Study || Antioxidants from Artichoke and Rice Reduce UV Damage of the Hair

Extracts of artichoke and rice to protect our hair from sun damage?  While researching information for a different post, I came across a study which addresses this topic.

"Natural antioxidants obtained from artichoke and rice applied to pretreated hair improved mechanical properties and preserved colour and shine of fibres, coating them and protecting them against UV. .... Furthermore, the lipidic peroxidation of the protein degradation caused by UV was reduced for some treated fibres, suggesting an improvement in fibre integrity. "

Interesting, huh!  Here are some notes I made detailing some of the findings a bit further:

The rice extract was better at preserving the hair's tensile strength.  (It is believed that this is because "the rice extract has biofunctional peptides with high substantivity for keratin".  These peptides can "penetrate and protect the hair from the inside".) 

Both artichoke and rice extracts protected the hair from protein degradation.  The artichoke extract showed a higher protection, "probably due to the strong antioxidants such as hydroxycinnamic derivatives in the extract." 

Both artichoke and rice extracts protected the hair from UVB damage, with the rice extract providing more protection possibly due its composition. Rice extract contains phytic acid antioxidant and medium molecular weight peptides that "may form a protective layer on the hair's surface."

Etc. 

To read more details on the study, check out the full article (only abstract is available below)!

SOURCE
EFFICACY OF ANTIOXIDANTS IN HUMAN HAIR (2012)

How to Keep Your Hair Moisturized in Dry Heat

Unlike moist heat, dry heat can leave our hair super parched.  In the following video, Ambrosia discusses how she keeps her moisturized in dry Arizona:

Pool Hair Care || Using Vitamin C to Neutralize Chlorine

The weather is warm.  You go for a swim in the pool.  Even after taking all the measures necessary to prevent the pool water from reaching your hair, perhaps your tresses still get drenched ... and encounter chlorine.  Fortunately, there are shampoos on the market that are specifically made to remove chlorine from your hair, but what if you want a cheaper or natural alternative?

Ascorbic acid is one option.  There are quite a few experiments (and studies) out there involving the use of this form of vitamin C to neutralize chlorine in the realm of water treatment.  Additionally, ascorbic acid can be purchased online or in certain health stores in capsule, crystalline, or other forms.

If you are interested in making your own mixture to remove chlorine from your hair, do read more about ascorbic acid as an option.

SOURCES:
VITAMIN C DECHLORINATION IN WATER SYSTEMS
VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID)
ASCORBIC ACID REDUCTION OF RESIDUAL ACTIVE CHLORINE IN WATER (2000)

Summer Hair Care || Battling the Humidity

Summer is officially here and so is the humidity in certain regions of the world.  What does this mean for those who are stretching, transitioning, or natural?  Well, it could mean reversion, shrinkage, and frizz.  However, you can mitigate each of these unwanted effects by following the tips below:

1. Protective Style.  In my relaxed, transitioning, and now natural days, protective styling has been the number one weapon against summer humidity.  My go-to protective styles were and still are twists or braids because reversion, shrinkage, and frizz are minimized.

2. Work with your texture. Some ladies enjoy wearing their hair out during the summer, especially if they've spent the rest of the year in protective styles.  However, wearing the hair out can be an invitation to the unwanted effects of humidity.  One way to minimize those effects is to "work with your texture" via braidouts, twistouts, straw sets, or rod sets.  These styles are less likely to be ruined by the humidity than straighter styles (e.g., a fresh press) that are further from your actual texture.
-Tutorials on the strawset and cornrow-out
-Tips for maintaining twistouts

3. Embrace your texture.  Another way to combat humidity while wearing your hair loose is to simply "embrace your texture".  What does this mean?  It means wearing your hair in its natural state (e.g., a wash-n-go).  However, those with medium to long hair, especially those with kinks or tighter coils, should proceed with caution.  Wash-n-gos can create an environment conducive to tangles.  If you do have medium to long, Type 4 hair and would like to experiment with, read my earlier post on the Curly Girl Method on Type 4s.

4. Run from humectant-containing moisturizers.  Humectants (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol) draw moisture from the air.  When applied to the hair which is then exposed to humidity, humectants will facilitate the processes of reversion, shrinkage, and frizz.  However, if your hair absolutely needs these ingredients in a moisturizer, then do not change your routine.  It is better to put healthy hair care before an anti-humidity technique any day.
-List of more humectants

5. Use a shine/smoothing serum.  If your hair fairs fine with silicones, then using a serum containing dimethicone is another method for battling the summer humidity.  Apply the serum to a fresh set of twists or braids or onto your out style (e.g., twistout or braidout).  Dimethicone will not only aid in taming any frizzies, but it will create a slight barrier against humidity.  NOTE: Because this silicone does not dissolve in water, it can lead to buildup with continued use.  Be sure to wash your hair with a shampoo containing any of the following surfactants in order to prevent this buildup: SLS, SLES, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocobetaine, ALS, or ALES (Source).


6. Wear a scarf.  Hair scarves are very much the trend this summer, and they can be useful for disguising hair that has suffered the effects of humidity.  Opt for silk or polyester (i.e., satin) scarves, which are both gentler on the hair than cotton.

For previous posts on summer hair & skin care:

Black Skin and Sunscreen

Chlorine and Summer Hair

Hair and Sun Damage

Type 4 Series: Curly Girl Method & Summer Hair

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Type 4 Series: Curly Girl Method & Summer Hair

What is the Curly Girl Method?  It is method developed by Lorraine Massey and Deborah Chiel to help care for curly hair.  The method entails frequent co-washing, finger combing, wash-n-gos, no shampoo, no silicones, and more.  While many curly ladies have caught onto the routine, it is rare to find a kinky-haired gal who has, largely because of the regular wash-n-gos and co-washes involved.  But on youtube, there are a couple of kinky gals who are experimenting with the method and one who actually has very similar routine.  These women are featured in the videos below, and can perhaps be inspiration to those with type 4 hair who desire to wash more frequently and wear their hair loose this summer.

For a more detailed description of the method, check out their book titled "Curly Girl: The Handbook".  For a short description of the no-shampoo routine involved in the Curly Girl Method, check out this article.


1. Though she didn't exactly use the Curly Girl Method, Cynthiarf was the Type 4 Queen of wash-n-gos, frequent co-washes, and finger combing, which are components of the regimen: video tutorial.

2.  Dawnyele is a tightly-coiled Type 4 who is currently experimenting with the Curly Girl Method.  She will document her journey through June, so subscribe to her videos if you'd like to keep up with her experiment.

3.  Though not entirely Type 4, Whoissugar has mix of textures varying from tight coils to loose curls and is worth posting for those with looser Type 4 hair.  She is also experimenting with the Curly Girl Method; you can watch her document her journey on youtube.

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