May 18, 2009

GLEAM: The (accidental) Sensational Hair Oil from Killer Strands

Readers Suggest Tricks They Have Found For It56983681

In many of the hundreds of emails I receive daily I am pointing people here and there and everywhere to go to in order to help them find the solutions they need to solve their hair issues. The other day I sent one reader to the Post on GLEAM and how to use it.. . . which I have done many times before. She was the only one to come back and tell me there wasn't one, whoa did I feel stupid. Cherie, this one's for you.
Fu74334179nny part about this; I have followed and done extensive research in an Indian form of medicine that is over 4000 years old, called Ayurvedic,since my introduction to YOGA 8 years ago. I believe in it with all my heart and soul . . .its a bit edgy . . and with Californians already getting a bad rap for being "out there"... I guess I have been hesitant to bring it up. Oils are a huge part of Ayurvedic medicine, and if a country of 2 billion people can have success and believe in it for 4000 years - who are we to not be open to hearing about it at least? Alas . . . I'm writing about them, they have worked wonders for my clients and myself - so this is the introduction and soon I will be writing about the 3 new Oil-combos I have coming out that will help your hair and skin more than any of those high end conditioner conglomerations.

Gleam. Gleam was my introduction into studying and combining oils. Through Ayurvedic medicine they have tested and used specific oils over the hundreds of years to find the proper oil for a certain "body type." What it is not is "hey lets get some CRISCO oil and slap it on the hair".... What I have done,in the same light, is study the "properties" of each individual oil then combine it with Ayurvedic's solution for each body type. There are probably 100 + Fixed/Carrier Oils, out there...as soon as think I have heard of all of them - - a few more pop up - - just last night I read about a new "coffee oil", made from the coffee bean! Here is an over-simplified version of what is said about some of the oils:




I have been collecting this type of info and quite a bit more technical ones of Oil Property Lists from a dozen or so sources, combine them with Ayurvedic view points to come up with the 3 new oils that will be coming out to benefit your body/hair type soon. This new study of lipids and the fact that our body needs them is a fascinating subject to me. I feel companies like DUPONT who are billion dollar companies and make "fake" oils called silicones and esters - have squashed the "natural and organic oil" industry by falsely leading the public to believe that "oil-free" is a good thing. Our bodies require lipids/oils in order to function properly....just one more of those questionable things we have been doing to our body/hair without having the proper research completed. Hey, I'm one too . . . until I took up YOGA, I knew nothing about all of this.
Now, for GLEAM . . . Gleam is the Gold Standard for all hair oils 25% of the formula is secret Oil is one of the rarest oils in the entire world, its made by hand and stems from Morocco (ONLY), it registers high in lipids and possesses a remarkable ability to nourish and moisturize hair strands.
Argan Oil Properties:
  • Absorbs Quickly
  • Highly Moisturizing
  • Golden in Color with Moderate Viscosity
  • Rich in Alpha Tocopherols (Vitamin E)
  • Rich in Phenols and Phenolic Acid
  • Rich in Carotenes
  • Natural Anti-Oxidant
  • Anti-Inflammatory
  • High in Fatty and Essential Fatty Acids:




    • Palmitic Acid: 14%
    • Stearic Acid: 5%
    • Oleic Acid: 43.5%
    • Linoleic Acid: 37%
    • Linolenic: <0.6%
  • Rich in Squalene and May Help Protect Hair from Free Radicals.
This oil’s high content in oleic acid makes this it particularly interesting in the regulation of blood cholesterol. Some studies are being done and it seems that 2 Tbsp per day of this oil during a month could considerably lower cholesterol levels. Argan Oil is a Highly Recommended Ingredient in Personal Care Products Intended for the Following:
  • Anti-Aging hair & skin + Wrinkle Reduction
  • Acne
  • Psoriasis
  • Eczema
  • Sunburn
  • Stretch Marks
  • Damaged Hair
  • Dry Scalp
  • Frizzy, Curly Hair Control
  • Leave-in Hair Styling Aid
  • Brittle Nails
  • Sore or Stiff Muscles
  • Hair Detangler
Plus the other 3 oils - Abyssinian Oil, Rose Hips Oil, and finally Jojoba oil have just as many positive properties as Argan, I made it to be better than any hair/body oil in existence and I believe it is.
Now, for how to use Gleam. Which is really what this was supposed to be about!
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Gleam was originally developed for one reason: to apply to my clients hair prior to bleaching the hair. It just seemed logical, that if the one and only time the cuticle (on a hair strand) is open is when the coloring process takes place, why not have lipids (oils) on that strand so they can go in along with the bleach or color. Bleach is the one and only product that lightens many peoples hair to the lightness they are seeking, so I am constantly looking for ways to make it a completely non-damaging technique. Its why I only use Levitation Oil bleach on every bleach/tone case, as well as a mixture of Gleam, Blondor cream Bleach and Blondor powder bleach for all my foil-work. As soon as I started applying GLEAM to my Bleach clients -- it was the added difference I was looking for -- the clients and I were blown away at the shine and at the condition of the hair afterwards.
Ta-Da . . . . . . . . . a new Lipid Pre-Treatment was born to the world of hair color!
"Lipids" are really just another name for Oils, they are fatty acids and their derivatives. They are easily stored in the body and are a necessary part of the cell and hair strand. In the hair structure, lipids are present in the inner root sheaths and hair shaft ... lipids provide sheen to the hair and contribute towards its tensile (strength) properties. There is an increase in hair lipids after puberty in both the genders. After a women reaches middle age there is a decrease in lipid content but it is not so in the case of men. Therefore, anything a hair colorist can do to keep lipids in the hair should be well appreciated by all clients. As crib colorists you too, can now watch out for your own lipids by following my lead.
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Now I apply 2/3 - 3ml dropper fulls of GLEAM to my clients hair before tinting, lightening, relaxing, any chemical service at all, which is what I would highly suggest you do as well. For the help to your hair, the shine, the strength it will render the nominal cost and the tiny bit of time it takes is well worth it. I would not use any cooking oils, they are just not treated the proper way - - unless you don't mind your hair smelling like french fries or donuts.
As I look back and try to figure out why I had not even considered using GLEAM for other purposes other than bleach, the only reason I can come up with is, I was just too busy. .

I cannot remember which of our Killer Strander's it was that first told me about this little trick with GLEAM . . .but it seems so many of you are now applying GLEAM to the hair first using Heat ( the plastic cap and hair dryer trick ) waiting 15-30-60 minutes and finally applying THRIVEN on top of the Gleam for the overnight treatment. Many people have been raving about this method of using GLEAM and the added condition and shine you are retrieving from it. If any of you have have found other uses, PLEASE , be so kind as to share them - helping others is the main theme here at Killer Strands. So there you have it one and all....... the special and wonderful tricks of GLEAM.

Another trick? Apply to fly-aways . . . works wonders, is not greasy and it is truly doing no damage to the hair as a matter of fact it is repairing it while on it, which is why I love the idea so much.

Also a client told me they were using it to de-tangle their hair, which I was fairly shocked at. . . but - hey. . .who cares if it works, and it does!
Use the oil sparingly- it goes a long way . . . while performing some wonderful little tricks with it you will be repairing it instead of damaging it like so many Serums and products out there with an ingredient list longer than the bottle itself. I honestly feel they've done that to spook customers from reading their labels.
All of that does NOT need to be in your hair products. . .You can make a perfectly wonderful daily hair conditioner with 6 ingredients, shampoos are the same way - I simply don't understand why they insist on putting in 30 or 40 (bad & possibly harmful) ingredients in the formula - - when it all can be just so darn simple.

A natural and organic oil like this is NOT good for heat protection (flat irons, etc...) . . the Silicone based products still reign in this department - I still insist you use those - for that reason. I'm hopeful a conglomeration of the two is in the pipeline. . . . cross those hairs!
I have a couple of TV starlets using it when they go in the sun (they live at the beach) while laying out . . . claim it simply works wonders as a sun conditioner.

After listening to many Killer Stranders . . . I finally decided to start trying it on different techniques. I have super long hair and super tangle-y hair, after I washed it....I applied a couple DROPS ( no more) it worked better than any de-tangler I've ever tried. I'm sold & that's a hard sell, I guarantee you.
It can be applied to dry or wet hair, depending on what you are using it for...don't be afraid to experiment with it....I believe you will be very pleasantly surprised.
Rub a little in your skin . . .watch how it absorbs &

Funny part to me - is that now KS readers are pointing me in directions I didn't know existed. . . I LOVE IT ! ! ! Keep them coming . . . . Thank you one and all

http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/thriven
To purchase GLEAM/THRIVEN please visit, the new store........
http://www.Killerstrands.com

17 comments on "GLEAM: The (accidental) Sensational Hair Oil from Killer Strands"
  1. Gleam is totally awesome stuff! The smell is phenomenal...as soon as you open it you are instantly calmed. Its so great I highly recommend it.

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  2. Is it supposed to be applied to wet or dry hair? And is it mainly to be used with deep conditioners and/or as a pre-color treatment, or can it be used daily as a heat protector?

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  3. ooohh i love the new packaging! cant wait to try thriven and gleam :)

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  4. Thank you girls,
    I appreciate all the positive comments...

    I just finished adding a couple paragraphs to this POST to address your questions, so I would highly suggest re-reading it.

    The most wonderful part of this oil combo Discovery...I came up with is that it solves every bit of dry skin I have - legs, feet, chest, arms, lips and the worst...the hands.
    Yee HAW . . .

    Yes, you apply directly to hair, before coloring - that is the single best method of the oil working, it was so silly of me to try, just take a small bottle of 5 ML's of product 2 dropper-fulls (included) and give it to your stylist.

    hth
    KC

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  5. Hi,

    Thanx for the post however, not that i want to seem like a B!TCH for pointing it out but ... some of the information in your post seems skewed to mislead your buyers - i mean readers...

    For instance, how come your dissing silicones all of a sudden ???

    Looking at some of the earlier posts in your blog you constantly mention silicone is great for de-frizzing and is must as a styling product....

    And, whats with all this OBVIOUS and sadly BLATANT name dropping ....nearly every post these days is about 'Malibu', 'Celebrity', 'Hollywood' ....is that your selling gimmick????

    What makes you different from all those other 'companies'... You even name-dropped companies like DUPONT....why is that? are you trying to generate hits or search tags to lead people to your blog????

    I think...to start a respectable business with trustworthy clientele - you should ALWAYS be honest with them UP-FRONT....no sugar coating or selling them half-truths...

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  6. What do i mean?

    Well, you mentioned companies scamming people with 'fake oils'..... and how 'natural is the way to go'...is that another marketing gimmick....

    Is Silicone the new EVIL in the industry.... if BLEACH to you is NOT evil...then please do explain how SILICONES are evil....I bet most products u use on YOUR hair is loaded with silicones....(when used correctly silicones are great....they do what their suppose to do). Is the marketing pressure and the negative press on silicones getting to you? SO you resort to following the masses and removing silicones from your products...though you still believe silicone is the way to go for certain styling techniques...????

    I find it very sad when people compare silicones to oil...yes some people refer to them as silicone oil and such...but they’re both completely different molecules !!!!...Silicone is NOT a lipid and WELL not function as such !...


    It’s a film forming (and heat-protectant) that provides sheen to the hair giving it some amazing slip as well as acting as a detangler..... (some silicones are water-soluble (evaporate from the hair) and some are not – which can easily be removed with the first shampoo).

    It was not and never meant to be a hair penetrating conditioner! and does not act as such ! ..... It lays downs the “frizzies” while still allowing the hair to “breathe” !

    Yes, some silicones do cause build up but most if not all silicones are easily removed from the hair with the first shampoo....where as some heavy oils need multiple shampoos to remove it......


    Think of it this way.....for health = oils for style = silicones none of them can do the other function and its silly to even suggest that !


    2 COMEPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS

    2 COMPLETELY DIFFERENT uses.....

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  7. I mean, you keeeeeep reformulating your beloved 'thriven'..... if it was sooo successful with your beloved "Hollywood Celebs" then why keep changing the formula......if it aint broke ...DONT FIX IT !

    Correct me if i am wrong but didn't your beloved Thriven have silicones!....

    Wait...it didn’t have just ONE, not TWO but THREE different types of silicones !!!...

    Proof : http://tinyurl.com/phb5eg

    Let's see..... it had Cyclopentasiloxane AND Simethicone AND Dimethicone

    Now that’s alot of "FAKE OILS" ...isn’t it...

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  8. I am here in defense of KC's character. She can easily prove who she is, her qualifications and who her clients are. Guess what. That gives her BIG TIME BRAGGING RIGHTS! You forget this -- is -- her -- BLOG. Who might you be? Identify yourself so we can learn who you really are.

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  9. Hey HEY

    A crack addict has found their way on to the Blog...
    couldn't walk a straight enough line to stay on - all at once - but then again ...
    needing to take a drag every few minutes does cause those types of problems.

    I'm sick of being nice to idiots.
    And you my dear, win the prize
    this month.

    KC

    Sorry you are not even worth the effort

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  10. hehe theotherone
    lol
    haha
    killer chemist rules
    she only bought up silicones cuz she said gleam is not a heat protectant but silicones are
    do you not read
    DUH!

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  11. wow i you must say the crazy person posting really does disgust me...first of all you must have misunderstood or not be able to read properly...i can assure you that KC does thorough and amazing research on ingredients to a T....i cant even begin to try to explain to you why you are wrong because the information you are giving is inconsistent in itself. and if KC goes an extra step further to improve her product then props to her. what could be wrong with that?

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  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  13. Dear TheOtherOne,

    If you're so great and talented at this why don't you work for some big beauty research institute instead of spending all your time reading this blog or leaving comments on this blog with all the so called "research" you've painstakingly done to prove that you know about lipids and silicones...?

    We all know you're not an expert at hair, nor a cosmetologist, nor an experienced stylist :-)

    Who do you think we'd listen to?? Some anonymous character on the internet called "THE OTHER ONE"??? :-)

    Give me a break!

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  14. hey and thanks for the awesome tips you have been giving in this blog! I really appreciate all of them :)
    I have one question concerning oils, tho. Which one do you think would be the best for treating dry scalp? Apricot?
    Thank you!
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. Part-1
    Why would someone be so MEAN to someone that has provided such invaluable information?? Have you ever heard the term: "MEAN PEOPLE SUCK", can't you see genuine kindeness in KC? Shame on you!

    Coconut, Olive, Meadowfoam seed and avocado are the only ones that penetrate into the hair shaft. However, jojoba oil does a great job of coating and moisturizing.

    Based on the reference you provided and in the light of other information, following factors affect the hair oil to penetrate the hair shaft.
    (1)
    The oil molecules must have smaller chain of carbons/smaller molecular chain such as that of lauric acid and other medium chain fatty acids which contains 8, 10, or 12 carbons atoms unlike the other vegetable oils such as corn oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, etc., which contains up to 20 atoms.
    (2)
    The molecular chains of the molecules must be straight for the molecules to be penetrated to the hair shafts easily. Cyclic and non-straight molecular structures often findings difficulties in penetrating the hair shaft such as
    (3)
    The molecules must have affinity for proteins and must not be unsaturated (having double and triple bonds).As low affinity to proteins and unsaturated (having double and triple bonds) makes the molecules difficult to penetrate the hair shaft.
    The oils that you are using lack in one or more of these factors and so are unable to penetrate the hair shaft.

    Please see Part-2 of my comments below.

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  16. Part-2

    Coconut oil, being a triglyceride of lauric acid (principal fatty acid), has a high affinity for hair proteins and, because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft.

    Mineral oil, being a hydrocarbon, has no affinity for proteins and therefore is not able to penetrate and yield better results. In the case of sunflower oil, although it is a triglyceride of linoleic acid, because of its bulky structure due to the presence of double bonds, it does not penetrate the fiber, consequently resulting in no favorable impact on protein loss.

    The main purpose of oiling the hair is to help it retain moisture,

    Studies have proven that ...

    Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Olive oil penetrate the hair shaft to make it stronger (J. Cosmet.Sci 52, 169-184, 2001)The study showed straight chain glyceride's like coconut oil , avocado oil, olive oil easily penetrate into the hair.

    Polyunsaturated oils , like Jojoba oil, are more open in their structure so they don’t pass through the layers of cuticles very well.

    Meadow foam seed oil partially penetrates, and jojoba and sunflower oils don’t penetrate at all.Most other oils, including safflower oil and sunflower oil, do not penetrate hair very well.

    Carrier oils are just as important as the essential oils for getting the best results for stimulating hair growth. The carriers provide important essential fatty acids to the scalp and follicles. They offer necessary nutrients, and have therapeutic actions themselves. All these oils may be used for 100% of the base, though it may be most beneficial to blend two or more that suit your specific needs.

    Coconut - A carrier oil used in Ayurvedic medicine for enhancing hair growth all by itself. Fractionated coconut (as we carry here at Ananda) is simply Coconut oil that has had the largest-chain molecules 'fractionated' from the smaller ones—this allows the oil to stay liquid at room temperature. Fractionated coconut has a nice light texture, appreciated in the warmer months. Virgin whole coconut can also be used in your formulas, and will remain liquid if blended with other carriers for your base. Highly nutritive, excellent for all types of scalp & hair.

    Evening Primrose - Many conditions of the skin are positively affected by essential fats, of which Evening Primrose is a wonderful source. Application and ingestion of this oil has been the subject of many scientific inquiries, with exceptional results for all kinds of dermatitis. Evening Primrose is noted to specifically address hair growth (or hair loss) where poor circulation might be an issue. Evening Primrose also may have a significant effect in reducing inflammation, which may in-turn be beneficial for reversing hair loss.

    See Part 3 Below

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  17. Part- 3

    Grapeseed - In the last few years, this oil became very prominent for healthy cuisine. Sometimes found dark green in color, the darker Grapeseed oils have more significant amounts of antioxidant polyphenols. Grapeseed has a particularly light feel, and may be the best choice if one has an oily scalp, though is wanting the many benefits of essential oil application. Grapeseed and Jojoba were used as the base for a study which treated alopecia areata with essential oils. These oils may be used 50/50 for this purpose.

    Hemp - Like Evening Primrose, Hemp offers significant quantities of essential fats, may improve circulation and reduce inflammation. Hemp is a highly regarded oil for its many nutritive constituents, and is considered the most palatable of the high Omega-3 plant oils. Some experts note that ingestion of essential fats can be very significant for hair growth, and Hemp is the most easily ingested of the plant sources (generally Evening Primrose and Borage oils are found too bitter, and are taken in capsules, rather than 'straight' or in a salad dressing, etc.)

    Jojoba - Found in many natural hair care products, Jojoba is used for softening and moisturizing dry hair. It is thought to cleanse the follicles of sebum, and promote vibrant, shiny and soft hair.

    Rosehip Seed - Considered one of the most therapeutic carrier oils for skin and hair. Rosehip has been the subject of many studies involving the reduction of sun damage and wrinkles for the skin. While not yet proven in the laboratory, Rosehip seed oil's therapeutic effects should benefit those needing its regenerative properties for their scalp and hair. While it can be used at 100% strength, Rosehip is most often blended with other carriers at 10-30% of the base formula.

    Sesame - Also highly regarded in Ayurveda, Sesame contains lignans that greatly enhance the efficacy of Vitamin E. Sesame is thought to encourage the growth of dark lustrous hair.

    Now, QUIT Bashing KC! Thanks, TV

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