(no subject)
This is a post for the ladies. Or hey, if you're a dude who likes reading about hair products, knock yourself out.
I was born with a head full of big thick curls, and they never went away. Puberty saw the onset of frizz, and I've been battling with my hair ever since - fine and wispy around my forehead, and so thick in the back that water from the showerhead does little to penetrate it. My mom says I have hair most girls would kill for. I say, you try wrestling with it for 45 minutes just to get it to lie somewhat flat. Even when I let it go curly, it takes the gross national product of a small country to fund all of the things it needs to just not be a wig of crazy fluff. To add insult to injury, my blonde is fading and is being replaced by browns and coppers that would be pretty if they weren't so wirey.
I fear I may end up looking like Carrot Top.
I stumbled across a smidge of info on the interwebs a couple of months ago, talking about sulfates and parabens and how bad they are for your hair and scalp, especially for those of us blessed with frizz balls. The surfactants in these chemicals can really dry hair out, and as anyone with a hint of coarseness or wave can tell you, that's the last thing it needs. I've been an Aveda user for years now, and was surprised they still used sulfates and parabens. Some people, like Lorraine Massey, swear that people with any sort of wave or curl in their hair shouldn't use shampoo at all. I know that there are a lot of people do this, and I'm sure it works great for them, but I just can't get over the suspicion that after a week I would smell like a bachelor's apartment. Nevermind the 2-3 week period of greasy hair you have to go through while your scalp adjusts to the change. No thanks, I'll stick with lathering.
So after some more research, I tried some sulfate and paraben free shampoo and conditioner I picked up at Whole Foods (John Masters Organics, to be specific). The difference is pretty fantastic. It took me less than 15 minutes to fix my hair today, and it's halfway down my back. I'm using less hair products with much better "results", my hair is the shiniest it's ever been, and though winter has settled into Seattle pretty quickly and harshly, I'm not a walking T-gel commercial (before, not after).
I can't recommend making the switch highly enough: straight, curly, whatever. The bonus is that most (if not all) sulfate and paraben free products are made by companies who don't test on animals. I'm now trying out the Pureology line, which I'm liking even more than the other stuff, and it's 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and biodegradable. The downside is that it's more expensive, but unfortunately most vegan and cruelty-free things are. And really, a little does go a long way.
Anyway, that's my soapbox. Pun (not?) intended.
I was born with a head full of big thick curls, and they never went away. Puberty saw the onset of frizz, and I've been battling with my hair ever since - fine and wispy around my forehead, and so thick in the back that water from the showerhead does little to penetrate it. My mom says I have hair most girls would kill for. I say, you try wrestling with it for 45 minutes just to get it to lie somewhat flat. Even when I let it go curly, it takes the gross national product of a small country to fund all of the things it needs to just not be a wig of crazy fluff. To add insult to injury, my blonde is fading and is being replaced by browns and coppers that would be pretty if they weren't so wirey.
I fear I may end up looking like Carrot Top.
I stumbled across a smidge of info on the interwebs a couple of months ago, talking about sulfates and parabens and how bad they are for your hair and scalp, especially for those of us blessed with frizz balls. The surfactants in these chemicals can really dry hair out, and as anyone with a hint of coarseness or wave can tell you, that's the last thing it needs. I've been an Aveda user for years now, and was surprised they still used sulfates and parabens. Some people, like Lorraine Massey, swear that people with any sort of wave or curl in their hair shouldn't use shampoo at all. I know that there are a lot of people do this, and I'm sure it works great for them, but I just can't get over the suspicion that after a week I would smell like a bachelor's apartment. Nevermind the 2-3 week period of greasy hair you have to go through while your scalp adjusts to the change. No thanks, I'll stick with lathering.
So after some more research, I tried some sulfate and paraben free shampoo and conditioner I picked up at Whole Foods (John Masters Organics, to be specific). The difference is pretty fantastic. It took me less than 15 minutes to fix my hair today, and it's halfway down my back. I'm using less hair products with much better "results", my hair is the shiniest it's ever been, and though winter has settled into Seattle pretty quickly and harshly, I'm not a walking T-gel commercial (before, not after).
I can't recommend making the switch highly enough: straight, curly, whatever. The bonus is that most (if not all) sulfate and paraben free products are made by companies who don't test on animals. I'm now trying out the Pureology line, which I'm liking even more than the other stuff, and it's 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and biodegradable. The downside is that it's more expensive, but unfortunately most vegan and cruelty-free things are. And really, a little does go a long way.
Anyway, that's my soapbox. Pun (not?) intended.