Am I Washing My Hair Correctly?

It's a Sunday afternoon. You remember you have a face-to-face evaluation at work with your supervisor tomorrow, Damn! You look in the mirror and see the braids you've been wearing for the last 8 weeks are on their last leg (greasing them edges and a scarf isn't gonna work this time). The last thing in the world you want to do is strangle your supervisor, she gets real slick sometimes and thinks her title will save her. Little does she know Jesus, Wine, and your Mercedes payment keeps her little 110 pound behind from getting touched. She doesn't know, nor does she ever have to know the struggle. So you sigh, take a deep breath and decide today is wash day!

Anyone who has had to maintain their own hair knows washing our hair can be such a pain sometimes. There is so much more to wash day than simply washing your hair. 

• First we prepare ourselves for it mentally
• Next we remove our weaves, braids etc.
• Then we give our heads and hands some time to rest because the previous step took us at least an hour to do
• Lastly we gather all of our products, and we are ready to take the plunge. 

All of this and we haven't begun to wash a single strand, exhausting. There is no wonder women around the country dread this day! Hopefully, we can assist with the most important part of this entire process; the washing of the hair. We will discuss some best practices to get you the best results. First, let's talk about why we wash our hair to begin with. The top three reasons are:

1. To remove dirt and grime
2. To clean and unclog pores 
3. To remove excess product build up

Next, let's discuss the scalp and the hair. The portion of the hair that projects above the epidermis is called the hair shaft. There are five main structures of the Hair Root, they are:

1. Hair Follicle - A shaft or opening on the surface of the skin through which the hair grows. The hair follicle regulates hair growth.
2. Hair Bulb - The hair bulb forms the base of the hair follicle. In the hair bulb living cells divide and grow to build the hair shaft.
3. Dermal Papilla - The dermal papilla is a specialized mesenchymal component of the hair follicle that plays key roles in morphogenesis and regeneration. In simple terms, it provides pressure to keep the epidermis and dermis from separating and the papilla contains the capillaries that supply the epidermal cells. It's vital to hair growth and production.
4. Arrector Pili Muscle - Arrector pili muscles are small muscles attached to the hair follicle. Contraction of these muscles cause the hair to stand on end. Creating Goose Bumps.
5. Sebaceous Glands - Last and most important to wash day is the Sebaceous Gland. The sebaceous gland secretes a lubricating oily matter called Sebum. Sebum is our body's natural moisturizer and has antibacterial properties, it's our body's first line of defense against mold, bacteria, and other harmful infections. Without Sebum your scalp and hair will become itchy, brittle, shed, break, and will not grow. 
   

Why is it important to cover all of this? We are just talking about washing our hair. There's no way it can be that deep, right? Wrong! It is vital to your hair health to know why you wash and what exactly you are washing. What have we discussed so far?

Why do we wash?

1. To remove dirt and grime
2. To clean and unclog pores 
3. To remove excess product build up

Okay, we answered the question. That should be it right, unfortunately it's not. There is something else to consider when talking about why we wash our hair, Protection.

What must we protect and not completely wash away on wash day?

• Sebum 

Well, if we are supposed to wash our hair to get it clean, how do we not wash away all of the sebum? To explain this let’s take a look at the ingredients in your shampoo. Most shampoos are not designed for you, they are designed for overactive Sebaceous Glands typically found in people of European descent. Most are harmful, abrasive and will strip your hair of its Sebum. It will leave your hair and scalp extremely dry and irritated. Embrace Divine Rejuvenating Shampoo is designed specifically for you. Below you will find ingredients from Divine Rejuvenating Shampoo and one of our competitors.

Very Popular Shampoo Designed for People of Color (Gold Series)

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Citrate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dimethiconol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Tetrasodium Edta, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Trideceth-10, Polyquaternium-6, Polyquaternium-10, Trihydroxystearin, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Panthenol, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Silica, Iron Oxides, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone

Divine Rejuvenating Shampoo

Deionized Water, Vitamin E, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Propylene Glycol, Vegetable Oil Extracts, Propylparaben, Aloe

Now that we’ve talked about why we wash our hair, let's talk about how to wash our hair correctly.

STEP ONE: Prep your head for washing - separate your hair into 8 separate quadrants. Begin with a part down the center of the head. Going all the way from front to back. Place three parts on each side of the head creating four equal sections on each side. Use hair claw clips to hold each individual section. 

Before Going to Step Number 2 remember what we said about the sebum on your scalp and what shampoo you are using.

STEP TWO: If you are using a Traditional Shampoo that contains an abundant number of Alcohols, Silicas, Salts, Sulfates, and other stripping detergents step two is a must. Moisturize your hair. You are going to need a moisturizer to protect your hair and scalp from the harsh chemicals in traditional shampoo. Embrace Adore Moisturizing Spray works well for protecting your hair during the wash cycle, another great choice is Aloe and Hemp Seed Oil. Once your hair has been sectioned and moisturized wrap and let sit for at least two hours. Allow the natural oils and minerals to be absorbed by the scalp and hair. This process will protect your scalp's natural Sebum from the harsh chemicals found in most shampoos.

STEP THREE: It's time to wash. You will wash each section one at a time, three times per section (you can increase to four or five if necessary). Wet the section of hair that you have chosen to wash first. 

• The first wash we are going to focus on the scalp itself. Apply a small amount of Divine Rejuvenating Shampoo in one hand, wet the other hand, bring both hands together and create a small lather. Apply Divine Rejuvenating Shampoo directly to the scalp. Use the balls of your fingertips to massage the shampoo into the scalp. Massage for approximately 30-60 seconds. Rinse the Shampoo from the scalp down the strand of the hair. The focus of the first wash is to remove excess build-up from past product use.
• The second wash we are going to repeat step one. The focus of the second wash is to clean and clear the pores of the scalp.
• The third wash you are going to apply the lather directly to the hair, starting near the root working your way down the shaft gently massaging the hair. Massage for approximately 30-60 seconds and rinse thoroughly. The focus of the third wash is to remove dirt and grime. 
• Once complete, drain water from hair and re-clip hair out of the way with hair clip
• Repeat for the remaining 7 sections.

STEP 4: Apply Bliss Reconstructing Leave-In Conditioner to each section individually.

• apply at the base of the hair shaft and work conditioner down the hair shaft. Use a wide-tooth comb or a detangling brush to detangle or manage the section starting from the end and working your way to your root (DO NOT rinse out conditioner - it is a leave-in conditioner).
• After detangling reclip section 
• Repeat for the remaining 7 sections

STEP FIVE: Allow Bliss Leave In Conditioner to sit on hair for approximately 30 min- 1 hour.

STEP SIX: Apply Adore Refreshing Moisturizing Spray to each section as needed. 

Congratulations, your hair is ready for the world again! Just something to think about as we bring this to a close. Our scalp is an ecosystem all its own. The main contributor to any ecosystem in this world is water. The survival of these ecosystems depends on water, but not just any water, each one has a certain PH level that will result in the best outcome for that ecosystem based on the specific needs each one has. Our scalps are no different. Our scalps’ ecosystem thrives when the PH balance is between 4.5 to 5.5; which creates an environment that promotes healthy hair growth. Remember your body's a complex system that will regulate itself - to a degree. Following the simple steps above in conjunction with using the recommended products will allow your scalp to thrive and produce long and healthy hair. Give your hair a chance, it deserves one. I'll end this one like I'll end them all.

Ladies, we are not trying to change the world, just the perception of what Beauty is. I watch my beautiful daughters fight to fit in, fight to be accepted, they are willing to sacrifice their health and their Real Beauty for a moment in the sun. Sitting by while companies’ prey on our woman, stealing our beauty and selling it back to us with a promise backed by wet toilet paper. Selling us harmful products designed to rid us of our Natural Beauty, simply to keep us coming back for more.  If you are happy with your hair and pleased with the products you use, by all means continue to use them, share them so others know they exist. If you are not happy with your damaged and broken hair, if you are tired of the ‘let it grow’ then ‘cut it all off again’ cycle, make a change. We would love to be a part of your journey. Thank you and remember IT'S YOUR BEAUTY EMBRACE IT. 

 

Lucan Breedlove 

Co-Founder 

Embrace Hair and Skin Care LLC