HAIR FORCE ONE - 10,000 HEADS Regimen : Hair Strengthen System by Killerstrands

This is the time of year I add or detract to 10,000 HEADS, the program I started over 8 years ago on my clients in the Malibu Salon. I will take 2 steps per day this next week and add or detract from a notebook I keep from letters, emails, and responses I get from clients all year long. It's so nice having hundreds of people who are just as eager as I am to come up with a hair strengthening system that truly works on all types of hair loss, hair damage & thinning for women. Many of my clients would go to their dermatologist with their worries of hair loss or more specifically "hair thinning" and would be told "oh you look great - - - you are stressing over nothing, my dear, just go home have a glass of wine and be glad you aren't bald." If really pressed the doctors would give them women's Rogaine, and send them on their way. That type of attitude is not met well by women from the entertainment industry, they are a bit more demanding than that. That is when they all started to open up to me at their appointments. 

I had many girls and women finally opening up to me . . . which was not at all a surprise to me, I noticed the thinning myself, I know my clients hair well enough that I could bust them for using the wrong shampoo or a hot tub without treating it when they came in for their appointments. Some called me the Hair Nazi . . . but it was all done in fun. What happened took place over a few years it began with a few women per year, and what was different was that the women were younger - under 40 - under 30 and soon under 20! (men have always had this problem it is new for women) When the problem progressed to a few people every 3-4 month's -- then every month - - every week. . .and when I began having 1 woman per day every few days per week from the age of 17 up to 50... ( I would do 15-25 people per day) is when I put my foot down, 20 year olds with hair thinning ? ? ?
That is just WRONG, and something needed to be done.


 
 
I met with my assistants to brainstorm - they agreed with me > and we began with our surveys and trying to figure out what in the world was going on. Every rear end that sat in our chairs would fill out a survey... in our attempt to find a common denominator. I've told bits and pieces of this story throughout the Blog, as I will continue to but this is how the story BEGAN.  In my opinion the answer is in the 13 steps above - follow them all for 1 year. If you follow all 13 steps - ( which I understand, is very difficult to accomplish) -  I have yet to find anyone male or female that has not improved their hair to their own satisfaction. I realize that is a big...no, HUGE statement . . .  but not a whole lot of people have truly tried the entire program. That is a whole lot of discipline, but damn it  - - it works! Most do bits and pieces of it and I tell people to get the best results follow the last 4 Steps religiously . . . and do the best you can on the other 9.




SLS Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in the shampoo as most of you know ended up being the one true common denominator in all of my clients and now readers. So this is a mandatory step you MUST follow, I have a number of SLS-FREE POSTS you can review .  But through that survey and the next couple years work and research trying to figure out what was going on with my own clients hair, I began work on 10,000HEADS - without even realizing what I was doing. My assistants figured out at one point that I had done over 10,000 heads of hair, which was years ago...so you now have the birth of this very successful system.
Many people have ordered THRIVEN this week, so I am hopeful that many of you are looking forward to developing healthy hair. 

The 2 Steps for today - Steps 1 & 2
Step 1 ; NO SMOKING (of anything)




I must get at least a dozen people a year that ask me to prove to them that POT is bad for them. Now I laugh, I used to get bent out of shape. I'm a child of the seventies, we were the ones who gave birth to the drug scene in America, so I am not the one who has never tried anything, nope I was right in there with the best of them. When I became pregnant, was when everything STOPPED for me. Completely stopped.  But you cannot tell me that when you take a hit of weed, and its all you can do to hold the sucker in your lungs, it burns so bad, hurts so much, that puff of sweet smoke is not tearing your lungs, your skin, your organs and your hair apart.  With every puff you undoubtedly end up coughing it out in a huge belch of smoke, cough and laugh....AM I RIGHT > ?  Sure that shit is fine for your body. Get real boys & girls its a disaster for your lungs & hair.. I was the first one to vote to legalize it so its not that it scientifically doesn't make sense to be OIK for your hair.
 
I have a relative that died a very very sad and much too early death because of lung cancer, this man was a great athlete, had absolutely no stress in his life, was a very talented artist, but smoked weed religiously from 1950 to 2000 (when he died)  50 years of smoking weed almost every single day. No its not the strength of the stuff today which I hear is like smoking an atomic bomb in todays market, but it was clean,clear and the amount they smoked was just a lot more. But this lovely man came down with lung cancer, and they did everything in the world to try to save him . . . they even gave him a lung transplant. Now I remind you, he was a health food fanatic, did his daily exercises, did EVERYTHING right  . . .he actually had a great head of hair till he was about 65 and then the thinning started. He simply could not quit his pot addiction. It was a very very sad loss and no one will ever convince me that pot was not the single cause of his death.Everyone denies it.

Some facts:
FPHL = Female Pattern Hair Loss is what they technically call it when the thinning starts, I will use those initials throughout. The cause of the failure to grow new hair in female pattern baldness is not well understood, but it is associated with genetics, aging, sulfates in shampoo and levels of hormones (especially androgens, the male sex hormones) . Why, the pharmaceuticals do not have more research going into this area - I truly, do not know. 



A hair grows from its follicle at an average rate of about 1/2 inch per month. Each hair grows for 2 to 6 years, then rests, and then falls out. A new hair soon begins growing in its place. At any time, about 85% of the hair is growing and 15% is resting.  Baldness occurs when hair falls out but new hair does not grow in its place. This is the simplified and EXACT reason for thinning or balding. Therefore the goal is to figure out a way to continue that cycle of hair growth on every single hair on your head and then you will have solved the problem of hair thinning. Now, every single step of the 10,000HEADS regimen deals with the many reasons that will prevent each and every hair from continuing that cycle of re-growth, which is why if you follow them all you will have a wonderful head of hair. With smoking at the very top of the list.

Pot or Cigarettes are a sure fire way to wreck your hair... smoking constricts your blood vessels, thereby restricting blood flow to the hair follicle, slowing cell turnover, which holds back new hair 
growth.
 
Remember my best advice to you is to dust off that "common sense" shelf and begin using it. If smoking KILLS, which we all know - can you imagine what it does to the poor little hair strand that is so tiny and defenseless against the big bad meany - NICOTINE, Formaldehyde, and God knows what other chemicals are in those death sticks. I know its hard, I smoked when I went through my divorce - years ago - it was so hard I chose to quit when I went in for knee surgery and I couldn't walk ! I used the patch as well which I felt worked wonderfully - but I see they have all sorts of tricks now. Just try something. Replace smoking with exercise, it is the perfect pacifier - and you will be knocking 2 of the Steps off the list with one stone! I promise!

Step 2; Nutrition
Ahhh nutrition . . . I have battled and fought this one my entire life. I am always - ALWAYS 
trying to eat better. How about - YOU?
I cannot tell you the amount of times that a diet change has helped one of my clients, but I think deep down we all know this. I can tell when one of my strict clients has changed her diet . This is the person that eats the proper amount of protein every day, the proper amount of vege's, and fruit and the whole 9 yards, I can tell when she has gone off and eaten junk for a week, so it is that apparent! 

2008 is when I have truly tried to get more people eating vegetables and most specifically broccoli.  I am of the belief that eating broccoli everyday will help everyone in many different aspects, so if you can - follow me and begin eating at least 1 serving of either steamed or crisp fresh broccoli every single day, I feel it is the one perfect food for your hair.


I have read just so much good about it.      Here is a short piece from a gentlemen that claims to have kept his hair through many years and a multi-pronged approach - kind of like mine - only geared at men. 

 In this year alone I will bet I have read well over 200 articles that give broccoli the heads up for improving health in dozens of different areas. Everyone needs to add this to their diet, and especially if you are dealing with hair loss, or thinning, it just HAS to be mandatory.

Vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower produce a chemical when being digested that inhibits the action of dihydrotestosterone DHT. Leonard Bjeldanes, professor of nutritional science at UC Berkeley, and Gary Firestone, professor of molecular biology at the same institution, have been researching the anti-cancer properties of plant chemicals (phytochemicals). They found that vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts are rich in an indole called I3C. I really don't find it necessary to go in the whole technical who-ha, so this is an abbreviated version of his story.

Further research confirmed that this DIM inhibits the action of DHT. It does this by binding to the same receptors within the cell that DHT uses. DHT, is involved in baldness. The research that Bjeldanes and Firestone are doing is mostly centered on prostate cancer and the proliferation of cancer cells, but Dr. Bjeldanes in an email to Haggerty wrote that he is now requesting funding to do research on baldness.

The reason that I stress the importance of getting nutrients from real food instead of from pills is that there are many unidentified nutritional factors in food, especially in fruits and vegetables. These phytochemicals that one doesn’t get in pills may provide a great health benefit.

SILVER BULLET  --  BURST

There is nothing conclusive yet in the research of Bjeldanes and Firestone indicating that broccoli and other vegetables will benefit the hair follicles, but I loaded up on broccoli at the market today just in case.

 By the way, the best way to cook broccoli and other vegetables is to steam them. Boiling vegetables destroys over half the nutrients; steaming destroys hardly any. Just purchase one of those little racks at Target for $3.00 that sits in a regular sized pot , you put an inch of water  in. . . and you're good to go.

  Just a quick paragraph on PROTEIN. Protein is a must for good hair, if you are a Vegetarian, or vegan you seriously need to think about quitting that protocol - Hair is made up of protein and hair LOVES protein coming in the body. The more the better. There are some dynamite protein bars out there. . .be sure they are at least 15 Grams or above and devour one or 2 of those every day just to be sure you get some of the required 50-75 grams of protein daily. Nothing will replace the whole foods themselves, but in reality who can eat that well every single day. You would have to give up the rest of your life to "eat correctly" ! But I do know that revamping your diet  to getting close to what you should eat for your hair every day is not that hard. . . . so just start making the changes. 

Breakfast is the most important meal for your hair so DON'T skip it! Your energy levels to your hair follicles are at their lowest first thing in the morning, and they need a boost so skipping this meal would be your first mistake. Find something that has protein in it you like and begin making that you healthy hair breakfast from now on.
Lunch is the 2nd most important, remember salads have no protein in them unless you add chicken or tuna or turkey to them.  Protein is what will turn your slim salad into a healthy hair meal.

When eating throughout the day it will benefit your hair to eat many small meals or as I call it  . . ."grazing". Eat many little meals all day long, its better for your body as well as your hair.  You know how if you wait more than 4 hours between your meals you get a little giddy or lethargic ? That is the same thing that happens to your hair follicles, so you will want to grab a little snack like a vegetable or fruit ( carrot, or apple) . . . just enough to boost your hair follicles energy levels until your next meal. Remember when that one hair falls out and the next one is supposed to begin growing. . . is involved with your nutrition, you do not want that new one growing in to be starved because you are improperly dieting. That is why you will see almost EVERY anorexic/bulimic with such horrible thin hair.

DON'T STARVE YOUR HAIR.

Silicone Sucks In Implants : Shines Bright on Frizz Hair Problem

FLATTEN THAT FRICKEN

 FRIZZY HAIR

- Part 2 in 5 Part Series
One of the life altering moments in the world of ethnic and frizzy hair care came when “SILICONE’S were introduced to styling products and conditioners. Who could've predicted this one... a substance despised by so many women with lousy breast implants, would end up coming to the rescue of one of women’s biggest complaints. . . only in America! 

The 2 silicones used in the majority of “frizz-free” hair products are Cyclomethicone and Dimethicone. I will continue to remind you to note various ingredient names for the best care of your hair, it is important to become familiar with names and actions yourself.

Cyclomethicone is the lighter of the two silicones and you will find it most often in thermal sprays, thermal (heat protection) coatings, gloss serums, gloss & shine sprays. The consistency is that of a (clear) maple syrup, with absolutely no stickiness or tackiness to it. Slippery is a good one word description for it.

Silicone is described in the dictionary as : any of a number of polymers
containing alternate silicon and oxygen atoms, whose properties are determined
by the organic groups attached to the silicon atoms, and that are fluid,
resinous, rubbery, extremely stable in high temperatures, and
water-repellent.

Dimethicone, #2 is heavier feeling, weighs more, and is normally the one used in hair conditioners and is combined with sister “Cyclo”-methicone, in every companies never ending search for the proper ratio with each other. Its funny for years I tried to battle the problem with a number of other very similar ingredients we use in formulating ethnic hair care products, but always ended up coming back to the silicone's. Being the "natural"-freak that I was born and bred to be, using silicones just didn't seem the proper route ( I also have straight hair, BTW!) They really do work extremely well and they are not harmful in any way especially when you are using them topically. So I have quit trying to fight an unnecessary battle …smart, huh? !

Most curly hairs have what I refer to as “wiry” hair and what does wiry hair need? It needs “softness” and the trip from wiry to soft is where Mister and Mrs. Silicone get their big name from because they have solved the journey.
For the ultimate in Frizz fighting the silicones can be applied via a few different products that incorporate both into their formulas. That way they work more efficiently, than just pouring on a stream of straight silicone, unfortunately that just doesn’t work and is much to greasy and gooey!

There is one company that I have been using for over 15 years, that carries (almost) everything you will need. I am not a fan of their shampoos, but that is only because they have not come out with one that does not have SLS Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in it, I am sure they will soon.
They have updated their website and everything on it goes along with all of my hair philosophy so I would use that for your battle against the frizz ,as well. I will be contacting them to see if we can do some sort of podcast in conjunction for all KILLER STRANDS members. I’d like to be able to show you how to apply the products perfectly so you will have the good results they provide.

Which products you purchase all depends on the degree of frizz-iness you have, no one makes better products for frizzier hair than this company. The owner is a master chemist and you can tell by the quality of his products.

This line up is in the order I put them in importance, the first one on the list being the most useful ( again it depends on your level of frizziness)

Always....Always carry a small bottle of Silken seal drops in your purse, if you have the high level of frizz it sounds like most of you have....you will need to re-apply throughout the day.

Bull Semen hits Salon Treatments to Tune of $170. a POP!

After a little more thought....it occurred to me . . . who was that person that was sitting around and said, .........
"Hey, if we jerk a bull off, maybe it will help the health of hair", then I looked up who this "Hari Salem" cat was and sure enough...it was a dude! No offense - just funny and logical, I always wonder 'where' things come from it is a habit ingrained in me.

Being a woman, being a cosmetic chemist and a woman, my speciality is HAIR CONDITIONERS, that is where all my research was -- is -- and will be in the future. In the 4 years I have been formulating hair conditioners, I study every new ingredient that comes out that can be added to the formula's each and every month & trust me there are way too many. So to come up with Bull Semen is hilarious to me, I thought > 'hey, I never saw that listed in the Cosmetics & Technology Magazine ("New Hair Formula ingredients" ) I read cover to cover every month' - what on earth would possess someone to reach for that jar on the shelf when formulating a hair conditioner?! Of course, a horny guy !

Many people do not understand this... but a Cosmetic Chemist is the one that designs every hair care and every Cosmetic product you have ever touched...not a Dermatologist....not a Celebrity.....and not even a big shot Hair Stylist.

I guess I have offended some of you - which I greatly apologize for....sincerely.
Truly - madly - deeply I hope you will accept, this is why I am not supposed to work, I do not have the temperament to help others....I knew I was short with people but did not know it affected all of you so much........I will try hard to not speak up much anymore and to really watch what I say.
 
NONE OF THE ABOVE creates that product that eventually goes on your body and/or hair, plus they would have absolutely NO idea how to begin, what to use, or where to start, ....none - zip- zero.
A Cosmetic Chemist does it for them.
Be very very glad they do, to be one you need to learn light years more than what you pick up in acting or Cosmetology schools...and the Dermatologists have a whole profession to cover their butt so they don't have to know what goes "in" products ( they are called a Pharmacist) - so medical doctors are not what you want to look for as afar as their expertise in skin or hair products - I promise you I know more than that damn Dr. Perricone. He uses something that is so wrong in his face lotions/creams and I know its only because he has no idea what each ingredient is...otherwise he would not have 2 of the ingredients he has in them. 


Until I took 2 years out of my life and studied Cosmetic chemistry , I had absolutely NO IDEA the art even existed and believe me... it is an Art ! Not only a beautiful art but also a scientific one, something completely new to me at the time.
Not only do we chose the ingredients to put in the product ( which sounds all fun and games) but more importantly we are making sure the product is sufficiently preserved as well as adequately balanced so the pH level is perfect and protecting the effectiveness of the "active" ingredients - - all of this under the umbrella of 'formulating personal care products". When i started and listened to the words everyone was using...I was positive I would never be able to understand what they were all talking about...the terms- the technology- it all sounded like Japanese to me, this was all way over my head back in School and I would never be able to learn it now.

I pushed on though... I started to read a lot about the chemistry of hair products, and that became my passion... making one hair conditioner after another, those and body cremes, {they are similar products in their make-up and chemistry}....I began making custom hair conditioners & cremes for my regular clients.

I knew their hair so well I would make a batch of hair conditioner up for a year at a time, yes it was a bit pricey - but they all claim it was worth every last penny! I never lacked for people to make them for, it was all I could do - to formulate and cut & color hair.
Ever had a homemade Cake or Pie...from scratch....?
How yummy and flavorful they are compared to the Markets

I just do not agree that everyone needs a daily 'conditioner, shampoos have so much in them anymore they are sufficient..
a problem we see in the Salon a lot is "build-up"

• product build-up
• mineral build-up (chlorine,rust etc. from water)
• conditioner build-up

To elminate that problem I feel the hair care protocol for the average client is this:
Shampoo: Sulfate-free..... and then ONLY IF your hair is dry and tangly -
Detangler: a spray detangler for easy comb thru
Conditioner : Once a week an overnight conditioner - shampoo-rinse - apply deep conditioner - comb thru (mine is called:Thriven) let it dry for 1 hour prior to going to bed - lay towel on pillow to protect. Sleep 8 hours letting yummy ingredients soak in hair and scalp.. Rinse in morning. Depending on condition of hair this can be done once/twice a week....or once - twice a month....even.
"More" is not always better !
 

Flatten That Fricken Frizzy Hair - #1

The Smoothest Route to De-Frazzling The Nest

Rid Your Noggin of Frizzy/Curly Hair

THROW IN THE TOWEL

After your shampoo & shower be careful not to towel dry the hair. Especially not a rough wild scrub with the towel I see so many do, you are roughing up the cuticle. Gently blot the water out if need be, leaving it alone is the single best choice and shaking your head back and forth side to side in the shower just before exiting is an old Hollywood trick. (The deep shaking also helps with root lift - promise).

An important part of the trick to getting rid of frizzy hair is understanding the "cuticle" of the hair strand. The cuticle has scales which lie along the surface of the hair like tiles on a roof with their free edges directed towards the tip. They cover the hair surface all the way along its length.

 
 Hair strand magnified - Cuticle visible
If you could look at a hair under a powerful microscope you would see that the scales growing over the youngest part of the hair (the part that grows closest to the scalp) are smooth and unbroken. 
Further along the hair, you would be able to see that they may have been damaged by cosmetic treatments ( flat irons, over processing, etc).


When the hair's cuticles are smoothed down and going in the same direction the appearance will be shiny and smooth, therefore lessening/eliminating frizz.

Remember this theory for other things you do to your hair such as : putting clothes on over the head, wearing hats, swim caps, brushing hair upside down(that's a 'no'). The roughing up that the towel drying creates sets the entire styling process up to fail for you, its a very easy step, put a post-it on the bathroom mirror right now if you must.

Included will be 10 of my Tricks + 5 product recommendations. What you have that sets you apart from each other ..........are your tricks and product finds that you try to keep secret. That is why people seek you out, along with the obvious : artistic flare & knowledge of hair.

SHAMPOO : the Movie...Shampoo: The Explanation! Make Sense Out of All the Bottles

BACK TO BASICS AND WASH AWAY

BAD HAIR DAYS WITH KILLERSTRANDS

SHAMPOO TIPS

Its funny, picking out a shampoo seems like a fairly simple task. . . in truth, it can be mind boggling. There are thousands of brands and thousands of options.I would like the subject of shampoo to make as much sense to you as it does to me.

Finding your perfect shampoo is no easy task. With such a huge range offered to the consumer from drug store brands to professional, from anti-dandruff to extra volume, we are literally soaked with choices.

Do you walk down the aisles at your Beauty Supply or the local Target and feel overwhelmed?

You're not alone. And the bad news is, over 80% of you are rumored to be using the wrong shampoo for your hair type!

My goal?

to de-mystify shampoo and the manner in which you choose your shampoo.

How can you find your shampoo soul mate?

The fastest, most accurate solution?

When making an appointment with a qualified Stylist or Colourist at your local Salon for a cut or colour ask for a shampoo recommendation. If that is not an option for you, the following will be helpful.

As a Cosmetic Chemist, when an order for a new shampoo formula comes across my desk, the very first requirement for end result? the "HAIR type" needs to be answered.... is the hair colored or virgin?

The first question would be: do you color your hair? or is it virgin hair?

Shampoo's are formulated for colour-treated hair or non color treated or 'virgin' hair.

Secondly the Shampoo is formulated and designed for a specific "condition" of hair: dry/normal/oily/damaged/frizzy.

The second question you answer about your hair in picking a shampoo: What condition is my hair?

~THE CONDITION OF YOUR HAIR

This is one of the main factors to consider. If your hair is dry you don't need a shampoo that will strip your hair of oil, likewise if your hair is greasy...you shouldn't be using a moisture shampoo. Your ideal shampoo will help restore your hair to a manageable condition, so figure out what your hair needs most, whether this is colour maintenance, moisture or strength etc.

~ WHAT LOOK ARE YOU AFTER?

Many people will use a curl-friendly shampoo if their hair is curly, but if you're styling your hair straight this is a definite no-no. A curl activator will do nothing to create the poker straight hair you're aiming for, but a smoothing shampoo will put you right on track. Remember, shampoo won't work miracles - its job is to cleanse the hair and create a good foundation, its your products that do the styling.

~ HOW OFTEN DO YOU WASH ?

Think about your wash frequency. Avoid using anything too harsh or that's likely to strip away natural oils if you're going to be washing your hair daily. No one needs to shampoo that frequently you truly don't need it. Its wasteful, not necessary and I highly suggest you begin changing your schedule.

~ Use SULFATE-FREE SHAMPOO ONLY

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate ( SLS)> must be avoided .

Watch out for this ingredient in your shampoos..

This chemical is one of the causes of the new hair loss cases in women. I will continue to speak out on it, because it needs to be abolished in our products.

SHAMPOO MYTHS Blown open

~ SHOULD I CHANGE MY SHAMPOO EVERY FEW MONTHS?

Why? There is no truth to the rumor that hair becomes immune to hair products...different products have different ingredients, if the dreaded Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is in one and not in another...then of course the 2 shampoos are going to have different reactions.That's all it is....No immunity factor...

~DOES A RICH LATHER MEAN MY HAIR IS GETTING A BETTER WASH?

Enough bubbles for a foam party does not make a good hair wash! A rich lather doesn't always mean hair is cleaner as it is controlled chemically. Moisturising shampoos will not develop into a huge lather like the one for greasy hair due to their make-up.

Are professional products much better than drug store lower priced models? 

Its all about reading labels - just like you do with your foord....Its so funny about 15-20 years ago NO ONE read labels of their food, now I see every single person in our local grocery stores standing trying to read the microfine print on labels of food. Remember when you weren't familiar with those technical terms ? ? ?  Like gluten, etc.... Once you have realized which ingredients there are that you must avoid ( later in the site I will make a business card print out to put in your wallet with the names of the chemicals that are to be avoided at all costs.). Once you have that list you may shop wherever your pocketbook leads you.

Its not the price of the products... its the ingredients that makes the differences you should watch out for.

Doing a quick Sulfate-free shampoo search. . . . there are starting to be a number of $5.00/$6.00/$7.00 shampoos without the dreaded SLS ingredient.. a couple phone calls revealed a couple major shampoo manufacturers...... the number 1 HOT ITEM in shampoos that has been hot for the last 10 years is Hair Color-Friendly and  SULFATE-FREE !

The shampoos in our store all meet my high standards of how Shampoos should be formulated, I have tested and tried and devoted many hours of time into the selection of  shampoos I carry, so never worry about which is better than the other.

Understanding Shampoo - through the pH scale - Does Yours Tangle Your Hair?

pH of shampoo - magical-simple-solution to ongoing problem

Shampoo is the number 1 Searched for hair product on Google's big board of HAIR search "tags" and lately "sulfate-free shampoo" has been bumped up to number 2 if you can believe that - - - makes me proud. Which means it comes from you, I like knowing what you want to know more about so I am going to stick with the Big G for reference. This will be a gentle description of the term pH, which is so important when "shine" "health" and "color-lasting" are your goals with your hair. Shampoo is that product that is on your hair more than any single other product, some of you use it every single day. With that being the case I feel I need to teach you all I can about it, which is a new concept for me. When I discovered how important it was on Google's scale of what 'you' look for under hair, I started to re-think my former stance on it. See, I can change - I love technology ever since I started this Blog it has become a new passion of mine. What a lot I have to learn though.
I am going to start on the pH scale as I feel it is so very important to understand in relation to shampoo and hair care products in general . I never know where to start  on this - -  again its the whole "chicken and egg" predicament, lets see how I do.

Potential Hydrogen (pH)


Understanding what pH is and how is affects the skin and hair is essential to understanding most of the services that you get in a Salon or that you perform on your own noggin. This will be a brief overview of pH and how it works so then I will go right into pH and shampoos. I'm using a couple textbooks to help me with this, as much as I understand it, I tried writing my own post on the subject and ended up trashing it, my version was so confusing, I gave it to my neighbor to read and he had the most confused look on his face. So we will go with this and see how it works. Its not necessary to fully understand pH, but I would like you to at least have an idea what it is for future reference. Having the proper pH shampoo makes ALL the difference in the world, as far as tangling and hairs condition at the end of the shampoo.

Many of you have complained about a particular shampoo that is Sulfate-free - thinking the sulfate-free is the cause, which couldn't be farther from the truth. The cause of very tangle-y hair post-shampooing is: improper pH of the shampoo, which is such a simple thing to fix. 


Water and pH
First we need to understand a bit about ions. An ion is an atom or molecule that carries an electrical charge. Ionization is the separating of a substance into ions. These ions have opposite electrical charges... An ion with a negative electrical charge is an anion and an ion with a positive electrical charge is a cation. Now Ions are at the base of that T3 Dryer that is such a big hit now which I will go into at a later date and subject.
In pure water, some of the water molecules naturally ionize into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. The pH scale measures those ions. The hydrogen ion (H+) is acidic..the hydroxide ion (OH) is alkaline, pH is only possible because of this ionization of water. Only aqueous solutions have pH, Non-aqueous solutions (oil and alcohol) do not have pH . . . without water there is no pH.

In pure water, every water molecule that ionizes produces one hydrogen ion and one hydroxide ion. Pure water is neutral because it contains the same number of hydrogen ions as hydroxide ions, meaning it is neither acidic nor alkaline. Pure water is 50 percent acidic and 50 % alkaline.

The pH Scale
The terms "parts hydrogen" or "potential hydrogen" are used to describe pH.  In fact, the term pH originates from the French term pouvoir hydrogene , or hydrogen power" and means the relative degree of acidity and alkalinity of a substance. Notice that pH is written with a small p and a capital H ( which represents the hydrogen ion, H+) the symbol pH represents the quantity of hydrogen ions.
The pH values are arranged on a scale ranging from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 indicates a neutral solution, a pH below 7 indicates an acidic solution and a pH above 7 indicates an alkaline solution.
The pH scale is a logarithmic scale, this means that in a pH scale, a change of one whole number represents a tenfold change in pH. A pH of 8 is 10 times more alkaline than a pH of 7...a change of 2 whole numbers indicates a change of 10 times 10 or a one hundred-fold change. A pH of 9  is 100 times more alkaline than a pH of 7.
Pure water, with a pH of 7, is 100 times more alkaline than a pH of 5. Since the average pH of hair and skin is 5, pure water is 100 times more alkaline than your hair and skin, even though it has a neutral pH.
Pure water can cause the hair to swell by as much as 20 percent.

pH and Shampoo
Understanding pH levels will help you select the proper shampoo for yourself . Remember, the amount of hydrogen in a solution, determines whether it is more alkaline or acid, is measured on a pH scale that has a range from 0 to 14.

• a shampoo that is more acid can have a pH rating from 0 to 6.9 
• a shampoo that is more alkaline can have a pH rating from 7.1 to 14.
• The higher the pH rating ( more alkaline), the stronger and harsher the shampoo is to the hair. A high pH shampoo can leave the hair dry and brittle.
• Now why shampoo's don't have pH ratings printed on them instead of all the other words and BS I will never know, this is one of the key measures  of knowing if the shampoo is going to work correctly (of course there are others).
• Ultimate pH for a shampoo you purchase?  5.0 - 6.0

The Chemistry of Shampoos
To determine which shampoo will leave your hair in the best condition, I must explain some of the chemical ingredients regularly found in shampoos. Most shampoo's share many ingredients in common. It is often the small differences in formulation that make one shampoo better than another for a particular hair texture or condition.
Water is the main ingredient in all shampoos and commonly is added at the rate of 30-40% of the formula. Generally it is not just plain water, but purified or de-ionized ( ions removed) water. Water is usually the first ingredient listed, which indicates that the shampoo contains more water than anything else. From there on, ingredients are listed in descending order, according to the percentage of each ingredient in the shampoo or formula. This is how it is 'supposed' to be done but I would guess 8 times out of 10 it is not. Regulating hundreds of thousands of beauty products would require every single agency of the government shutting down and helping the FDA, it is virtually impossible, so it basically self-governed and you can imagine how successful and correct that maneuver is.

Surfactants
The second ingredient that most shampoos have in common is the primary surfactant or base detergent. These 2 terms, surfactant and detergent mean the same thing: cleansing or "surface active" agent.
A surfactant molecule has two ends" a hydrophilic or water-attracting "head" and a lipophilic or oil-attracting "tail". During the shampoo process, the hydrophilic head attracts water, and the lipophilic tail attracts OIL, this creates a push-pull process that causes the oils, dirt, and deposits to roll up into little balls that can be lifted off in the water and rinsed from the hair ( see the photos).

Other ingredients are added to the base surfactants to create a wide variety of shampoo formulas. Moisturizers, oils, proteins, preservatives, foam enhancer's and perfumes are all standard components of shampoos. On a previous post I listed 12 or surfactants that are considered safe, I have worked with each one and to be perfectly honest, shampoo's are not my forte...but wanted to just see - feel - smell and observe the materials with hair under the scope - for my own security - in  recommending them.  I know that probably sounds super UN-scientific, but I feel that is what these super cosmetic chemists - miss. Just plain common sense issues, like the scent of a particular ingredient being so caustic, how could it possibly be gentle enough for hair. Or the texture of this is so rough and the scent so strong, there just has to be a better choice. That is what began my suspicions with Sodium Lauryl Sulfates 7 years ago.  When I opened the jar and seriously, could not take a breath of air it was honestly that burning to the skin in my nostrils, . . . that alone was a huge red 'common sense' - flag. Why no one but me - started talking about it, I will never know .
Yes, later there have come many "Safe Cosmetics" organizations ... but they don't do it right either - They go the complete opposite direction and think everything is bad, and that's not at all how it works, either.  Not everything is bad or unsafe. . .that is as bad of a generalization as the other groups missing the dangers of SLS - it truly is. You can't 'ban' everything, that is the way politicians work...we have no room for that in cosmetics.  I just want to begin explaining this to you, its a big concept but many of you seem eager to learn it, I thought it would bore you all so earlier I decided not to open the bag, besides its bad for business . . . all the big companies won't advertise on my site because I say Boxed hair color kits are horrific - but look at me will ya ? ?  I can't keep my mouth shut!  It would make my life a whole lot easier, if I just conformed and didn't talk about them - I would be making a lot better income off of advertising on this site. This has now become a very well known hair web site, I get lots and lots of traffic everyday without the big boys advertising on my site - but I am trying to break into the next level and get some big advertisers on my site, it won't happen as long as I leave the info up about how bad boxed hair color kits are. But If I don't tell you the truth, you will never get it, and that really is pointless to me.  So . . .  there is the truth. I need your support and I need to know you all want to know the truth in this info - so I know I am doing it for you and you care.
 
There are many "natural" ingredients that are very harsh as well, that just should not be what you look for.  "Natural" and "organic" are the most fought about topics / the most argued over words in the cosmetics business right now. Every single month in my trade magazines will be another view on what one more group thinks the word "natural" and "organic" means - - please take that into consideration. Those words will never be the answer to the problem, so drop that theory.
Technically as I've said before . . . water is not really 'technically' natural - as funny as that sounds ... it does not come from nature - - it comes from the heavens. With scientists you should hear them fight over the word, it will simply - - - NEVER BE SOLVED  - - ever. I feel both sides have valid points, so its simply time to move on from it.
Remember that there are also harsh and incompatible ingredients in nature for your hair, its needs to be a very simple study and honest reviewed by a competent cosmetic chemist that is not funded by any of the big corporate manufacturers, that is hard to find.
Begin and never stop reading the ingredients on the label, you must -  you must - you must. I fully realize they seem intimidating, BUT that is how I started and a very famous cosmetic chemist told me when I began, just start reading and saying them - over & over & over, they begin to sink in eventually. . .



I never took chemistry in school I was terrified of the "word'', but you know what? He was 100% correct. I couldn't pronounce Sodium Lauryl Sulfates,  and now I now the names of about 15 sulfates by memory... remember I was raised a jock not an academic - so there is no one this is more foreign to, than me. It will make you feel proud of yourself the first time you pipe off the name of one of these scientific names with confidence - and YOU WILL! Talk to your girlfriends about them, people want to know about this subject, you become the new expert in your group of friends . . . that's how we all get smarter and all start helping each other have better hair. Wouldn't you rather be "looking' at nice hair when standing in lines at the Grocery store?

I sure would - - it comes from proper education - that's the compliments I receive from 'you' - the readers - - all the time.