Tips For Cleansing Hair Upside Down

An ongoing debate in the world of  hair care involves the pros and cons of washing hair when bent over at the waist so the hair falls basically upside down.   In other words the very bottom layers of the hair is exposed to the water and cleansing formula while the top layer of the hair is only exposed through a trickled down effect.

Why would someone want to wash their hair upside down?  Some fans of this method believe when the cleansing products are applied to the bottom layers of the hair versus the top, there is less overall damage.

Afterall, the top layer of anyone’s hair receives the most consistent assault from sun, wind, environmental toxins, hot styling tools, brushing, combing and general styling methods.

Other critics of the Upside Down method believe the hassle of detangling hair which is washed upside down is not worth the benefits of protecting the top layers of the strands.   Others argue that since the top layers of the hair receive the most damage and potential dirt and toxins, those layers need the direct application of water and cleansing products.

Fans of the Upside Down Cleansing Method believe it would help preserve chemically colored, highlighted, low lighted or similarly treated strands.

Some types, textures and lengths of hair are more compatible with being cleansed upside down than others.  Hair which is stick straight, fine or thin or with only a little bit of wave and texture is less prone to major tangling than strands which are naturally curly, tightly waved, coiled or tightly textured.

If you wish to try cleansing your hair upside down follow the tips and techniques below: (more…)

I’ve tried just about every natural hair treatment imaginable since the late 1980s when I started growing my hair.  I was especially determined to find a natural hair lightener so I could keep my beautiful golden highlights without the damage hair lightening products bring.  I even went so far as to try rhubarb as a natural lightener.

Did it work?  That would be a big no although I managed to completely trash my kitchen with pots and pans as well as chopped up rhubarb.

(Image of walnuts – Haap Media Ltd – All Rights Reserved)

One of my brunette tressed friends, Eva,  has had much better luck than me.  Her hair is naturally dark brown but it tends to pull a reddish tint throughout the edges.

In the past she has experimented with a range of natural treatments with mixed results.  Yes, she’s worked with a professional hair colorist who combed a slightly darker temporary color through her strands.  I remember that because I rode home in the car with her hair wrapped up in a special color cap and a thin line of dark brunette color streaking down her cheeks.

While the temporary color did a great job, she still continues to experiment with natural darkening treatments which enhance her natural brunette, but covers the slight tinge of red which pops out throughout the ends.   (more…)

While there’s lots of great hair care information on the Web, there’s also a lot of misinformation which if not tempered correctly, can actually harm your hair in the long term.

One such piece of misinformation is a range of Do It Yourself (DIY) Scalp Scrubs created from a variety of natural ingredients ranging from white and brown sugar to Epsom Salts, bentonite clay, salt, sand or similar grainy substances.

(Image of brown sugar from Haap Media Ltd – All Rights Reserved)

While it might sound fabulous to whip up a great scalp scrub from yummy ingredients like brown sugar, yogurt, shea butter or coco butter, when you use ingredients which are coarse, they can actually damage the scalp, the roots and even the hair’s cuticle.

Not everyone will agree with my hypothesis but personally I have seen and heard of several cases where DIY scrubs would actually leave the scalp red, tender or even raw if scrubbed too aggressively.  (more…)

Pile of Flaxseeds

Flaxseed Hair Defrisant And Styler You Can Make At Home

I’ve been playing with homemade flaxseed gel since I was in college.

At times I need to add a defrisant to my own naturally wavy/curly hair.  My go-to product since 1997 has been Phytodefrisant.  It never lets me down and I think it’s the best defrisant on the market.  Yes, there are other great ones, but that’s my favorite.

When I have the time to play I also like to make a homemade flaxseed hair recipe that works for me.  Flaxseed is a popular ingredient used by many hair care manufacturers including Aveda.

Great As Gel For Finger Waves

Flaxseed gel was one of the recipes I found in an old fashioned hair and beauty book from the 1920s.  It seems that the homemade gel was used to hold old fashioned finger waves may years ago.

Having struggled learning to make finger waves in cosmetology school I can see where this DIY gel could be a godsend. (more…)

Ginger Hair & Scalp Treatment

This treatment Increases blood circulation to the scalp, which may help strengthen the roots of the hair and in some cases may help bump up follicle response to the increased blood so that in some cases it may help the roots to attain optimal growth.

Are there any guarantees the ginger scalp treatment will make your hair grow faster?  There is no conclusive scientific evidence that using a ginger scalp treatment will help regrow hair which has already fallen out or regenerate bald spots.

(Image of ginger root courtesy of Haap Media Ltd., – All Rights Reserved)

There is also no guarantee it will help hair grow faster.

For some people the tingling they feel when the ginger is applied to their scalps provides positive encouragement that the ginger is working to stimulate root growth.

Many have reported positive results from using the ginger scalp treatment for an extended period of time.  Will those results be the same for everyone?  No.  But if you are willing to consistently apply the scalp formulation.

Combine the following ingredients together.  When possible use organic
ingredients.  Adjust the amount used depending on the length and
thickness of your tresses.

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame or jojoba oil

This formula can be applied either before or after shampooing. If applied after, be sure to rinse out extremely well.

Combine the ingredients, massage into the scalp, and leave on for at least 30 minutes.  Shampoo or rinse out.

When possible allow hair to aid-dry.  Optionally you can leave on overnight to receive the maximum benefit.

More Information

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I’ve been making homemade hair care products since I was in grade school.

My very first homemade hair care recipe was a fresh lemon juice spritz applied to my hair before I sat in the sun.

Did my lemon blonding recipe work?  Nope.  Not only did it not lighten my tresses, it actually dried them to a crisp.

Although many people recommend lemon for lightening hair, it doesn’t work.

In some cases such as hair lightening there may not be a homemade hair care recipe.  Homemade recipes are not necessarily the end all and the be all of hair care.  It wish I could say it was, but it isn’t. (more…)

Although my own hair is very long, it is naturally wavy and has lots of natural curls, especially in the back of my neck.

The famous Curly Girl, Lorraine Massey, dubbed me a true curly girl, but because my hair is so long, the curls have virtually been replaced by very loose waves.

(Image of Curly Junkie’s Coffee Coco-Cream Lite – Available at CurlyJunky.com)

I’m always looking for new products to add moisture to my parched strands and often crossover into the curl world in search of new products.

Curl Junkie

Ironically, when I founded HairBoutique.com back in 1997 there were very few hair products designed specifically for those with curls.  Since that time the curly hair product world has literally exploded and it’s often impossible to track all the independent lines which pop up on a regular basis.

Even the big name companies have jumped into the texture fray providing a dizzying array of natural curl and texture products to select from. (more…)

Joseph Mullen, NYC Color Expert Gives Summer Hair Guidance

It may be your favorite time of year, but when it comes to humidity, sun and “hot” summer hairstyles, you’re left with a dry frizzy mane and an endless list of summer hair questions.

NYC Colorist, Joseph Mullen at Blackstones Salon gives some advice, and answers the most pressing questions of the season.

(Image courtesy of L’Oeal – All Rights Reserved)

Q. How should I protect my hair color this summer to make it last longer?

A. Preserving your hair color during the summer is easy, with the added help of some conditioning products. Joseph Mullen, Lead Colorist at Blackstones Salon in New York, recommends trying a product with UV protection or a leave in conditioner.

Apply product as directed and make sure to comb through to ensure uniform coverage. To help minimize fading, Mullen recommends a conditioner with a color enhancement. (more…)

Have you heard of all the different “poo” treatments for your hair?

The word “poo” is actually a shortened version of shampoo.  Poo is often used to reference no-poo, pre-poo, diluted poo and post-poo, to name a few of the more popular poo combos.

The poo treatments are very popular in some segments of the hair world because certain types of hair require special no-poo as well as pre and post poo treatments to keep tresses strong, healthy, soft and with minimal damage some shampoo treatments have been proven to cause.

What is a Pre-Poo?

Pre-poo isn’t a new concept.   Jennifer Aniston made news many years ago on Friends when she revealed she often utilized different pre-shampoo nourishment oils on her naturally wavy tresses to keep them shiny and soft.

Pre-poing involves utilizing some sort of a pre-shampoo treatment (hot or lukewarm oil, conditioning creams or protein masks) applied to hair and/or scalp before applying actual shampoo.

Some hair consumers only apply a pre-poo treatment to the most damaged sections of their hair while other apply it from the scalp to the roots. (more…)

I have been using this hair conditioner for years. During my teens I wanted to go blonder. I was born with butter blonde hair but by high school it was the dreaded (shiver) dirty blonde. A girl in class turned up after summer with her version of dirty blonde instantly transformed to rich buttery blonde. She told me it was “from the sun” and lots of “vinegar” rinses. Being a naive grade school girl, I bought it hook, line and sinker.

Of course I bugged my mom to buy me apple cider vinegar as well as white vinegar and I started experimenting with home hair recipes. Did this make me blonder? Heck no. And I later found out that the innocent Susie had transformed with the help of her mom’s hairdresser who applied professional blonde hair color to her strands.

DUH…how dumb could I be? No lemon juice, sun or vinegar was near that girls hair.

(more…)