Naturally Long Healthy Hair

Getting long healthy hair can be a bit of a struggle and takes a lot of time. Modern hair care products have provided a lot of shortcuts to healthy hair that take the work out of maintenance. But they also contain chemicals that are bad for the environment, that accumulate in the water supply and even accumulate and can be stored in your body (yuck). Modern products can also be a problem for allergy sufferers or those with sensitive skin, as it's hard to pick out from the long list of ingredients exactly what it is that's causing problems. There's a lot of hearsay out on the internet about the ins and outs of hair care. Here are a few practical tips to keep you gorgeous!

Use a wide-toothed comb
Yes, even if your hair is long, curly and thick! Brushes are good tools for styling, but for basic detangling of your hair they're pretty over complicated. The extra teeth in brushes can actually create knots, making you stretch and pull on your hair more to get them out. Combs help avoid stretching and breaking.

Avoid putting your hair up when you sleep
Tying your hair in place and sleeping on it seems like it would hold things together, but it's actually more likely  to pull hair out of your head or break it. Comb your hair before bed and leave it down so it can move naturally with you while you're sleeping.

Use a moisturizing shampoo
Volumizing, clarifying, hydrating... It's easy to get caught up in the marketing, but all shampoos are basically formulated to either strip the hair clean, add moisture or protect coloring. Modern shampoos use silicone to smooth the hair shaft and keep hair straight. This is not the case with natural shampoos, so when you stop using regular shampoo all of your hair's natural tendencies will be revealed! Most people deal with at least a little bit of frizziness when switching to natural products (especially if your hair is thick, curly or wavy). The easiest way to curb this is to use a moisturizing shampoo. You may need to do this every time you wash or maybe just once a week depending on your hair type.

Add oil to strengthen your hair
Ads will tell you that there are vitamins and minerals necessary to inject health back into your hair, but this is silly. Hair is dead, and once it's grown it is what it is. However, you can strengthen your hair by improving its elasticity. Just like with a good piece of wood furniture, your hair lasts longer, stays more supple and avoids breaking if you add oil to it. Certain natural oils contain the same lipid chains as the oil your body naturally produces, which allows them to soak into the hair shaft. The most popular choices are almond oil, coconut oil and olive oil. Try to apply it at least to the ends of your hair once a week for maintenance.

Avoid washing every day
The more you wash your hair, the more dried out and dull it can get. Even water alone can strip and change the composition of the oil that protects your hair. Keep it fresh with a dollop of styling product, dry shampoo or a few drops of essential oil.

Let it air dry

We all know heat styling can damage hair. Give it a break as often as possible by letting it air dry. Use a microfiber towel to soak up as much water as possible, then comb and let it hang. It will hold its natural shape and curl if you put a little bit of styling product in and leave it alone. Don't touch it or brush it while it's air drying as this can add to frizziness.

Trim regularly
Cutting your hair seems counter-productive when you're growing it out. But once you get split ends, and it will happen even if you're diligent, your hair can continue to split all the way up the shaft. There's no use in having super long hair if your hair isn't healthy! Cut it off at the source by making sure you trim it regularly. If you're growing it out, go to your stylist once every 3 to 4 months.

Enjoy your journey to beautiful natural locks! And until next time, keep it clean!

ACHOO!!

This is the time of year that makes us want to enjoy some sunshine and fresh air. It's all about getting out to smell the flowers, right? You pick that flower, bring it to your nose and then......AACCCCHOOOO!!!! I don't know about you but pollen and various allergens in the air can really put a damper on my outdoor activities. It starts with a nice, relaxing walk out on a trail and ends with itchy, water eyes and sneezing. Who wants to deal with that? According to the FDA, Spring is traditionally the main season when allergies blossom because of new growth on trees and weeds. But fall, with a whole different set of blooming plants as well as leaf mold, is a close second.
Here are a few ideas on how to curb your allergy issues:

• Check the pollen count. Most local news stations will have pollen count information during their weather-cast. You can also visit www.pollen.com to get the latest on the pollen count in your city. The website will even give you a 4 day forecast so you can plan your outdoor activities.

• Keep your home clean. Regular dusting and vacuuming can greatly reduce the amount of dust and pollen in your home. Changing your air filter on a regular basis can also help to keep allergens from taking over your home. Keep your windows closed on days when the pollen counts are high (another good reason to check out your local newscast!). Wash your bed linens every couple of days to keep the allergens from effecting you during your sleep. And as nice as it is to hang laundry outside, avoid doing that on high pollen days. Stick to using your indoor dryer (perhaps your AZUMA Leasing dryer??).
  

• Minimize your morning outdoor activities because this is when pollen counts are typically highest.

• Wash your hands, change clothes and shower after outdoor activities to avoid bringing those allergens into your home. Don't forget to give your pets a wash if they have been outdoors, too. Pollen can collect on their fur and when they shake, all of those spores will go flying around your home!
  

• Use a neti pot or saline spray to rinse out your nose after being outdoors. This is a simple, effective way to keep the allergens from taking over your nose.

• Consider getting a HEPA air purifier to keep indoor allergens at bay.

• And if things get REALLY bad, visit your doctor. A doctor can run a series of allergy tests on you to find out specifically what you are allergic to so that you can avoid it.

Hope these tips offer some relief if you are dealing with allergy issues during this time of year. Until next time, keep it clean!! No, really, keep it clean so it doesn't collect pollen and dust and you won't have to keep sneezing!