Help
Tousled has been trusted by a loyal reader we will call “Friend” to solve a really troubling hair woe. In the course of a life there is many times when we need help. Hair help can be one of the most trying and demoralizing that you’ll ever face. Especially when it doesn’t feel like there is any solution to the hair problem you’re trying to solve. When there is no light at the end of the tunnel or it just seems like the problem is impossible to fix it can destroy your self-esteem, your vitality and your sense of your place even in the world.
Hair troubles can cause you to shy away from romantic relationships, avoid fun activities, or even strip you of the confidence to hold your head high enough to feel like you can hold your own among your peers and friends.
This is our mission. Not every situation can be helped but there is no way you have to feel alone, or like your solution is hopeless. The thing that keeps me going, regardless of my personal situations especially the ones not involving hair… is that there is a way. There must be something that can be done.
Friend contacted Tousled via our Instagram @tousledstyle (you can too) to request some help with a problem that just seemed too deep and wide to solve.
Before we go forward, we are NOT medical doctors or dermatologists. The below is not in substitution of medical advice. We encourage you to see a doctor if your hair condition is persistent.
We took some time to research Friend’s hair woes and came up with the following suggestion to combat the issue. Perhaps you’re struggling with similar complaints? Let’s break down the issue and get to some solutions!
The complaint:
· Extremely oily scalp
· Smelly hair
· Eczema prone skin
· Unhealthy nails
· Dry hair overall
· Open cuticles with a rough hair appearance
Friend is currently doing the following:
· Scalp massage with minimal coconut oil (1x per week)
· Boots Fresh and Nutty coconut & almond shampoo (2-3x per week)
· Boots Fresh and Nutty coconut & almond conditioner (2-3x per week)
Friend is also using the following additional products:
· Greek yoghurt hair mask
Quick Breakdown of Tousled’s Suggested Remedy for Friend:
1. Keep hair pH balanced
2. Use products that have do not have sulfates, parabens or surfactants (check the labels!)
3. We’ve checked the ingredients on your Boots products and we recommend that Friend stop using them. These products contain sodium laureth sulfate (SLS). Sulphates are known to dry out the hair and research shows that SLS causes irritation and acerbates eczema.
4. Avoid protein loading the hair
5. Tousled notes that Friend is using a lot of coconut products. Read this blog post on protein sensitivity and how you could be making your problems worse by using coconut oil in your hair.
6. Use a chelating shampoo to get rid of hard water build up on your hair which is a serious problem with the water in the Middle East.
7. Use a super light conditioner only applied to the lower shaft and ends of the hair
Tousled Suggests the Method
Over washing or excess scrubbing during shampooing can irritate the scalp, causing more oil. Once you strip your hair of its natural oils, your scalp goes into oil production overload. It sounds like you have stripped your hair of its oils and this is the reason for the dry ends and super oily roots. For this reason alone, do NOT wash your hair more than once a day. It’s important to rinse your hair in cold water for a minimum of 30 seconds to ensure that all shampoo and conditioner is out of your hair. Hot water stimulates the sebaceous glands, while cold water helps shut them down. Cool water also helps close your cuticle, reducing damage to your hair.
Ideally, you should be able to go 2-3 days between shampoos to get oil production under control. Be patient, as you won’t get there overnight.
You can help prevent oily hair simply by keeping your hands off of it! This goes for brushing your hair as well, as both further distribute grease throughout your strands.
Examine your diet: a lack of B vitamins, zinc, and good fats can lead to hair loss.
a. Do a pre-poo aloe vera mask
Purchase the aloe leaf. Slice the leaf open and scoop all the aloe vera gel. Put the gel into the blender with a few drops of tea tree oil. If you have open wounds from eczema do not use the tea tree oil. It will look super gross but apply it to the hair and especially the scalp. Detangle and braid hair with the mask in. Let this mask sit on your hair for about 20-30 minutes before rinsing completely.
b. Use a chelating all-natural shampoo
Use a chelating shampoo 2x per week. A chelating shampoo withdraws gunk, slime, minerals, and residues that build up in your hair. It is the first step to detox your hair and your scalp.
If you want to chelate all naturally you can try rinsing your hair with apple cider vinegar. It’s extremely good! It should neutralize the pH of your hair and help kill off the fungal build up that I think is causing the smell in your hair. Apple cider vinegar helps in removing the oily layer from the hair which causes smelly hair. It adds shines, prevents frizzy hair and balances the pH level.
You can order a moderately priced product like Kinky Curly Come Clean Shampoo .
c. Use a pH balancing shampoo
The rest of the time, when you’re washing your hair use a pH balancing shampoo. I hope you can locate:
i. Jason Natural Normalizing Tea Tree Shampoo; or
ii. Avalon Organics Lemon Shampoo
d. Condition very carefully
You produce a lot of sebum naturally. Ensure that the sebum does it’s job and conditions the ends of your hair. Only apply the conditioner to the lower shaft and end of your hair. Use a very very light conditioner.
i. Jason Natural, Treatment Conditioner, Tea Tree
ii. Avalon Organics Lemon Conditioner
And there you have it. A specially formulated remedy just for Friend. Perhaps some of these tips and hints can help you or someone you know who suffers with similar hair woes.
Please feel free to contact us for a little hair help @tousledstyle or hello@tousledstyle.com
