Hair Porosity: LCO vs. LOC Method for Lasting, Layered Moisture

Moisture retention is one of the biggest healthy hair concerns for many naturals. Thanks to science, the quest for the perfect thirst-quenching product is a bit easier now than it was before. Turns out, for most of us, there is no one-item wonder. Sealing in moisture takes at least two steps, and in some cases, three. Wondering which routine will work best for you? Well, that involves knowing your hair porosity. From there, you can better determine whether the LCO or LOC method gives you lasting, layered moisture.

SEE MORE: 4 Ways to Treat Natural Hair with High Porosity

Hair Porosity: The Highs and Lows

There are a number of resources that can help you determine your hair porosity, or its ability to absorb moisture. Remember that porosity is a sliding scale that ranges from low to normal to high. For the purpose of reviewing each moisture method, we’ll stick with low and high porosity.

Low porosity hair has a tighter cuticle layer made of overlapping scales that are harder to penetrate. These strands appear smoother under microscope, and are usually very shiny to the human eye. Highly porous strands appear coarser with open or raised scales, which easily allow moisture in or out. This type of hair is prone to frizz and tangling, especially in humid weather.

Layered Moisture: Liquid, Cream, Oil (LCO) Method

Layering products on the hair allows us to control how much moisture is absorbed and how quickly it evaporates. Hair can be styled wet or damp, with heavy or light liquids, creams and oils.

Let’s examine how low porosity strands respond to the LOC method. When saturated with a liquid, low porosity hair will slowly absorb and retain just the moisture it needs. Once a cream is added, it will absorb the water content from the product, leaving the rest to coat and seal its strands. Then, when oil is applied, the two outermost layers will mix and form a thicker barrier to protect the strands. Depending on how low your hair’s porosity is, this cream and oil mix can leave your hair weighed down and greasy.

High porosity hair, however, often responds more favorably to layering creams and oils. When wet, it quickly takes in more liquid than it needs, which causes swelling and lifting of its scales. Once a cream is applied, it absorbs a lot of the product and leaves only a little to coat and relax/smooth the cuticles. The right oil will mix with the cream layer and create a lighter, more flexible coating.

If you have high porosity hair, here are 4 things you can do to improve your hair’s porosity.

3 Natural Hair Products That Decrease Hair’s Porosity

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SEE MORE: Stylist’s Choice: Products for Your Hair’s Porosity

Liquid, Oil, Cream (LOC) Method

Similar to the above routine, the LOC method can leave low porosity hair weighed down with product buildup. To prevent this, consider using a lightweight oil opposed to thick, penetrating ones like coconut and olive oils. Jojoba, sweet almond and argan oils will coat the hair while still allowing strands to breathe. Then, when a cream is applied, hair will feel smooth and slick without the greasiness.

Adding oil after a liquid can protect high porosity hair by sealing its cuticles and preventing hygral fatigue. This is damage that occurs from repeated expansion and contracting of hair fibers. After penetration, a small amount of the oil is left to coat the hair. When a cream is applied, what’s needed is absorbed and what’s left acts as a protective coating against environmental elements (evaporation, damaging sun rays, etc.).

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Which is Best? Well…

That depends on your preference. For low porosity hair that’s also very thick, layering may not cause product buildup. If it does, try eliminating one layer at a time to see which provides maximum moisture (LC or LO). For hair that’s highly porous but not fatigued, then LCO is your way to go. And if not? Try LOCing in moisture with oil first to kiss dry, dull, lifeless hair goodbye.

What say you, trusted reader? Do you LCO or LOC for lasting, layered moisture?

 

Summer, Summer time!!!

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Naturalista,

Its summer time, pull out that swimsuit and SPF. Its also time to tweak your hair routine. This is the season the heat, humidity and scorching sun can cause hair damage and not to mention horrible bad hair days . I can’t stress enough protect your hair as well as your skin. The sun damaging rays may cause dry hair and split ends. The rays destroy the integrity of the hair decreasing strength and elasticity. This results in breakage, frizzness and faded hair color.

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Here are some tips to maintain the health of your beautiful locks.

If you have not already considered using a shampoo alternative. Shampoo alternatives are discussed in “No Poo” post. This method is wonderful for cleaning without stripping the essential oils of the hair and scalp.

There are many products with SPF qualities but one of the best in my opinion is shea butter. It protects hair from the wind, cold and not to mention the sun naturally. It is also a natural sunscreen due to its high vitamin content. For best result use shea butter on wet hair.

The sun’s ray can be very damaging to overall integrity of the hair shaft. Deep conditioning is imperative to prevent permanent damage. I recommend “Hair Mayonnaise” or LustraSilk Cholesterol Conditioner. If you have color; deep condition your hair once a week. The current health of your hair determines how often you should deep condition. If your hair is dry and brittle deep condition with heat by sitting under a hooded dryer or wrapping a warm towel around your head about once a week. Here’s a list of conditioners.

Hot oil treatments are great for sealing moisture in hair and scalp. If you still experience dryness invest in a creamy moisturizer and/or leave in conditioner.

To minimize frizz and maximize curl definition opt for a t-shirt or drip dry vs. terry bath towels. Using a smooth, microfiber drying surface to optimize smooth hair shafts while still pulling water from the hair.

Trim your ends regularly for natural hair about every 3 months or so.  Read why here.

Style your hair desired.

Daliy Routine

Tie your hair up at night or sleep on a satin pillowcase. You can co-wash or wet your hair daily. Not recommended if you have dry hair and/or scalp instead sprintz with water mixture (more info here) or braid sheen. Style hair as desired.

Retaining Length- Managing Split/Breaking Ends

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Last week, I began “My Grow Out Challenge”.  Throughout this next few weeks, we will continue to explore tips/techniques to achieve long, healthy natural hair.  Read the overview.

The key to long hair is to retain the length of your hair or maintain the ends.  If you think your hair is not growing, you are mistaken.  Your hair is growing.  Average hair growth rate is an one-half of an inch per month. If you’re not noticing growth, chances are the ends of your hair are breaking or splitting which results in breakage. [ad#square-125×125] Below are some reasons why you may be experiencing split or breaking ends.  In the beauty world split hair or split ends is officially known as trichoptilosis. There are wide range of reasons why split ends occur.

Courtesy of Felicia Leatherwood, Celebrity Stylist & Owner of Loving Your Hair with Natural Hair Care.

Some causes include:

• Excessive use of hot styling tools (irons, hot curlers, blow dryers, hot combs).
• Overuse of chemical treatments (relaxers, perms, hair color).
• Use of inferior styling tools that rip or snag hair (cheap synthetic brushes or combs, brush rollers, etc.,).
• Environmental damage from heat, cold, wind and other climate issues.
• Lack of routine maintenance such as regular trimming.
• Improper detangling techniques.
• Overwashing.
• Use of inferior hair care products.
• Excessive use of styling products such as gels, waxes and sprays.
• Trimming with inferior scissors

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There are other causes for split ends beside some of the main ones mentioned above. Other causes could be excessive tangling, improper application or removal of hair extensions, headgear that snaps or rips delicate strands or even scratchy bedclothes, fingers or hands.  Regardless of how you developed split ends, once you have them they will not just disappear. You will have to deal with them by either having them removed, wearing your hair to disguise their appearance or utilizing tricks to temporarily merge the splits together.  There are a lot of myths about split ends. The number one myth is that once a split end occurs, you can actually fix it by repairing it so that the end is no longer torn.  The truth of the matter is that once an end is split it is ripped apart for good. Yes, there are ways to temporarily glue the ends together and even give the appearance of healthy ends.  Celebrity stylists disguise split ends all the time for their megawatt star clients. However, ultimately the only way to remove a split end is to cut it off with a proper trim.[ad#horizontal-banner]

Natural Hair Care- In short

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The next few weeks, I will discuss Natural Hair Care tips/techniques to grow long natural hair.  Here’s a brief overview.

Photo Courtesy of Essence

• Care for your hair from the inside out by drinking water and eating healthy foods.  Read more here
• Use water based products made with natural ingredients.
• Never comb/detangle dry hair
• Apply products and detangle hair in sections from root to tip.
• Avoid excess everything… styling, heat application, conditioning (anything done in excess can damage the hair)
• Protect your ends
• Cover your hair at night
• Rinse, mist or steam curls daily or at least every other day
• Choose products that are pH balanced

Feed your Hair this Holiday

Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair

By Hilary Parker
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Edited for Natural Hair Rules by Tamara L. Floyd

When it comes to healthy hair, it’s not just what you put on your tresses that count — it’s what you put in your body, too.

“Lather, rinse, repeat” may be standard advice, but shampoo and conditioner alone won’t give you the healthy hair you crave. For the most luxurious locks possible, you’ll need to step out of the shower, and into the kitchen.

“Your hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch every month, and the foundation of all of our new hair, skin, and nail growth is the nutrients we eat,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a Chicago-based dietitian. “If you eat a healthy diet, you will grow stronger and healthier cells throughout your entire body — inside and out.”

If you were born with fine, thin hair, you’ll never have rope-thick tresses — no matter what you eat — but a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of growth-promoting protein and iron can make a difference, say nutrition and hair experts.

And beware of dietary supplements often marketed to thicken hair or make it grow faster. They may backfire. “Even though you can find beauty supplements on the shelves of most stores, try to get the nutrients you need from foods whenever possible,” Paradi Mirmirani, MD, a dermatologist in Vallejo, Calif., tells WebMD. “In rare instances, excess supplementation of certain nutrients, such as vitamin A, has been linked to hair loss.”

(What are some of the things you do to keep YOUR hair healthy and shiny? Comment below)

Healthy Hair Food No. 1: Salmon

When it comes to foods that pack a beauty punch, it’s hard to beat salmon. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.

“Essential omega-3 fatty acids are needed to support scalp health,” says Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD, a dietitian in Los Angeles and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “A deficiency can result in a dry scalp and thus hair, giving it a dull look.”

Vegetarian? Include one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your daily diet for some plant-based omega-3 fats.

Healthy Hair Food No. 2: Dark Green Vegetables

Popeye the Sailor Man didn’t eat all that spinach for healthy hair, but he could have. Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body’s natural hair conditioner.

Dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium.

Healthy Hair Food No. 3: Beans

Beans, beans, they’re good for your … hair?

Yes, it’s true. Legumes like kidney beans and lentils should be an important part of your hair-care diet. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample iron, zinc, and biotin. While rare, biotin deficiencies can result in brittle hair.

Blatner, who is also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, recommends three or more cups of lentils or beans each week.

Healthy Hair Food No. 4: Nuts

Do you go nuts for thick, shiny hair? You should.

Brazil nuts are one of nature’s best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp.

Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair. They are also a terrific source of zinc, as are cashews, pecans, and almonds. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding, so make sure nuts are a regular on your healthy hair menu.

Healthy Hair Food No. 5: Poultry

Chickens and turkeys may have feathers, but the high-quality protein they provide will help give you the healthy hair you crave.

“Without adequate protein or with low-quality protein, one can experience weak brittle hair, while a profound protein deficiency can result in loss of hair color,” Giancoli tells WebMD.

Poultry also provides iron with a high degree of bioavailability, meaning your body can easily reap its benefits.

Healthy Hair Food No. 6: Eggs

When it comes to healthy hair, it doesn’t matter whether you like your eggs scrambled, fried, or over easy. However they’re served up, eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find.

They also contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.

Healthy Hair Food No. 7: Whole Grains

Sink your teeth into hearty whole grains, including whole-wheat bread and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, for a hair-healthy dose of zinc, iron, and B vitamins.

A whole-grain snack can also be a great go-to food when your energy is zapped halfway through the afternoon, and you’ve still got hours to go before dinner.

Healthy Hair Food No. 8: Oysters

Oysters may be better known for their reputation as an aphrodisiac, but they can also lead to healthy hair — and who doesn’t love that?

The key to their love and hair-boosting abilities is zinc — a powerful antioxidant.

If oysters don’t make a regular appearance on your dinner plate, don’t despair. In addition to getting it from whole grains and nuts, you can also get zinc from beef and lamb.

Healthy Hair Food No. 9: Low-Fat Dairy Products

Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources.

For some healthy hair foods “to-go,” try throwing a yogurt or cottage cheese cup in your bag when you head out in the morning to snack on later in the day. You can even boost their hair benefits by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.

Healthy Hair Food No. 10: Carrots

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision.

The Big Picture: A Balanced Diet for Healthy Hair

When it comes to foods for healthy hair and beauty, variety is the best way to go.

“An overall balanced diet of lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fatty fish like salmon and low-fat dairy will help keep hair healthy,” Giancoli says.

If you’re tempted to drop pounds fast with the latest fad diet, it could leave you with less-than-healthy hair — along with a growling stomach. Low-calorie diets are often low in some of the most important nutrients for healthy hair, including omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin A. In addition to stunting hair growth and leading to dullness, super-low calorie plans may even cause hair loss.

“Crash diets can affect the hair cycle,” Mirmirani tells WebMD. “Losing a significant amount of weight in a short amount of time can affect that normal hair rhythm. Two to three months later, you might notice a significant increase in shedding. This is a temporary problem that you recover from with a well-rounded diet.”

Since a healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair, you’d be wise to include carrots in your diet as snacks or toppings on your salad.

Winterizing your Hair!!!

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Well, its that time again. Time to bundle up. So how do you protect your hair in the winter months. What tools do you need?

Winter Hair Survival Kit:

• Sulfate Free/No Subs Shampoo or Cleansing Cream
  Creamy Moisturizer
  Hair Oil
  Deep Conditioning Method
  Hot Oil Treatment
  Satin pillow case/scarf

The most important thing is to increase your hair’s moisture. Avoid practices that will remove moisture vs. adding moisture. Here are some great tips. This process begins with your hair cleanser. Use a sulfate free shampoo or cleansing cream. If you co-wash continue with this process. After you clean your hair apply a silicone free conditioner. Followed by a leave-in conditioner.

If you are not using hair oils this is the time to start in order to prevent breakage. In the cold, measures must be taking to avoid the lost of oils that the scalp produces naturally. Olive, Tea Tree, Jojaba and other oils are helpful in sealing in the moisture of a wet scalp after washings.

A creamy moisturizer can be applied to wet hair to further assist with moisture retention of the hair. Be diligent in applying products form root to ends.

Incorporate protective styling to help shield the hair from harsh exposures to the elements.

To maintain the oil in your hair while you sleep, cover the head with a satin scarf or bonnet or sleep on a satin pillow case. (Satin pillow case is the best.)

On a weekly basis especially if you are in an area that experiences snow fall, it is imperative that you deep condition your hair and preform hot oil treatments to repair and seal moisture into the scalp. Also consider covering hair when outside with a satin scarf.

Summer, Summer time!!!

Naturalista,

Its summer time, pull out that swimsuit and SPF. Its also time to tweak the hair routine. This is the season the heat, humidity and scorching sun can cause hair damage and not to mention horrible bad hair days . I can’t stress enough protect your hair as well as your skin. The sun damage may cause dry hair and split ends. The rays destroy the integrity of the hair decreasing strength and elasticity. This results in breakage, frizzness and faded hair color.

Here are some tips to maintain the health of your beautiful locks.

If you have not already consider using a shampoo alternative. Shampoo alternatives are discussed in “No Poo” post. This method is wonderful for cleaning without stripping the essential oils of the hair and scalp.

There are many products with SPF qualities but one of the best in my opinion is shea butter. It protects hair from the wind, cold and not to mention the sun naturally. It is also a natural sunscreen due to its high vitamin content. For best result use shea butter on wet hair.

The sun’s ray can be very damaging to overall integrity of the hair shaft. Deep conditioning is imperative to prevent permnant damage. I recommend “Hair Mayonnaise” or LustraSilk Cholesterol Conditioner. If you have color; deep condition your hair once a week. The current health of your hair determines how often you should deep condition. If your hair is dry and brittle deep condition with heat by sitting under a hooded dryer or wrapping a warm towel around your head about once a week. Here’s a list of conditioners.

Hot oil treatments are great for sealing moisture in hair and scalp. If you still experience dryness invest in a creamy moisturizer and/or leave in conditioner.

To minimize frizz and maximize curl definition opt for a t-shirt or drip dry vs. terry bath towels. Using a smooth, microfiber drying surface to optimize smooth hair shafts while still pulling water from the hair.

Trim your ends regularly for natural hair about every 6 months or so.

Style your hair desired.

Daliy Routine

Tie your hair up at night or sleep on a satin pillowcase. You can co-wash or wet your hair daily. Not recommended if you have dry hair and/or scalp instead sprintz with water mixture (more info here) or braid sheen. Style hair as desired.

Hot Oil Treatment

A hot oil treatment is the process of adding warm oil to the hair and scalp. The purpose of the treatment is to ensure that the moisture from water is retained as well as to soothe dry scalp. It is very useful year round. The treatment can be done wet or dry but is more effective when done wet. Water is one of the best moisturizer and this process helps to utilize the moisture from the water naturally.

Tea Tree Oil, Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Sunflower Oil, Vitamin E, Jojoba Oil and Many Other Oils.

You can use either one of those oils and there are others not listed. Keep in mind that the hot oil treatment requires about an ounce of oil depending on the length of your hair which is a good amount of oil per treatment. You don’t need to completely saturate your head with oil. This will do more harm than good because the oil is not a source of moisture but a moisture retaining tool. I personally use olive oil because its one of the least expensive natural oils. You can use it as a carrier oil for essential oils such as peppermint, lemon grass, lavendar and etc for their fragrances or beneficiary properties.

How its done?

Prepare the water bath for the oil.

Boil about a cup of water. Pour about an ounce of oil in a smaller bowl, cup, or plastic bottle. After the water has started boiling remove it from the heat. Place the oil container in the water container for about 2-5 mins or until warm. Add the warm oil to wet clean scalp and hair. Rub in and comb through with a wide tooth comb. Cover head with Saran Wrap or plastic shower cap without heat for about 20 to 30 mins . If you sit under a hood dryer 5 to 15 mins while head is still covered. Rinse out excessive oil with warm water. If you wash hair with shampoo or shampoo alternatives you will negate the hot oil treatment.

How often is it done?

It really depends on your hair type. If you have dry hair once a week. Fine hair once every two weeks or once a month. Hot oil treatments in excess will not harm your hair if done correctly.