Hi Natural Tresses,
This is a mini guide to harmful product ingredients, transitioning, and hair maintenance.
Many do, but still a good amount of people don’t have a clue as to what products to use on their natural hair. They think it’s “ok” to keep using the same products they used when their hair was relaxed. ABSOLUTELY NOT GOOD! A natural head needs natural hair care products. If you don’t, you’ll damage your hair.
Another important note is that the chemicals listed nearest the top are the most prevalent in the product. Chemicals such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Petroleum are very common in hair care products and are known to strip the hair of its natural oils and moisture and clog the pores. Remember, the more Kinks, the more moisture will be needed.
When buying hair care products you want to ensure that they contain essential oils such as: Olive, Jojoba, and Vitamin E. These oils are great for the hair! They keep the hair moisturized and hydrated, which is something natural hair needs most – MOISTURE! Shea Butter is also a good ingredient to look out for. It moisturizes and softens the hair as well as protects it from the sun’s burning rays that dry out the hair and contribute to breakage. I encourage you to continue learning about your natural hair and the proper hair care products it needs to grow stronger and healthier.
-Ina
Harmful chemicals like paraben, mineral oil, petroleum, phthalates and sulfates are used in most commercial hair and body products because of consumer non awareness.
The fact is that most of the ingredients in the products we use are absorbed by the skin and hair into the body. Chemical based cosmetic companies are continuing to use synthetic and petrochemical ingredients in personal care products. Pick up any bottle of lotion, cream, shampoo, conditioner, or toothpaste in your house right now and see how many natural ingredients they contain. Based on the FDA’s personal care products packaging standards, the further the name of an ingredient is down the list on a products’ label, the lesser of that ingredient the product contains. If this is true how much synthetic material have you fed your skin and body recently? The skin acts as a filter for the body for even the smallest molecule not seen by the naked eye is being absorbed and becoming a stock pile of toxins. This is the perfect environment for disease. Paraben, mineral oil, petroleum, phthalates and sulfates are the most common harmful chemicals used in commercial hair and body products.
Paraben
It is a fact that up to 60 percent of whatever we place on our skin goes into our blood stream. This is where the danger starts. Parabens are synthetic chemicals used to preserve beauty, bath and body products. They increase the shelf life of a lotion, shampoo or face cream by keeping out and fighting off bacteria that grow in these products quite easily. But the main concern over parabens in our beauty products is long term exposure to the chemicals which have been shown to disrupt the hormones and endocrine systems. Parabens imitate the chemical makeup of our hormones and can cause the body to over react or react to the chemicals which it thinks are hormones and consequently won’t produce enough natural hormones for the body to properly function. One in particular Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancers.
Mineral Oil
Mineral oil acts as a thin layer on the skin. It is difficult to absorb and clogs the pores, which slows the skin’s ability to eliminate toxins. Remember, the skin is the body’s largest organ and plays an important role in maintaining overall health! Once the oil is absorbed, it is broken down by the liver and passes through the intestinal tract, it will absorb all of the fat-soluble vitamins found there. It is essentially stealing important vitamins from the body, which the body will not be able to replace. This can eventually lead to nutritional deficiencies. Studies have also shown forms of pneumonia caused by mineral oil decreasing lung function, known as lipoid pneumonia. Because of these dangers, the medical community has condemned the use of mineral oil taken orally or as an ingredient in medications.
Petroleum
Petroleum are the basic ingredients in many beauty products today – and both come from fossils fuels. By locking moisture against the skin, petroleum sits on the skin’s surface and can potentially block pores. This may cause the appearance of pimples because the skin cannot properly breathe.The use of chemicals such as petroleum can also increase your risk for developing skin cancer. Also, propylene glycol, isopropyl alcohol, ceresin, toluene, benzene, petrolatum, and paraffin are all derivatives of petroleum, so you’ll want to avoid these as well.
Phthalates
Used to make plastics more flexible and to fix scents (prolong scent), phthatlates are chemicals that are known endocrine disrupters and estrogen-imitator. A chilling fact to digest is that they can be easily absorbed in large proportions by the skin. These chemicals are linked to the metabolic disorders and hepatocarcinogenicity. They are typically found in cosmetic products, so beware of this ingredient when shopping for such products.
Sulfate
Sulfate which you’ll find in many shampoos and toothpastes, makes good bubbles. It is a surfactant, which means it allows the blending of oil-based and water-based liquids. It thickens, allows easier spreading, and lathers up nicely. It’s great for shampoo. And for engine degreasers. It is known to cause skin and eye irritation, and has been, linked to canker sores and cancer.
Thinking about going natural or need help maintaining your natural hair?
First, if you haven’t already consider using a natural product line for chemical based products aren’t as moisturizing as natural based brands. Once one comes to terms on committing to a natural hair brand, from there you have three options:
(1) The Big Chop is the cold turkey way of cutting off all chemically effected hair. This should be done by a good pair
of styling scissors or by a professional stylist. It may be difficult to style hair during the new growth phase. If
styling is what you desire during your transition you may opt for one of the next two options.
(2) Style hair naturally without any chemical based products, and allow natural hair to grow out. Once natural new growth is at desired length, cut relaxed hair at point of new growth. This option will cause two hair type textures to be in effect at the same time.
(3) Add extensions and allow to mask new growth. Once natural new growth is at desired length, cut relaxed hair at point of new growth. This option is most costly but allows for the transition to be masked while the new growth and extensions are made to look as one texture.
Hair care for various hair textures
Conditioning of hair is the most important task in maintaining healthy hair. Next keeping ones hair clean will rid the hair of the continous threat of parasites that are all around us.
Kinky & Curly
Kinky hair needs to be conditioned & shampooed two times more than curly hair because of its multiple coils.
Step 1 Cleanse hair twice with ZENZELE Moisturizing Shampoo
Step 2 Condition hair with ZENZELE Moisturizing Conditioner.
Step 3 Spray hair with ZENZELE Leave in Conditioner.
Step 4 Moisturize Hair with ZENZELE Shea Shea Hair Soufflé
Locks
If you are worried about keeping your locks moisturized water, aloe vera and essential oils are the best moisturizer. This combination is the foundation of ZENZELE shampoo and conditioner. This can be used daily.
Step 1 Cleanse locs with ZENZELE Moisturizing Shampoo. 2 shampoos are usually sufficient.
Step 2 Moisturize locs with ZENZELE leave in conditioner.
Step 3 Moisture scalp and hair w/ ZENZELE Sangria / Essential Hair Oil.
Step 4 Palm roll, retwist locks with ZENZELE Loc Love Butter.
The key to healthy locs is to keep them moisturized.
