This method gets a thumbs down for me.  Have you ever stopped to think how much of your hair is being pulled, snagged and snapped off while paddling your "WET" mane?  Wet hair is most vulnerable to breakage--did you know? So why are we convinced that it's ok for us or our stylist to pull, tug and rake through our hair with a paddle brush after washing?? Hmm...I hope I have you thinking.  The reason you're probably not paying much attention to your hair flying away in the wind is because you may not see it happening; the blow dryer is usually directed away from your face, as it blows and scatters hair all over the room.  The only way to know the amount of hair you've lost is by sweeping the floor once the paddle drying is done.  But, if you're in a salon where dozens of women are getting the paddle treatment, you'll never know how much of the flyaway on the floor belongs to you.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

By no means am I saying everyone must ditch their paddle brush.  Of course, it’s your choice. However, I do believe this drying method is better for straighter hair textures (1s and 2s).  Sorry ladies, paddle drying is just not the healthiest method for 3s and 4s (curly and coily textures), simply because curvier hair strands tend to wrap around each other, especially while wet.  If the hair is not properly detangled and moisturized prior to the paddle blowout, you are more likely to lose more hair, as the brush bristles rake through your tresses in pursuit of a smoother finish.

 Tweeting @CrystalKnows

 

BREAKAGE DOWN - TAKE THE TEST!

Wet Hair: absorbs water and stretches during cleansing.  Water has a pH of 7, neutral.  Normal hair has an acidic pH of about 4.5 or slightly higher, which means that water is more alkali than hair, and therefore causes the hair to be in a more vulnerable state when wet.   This weaker state makes hair more susceptible to breakage or snapping when pulled or snagged during paddle-brush blow drying.

Drier Hair:  when hair is completely or at least mostly dry, it is in a much better condition to withstand combing or brushing.  During this stage, if you prefer using the paddle blowout method for the purpose of elongating and smoothing the hair before styling, you'll stand a much better chance of retaining most of your hair strands (minus natural shedding of about 100 strands per day).  So how do you get dry, elongated tresses without paddling?

 
by USING THE TENSION METHOD

Tension drying is done when hair is finger detangled after being washed and conditioned, then hand stretched to its full length while blowing cool air, from a hand dryer, back and forth along the strands until the hair is completely dry.  This method offers two benefits: 1) wet hair is not snagged and raked with a comb or brush which causes breakage, and 2) it offers stretch for curlies and coilies who prefer a more elongated curl pattern.

 

In my opinion, the Tension Method, for any hair type, is by far better than paddle-brush blow drying. Why? Because raking and snagging your hair can cause damage to hair cuticles & follicles and, in turn, lead to unwanted shedding and thinning.  Although the Tension Method is quite simple, it could be considered time consuming for naturals and professional stylists who may not have a lot of time to spend on one head of hair. But I say, don’t look at it as time wasted or consumed but rather an investment in stronger, fuller hair and healthier follicles in the long run.  

Let me know if these tips are helpful.  Send me a message through the "Contact Crystal" form at the upper right of this post.