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Beauty Reflections

Beauty Reflections

by | | beauty reflections, cleansers, dry skin, hair, shampoo | 0 comments


I just spent about 10 minutes in the mirror analyzing my skin… studying it, assessing the flaws and thinking of a master plan to make it perfect. This past week has been a complete disaster in the beauty department. I make no apologies for being vain… and when I say vain, I mean I care a whole lot about my appearance. I want my hair to be perfect and when it’s not it can ruin my day. I want my skin to be clear, soft, pore-less and glowing… when it’s not, I’m nearly depressed. This morning, I sat in deep reflection about skin and hair care from a personal perspective. I thought, “My skin and hair could probably take care of itself if I just let it.” I believe that wholeheartedly.

I stopped using shampoo back in September (6-7 months ago) because I developed a product that cleansed the hair without stripping the natural oils. That was one of the best things I could have done for my hair (and my daughter’s). I was reminded of just how harsh shampoo can be when I decided to use it last weekend and experienced the biggest hair trauma of my life… complete with dramatic tears and sound effects smh. My hair, especially my natural hair, is better off without the suds. I’m beginning to think the same is true for my skin. I’m not willing to eliminate my soap and body wash, but I think it’s time to throw out my facial cleanser and allow my skin take care of itself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to put the good stuff in. I won’t be letting go of my toner, exfoliators or moisturizers. I just think that maybe I’m doing too much by using a cleanser to “clean” my face. How dirty could it be? With using a cleanser I’ve noticed my skin has changed from dry to combination… but not in the typical areas. I don’t have t-zone issues alone, my cheeks may break out too. O_O I NEVER had issues with breakouts before. I also started to see my pores in the smile line area between my nose and mouth. That is not cool at all. Halfway through my skin care bootcamp this past week, I stopped using my cleanser. Instead, I rinsed my face with warm water and used my white tea toner and aloe. My dry patches are clearing and my pores are returning to normal size. From a scientist’s perspective, I think the cleanser may have been throwing off my skin’s natural ability to regulate itself.

This is not to say that I think everyone should throw out their shampoo/cleanser. But as a person with naturally dry skin and hair, I don’t need it. I rarely wear makeup (only eyeliner and mascara when I go out). Nor do I put a lot of product in my hair between washes. Someone that did either may still need to use a little bubble action in their beauty regimen. Just remember, if bubbles are involved, conditioning and moisturizing is not an option, it is a requirement.

What are your beauty reflections? Have you considered changing the way you care for your hair and skin? Tell us about it!

Here’s to the Glam Life!

pH and Hair Care

pH and Hair Care

by | | acidic, alkaline, basic, conditioner, hair, hair care, healthy hair, pH balance, pH test, shampoo | 0 comments


I started a new project in the lab last week that inspired this blog post. While developing new products, a lot of “tests” are done to make sure all is as it should be. One test that is a constant for all (most) products is pH. pH indicates the level of acidity (or basicity pOH) of a substance. pH is important in cosmetic product development because skin and hair have pH too. The products you apply to your skin and hair should work with your body chemistry, not against it.

The pH scale starts at 0 and caps off at 14 with 0 being highly acidic, 14 being highly basic and 7 being neutral (7 is the pH of distilled water). Either end of the scale results in severe chemical burns. The pH of normal, healthy hair ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 (mildly acidic). Similarly, the pH of basic hair care products range between 4 and 6. Color treated and/or damaged hair tends to have a more basic (alkaline) pH. In a basic environment, the cuticle layer of the hair stands out and appears frayed or split. In order to treat damaged hair, a hair product must be more acidic to smooth the cuticle layer resulting in less tangles and higher shine. The process of treating alkaline hair with acidic products is what is meant by “pH balanced”. Knowing that damaged hair has a higher pH indicates that a normal pH hair care product may not be very effective in treating damaged hair.

Putting it all together

I’m sure you’ve noticed that hair care products are marketed for certain hair types ie dry/damaged/split ends, normal, oily, etc. While these products will often use different ingredients to garner results, one key factor is pH. A formulator will know if the product has a chance of working just by taking the pH of the final formula. I have rarely seen the pH of a hair care product disclosed on the packaging. So as the consumer, you need to get a little crafty. Before trying a product, I suggest you pick up your own supply of pH (litmus) paper and do a quick test. The ideal pH would be 4 or 4.5 to work well on all hair types. No matter how damaged your hair may appear, you never want a product with a pH lower than 3– and even that’s pushing it. **Keep in mind, the pH test only works for products/treatments that contain water.

You’re now just a pH test away from gorgeous, healthy hair 😉 Here’s to the Glam Life!