3 Myths We've Been Told About
Our Hair That are Total B.S.
We've all heard of the miracles apple cider vinegar can perform on our hair, and according to natural hair bloggers, coconut oil is the answer to everything wrong in life.
But, is any of this stuff even true?
But, is any of this stuff even true?
BuzzFeed Life spoke with Gwen Jimmere, CEO and founder of Naturalicious, to get the real on these common black haircare myths (or truths).
Jimmere is the first African-American woman to hold a patent for a natural hair product *and* and was named one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans in the country along with the likes of Beyonce, Colin Kaepernick and Ava Duvernay. Translation: SHE'S ON HER ISH!
Jimmere is the first African-American woman to hold a patent for a natural hair product *and* and was named one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans in the country along with the likes of Beyonce, Colin Kaepernick and Ava Duvernay. Translation: SHE'S ON HER ISH!
1. You can co-wash instead of shampooing your hair.
FALSE: Conditioners are not designed to clean. Generally speaking, most conditioners don't have the cleansing properties needed to efficiently clean your hair and scalp. And without a clean scalp, your pores get clogged with buildup and your hair cannot thrive and grow at the rate it normally would. Let's consider the history of co-washing. Co-washing began at a time in modern natural hair history when there were very few sulfate-free shampoos marketed to the natural hair community. Naturals were beginning to realize that sulfate-based shampoos were extremely harmful to the hair, stripping it of necessary natural oils. Since there was virtually nothing available on the market, the natural hair community started using conditioner to cleanse their hair, purely as a substitute for an otherwise suitable hair and scalp cleanser. Since then, however, cleansing products have hit the market that are sulfate-free, eliminating the need to wash with conditioner.
FALSE: Conditioners are not designed to clean. Generally speaking, most conditioners don't have the cleansing properties needed to efficiently clean your hair and scalp. And without a clean scalp, your pores get clogged with buildup and your hair cannot thrive and grow at the rate it normally would. Let's consider the history of co-washing. Co-washing began at a time in modern natural hair history when there were very few sulfate-free shampoos marketed to the natural hair community. Naturals were beginning to realize that sulfate-based shampoos were extremely harmful to the hair, stripping it of necessary natural oils. Since there was virtually nothing available on the market, the natural hair community started using conditioner to cleanse their hair, purely as a substitute for an otherwise suitable hair and scalp cleanser. Since then, however, cleansing products have hit the market that are sulfate-free, eliminating the need to wash with conditioner.
2. You can restore lost curls by using a "hair repair" product or by spraying Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) on damaged pieces.
FALSE: Unlike our skin, our hair cannot heal itself. Once your hair has been damaged from heat, the molecular bonds have been broken and there is no way for it to revert back to its curly state. There's nothing you can spray or put on your hair that will force the broken bonds to reconnect, and in turn, restore the lost curl pattern. Also, be wary of products that promise to repair your damaged hair. These products merely provide a temporary fix that washes out. Because science tells us that hair cannot be repaired, you'll likely find that once you wash your hair, you'll have the same issues as you did before using that product.
FALSE: Unlike our skin, our hair cannot heal itself. Once your hair has been damaged from heat, the molecular bonds have been broken and there is no way for it to revert back to its curly state. There's nothing you can spray or put on your hair that will force the broken bonds to reconnect, and in turn, restore the lost curl pattern. Also, be wary of products that promise to repair your damaged hair. These products merely provide a temporary fix that washes out. Because science tells us that hair cannot be repaired, you'll likely find that once you wash your hair, you'll have the same issues as you did before using that product.
3. The Liquid, Oil, Cream (LOC) Method is great for retaining moisture.
FALSE: There's basic science that tells us that layering liquid, oil, and cream in that order is incorrect. Instead, you should be applying L, C, and then O. Here's why:
Water, which is your L, is the most moisturizing thing you can ever put on your hair. Think about how great your hair looks fresh out of the shower or after a swim. But, by itself, it will soon evaporate and leave your hair dry. To retain the moisture, you have to layer other products on your hair, too. Oil and water don't mix, however, so layering oil on your liquid will only seal the shaft, preventing the C, or cream, from penetrating the hair and working with the liquid to enhance moisture.
But, if you put a moisturizing cream on top of the water, and then apply oil on top of that, you'll allow ALL of the moisture to penetrate the hair, and the oil will seal it all in.
Oils are excellent, but they must be used in the correct order to achieve the results you are looking for. If you've been doing the LOC method and are still experiencing dry hair, this is probably why. You're doing the right things, but in the wrong order.
The Naturalicious Hello Gorgeous Hair Care System numbers its products in steps according to the LCO Method. It makes it easy to know the exact order in which to complete your regimen, while slashing your wash into a fraction of the time you'd normally spend dealing with your hair.
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No one else, anywhere, offers a guarantee that strong. On top of that, they'll give you a full 60 days to try it out, unlike other brands that only allow a meager 15 to 30 days before you're stuck with something you may not even end up liking.
