Hair and Protein

I've currently switched my No Poo method to a once a week egg and honey mask/wash.  I have curly/wavy hair that is prone to split ends, excess sebum at the roots and dry ends.  
I've heard a mix of reviews from people using protein masks and washes.  Some types of hair seem to do really well with protein and others can suffer side effects from protein or excess protein.
Some popular protein washes are eggs, yogurt, and avocado and mayonnaise.  
Protein treatments are used to strengthen weak and damaged hair. If your hair is already healthy then you can easily over protein your hair.  Side effects of too much protein include; straighter than normal hair with a waxy or straw-like texture, difficult to detangle and often breaks during this process, the hair can be dry and the ends can be dry and rough. 
Different types of hair react differently to different types of protein and regiments.  Often those with very thin hair (baby fine) need protein daily whereas if you have medium coarse hair you may only need protein a few times a week.  If you have really coarse hair then your hair is already very strong and too much protein can cause the hair to be rigid and break easily.

If you'd like to try a protein wash/mask here are 3 great ones below.

Egg Mask:
You can apply this to wet or dry hair.  If you are starting with wet hair it must be cold and not warm or you will cook the egg.  You beat the egg until it is frothy then coat the scalp and all of the hair.  If you have long hair secure it on the top of your head with a clip.  Place a shower cap on top of your head and leave on for up to 20 minutes (I only leave mine on for about 10). You can add honey or other helpful ingredients or essential oils to add scent. Rinse with cold water.

Yogurt:
Massage about 3 Tbsp of yogurt into your scalp and hair. Let it sit for 20 minutes under a shower cap then rinse.  You can use this weekly.

Avocado and Mayo:
Mash 1/2 an avocado with 2 Tbsp mayo.  Apply this mixture through all of your scalp and hair and let sit and rinse out.




Sources:

• http://www.truehairgrowth.com/how-to-tell-if-your-hair-likes-protein
• http://www.curlynikki.com/2011/09/curl-whisperer-on-protein-friend-or-foe.html
• http://7beautytips.com/3-easy-homemade-protein-treatments-for-dry-and-damaged-hair/

Natural Hair Care

If you've read my first article on here then you know that I've gone "No Poo."  I've almost made it a month and I'm very happy with the results.  I think my hair seems thicker, I have less fall out, and it also seems to be growing!

In case you haven't read the article and are wondering what in the world "No Poo" is I'll be happy to give you a brief explanation.  This method is basically "washing" the hair without the use of commercial shampoos/conditioners.  Often people choose to use things like Baking Soda Wash and Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinse, or a rye wash, applesauce masks, ACV only, and some make it to the realm of WO or Water Only.  Water Only seems to be the holy grail of "No Poo."

My hair is crazy curly/wavy and long (past my shoulders).  It tends to get dry but still remains soft.  My scalp tends to get oily fast and the rest of my hair remains dry.  I've noticed brushing my hair with a Boar Bristle Brush really helps distribute the oils.  I also tried Plopping (see video below).  Funny name, right? 

Plopping is great for naturally curly hair.  You basically comb/brush and style your hair and then plop your hair in the middle of the cotton T-shirt and then wrap the shirt around your head.  I've never seen my hair so wavy and curly. 

Sometimes it can be difficult to know what your hair needs. One way to understand what it needs best is to test the porosity of your hair.  There are 2 tests the float test and the slip and slide test.  For the float test you pull a few strands and place them in a dish of water. Let the hair sit in the water for 2-4 minutes.  If your hair is still floating it has low porosity and if it sinks you have high porosity.  The slip and slide test simply involves running your fingers up a shaft of hair.  If you feel little bumps as you move up the shaft then you have high porosity hair and the cuticle is lifted and if you are able to glide smoothly the hair is low porosity.

You want to strive for low porosity hair.  This type of hair repels moisture.  It's the healthiest hair type and is often very shiny. It is however prone to build up of products.  This is another reason why "No Poo" is a great idea!  The best kinds of moisturizers for this type of hair include jojoba oil, shea butter, coconut oil, and mineral oil.

Medium porosity hair is the most manageable.  The cuticle isn't as smooth as the low porosity hair, it is slightly lifted.  This type of hair holds styles well however over processing can easily lead to damage.

High porosity hair is often very damaged due to processing.  In this type of hair there are actually gaps in the cuticles.  These holes allow too much moisture in and cause your hair to be frizzy. On this type of hair you want to use anti-humectant products and leave-in conditioners.

I've used 2 different oil masks on my hair to assist with the dryness.  Most recently I just used a little coconut oil and left it on over-night then did by BS/ACV cleanse.  In the past I've used a concoction I made from Extra Virgin Olive Oil, African Hair Oil, Tea Tree Oil, and a few drops of mint and left on overnight.  Both make my hair very shiny and manageable.

Resources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_poo
• http://www.naturallycurly.com/texture-typing/hair-porosity