My Hair Diary – December 2015

Published on January 6, 2016 by Swati 2 Comments

When I was young, I remember my mum used to be very particular of not getting me a hair cut except from her own hands and needless to say she was not a hair stylist. I am not sure what is with old mindsets that there is something in the hands of the stylist which lends character to your hair.

What will you say about a person whose hand suited you first and later did not? Well, the same thing happened to me. The stylist I was so gaga about a few months ago is now on my hit list because of the most awful hair cut he gave me this month. Let me go in detail here.

my hair this month — As you can see, the color has faded off leaving a rich brown color in the hair. The roots have started showing long back. Before taking this pic, I had treated my hair with Schwarzkopf hair mask for around 15-25 minutes.

Highlights of the Post

November Hair Diary
December Hair Diary
How to choose your Hair Oil?
How to start Healthy Hair Growth?

My Hair Diary – November 2015

How is my hair doing?

So, this month was decent on my hair. I have to say that if you are chemically processing your hair but not really planning to take care of it, it is best to skip such treatments. The uncared hair grows even more frizzier and drier which is absolutely not recommended. And, can also be subjected to hair fall.

Cysteine Review

If you invest some time and energy into your hair care regimen, you can get as good hair as you would from Cysteine and then it would last for years together and not some few months!

And, as I said, I did not really take much care of my hair in fact. So, obviously, my hair did not do really well unless I did hair spa at home. But, doing hair spa (applying deep conditioner and leaving for 30 minutes after a shampoo) every time is really not feasible because of time issue and weather issue. It is not possible to sit with a wet head for that long, even in Hyderabad winters!

Pre-Wash Conditioning

So, I need to find a better way to deal with this issue this time. A pre-wash conditioner or mask which does not need water and does not create mess and also does not need washed hair. There is this Banjara’s hair mask, right? Do you have any other recommendations for me? I would love to get some so go ahead and let me know in the comments below.

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#HappyHairChallenge with Garnier Update II {Hair Care}

Published on March 7, 2015 by Swati Leave a Comment

Huh…I should have posted this at the end of February but with shifting to wordpress and Mr. P’s sprained leg and a family function, I just could not find time for this post.

So, let me start by saying – this is definitely one of the product ranges which can be given a try. I have successfully completed one month of #HappyHairChallenge without finishing either the shampoo and conditioner and, considering they are over the counter products, they are not really expensive.

One peeve which I had with this range was that they could have come up with an intensive hair treatment or hair mask as well since it is meant for dry and damaged hair. It would have been SO helpful. So, lets see what I have to say about the product overall.

Specification First

Price: Rs 135

Availability: All super markets + Online websites

Packaging: Yellow color adds a pop to your bathroom. Travel-friendly.

Smell: It smells decent. Nothing strong or over-powering.

Texture: Both shampoo and conditioner are creamy in texture and spread easily on hair.

Contains SLS

Usage and Results

One dollop of shampoo is enough for two washes of my hair. It lathers well even in very small quantities and removes oil from even oil-dripping hair.

The conditioner is creamy and spreads easily on the hair length. And, also washes off easily.

The combo leaves the hair feeling healthy and nourished. But, the results wears off after a day or two. And, the hair does get a lot softer and tangle-free. It might be able to control moderate amount of frizz but a leave-in treatment is extremely necessary to protect the ends of the hair.

Overall Verdict

One of the decent shampoos which can be given a try. As I said, if they had come up with a intensive hair mask treatment, it would have been an added bonus to use!

What do you say?

Have you used this range? How did you feel about using it?

Would you like to try out the products?

Do share your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Other products by Garnier:
Garnier Daily Care Gentle Cleansing Milk
Garnier Pure Active Pore unclogging wash
Garnier Light Fairness Face wash

#OneMonthofHealthyHair – Activity 3 – Go for a Hair Wash!

Published on March 4, 2015 by Swati 2 Comments

I know yesterday’s activity would take sometime to get completed so let us proceed to something simple! It might have been 2-3 days since you would have washed your hair in case you are following the event activities. So, I guess it is time for a hair wash.

How often should you wash your hair?

This is probably the most frequently asked questions in the hair care department. Though I would also say, daily wash is not good but there is really no hard and fast rule. So, I would just reply by saying keep your scalp clean under any circumstance.

Like I shared in this post, there are quite good reasons for washing your hair everyday. So, I think it is best suited on your lifestyle to decide when you should wash your hair. The only axiom being your scalp should be clean!

What products do you use?

That brings me to the next point being whether you use harsh products or hair-friendly products! Now, if you are the candidate who washes her hair everyday or more than twice a week, it is highly recommended to go sls-free. Though, you should go sls-free in either case.

How much can you spend?

If you want to go sls-free, the products are not exactly inexpensive. Recently, I came across a brand which was pretty unknown to me and it was about 900 bucks for shampoo and another 900 for conditioner. Same is the case everywhere.

I had been using another sls-free brand which was costing me 600+ for each of the products. So, you have to decide your budget before hand.

And, yes, do check out if you can get the colored hair range products. They are generally more gentle on hair. And, some of the salon or professional brands offer sls-free versions of the same products as well.

So, are you willing to try your hand at home remedies?

And, again I come back to the entire essence of my blog. I remember how I used to enjoy browsing all around the net searching for home remedies to take good care of my hair, both because I was on budget and because I wanted to go natural. But, that was long long time back.

Times have changed now and I am too lazy to contemplate using home remedies. Well, to be honest, they do take a lot of time and effort and create a whole lot of mess. For someone who cleans her filth on her own, I really do not want to add more burden on myself. On the other hand, the results might be worth the effort.

There are quite a few remedies which you can use to cleanse your hair and scalp instead of going heavy on shampoos everyday or even alternate days. Or, I can suggest this simple hack to make your shampoo more hair-friendly!

What do I suggest?

Aah…you know just this Sunday, someone who came across my blog told me that though my blog is informative, it is quite time taking to implement the advises! Looking beyond whether it was a compliment or a comment, I see it as a very positive and practical feedback. Honestly, I can list down scores of remedies which you SHOULD apply in your life BUT who has the time and energy, right?

And, honestly, when things get tedious, one tends to go off the track and I really do not want you to go off the track or stop enjoying these activities so let us try out simpler and more practical things. If you would ask me what I would do, I would definitely suggest you to try out the hack I talked about in the earlier point.

Or, if you are even lazier, another trick is to dilute your shampoo with a bit of water (2 handfuls of water for one dollop of sls-free shampoo and half-dollop of regular shampoo). This actually works, makes your so-expensive product last long and saves you loads of money.

How much shampoo to use?

And, yes, do not forget NOT to use more than one dollop of shampoo for one hair wash for shoulder-length hair. And, apply shampoo TWICE in one hair wash.

It is said that the first wash removes the dirt and oil and the second helps the goodness of shampoo to penetrate the hair. But, that is hogwash. Your hair needs wash twice in a row for proper cleansing.

And, do not forget the conditioner!

When I had asked you guys (the participants I am talking about, oh yes we have team of 50 who are participating in the event so hurray to you all :)), I did get couple of people telling me that you do not use conditioner.

Start using one. It need not be the counterpart of your shampoo and it can be simple honey as well. Or, a intensive hair mask treatment. Anything!

Leave it on for 15-20 minutes while you shave off your legs or do other things and then wash off and voila, super soft hair or at least tangle-free hair.

How much Conditioner should you use?

Though there is a limit on how much shampoo SHOULD you use, you can use as much conditioner as you are comfortable with. Do not overdo it and waste the product but yes coat the hair generously ears down.

And, I use a whole LOT of conditioner and mainly focus on my ends. The lower part of your hair is the oldest and needs most intensive care so I always followed the principle of applying conditioner ears down and focusing more on the ends and coating the hair length adequately.

Try to do the hot oil treatment before washing your hair

Even if it is for 30 minutes!

References:

Earlier Posts from #OneMonthtoHealthyHair event:
#OneMonthtoHealthyHair – Activity 1 – Hot Oil Treatment
#OneMonthtoHealthyHair – Activity of the Week – 1
#OneMonthofHealthyHair – Activity 2 – Get a Hair Cut!

Love Long Hair Range – Update III {Product Review}

Published on March 10, 2014 by Swati Leave a Comment

the blind test for Love Long Hair Range at Perfect Skin Care for you

So, I am back with the more advanced and in-depth review on the product. Let me start with the texture. Both the conditioner and the shampoo are white in color and creamy in texture. But, conditioner is not that creamy as much as one would like especially if they have dry hair!

A dollop of shampoo when I squeeze the bottle is enough for two washes for my hair. I always dilute my shampoos with water and even then the shampoo lathers conservatively and removes the oil without you realizing it. When you are gonna apply the conditioner, the hair might feel a bit stringy and oily but that is absolutely fine. After it dries off, there is no oil in the hair!

I have used the shampoo once without oiling my hair and no conditioner either. The hair was soft and shiny. I did feel, though, that the scalp was left a bit dry. So, its better to shampoo after applying oil. Also, I am not sure but my hair might have been left a bit drier without the conditioner.

Oh btw, I have not talked of applying the conditioner. You squeeze the bottle and get a dollop of conditioner but when you are applying it on the hair strands, it just disappears and becomes watery and does not give you the creamy feel like other conditioners give. It gets washed off very easily without leaving any slimy feel behind or without using a lot of water.

And, my final use before publishing this review was today morning. I was in a hurry so I did not apply the conditioner for that long but used the rosehip oil as a leave-in afterwards. My hair is, sadly, feeling a little dry and not so shiny which is really sad. Anyways, once I use the entire product, I shall update my final verdict in the hair diaries.

For the bloggers who tested it, did you like the products? And, for others, are you excited to know which brand is it? It is gonna be unveiled pretty soon 🙂

5 FAQ’s on Conditioner and Hair Care {Five Series}

Published on June 19, 2013 by Swati 2 Comments

I have been really taking care of my hair this year and I am so happy about it that I have been boring you time and again 😀 Anyways, this was requested by Pallavi and it has been a long time in coming. So, here it goes!

What is a Conditioner?

A treatment which follows the shampooing routine to restore the oils of the hair after washing it. Shikakai is the traditional conditioner which was used to compensate for the harshness of reetha or soapnuts.

Now a days, we have two classes of conditioners. One is a post-shampoo treatment and another is pre-shampoo treatment and one can go for either home remedies or get the commercially available products!

The home remedies are nourishing for hair and the commerical products have hair-friendly ingredients or ones which coat the hair strands to shield it from the external elements. You also get products which claim to restructure the hair collagen using chemical compounds like peptides and keratin.

How to apply the conditioner?

Well, this is something I have already discussed but it is still a huge doubt for me. So, the simplest thing I do is divide my hair into two sections and take a dollop of conditioner and smooth on one side and repeat the same for other. I do this very gently but still some hairs do fall so I gently remove them and wash them off.

I do not use comb in the shower as many people suggest. I think it is a bad idea because hair is most delicate when wet and howsoever gentle one might be, its totally impossible not to break the hair.

How often should conditioner be used?

Well, generally, the answer would be every time you wash your hair. But, honestly, I do not use it every time. Sometimes, I am just too lazy or sometimes I want to treat my hair to henna or something else so I simply skip. In those times, I make sure I do a leave-in treatment for the hair.

For oily hair as well, finding a conditioner which is not heavy for hair is very important! Or, they can make do with a leave-in treatment and some people do a pre-conditioning like applying egg or henna or curd or some other hair pack for an hour before wash it off.

I think how often you need to condition also depends on the quality of your shampoo. If it a drying type, you would obviously need the conditioner but if the shampoo simply cleanses the hair and doesn’t remove the natural oils, one can make do without conditioner.

I have been using SLS-free shampoos for long and yes I do think I can make do without conditioners if I want. But, a drop or two of some oil acts a leave-in agent in my hair otherwise my hairs do dry out a lot but then my hair is not oily but dry and curly/wavy as well.

Does skipping conditioner affect hair?

Yes, actually! I have seen that personally and have mentioned it already on the blog. But, this point applies only when you are missing the leave-in treatment as well. The hair is prone with split ends and thin hair especially on the ends which leads to breakage! For hair to remain beautiful, both internal and external nourishment are equally important.

Eat omega3 rich foods and foods rich in Vitamin B and E. They help in hair growth and keep hair moisturized and hydrated all the time. Eating protein-rich foods also helps in maintaining body of the hair strands. And, protect hair from the external damaging elements like pollution and dust and sun.

How to select a conditioner for my hair?

Now, this is the most difficult question to answer! There are no guidelines to select a product which will suit. So, I can just mention a few salient points! First, it is not necessary that the shampoo and conditioner should be from the same brand and range. If your hair reacts well to a particular shampoo and some other conditioner, go ahead with that as well.

Second, always buy the products depending on your hair type and issues. You can always rotate them one after another as well like using a volume boosting conditioner and then color protecting conditioner and then conditioner for curly hair if all those issues pertain to your hair condition.

And, lastly, in my opinion professional range products are always better investment if you are looking for some serious hair care. Yes, they are more expensive but then the companies spend quite a lot of amount in decent research. And, do not get involved into the good ingredients and bad ingredients debate because its just not worth it!

So, these were my few pennies on the topic and hope the post is clear enough. I have written it with a muddle-head! Drop down your comments and see ya tomorrow 🙂

Add your questions to the above-mentioned ones and let me know your answers as well for the questions above!

Related Posts:

5 Oils I love for my Hair

5 Do’s and Dont’s for Hair

5 tricks to sleep quickly and deeply

My Experience with Kamini Aunty

Published on April 29, 2012 by Swati 66 Comments

Well, you would all be wondering who the hell is “Kamini aunty”??? I came to know about her from Mehak’s blog and on my recent trip to Delhi, I went to this lady who is supposed to be a miracle for hair. She can cure any hair problem apparently. She runs her hair clinic from her house in Safdarjung enclave. And, the clinic is just like a home parlour.

I went to her with my mommy. “Kamini aunty” looked at my hair and declared that its thin and she didn’t really say much about my hair. I got her to check my mom’s hair too and she declared that my mom has very dry scalp. And, she instructed the girl on what to use for our hairs and off we went in for the treatment. It consists of 3 things basically:

Oiling – She has variety of oils of probably different grades. The girl attending me gave me instructions about how to go about my routine. And, she applied really a LOTTT of oil to my hair (around half a cup). It is supposed to have lots of herbs.

Ginger Tonic – After the oiling was done, this was applied to my scalp only. Its basically ginger powder infused in vinegar. This is for aiding the hair growth since ginger stimulates hair follicles.Well, I do think other herbs might also have been there. It has to be left on for 30 minutes.

Hair Pack – After the ginger tonic, a hair pack is applied on the scalp and the ends of the hair and then, the hair is covered with a shower cap. This is made from many pulses and other ingredients and it smells strongly of dhania and it smells really warm. It also has to be left on for 30 minutes.

And, then, I am left for 30 minutes for the treatment to soak into the scalp. Meanwhile, I watch the whole procedure being followed on my mom and this is the first time she is getting any kind of a hair treatment so I was obviously enjoying it a lot 😀 And, then, I was taken for a hair wash which includes a shampoo and conditioner free of chemicals. Finally, my hair is blow-dried and my hair really felt so soft.

So, what’s the treatment?
We are prescribed a shampoo, conditioner, hair oil and the ginger tonic. The treatment has to be done everyday for the first week in the same order as I have described above. And, after the first week, it has to be done on alternate days till you see the desired results. The hair pack has to be applied weekly once. I was told that I would see the new growth in two months.

How much does it cost?
Yes, it is expensive. Not overtly but still it is. Frankly, I wasn’t prepared for the bill presented to me but my mom had already anticipated it. The shampoo and conditioner cost about 400, the tonic is around 800, hair pack is 600 and the hair oil is around 2500. To be just, even my dad said that the quantity given was good enough.

How am I liking it?
I went to her on 18th April. I have used the products around 5 times till now. Yes, I wasn’t regular as I should have been in the first week and neither was I in the second but I hope I shall be from now on. But, strictly speaking, I would say that the treatment has brought out shine in my hair. And, it has definitely become more manageable with less flyaways.

Also, I love the shampoo a lot. Its free of chemicals and it smells nice and it seems to be a concoction of reetha and shikakai with orange fragrance. Its watery enough but not entirely watery and lathers well enough but not exactly generously but cleanses my hair nicely. And, I like the conditioner too. It lathers a lot and doesn’t weigh down my hair.

Of course, none of the products ingredients are written as they are supposed to be a secret. And, whether I’ll have a head full of hair, only time will tell. But, being a cynic, I do have a small doubt. If I follow the very same routine with regular products in the same time frame, will it yield results??? Of course, taking into consideration that I choose a SLS free shampoo and silicone free conditioner. What do you say??

Conditioner making your hair straight? {Hair Care}

Published on March 21, 2012 by Swati 3 Comments

PS:This post is for curly and wavy haired gals!!!

A little while back I had read some post or probably it was a product review of a conditioner saying that it made the blogger’s hair straight. That got me thinking a little about the conditioner. Well, that can be a good thing if you are looking for hair straightening but let me clear it out for you that your conditioner is weighing your hair down.

What does a conditioner do?

A conditioner is supposed to undo the harsh effects of the shampoo over the hair. It helps to hydrate, condition and moisturize the hair and keep it soft and shiny. Read more about how conditioner helps avoid split ends.

Conditioner straightens the Hair?

No, a conditioner can never straighten the hair. If you are looking to straighten your hair naturally, you can try using henna or fuller’s earth (multani mitti). Or, you can also go for rebonding or permanent hair straightening which actually damages the hair in a lot of cases.

Anyways, speaking about the conditioner, it can be either of two things:

you are using excess of conditioner
you are using the wrong type of conditioner

Excess of Conditioner?

Next time you are in the shower, try reducing the amount of conditioner you are using. Actually, it is true that we tend to over-use the products which can lead to product build-up too.

Are you using the right Conditioner?
Sometimes, we tend to pick up products based on whims instead of finding out if they are really suitable for our hair type. For example, you may pick up a protein based conditioner thinking your hair is dry but your hair needs nothing more than hydration. Such wrong choices can also lead to conditioner not functioning properly or as desired. That’s why it is very essential to find out about your hair type and texture before you go to buy products.

And, also, if you are using the right products for your hair, be sure that they will define your curls and make them stand out. What do you say?