How To Always Look, Feel and Be So Fresh and So Clean, Clean ⊛⊛
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Let’s get right to it:
Top 10 Ingredients
Aloe vera: You can use this succulent, healing plant directly from the fresh leaf, juice or gel. Makes a great acidic base for a Rhassoul clay wash and a moisturizing leave-in conditioner. It’s also a great pH balancer and soothing to the scalp with healing and regenerative properties. Also used in skincare for the same reasons.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate: A slippery, conditioning agent used in many commercial conditioners and deep conditioners. Provides lubrication and removes friction for smoother cuticles that lay flat and therefore assist in hair length retention.
Hyaluronic Acid: A unique substance that can hold a thousand times its weight in water, making it a powerful moisturizing agent as it keeps water in the hair fiber for longer, which coily hair needs. This is also widely used in skincare for the same reason.
Rhassoul Clay: This clay hails from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and garners its name from the phrase “Rhassala” which means “to wash” in Arabic. Unlike commercial shampoos of the 21st century, clays like Rhassoul that have been used for eons do not lather or contain detergents that break down the hair fiber, making it a fantastic option for cleaning coily hair, particularly over time as the hair keeps its integrity and structure over the long term. It also does not dry out the hair like typical shampoos, which often leave coily hair, in particular, stripped as they have been traditionally created with oily/straight hair in mind. Instead, Rhassoul clay leaves hair soft as it cleans, a true 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner straight from the Earth—and straight outta Africa. This powder can be mixed with aloe vera juice as its base to make an amazing, pH-balanced, conditioning cleanser.
Petroleum Jelly: Practically synonymous with Vaseline, petroleum jelly is an occlusive, non-comedogenic lubricant that serves as the base for most hair greases. Despite the term, grease, used in the right amounts, petroleum jelly is not actually greasy, and offers superior lubrication and softening properties to coily hair, making it the best sealant to lock in water/moisture for coily hair. Don’t sleep on it, sis.
Lanolin: Similar to petroleum jelly in consistency, lanolin is basically, sheep sebum. If you’ve ever felt sheep’s wool, you’ll realize how soft it is because of the sheep’s naturally-produced oil that serves as a lubricant for its hair.
Mineral Oil: Another occlusive and non-comedogenic, mineral oil is a fantastic sealant for coily hair. It’s the liquid version of petroleum jelly and, therefore, much runnier than it, taking on the consistency of actual oil.
Castor Oil: A viscous oil that takes on a different appearance depending on how its extracted and processed, it’s pretty much a botanical, liquid grease that works as a fantastic lubricant and sealant for coily hair. It also has a stimulating effect on the skin’s lymphatic system which renders a healing effect. This may be why it’s touted to aid in hair regrowth on damaged follicles or thinning hair/edges.
Jojoba Oil: An oil said to be closest to the chemical composition of sebum, the natural oil human skin follicles produce, jojoba (pronounced “ho-ho-bah”, take that, Santa) is a nourishing and well-absorbed oil for coily hair which, because of its spiral structure, does not allow natural sebum from the scalp to travel down the hair shaft as easily as naturally straight hair. Applying jojoba oil directly to the length of your coily hair eliminates this issue entirely. This is also a great option to thin out castor oil so it’s more spreadable.
Glycerin: A humectant, meaning, it pulls moisture/water, glycerin typically comes from vegetable sources and has a sort of water-jelly consistency. It is hydrating and softening when applied to coily hair, but you should be aware that, because it pulls moisture, if you live in a dry climate, by laws of osmosis, the glycerin will pull water out of your moisturized hair to the atmosphere that has less of it. Conversely, if you live in a humid climate (or use a humidifier in your home), glycerin may pull more water from the air into your hair and, depending on how you have it styled, make it swell/grow/expand as it’s moisturized. So, you’ll just have to do your due diligence and check your dew points when using this one. But it’s well worth it.
Top 10 Products
Leave-in Conditioner: Can be in the form of either a liquid or cream, as its name implies, this is left in the hair after washing and deep conditioning/rinse-out treatments and is one of the most important steps in your hair routine because it has the longest lasting effect on your hair’s condition because it stays in your hair until your next wash day.
Pre-Shampoo: This is usually an oil-based and/or slippery product used before you wash your hair to both help with preliminary deshedding/detangling and preventing excess swelling of your hair strands when they absorb water during washing/cleansing which leads to protein loss in the strands over time and weakened hair from the continuous expansion and contraction of the shaft through a condition called hygral fatigue.
Deep Conditioner: A hair treatment typically meant to be left in under a shower/conditioning cap anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, often with a source of heat like a thermal cap or overhead bonnet dryer to enhance the penetration of the product into the hair shaft. Deep conditioners are something between instant, rinse-out conditioners typically left in the hair for 3-5 minutes and leave-in conditioners. They are a more intensive rinse-out treatment and formulated to be more concentrated and penetrating than instant conditioners. There are two main types, moisture-based deep conditioners, which have more emollients and moisturizing/softening properties and protein-based deep conditioners which have more strengthening and reconstructing properties. There are also balancing deep conditioners that offer a mix of both moisturizing and strengthening benefits.
Cholesterol: An intensive rinse-out treatment similar to a moisturizing deep conditioner, cholesterol is a lipid (fat/oil) naturally found in hair that gives it malleability and, along with ceramides (also naturally-occurring in hair) keeps the structure of hair intact by acting as a sort of “glue” that holds the cuticles to the inner structures of the shaft (medulla and cortex). Cholesterol is a fantastic treatment to restore elasticity and counter protein overload (too much protein in the hair that makes it hard/too stiff/rigid and easy to break). Cholesterol treatments are especially ideal for coily hair.
Cleanser: This can be anything from clays like Rhassoul and Bentonite to commercial bottled shampoos in their many variations (moisturizing, clarifying, chelating, 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner) to ayurvedic powders and saponins from natural sources like soap nuts and certain vegetables. For coily hair in particular, cleansers that not only don’t strip/dry and subsequently tangle the hair but impart softening and slip are ideal. This is why Rhassoul clay (mixed into aloe vera juice) is simply fantastic, as it cleans and softens the hair at the same time. It can be considered both a cleanser and moisturizing deep conditioner in one.
Style Setter: This can be any variation of a styler that allows you to set/mold your hair in the style of your choosing, both consolidated styles like cornrows, flat twists and braids, and “out” styles like twist outs, braid outs, Bantu knot outs, rod sets and wash n gos/freeze sets. These have varying hold and longevity based on the ingredients and composition of the styler, including but not limited to twisting butters, defining creams, setting mousses, and greases.
Heat Protectant: This is imperative if you heat style (blow dry and/or flat iron) your hair with hot styling tools like flat irons, blow driers, curling irons, hot combs, marcel irons, etc. This is applied to hair before the application of heat to protect it, as the name implies, from the damaging effects of high temperatures on the hair shafts and fibers, especially for longer (and therefore, older) hair. It does this by creating a protective barrier around the hair shaft that help insulate the hair from some of the applied heat. Heat protectants come in different forms but mainly liquids, creams, and serums.
Stimulating Scalp Oil/Grease: This is usually a blend of either only botanical oils consisting of carrier oils that are skin/scalp penetrating (like jojoba, sweet almond, avocado and argan oil) combined with essential oils (like peppermint, rosemary, lavender and sage) that are stimulating and vasodilating (dilates/expands blood vessels) or a combination of botanical, essential and synthetic lipids (oils and fats) like petroleum jelly, lanolin, mineral oil and cholesterol that offer a more viscous/semi-solid base versus liquid. These used consistently are applied to the scalp to enhance blood flow and circulation which in turn enhances hair growth from the follicles being fed said blood.
Edge/Perimeter Framer: This is a finishing styler used to frame your edges and “baby hairs”, i.e., the short/small, wispy hairs around your hairline that are softer and generally more fragile than the rest of your hair. This is typically called Edge Control and comes in gels, “snots” and pomades that keep your edges “laid” and “in place” if you’re into that.
Detangler: One of the most important products you’ll need, particularly as a coily gal, detanglers are necessary for safe and efficient deshedding and brushing/combing. A good one should offer superior slip and moisture so that your hair strands easily glide against and past each other as you remove shed hair. It is NOT advisable (and highly discouraged) to try to detangle coily hair when it’s dry, especially not with a tool. Hair needs to be malleable and flexible so it doesn’t break when handled/separated. It’s during the detangling process that most people suffer breakage and mechanical damage, so it’s imperative to use a great, slippery detangler (as well as tool and method) to retain length and grow your hair to Youniqorn lengths over time.
Top 10 Hair Tools
Hair Shears: These are scissors designated for cutting your hair and only your hair. Not paper. Not synthetic hair extensions. Not sewing/weaving thread. Not wig lace. Not [insert random ass thing you cut with scissors]. Just your own hair that grows from your scalp. It’s highly recommended you always have a good pair. These need to be and stay sharp to ensure that your hair is cut or trimmed properly and cleanly. Blunt or mediocre shears cause micro tears and shreds while they cut because of the dullness of the blades, creating more split ends and frays even as they banish existing ones from your head of hair.
Deshedding/Detangling Brush/Comb: Probably one of the most fundamental tools you need as a coily gal that can make or (literally) break your hair and length retention efforts, a deshedding/detangling brush or comb needs to gently and efficiently remove shed hair from your mane without putting unnecessary or excessive tension, stress and friction on your hair. You will likely need to get a deshedding tool with a larger surface area the longer your hair gets. This also cuts down on deshedding/detangling time (and therefore wash day fatigue) and increases efficiency (and likely enthusiasm). You’ll also need to consider the heights, spacing and flexibility of the bristles/teeth.
Deep Conditioning Cap: This is a portable, heatable cap used during the important step of deep conditioning, as well as hot oil treatments. The cap is structured so that one or more of its components (seeds and grains, in many cases) can absorb, trap and hold heat (typically from a microwave or similar heat source) within the fabric for an extended period of time, typically 15 to 30 minutes.
Continuous Mist Spray Bottle: This is a water/liquid spray bottle on steroids, with a much better and efficient nozzle and dispenser. The spray emerges in a true, diffused mist versus a stream/jet, making for more efficient and effective application and moisturization. The trigger is also more effective and does not require the continuous pulling and therefore finger fatigue traditional spray bottles demand. These bottles come in varying sizes to accommodate varying volumes of water/liquid for your hair care needs and travel.
Alligator/Butterfly Hairclips: Used to keep your hair consolidated off in more manageable sections, these clips are practically indispensable for making your wash day and general handling of your mane easier and time and energy efficient, especially if you have medium to high density hair and/or very long (waist, hip, tailbone, classic length, etc.) hair. It’s much less time consuming than having to keep your hair sectioned off in twists or braids that you have to keep doing and undoing multiple times throughout the wash, deep conditioning, deshedding and styling process.
Microfiber Hair Towel: This is a hair-specific towel or towel-turban that has short and small (hence the “micro”), very soft fibers that are both gentle on your own hair’s fibers and highly absorbent so they’ll dry your hair effectively without the need to rub it against or over your hair, which causes friction and mechanical stress and damage over time, especially since super wet hair is swollen and has its cuticles more lifted than when it’s damp or dry.
Scalp Massager: This is a device that is used to mechanically stimulate the scalp and hair follicles by massaging your head/skin and thereby encouraging higher levels of blood to circulate in the areas and surrounding tissue of the point(s) of contact. There are different types of massagers, from manual (which include your very own pretty fingers), to vibrating, to automatic.
Satin Bonnets/Scarves: These are used to as head/hair coverings to protect your hair from the micro friction of your beddings and clothes and pillows when you sleep, take a nap, or even lounge around the house and lay on the couch watching Netflix. Some people recommend silk as an option, but here at Youniqorn, we don’t recommend (and actually discourage) the use of silk because of how it’s often obtained (boiling silk worms alive). Cruelty at its best. So, yeah…no.
Hair Planner/Diary: Use this to log, track and document your hair progress, condition, length/volume/style goals, product experiences (performance, price, amount, usage, etc.), breakthroughs, setbacks, lessons, epiphanies and everything else that constitutes your coily hair journey. The information you will gather in here will be invaluable to you and others, both short and long term. You will be able to use it as a guide and reference at any given stage and will ensure you don’t forget important and even fundamental aspects of your hair journey, especially the mistakes/negative experiences and setbacks so that you and like-minded Youniqorns who want to learn from your experience don’t repeat them. This goes an extremely long way in streamlining and simplifying your regimen and makes it that more likely you’ll achieve and maintain all your mane goals :). Take advantage of the pretty printable hair planners and journals in your STAR+er membership.
Hair Dryer: This is certainly optional, but very useful in keeping coily hair stretched to prevent tangles, knotting and fairy knots–and consequential breakage during deshedding/detangling or excessive trimming to remove fairy knots which in turn delays reaching your goal lengths in time. The number one recommendation here on Youniqorn is the RevAir, the Reverse Air Dryer because, unlike traditional hair dryers, this uses suction technology (much like a vacuum) and significantly less heat so it stretches your coily strands much more efficiently and without the stress of a tool brushing through them simultaneously and potential heat damage. It also directs the air in the direction the hair cuticles lay, encouraging them to lay flat and closed as your hair is stretched downward instead of blown around. This is an investment and the upfront cost will pay off in the long term, especially if you have multiple heads of gorgeous coily hair in your household.