A Guide to Hair Products

A+Guide+to+Hair+Products

Dulce Castillo, Contributor

Hair‌ ‌loss:
M‌any people are a victim to this and worry that they are losing more than normal. However, it is perfectly normal to lose strands of hair every day. Hair grows back every day, so hair shedding is a sign that the hair is either dead or new strands are growing.
There is, however, multiple reasons as to why people lose hair (more than normal). Most likely, it is due to the hair products one is using. There are doctors who warn about certain hair products, especially the ones that have been sued. There‌ ‌have‌ ‌been‌ ‌specific‌ ‌brands‌ ‌that‌ ‌have‌ ‌gotten‌ ‌lawsuits‌ ‌because‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌chemicals‌ ‌in the hair products and the substances used. Some brands include, Johnson‌ ‌&‌ ‌Johnson/OGX‌ ‌shampoo‌ ‌and‌ ‌conditioner,‌ ‌Suave,‌ ‌Got2B,‌ ‌v05,‌ ‌Finesse,‌ ‌Dove,‌ ‌TRESemme,‌ etc.‌ ‌Not‌ ‌only‌ ‌do‌ ‌these‌ ‌products‌ ‌reduce‌ ‌hair‌ ‌loss‌ ‌because‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌unknown or toxic chemicals that are on the products, but there ‌is‌ one‌ ‌specific‌ ‌chemical‌ ‌ingredient‌ ‌that‌ ‌goes‌ ‌into‌ ‌many‌ ‌hair‌ ‌products‌ ‌and‌ ‌people don’t notice.
This‌ ‌chemical‌ ‌ingredient‌ ‌is‌ ‌called‌ ‌“DMDM‌ ‌Hydantoin”‌ ‌which‌ ‌can‌ ‌cause‌ ‌either‌ ‌an‌ ‌allergic‌ ‌reaction‌ ‌to the head/hair (and cause more hair loss) or cause irritation and scalp burns, also known as blisters. ‌There‌ ‌is‌ ‌also‌ ‌things‌ ‌that‌ ‌one should never do to their hair like
  • Using excessive heat on the hair and not using hair protectant.
  • Brushing wet hair.
  • Not doing enough research and using harmful shampoo and conditioner.
  • Towel‌ drying‌ ‌wet ‌hair and putting hair in a turban
  • Washing‌ ‌hair‌ ‌every‌ ‌day.
  • Sleeping‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌cotton‌ ‌pillowcase‌ ‌(invest and buy silk pillow cases).
‌There is also alternatives to growing long hair and one of them is rice water.
  •  ‌Take‌ ‌plain‌ ‌rice‌ ‌and‌ ‌wash‌ ‌it‌ ‌with‌ ‌water‌ ‌two‌ ‌times‌ ‌to‌ take‌ ‌off‌ ‌any‌ ‌dirt.
  • ‌‌Proceed‌ ‌to‌ ‌put‌ ‌the‌ ‌rice‌ ‌water‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌plastic‌ ‌container‌ ‌and‌ ‌cover‌ ‌it.‌ Let‌ ‌the‌ ‌rice‌ ‌water‌ ‌sit‌ ‌at‌ ‌room‌ ‌temperature‌ ‌for‌ ‌12‌ ‌to‌ ‌24‌ ‌hours.‌ ‌This‌ ‌allows‌ ‌it‌ ‌to‌ ‌ferment‌ ‌and‌ ‌all‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌good‌ ‌vitamins‌ ‌and‌ ‌minerals‌ ‌to‌ ‌come‌ ‌out.‌ ‌A‌ ‌good‌ ‌tip:‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌let‌ ‌it‌ ‌sit‌ ‌for‌ ‌over‌ ‌24‌ ‌hours.‌

However, there is a slight chance that rice water may not be effective in growing long and luxurious hair. It can be due to the fact everybody has different hair types. People either low‌ ‌porosity‌ ‌hair‌ ‌or‌ high‌ ‌porosity.‌ ‌Low‌ ‌porosity‌ ‌means‌ ‌that‌ ‌ ‌hair‌ ‌doesn’t‌ ‌naturally‌ ‌absorb‌ ‌water‌ ‌or‌ ‌any‌ ‌type‌ ‌of‌ ‌product‌ ‌and‌ ‌if one puts too many or unnecessary hair products, the hair will become dull and dry. ‌Having‌ ‌high‌ ‌porosity‌ ‌hair‌ ‌means‌ ‌that‌  ‌hair‌ ‌takes‌ ‌up‌ ‌more‌ ‌water‌ ‌or‌ products‌ ‌that‌ ‌is put‌ ‌in‌to ‌the ‌hair.‌ ‌

There is also hair oil, which is effective. You just have to know which ones are best for your hair.