Healthy, shiny hair is a reflection of proper nourishment and a healthy lifestyle. Whether you use the highest-quality natural shampoos, conditioners and styling aids, the condition of your hair will still suffer if your diet is lacking in necessary nutrients.

Quick snacks for healthy hair:

Low-fat dairy products are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They are also high-quality protein sources.

·         Low-fat yogurt

·         Low-fat cottage cheese

·         Soy Milk

Red, orange and yellow vegetables are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp and good vision.

·         Carrots

·         Tomatoes

Many nuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair. They are also a terrific source of zinc; a zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding.

·         Walnuts

·         Almonds

·         Cashews

·         Pecans

A vitamin C deficiency can cause the hair to be susceptible to splitting and breaking.

·         Berries

·         Oranges

·         Grapefruit

·         Melons

Protein is needed by every cell in the body, including the cells needed in normal hair growth. Without adequate protein intake, the body cannot efficiently make new hair to replace the hair that has shed.

·         Tuna

·         Cheese

·         Peanut Butter

A healthy diet ensures the intake of essential vitamins and minerals that contribute to your health and a healthy head of hair. Regular exercise, stress management, limiting alcohol intake, and avoiding tobacco are also essential to good health & healthy hair.

Happy New Year from your friends at Hairfinity! Each New Year is always packed with well intended resolutions- lose weight, get more organized, save money, go back to school, the list is endless. But what about hair care? The start of a new year is a great way to see the transformation of your hair. Healthy hair grows an average of 6 inches per year or ½ inch per month. By implementing a healthy hair care regimen at the beginning of the year, you can easily measure changes in growth and condition.The New Year is also when some choose to begin the journey from relaxed to natural hair (transitioning). Natural hair is considered to be stronger and more resilient than relaxed hair; because it has not been weakened or altered by chemicals. Although, there are many women with healthy, long, relaxed hair, many still opt to enjoy the versatility of their natural hair. Going from relaxed hair to natural hair is a process that involves patience, love and dedication. As your natural hair grows, it may be frustrating dealing with the two textures – that’s why some opt for “the big chop”. This is the point where the relaxed hair is completely removed. If this is a little to extreme for you, many other styles can be used to help ease the frustration of dealing with two textures. Styles like cornrows, braids, extensions, straw-sets or twist-outs, lessen the need for daily styling and help to hide/ blend the different textures in your hair. This stage may be quite stressful, as the cute, little ringlets you envision have not yet appeared. You must remember to EMBRACE and LOVE your hair during this time! Hair care during this time is quite simple -condition, condition, condition! This, along with regular hot oil treatments, and using a wide tooth comb help avoid hair breakage and restore the moisture balance of your hair. Using a leave-in conditioner, such as Infusium, after every wash will help to eliminate tangles and keep hair protected against harsh environmental elements. So if your one of those women who is ready to take the journey back to natural, CONGRATULATIONS on your decision! May your hair be healthy & flowing, no matter the texture!

Although exercise does absolutely nothing directly to grow hair, it is highly recommend for creating a balanced environment for healthy hair growth. Lack of physical activity will definitely lead to brittle or lusterless hair. Exercising can improve blood flow, the delivery of oxygen to the cells of the body, and help the digestion of foods, all things that aid the health of hair follicles. It is very effective in increasing the elasticity and flexibility of the scalp. A tight scalp has long been associated with slow hair growth, hair loss, and male pattern baldness. Blood flow to the scalp is increased during regular exercise. Like any other part of the body, your hair needs nutrition, as well as, exercise. You must combine your exercise with a generally nutritious diet. This is a great way to combat hair loss and have healthy hair. After all, hair is also a part of your body, and if the body gets nourishment, so does the hair. The following exercises encourage flexibility of the neck and back, which in turn promote circulation to the scalp. They provide better nourishment to the hair follicles and result in healthier, more voluminous hair- old-fashioned toe touches and head/neck rotations. Incorporating these tips into your daily regimen can lead to great hair in the long run. Remember! Exercises need not be very strenuous to reap health benefits. All you will need is a jog or walk for around 20-30 minutes per day to increase flexibility and blood flow. So keep your body strong and your hair growing by doing some type of cardio exercise EVERYDAY! You’ll never regret it!

Building an effective and consistent hair care regimen can sometimes be quite daunting; but once you’ve got the hang of it, the results will be astounding. That’s just about the time our eyes get lured away with the newest shampoo, fast growth conditioners, diamond shine polishers, or the latest, greatest flat iron. This is the PJ (product junkie) stage! We all experience it in some degree during our journey to healthy hair. Whether its 20 bottles of Suave conditioner or 1 bottle of $40 conditioner; we all look for that “magic” product to give us the best hair advantage. Although, we know that no product will yield overnight success, there are some very helpful regimen extras that might give you the extra boost you need. Some additional regimen tips include:

1. Pre-shampoo treatments – these treatments help to protect and prepare the hair shaft. Harsh detergents in shampoo can often dry the hair out. A pre-treatment helps create a barrier against damage. Pre-treatments may be conditioners, oils, or homemade preparations. One of my favorites is 1 part extra virgin olive oil, 1 part unrefined coconut oil, 1 part honey, and half of finely mashed avocado (optional). Applied root to tip and left on for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Hot Oil treatments- these are pretty self-explanatory. You can use any natural oil, such as olive, jojoba, sesame, avocado, hemp, emu, safflower, coconut, amla, carrot. The warm oil can be applied to wet or dry hair. However, on dry hair, wrapping oiled hair in a warm, moist towel helps the oil to penetrate better. Leave on for 15-30 minutes.
3. Overnight oil treatments- these treatments are the same has hot oil treatments, but they are covered with a plastic cap and left in the hair overnight. This is an excellent tip for those with super dry hair or brittle ends. Overnight oil treatments allow maximum penetration into the hair shaft; this helps to increase softness, sheen, and elasticity.
4. Add-Ins- “add-ins” are simply those extra things that you can mix into your commercial products for extra, conditioning, moisture, strength, or shine. Some of my favorites are peppermint essential oil, honey, coconut milk, natural oils, avocado, yogurt, and herbal powders. Add-ins can be used in shampoos and conditioners.
5. Scalp Massage-Stimulates blood flow and helps feed the hair follicles. It also helps to prevent and fight hair loss. Massaging the scalp helps keep your hair healthy and can also promote hair growth. Try massaging your scalp for 5-10 minutes everyday!

Conditioners work by smoothing out the outer layer of the hair shaft. This hair has a tendency to split away from the rest of the hair and cause fly away or dry frizzy looking hair. The conditioner is supposed to smooth down these individual hairs and let them be combed and styled without breaking away and splitting. There is a hair care product that is great for ensuring smoothness and continued conditioning of your hair. That product is a leave in conditioner. Regular cream rinse conditioners are typically left in for a few minutes and then rinsed away. But the products that are made from ingredients that can be left in your hair all day long are the most effective. They keep working all day; well after your hair care routine is finished. Leave-In conditioners and treatments are great topical solutions; they are packed with botanical extracts that improve scalp and follicle health while restoring luster and manageability. Many conditioners also help detangle by adding lubrication and smoothness to help separate hair strands. This speeds up drying time and significantly reduces breaking by improving strength and elasticity to the hair shaft. Other benefits include:

•        Increased shine and luster
•       Protection and repair of split-ends and frizziness
•      Sunscreen protection
•      Improves moisture content of dull or dry hair
•     Helps repair damaged hair

To improve shine, body, and to add luster to dry or dull hair, use a leave-in conditioner following drying for increased protection and color maintenance. You’ll reduce breaking, split-ends and frizziness while repairing and protecting damaged hair. Some great leave-in conditioners currently available include: Giovanni Direct, Aphogee Pro-Vitamin, Infusium, Sebastian Potion #9, Neutrogena Triple Moisture, Aussie Hair Insurance, Matrix Biolage Daily, TIGI Bed Head Moisture Maniac, Keracare, African Royale Daily Doctor, and Motions Nourishing.

Wanted to share this awesome info. with ya!

How-to Roller Set

By: Macherieamour

Tools:

1)Wide Tooth Comb 2) Rattail 3) Magnetic rollers 4) Duckbill Clip 5) Water Bottle 6)Leave-in Conditioner 7) Serum

1) Wash and Condition hair as usual

2) After rinsing out conditioner, leave hair soaking wet and put a plastic shower cap over wet hair.

3) Apply leave-in and serum concentrating on the ends. Fill your water bottle with the mixture of your choice: 1) plain water, 2) water and setting lotion, 3) liquid leave-in or 4) water and oil.

Get the silkiest, bounciest and straightest by using just leave-in, serum and water.
I get the firmest curls when I use setting lotion (diluted or not)
I get the most hydrated set (but less bounce) when i use a moisturizer with my leave-in and serum.

4) Part hair down the middle (imagine a Mohawk) and use an elastic to keep the sides out of the way.

5) Start with the mohawk first. Spray with water. I usually spray 5-7 sprays per 1 inch section.

6) Part a 1 inch horizontal section and comb down. The hair should be hanging in front of your face.
Pinch the end and place the roller on TOP of the hair. Roll up (towards the ceiling).
Rolling up is the easiest on your arms and creates a lot more space on the head for the rollers.
Continue until you finish the mohawk section.

A few things to Remember:

* Keep the section you are working on very wet, especially the ends. They should cling to the roller.
* Experiment with roller size. The smaller the roller, the tighter the curl and the longer the curl will stay.If you have longer hair, you might want a larger roller to shorten drying time and to achieve a straight look.
* Use tension while rolling. I like to roll, pull, roll, pull, etc. This is ensure that your hair will be straight.

* Experiment with the combination of products that work for you.
Some use undiluted setting lotion.
Some just use leave-in, serum and water. I get the silkiest best set THIS way.
I like a cream leave-in, serum (Silken Seal), oil moisturizer and diluted setting lotion.
I get super shiny, soft, supple hair and virtually no breakage when removing the rollers this way.

* Use duckbill clips.
They will not move while your hair is drying and will keep the roller tight.
DO NOT PIN OR CLIP ROLLERS together. This is asking for breakage.

* Clip the top of the roller to the scalp. They should not feel wobbly or insecure.

7) Move on the right or left side. Make three vertical sections.
Use an elastic or scrunchie to keep it out of the way.

Start with section furthest from your face. Part a 1 inch section and roll up.
Continue until you complete each section. Then move the opposite side of your head and do the same.

9) Air dry or dry under a hood dryer. Anticipate at least 30-90 minutes under the dryer.

*Avoid shoving your head into a small hood dryer. This will cause breakage over time.

10) Make sure your hair is COMPLETELY dry before removing the rollers.
I know its hot and uncomfortable BUT your hair will frizz or revert if not completely dry!

11) Remove rollers and ENJOY!

Clear Healthy Skin: The Holistic Approach

The ancient healing tradition of Ayurveda is creating waves in the world of natural skin care.

The first step in the holistic Ayurvedic approach to skin care is finding out your ayurvedic skin type:

Vata skin is in general dry, thin, and cool to the touch, easily gets dehydrated, and is very vulnerable to dry windy weather. Pitta is mostly fire, so the Pitta skin type tends to have more break-outs, sun sensitivity, and less tolerance to spicy food. Pitta skin looks rosy, and is warm to the touch. Pitta skin types tend to be more prone to freckles and moles than the other skin types. Kapha is predominantly water and earth, so Kapha skin tends to have all the qualities of water and earth — it can be greasy, thick, and more tolerant of the sun. “Combination” skin can be Vata-Pitta, skin that is both dry and sensitive, Kapha-Pitta, or oily and sensitive skin, and Vata-Kapha, skin that is generally dry with some oily zones. The ayurvedic approach to caring for combination skin takes into account environmental and seasonal factors.

For Vata skin to stay youthful, nurturing skin care products should be used consistently. They must include a combination of essential oils or herbs which can nourish the skin and rehydrate it, otherwise it may be susceptible to wrinkles and premature aging. Try massaging a little coconut oil into your skin before bed.

The Pitta skin type needs both cooling and nurturing. Use skin care products that help enhance resistance to the sun. Avoid tanning treatments and therapies that expose your delicate, sensitive skin to steam for extended periods of time. Opt for gentle, natural skincare products for cleansing and moisturizing.

Kapha skin, because of its thickness and oiliness, is more prone to accumulate ama — toxins under the skin. People with Kapha skin need to do detoxification on a regular basis, both internal detoxification and external detoxification to flush toxins from the skin. Cleanse your skin twice everyday; exfoliate with a mud-mask at least once a week to keep skin fresh and clear.

Try this Ayurvedic “secret” for glowing, blemish-free skin:

Apply  turmeric, neem, and amla powder paste daily to clear all marks from the skin, lighten dark circles and delay wrinkles or loosening of skin. This is also an excellent treatment for psoriasis and eczema.

Building Your Regimen: Part II – Deep Conditioning

Hair can be damaged by a number of factors. Sun, chemical relaxers, too much heat, dryness and other factors can lead to dry, dull and lifeless hair. Deep conditioning is especially important for black hair. Although the market is cramped with wonderful commercial products for deep conditioning your hair, check your kitchen cupboards for handy, natural ingredients.

A good way to get back that lost luster of dry and damaged hair is to create a good hair mask. A couple of good ingredients to consider is honey, banana, avocado, jojoba oil, egg, plain organic yogurt, and chamomile tea or fresh chamomile flowers.

A really good recipe is to take a bowl and mush a banana. Then stir in the honey along with one egg, 2 tablespoons plain organic yogurt, and 1 tablespoon jojoba oil.

Mix the mask ingredients well while stirring to make sure they are well blended and not lumpy. Now after mixing the ingredients use a comb to apply the mixture to the length and ends of your hair. If your scalp is dry, it may also be applied to the root. After application is complete braid or pin up your hair to keep it out of your face. Let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Wash well and condition.

But for all those ladies who prefer a quicker option, try these great commercial conditioners for intense moisture, repair, and shine:

Keracare Humecto

Mizani Moisturfuse

Mixed Chicks Deep Conditoner

DevaCurl’s One Condition

Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment

Pantene Breakage Defense Mask

Silk Elements Megasilk Moisturizing Treatment or Olive Moisturizing Treatment

Listen to your hair and find what works for you! But, remember to always deep condition with heat for a full 20-30 minutes for optimum penetration and results.

Natural, pure henna is a wonderful safe, chemical free natural hair dye that safely covers over gray hair. You can achieve beautiful shades of red through dark brown and black by adjusting your mixture with other herbs such as amla or indigo. Using henna and indigo for  hair coloring can result in black, raven black, blue-black, purplish black or burgundy black hair . Henna will keep your hair conditioned, soft and shiny! Henna and Indigo application can be done in either a two-step or one-step process.

1 Step method for henna/indigo for auburn/brown hair

Mix henna powder in a bowl with water and a bit of acid, like lemon juice, vinegar or orange juice.  Add enough liquid (tea or hot water) to make it the consistency of pudding.  Honey and/or oils may also be added to help soften and moisturize the hair. Cover the container with plastic wrap and let it set you see dye release.  Once the henna has dye released, in a separate bowl, mix up the desired amount of indigo powder with warm water.  Stir until the lumps are gone.  Add the just mixed indigo to the henna paste and stir together until well mixed.  Immediately apply to freshly washed hair.  You may need to add more water as you are working with the paste, as it will thicken as it sits.  Wrap head in plastic wrap, then place a shower cap over the top of that.  Allow to sit on hair for a minimum of 2 hours.  Rinse paste from hair.  Do not shampoo for 24 to 48 hours, as the henna/indigo will need time to oxidize.

2 step method for brown to black hair - works best for covering grey hair

Step One:
Mix henna powder in a bowl with water and a bit of acid, like lemon juice, vinegar or orange juice.  Add enough liquid to make it the consistency of pudding.  Cover the container with plastic wrap and let it set until you see dye release.  Once the henna has dye released, apply the henna paste to freshly washed hair.  Wrap head in plastic wrap, then place a shower cap over the top of that.  Let set for 2 hours then rinse out the henna.

Step Two:
Place amount of desired dry indigo powder into a bowl.  Add enough warm water to the powder to make paste the consistency of pudding.  Stir well, until all of the lumps are gone, then immediately apply to the hair.  You may need to add more water as you are working with the

How do you wade through the suds and lather to find your perfect cleanser? Let’s look at everything you need to know about shampoos, what’s right and what’s hype! Each shampoo performs a basic function–emulsifying dirt and oils so they can be easily rinsed away. But for our hair, which tends to be dry, cleansing is secondary to our hair’s need for gentleness and conditioning. If your hair has undergone any type of chemical process, keeping it healthy requires comprehensive care. Your first priority: a nourishing shampoo. The best-quality shampoos have to cover the following bases: <!–[if !supportLists]–>·         <!–[endif]–>Get one that contains detanglers to eliminate pulling and tugging <!–[if !supportLists]–>·         <!–[endif]–>Make sure cleansing agents in the formula are mild to scalp and eyes <!–[if !supportLists]–>·         <!–[endif]–>Find products with a pH in the 4.5-to-5.5-point range–hair’s normal pH level(Anything lower will act as an acid and harden the hair. Levels above 5.5 will act as an alkali and soften hair.) <!–[if !supportLists]–>·         <!–[endif]–>Look for a formula with moisturizers to smooth hair, eliminate flyaways and help avoid split ends. <!–[if !supportLists]–>·         <!–[endif]–>Avoid clear shampoos, which usually denote more detergents than conditioners. Conditioning formulas tend to be creamy or pearlized and contain either milder cleansers or a lower proportion of cleaning agents and a higher degree of conditioners. Shampoo is your first defense against damage, infused with restorative and conditioning ingredients, it can help you get your back in tip-top shape. The key words to keep in mind: mildness and moisture. Remember to read labels to make sure the shampoo you select is the best one for your hair.