Lather, rinse, repeat? No.

Haven't blogged in a while. I've had a lot of work to do this summer, so blogging has been on the back burner. I had to refresh the henna this weekend, and that reminded me to blog. I have been traveling some, and just a word to the wise -- most shampoos provided by hotels are not kind to henna. Speaking of shampoos... I use the Whole Foods Market brand at home. It is affordable ($3 for a standard-size bottle) and healthy for hair. If you color-treat your hair, you need to use shampoo and conditioner products that do not contain sulfates -- sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, in particular. Both are bad and will strip the dye off of the hair shaft (chemical or henna). The Whole Foods brand is the least expensive product I've found that is healthy.

Just a heads-up -- shampoos free of the sulfates do not lather. So, you know how you've seen all those directions for years that say to lather, rinse and repeat? Well, those directions are craziness. Yes, you should wash your hair, obviously. But lathering is bad -- a big, foamy lather might make you think your hair is getting clean, but you are robbing your hair of health. Sulfates aren't just bad for dyed hair -- they are bad for all hair. These shampoo companies are selling cruddy products that are sooo bad, but they want you to think that the lather is making your tresses oh-so-clean. So, they pump the products full of bad sulfates and va-va-voom, you get a big lather and a false clean. Yes, the sulfates are stripping the dirt off your hair, but on the downside, they're also stripping all the good stuff (not that I would consider chemical dye to be "good stuff," though).

Next time I travel, I am going to pick up some empty travel-size bottles and take my own shampoo and conditioner. It was astounding how the henna faded so rapidly. I can still feel a difference in the hair texture, too. Trying to baby it back to health.

OK, I'm done ranting about sulfates now.

Henna: Remedy for receding hairlines? My husband wants to find out.

My husband, Jeff, is impressed with how the henna dye has been nourishing and thickening my hair. I've been using it for a few months, and my hair is definitely the thickest it's been since I was a kid. Henna, of course, also nourishes hair, plating it with healthy natural color, as opposed to box/salon (chemical) dye, which strips and then re-tints the hair shaft.

Jeff, in his late 20s, is already experiencing a receding hairline, much to his dismay. His hair has also gotten thinner than it used to be just five years ago. He observed my freshly henna-dyed hair yesterday, and decided it might be the solution for him, as well. He asked me to try the henna on his hair, with a special focus on his hairline.

We drove to our local health food store and picked up a jar of Persian Blonde -- that's the lightest shade that Rainbow Henna makes. When we got home, I mixed up the henna. I didn't have to make much, because he keeps his hair cut short.

First things first -- we took a “Before” photo. Then, we applied the henna mixture. He liked the process for the same reasons I do – it doesn’t smell like a chemical, it’s kind of fun to apply and it’s not as likely to stain the skin. That was especially important, since I planned to apply it to the top of his forehead, where he wants to restore his hair. I think he found the process fascinating and somewhat amusing -- particularly the green “henna helmet.” We sealed his hair in a plastic wrap and a towel to keep the henna warm, and then set the timer.

Seventy-five minutes later, we rinsed out the henna. He noticed right away that his hair felt thicker. That brought a big smile to his face. In addition, the henna brought out the blonde in his hair and made it really shiny. I think we’ll have to wait a few months to see if the henna has any impact on his hairline. It will probably take a few treatments and a few months’ time. He’s optimistic, though. If it does work, I'm going to send the pictures to Rainbow. And they can thank Jeff and me when men all over America start using Rainbow Henna to re-grow their hair. :-)

Photo update: seven months and counting

Just finished the henna process (red/mahogany combination). Here's an update:
This is a seven-month update, as I decided in late November to begin this journey. I believe my last salon haircut was a day or two before Thanksgiving.

Making improvements to the henna process

It's henna time once again. Here I sit, letting a combination of red and mahogany henna seep into my hair for the next 75 minutes. I'm happy to report that I finally had to increase the amount from 2 oz. to 3 oz. because my hair is growing so quickly!

This "journey" is turning into quite the learning process. I have discovered a couple of helpful things the past two times I've used henna. First, it's wise to boil a little more water than what you think you will need. The last two times, I've made the mixture according to the directions but it has been too thick. That happened again today, so I boiled and added the extra water (about 1/3 cup extra) and it made a huge difference. Henna is ridiculously hard to apply if it's too thick. If you live in the South, go outside, dig up some red clay and try to massage it through your hair. The consistency is about the same as too-thick henna.

Second, boil even more water (maybe 2/3 cup) and place it in a separate bowl, then place the bowl with the henna mixture in the hot-water bowl. It will help keep the dye warm/hot while you are applying it. Henna is much easier to apply if it stays warm! Be advised... The henna will be VERY hot for the first two or three minutes, so be careful. (And of course, always wear gloves when working with any kind of dye.)

And one of these days, I'll remember to save a little henna to apply to my eyebrows, as an experiment. Hey, at least it's all-natural and organic. It sure beats using that medication (can't think of the name) that makes eyebrows/eyelashes/something-on-your-face grow longer and thicker. I've heard that one of the side effects of that so-called medication is possible death. Um, no thanks... I know my eyebrows are thin, but hey, maybe the henna would match them to my hair AND make them a little thicker (henna does texturize hair, after all). If only I could remember to try that... I remembered it this time -- right as I was rinsing out the bowl. Oh well.

Photo update: You can't do this with short hair.

Photo update: You can't do this with short hair!

What do hair and shoulders have in common? Both benefit from horsetail.

I've been experiencing bursitis in my shoulder for about two years, and you might already be wondering what that has to do with my hair. Well, there's an herb that apparently helps both hair and shoulder problems. It's horsetail, also called silica. You can pick it up in capsule form at such places at Vitamin Shoppe, or you can buy the herb in loose form at some co-ops and make a tea with it or add it to food. I was already aware that it can be good for hair, but after a very frustrating visit to my orthopedist this week, I stopped by a local co-op to consult the giant book of medical conditions and herbal remedies, and whaddya know, it's good for repairing shoulders, too. So I filled up a big bag of horsetail and grabbed a packet of make-your-own tea bags. (Sorry, I'm not the multiple-medications-and-endless-tests-and-scans kind of girl. I am a human being, not a walking pill bottle.)

Here's how to make horsetail tea:

You need an iron that has a steam option (and obviously a safe surface for ironing). You need the tea bags and horsetail (duh). Last, all you need is a spoon to scoop the herb into the bags. And it helps to have a little patience, too. It took about 30 minutes to make 40 tea bags.

It's a good idea to fill up all of the tea bags with the herb before turning on the iron. Otherwise, the iron will just be sitting there for 15-20 minutes, wasting electricity and creating a potential hazard (I'm a little clumsy when I haven't had much caffeine). Then, you want to press the iron over the top seal of each tea bag for about 10 seconds, making sure it seals completely. Do NOT press the iron over the entire tea bag. You'll burn the herbs. Then, just store them in a plastic container with a lid until you're ready to make a healthy, healing cup of herbal tea.

Photo update

Photo update... just used henna three days ago. I mixed the red with the light brown: http://www.rainbowresearch.com/chart.html

Vitamin D? Check. Jello? Check. Soy? Check. Henna? Check.

Well, I've been neglecting the blog for these past few weeks, which have been very busy. But as you can see... It's growing! I have been trying a number of hair-growth remedies over the past few months, but I am starting to think the following things are the true gems: henna dye, Vitamin D (vitamins in general, really), Jello and soy. Why? Because those are the main things I'm keeping up on a daily basis! ;-)

It's a little tough to remember allllllll the remedies every day... I do remember the apple cider vinegar and rosemary oil often, and sure, I'm consuming plenty of protein, but I really think the things I listed above are the major hair growth solutions.

It makes sense -- the soy milk has a form of estrogen, which encourages growth, plus it has loads of vitamins and protein. Jello is gelatin, which is a building block of hair and nails. (Bummer... My nails were getting really long, too, but I caked on too much nail polish and it made a couple of them break.) Vitamin D was recommended by my cousin, and I am still taking the hair formula vitamins from Walmart; it just makes sense that vitamins would be beneficial.

The henna dye is just awesome; it's healthy and nutritious for hair, and to be quite honest, it's pretty fun to apply. If you ever enjoyed playing in the mud as a child, you'd like henna. It's basically like taking warm mud and applying it all over your head like a mask. The color is great and looks natural... One observation, though: True henna is reddish, so when henna companies say a dye is blonde, brunette, etc. (anything other than red), other plants have been added to the henna, so your hair is going to have a bit of a red tint. I used the medium brown henna about a week before the above photo was taken, and it's a reddish brown color. I love it, though. It's getting really shiny and thick, and it feels healthy.

A nice, glossy coating of... protein?

Hair and nails grow in much the same way, so I am considering yet another hair growth experiment... OK, here goes: I am using the Sally Hansen "Maximum Growth" treatment on my fingernails several times a week. I've been using it for a couple of months. It's amazing stuff -- my fingernails haven't broken in several weeks, and they are all consistently long and healthy. I looked at the fine print and it says the treatment contains silk protein. You apply it just like a clear coating of nail polish, and it gives the nails a nice little sheen while also packing them full of protein goodness.

I wonder if the same protein principle would work on hair? What would the equivalent be? Raw egg? Mayonnaise? Soy? Ground beef? Peanut butter? Beans? But wait just a minute. It did say SILK protein, right? Maybe I could wrap my hair in silk. Wonder if that would work... (Sorry, this is the kind of nuttiness I come up with at 11:53 pm). Nah, I'll stick with the proteins. I have actually heard that raw egg and mayo can be used as hair treatments. I've seen them listed with home remedies. But here's the hitch: The nail treatment stays on; it doesn't get rinsed off. I would eventually have to rinse the egg/mayo... I guess I could try leaving it on for an hour or two and then rinse it. Hopefully a beneficial amount of protein would be absorbed in that time.

Hmm...

photo update

April 2010 photo update: Yes, that's a ponytail. Yippee! And I'm so thankful to be able to do a ponytail, just in time for summer.

What a difference three millimeters can make

I had to trim my hair this week... But I only trimmed about three millimeters. And amazingly, it did the trick. The last time I had my hair cut was around Thanksgiving, so the style is long gone and the ends have been looking a little rough. So I decided to trim juuuusssst the ends and see the results. I'm happy now. I took off just enough of the ends that my hair looks healthier and has a little more bounce. It doesn't look any shorter; it looks better.

The worst part about growing hair out is the in-between stage... You've decided not to cut it but then it starts looking rough, and part of you wants to just throw it in a ponytail every day, and the other part of you wants to chop off a couple of inches. But wearing a ponytail every day is not such a good option. It can pull your hair out and, if pulled too tightly, can cause headaches. And chopping off an inch wastes about two months' worth of growth (hair typically grows about half an inch a month). So I've settled on the three-millimeters-as-needed routine. Besides, it saves money on trims... Have you ever met a hair stylist who was willing to just trim three millimeters??

P.S. Just a note about henna: My husband commented last week that he likes the henna look a lot better than the box/chemical dye look. He said the henna looks more natural. Just FYI!

Split ends and thinning are not 'in'

I was afraid this might happen.

When I decided around Thanksgiving to make one more attempt at growing out my hair, I also decided not to trim the ends at all until it gets to my shoulders. Anyone who has ever tried to grow hair knows what that means -- the potential for thinning of the hair shafts and split ends. And that's the point at which I usually get frustrated and chop my hair off... followed, of course, by regret.

We're there again. I believe that part of the problem is the cut I got in November -- short layers. So, of course, it's still layered, which means the ends have not only lost their shape, but they are somewhat thin already, thanks to the style. No, I'm not going to cut it all to one length and start over.

I'm hoping the henna will start to make a difference. I've done two of the monthly applications now, and am due for another application sometime this week. The directions say to use henna every four to six weeks. Henna reportedly texturizes hair and nourishes it, so I'm considering applying it more frequently than every four weeks. I wonder if that would have a negative effect... Hmm. Hope not!

I also was watching a medical show on TV this week -- I believe it was Dr. Oz. I've never watched it before, but I think that's the name of the show. Anyway, he was talking about hair age. We've seen the real-age tests that tell us our "real" age based on health and lifestyle factors. Well, this test specifically tells people the age of their hair. He then recommended a couple of things to help hair -- eating protein and applying a banana mask. Well, I have been trying to increase my intake of protein for a few weeks, including the soy milk that I consume as if it's oxygen. Next time I get to the grocery store, I'm going to pick up a couple of extra bananas, and I'll try a mask. And of course... I'll report back with details of the experiment.

Henna and soy are fabulous

Well, something's working. I'm not sure if it's the henna, the Jello, the supplments and vitamins, the vinegar or something else, but something's working! I can definitely put my hair in a decent ponytail now -- without any hairspray!

I did my second application of henna last week. I tried mixing red, light brown and medium brown to see if I could get a richer hue to cover my roots. It worked; it looks really good! Later that day, my husband and I filed our tax return, and the CPA asked if I was a natural redhead. Although I was going for more of a reddish warm brown, hey, I'll take the compliment! That means the henna does look natural -- not fake or harsh like a box dye. Plus, the henna is actually good for hair and makes it soooo shiny. The directions say that with every application of henna, the hair gets more texturized. That's certainly happening, too. It seems almost twice as thick now.

I also switched from dairy to soy milk this week. First of all, I have never been able to sit down and drink a glass of plain white cow's milk. If it's in something, that's fine, but I really don't care for it and I don't like to think about where it came from. Second, cows are pumped full of growth hormones and antibiotics. I really don't want to ingest those things. Third, I heard that soy milk contains a form of estrogen. I am a curious person, so I Googled estrogen. Guess what: It supposedly helps hair grow faster!! Woohoo! I know that soy milk can be a little pricey, so I visited my favorite low-cost grocery store -- Aldi. Sure enough, Aldi sells reasonably priced soy milk -- organic chocolate soy milk, to be exact. Yum. I love a tall glass of it, and it's also very good in coffee.

Back on the Jello Train/Loving the Cod Liver Oil

OK, I have to admit, I fell off the Jello train for a couple of weeks. I did. It's just so jiggly and kind of weird -- I don't dislike it, but it's not exactly something I crave. I made a huge batch of it last night, though. I think the key to tolerating that sugary gelatin snack is to add a little creativity. In this case, I added chopped apples to some strawberry Jello. I'm sure that sounds crazy, but in all honesty, it's not that bad.

Here's a tip: If you decide to grow your hair out, it might be best to start with a blunt haircut, like a bob. I started with an angled, layered style, and I've been regretting that. As you might be able to tell in earlier photos, it was angled down in the front -- a popular style for those who are planning to keep their hair short. As my haircut has grown out since Thanksgiving, though, it has looked a little crazy in the front. The angles started sticking out and looked really thin. So... It took me a few days, but last week I worked up enough courage to trim them myself. I ONLY trimmed the front angles, and the result is good. I'm happy with the even ends now, and didn't have to go to a hairdresser (besides -- a hairdresser probably would have trimmed everything). Can't trim the hair too much! Every millimeter counts at this stage. Must get it to my shoulders.

I've added cod liver oil to my growing list of supplements. It's an additional source of Vitamin D and other beneficial nutrients for general health. Thankfully, Vitamin Shoppe sells it in capsule form, so I don't have to swallow teaspoons of, well, oil from a fish liver. Eww. However, I know the greatest concentration of fish oil nutrients is found in the liver, so I made the purchase. Trust me... The capsules are the way to go. But even the capsules smell a little, if you're dumb enough to actually hold the bottle up to your nose and take a whiff (apparently I'm dumb enough, because out of curiosity, I did exactly that). Cod liver oil is said to have other benefits, too -- it helps with joint pain (good for my shoulder issue) and relieves migraines. So in a nutshell, I now love cod liver oil.

Coconut oil -- great for cooking, not great for oily hair

Coconut oil is a wonderful product -- I recently discovered it, and have heard that it has wonderful health benefits. I have started using it for cooking. I also read that it can be used as a scalp treatment for healthier hair... So I decided one day last week to give it whirl.

I scooped up what I thought would be a good amount -- about a teaspoon -- and let it melt, then massaged it into my scalp. I sat for an hour, as instructed. I shampooed it out... And then shampooed again. My hair was very oily for two days! I probably should not have tried this treatment, as I have somewhat oily hair to begin with. As I applied the oil, in the back of my mind I remembered a time in school when a classmate attended a youth group event one weekend -- a "yuck night" event. Someone poured baby oil in her hair, and I remember hearing the complaints about how she couldn't get all the oil out for days.

To make a long story short -- it took two days to get all the coconut oil out, and another day after that before I could style my hair. (Not that it has much of a style anymore, though... My cut is growing out, and it has lost all of its shape. I refuse to cut it, though, because the length is what I need, and I can finally pull it into a ponytail!!)

If you're going to use oil on your hair, my advice is to use a CONSERVATIVE amount. For example, I use the Weleda rosemary oil, but I only use three drops at a time for my entire head, and it works well. Weleda truly makes a great product. So... I think I will stick to the rosemary oil for my hair, and save the coconut oil for the kitchen.