JFDI: Oil Pulling

I'm not going to write a long post about oil pulling, there's way too much info about it on the internet....the skinny is to swish oil in your mouth, like mouthwash, for 15-20 minutes and spit it out in your trash, not down your drain because oil hardens. Coconut oil is antimicrobial and has a mild taste, so I use that. I've seen testimonies on the internet that this type of oral health practice has not only freshened breath and removed plaque, one person claims it cured an already formed cavity. I've also heard that it pulls toxins out of your entire body through your mouth, so it "cures" hangovers! Sounds pretty win win to me. Try it!

Repunzel, Let Down Your Hair!

 I've been getting tons of views per day on my post on how to care for YOUR hair, plus a few e-mails asking for more tips and one girl asked "you really aren't wearing extensions?" The answer, my dear, is no I'm not. This is au natural! I'm not above extensions, the clips ins are fun for a night on the town, but the sewn in weaves and the ones where they bond separate pieces of hair to your roots are harmful to your hair and will damage it...leaving you with less hair, when taken out, then you started with. The questions I've been getting are how do I grow my hair so long...most girls say their hair grows to a certain length, then stops. I'm not sure if your hair KNOWS how long it is...do the ends talk to the roots and one day say "ok it's time to stop producing more hair!". Nope. I reckon girls that think that probably just get frustrated at some point and eventually chop it. The key to long luxurious hair is one word: consistency. I take my Hair, Skin and Nails multi vitamin every night (the magic ingredient in those for hair growth is biotin, so find one with the most mg of biotin and you are set). I've also mentioned I have not used sulfates on my hair in years, I prefer Wen, a cleansing conditioner, but their are others out there as well as sulfate free shampoos that you can choose from. Something else I do is brush Moroccan oil or coconut oil into my hair at bedtime, which means I wash my pillows more frequently, but it keeps the ends strong and split end free. Also, I don't ever sleep with my hair in a bun or ponytail because that causes breakage where the rubber band meets the hair. I may braid my hair, then loosely fasten it with a soft ribbon hair tie because that's less stress on your hair. Castor oil, as I've also mentioned before for oil cleansing face washes, is known to increase hair growth. I put that on my eyebrows and eyelashes every night and once or twice a week, I'll rub some into my scalp at bedtime then wash it out in the morning. Don't be scared this will make your hair look greasy, oils don't cause build up like conditioners do. The most expensive thing I own for my hair is my hair brush. I use a Mason Pearson brush, which costs a whopping $200 but it's lasted me for years. Why is it so important thus expensive? It uses all natural bore bristles for one, which are thin and don't pull on hair too much to detangle. Secondly, it's rubbery base that holds the bristles is cushiony, which is meant to message your scalp AND spreads natural sebum produced by your scalp all the way down the shaft of your hair, which strengthens it. Sold? Thought so. 

{Selfie!}

How To: Care For YOUR Hair Type

Everybody is different. Some skin and hair care that may work for me wont work for everyone. The first step in determining how to tailor your hair care is to figure out what type of hair you have. Obviously, it's easy to tell just by touch if your hair is thick or thin. But the most important thing you need to know to get the best out of your hair is if you have porous or low porosity hair. A simple trick is to get a bowl of room temp water and drop a piece of your hair lightly on top. If it is still floating on top of the water after 2-5 minutes, your hair is not porous. If it sinks, you have high porosity. Neither one is better or worse, it's just important to know so you can treat your hair accordingly.

Low Porosity Hair Care:

If your hair is not very porous, it means it has a hard time holding onto moisture. You need to be using light hair products with humectants. Heavy conditioners are not for you, they will sit on top of your hair making it feel waxy and weighed down. If you love hair masks, like I do, utilize heat (wrap a wet towel around your hair that is hot) because heat opens up the pores, letting the hair absorb the mask. Another trick is using a pre-cleansing treatment. I do this all of the time. Using a hair penetrating oil, like coconut oil, several hours before you wash your hair can add softness and moisture to your hair. But because you wash it after, it doesn't turn out greasy. Oils don't create build up like conditioners can, which is good because hair with low porosity tends to easily get build up when using the wrong products, like thick conditioners. If you often get tangles in your hair, jojoba, sunflower or grapeseed oils are great for that when used as a pre-shampoo treatment.

High Porosity Hair Care:

If you have this type of hair, you may find it tends to get frizzy, especially when exposed to humid weather. The trick to keeping high porous hair smooth and frizz free is to use anti-humectant products, that way hair doesn't absorb any moisture in the air. Because this type of hair can also lose moisture very easily, it is important to use leave in conditioners, moisturizers and sealers before styling. Another thing to keep in mind, which is the exact opposite to low porous hair, is that heat is NOT your friend. Your hair cuticles are already open so over styling with blow dryers and curling irons make your hair damaged easily. To get the most out of porous hair, you need to use things to fill in "the gap" so try an avocado deep conditioning mask. And when choosing products, look for things high in protein such as aloe or wheat protein. Another trick for protecting high porous hair is to shower before you get in the pool. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but your hair will soak up the water from the shower easily leaving little room to absorb chlorine.

{ Here is me with my low porous hair! No matter what type of hair you have, use a hat to protect it if you are going to be in the sun! }

Love is in the Hair!

Many friends of mine ask me how I can grow my hair so long. They say their hair only grows to a certain point than stops. In my opinion, that problem can be solved by two things. First, using sulfate free shampoo ( I prefer Wen ) makes your hair stronger thus letting your hair grow longer because the ends aren't breaking off. Also, adding coconut oil or Moroccan oil when it's wet or when you are done styling helps prevent breakage. The second trick I use is vitamins! I have seen that Kim Kardashian has been promoting a specific brand of hair vitamin (check out her instagram) but I use a traditional one that you can get at any health food store called Skin, Hair and Nails. It's a multi vitamin and the magic ingredient that makes your hair grow is Biotin. The key is consistency! I remember to take my vitamins every night and I truly see a difference in how fast my nails and hair grows as opposed to the months when I've been forgetful about taking them. I've tried it all, the hair extensions, the Brazilian blowouts....but I've ultimately learned that less is more when it comes to hair. Wen is a tad pricey, but it's technically a two in one since it's a cleansing conditioner. And when I have nothing to do and nowhere to be, I'll put coconut oil on my ends, put it in a bun and let it soak in overnight! For people wondering how I style my hair in my "Hollywood curl" look, I use a curling wand (a curling iron without the clamp) then I brush it out. No need for hairspray if you have thick hair, and if you have thin hair I recommend L'oreal Elnett because it smells great, it's light hold and it's French!
Hope this helps all y'all who are wanting fab hair!

xo, L

{ Here's a pic of me + my hair from a Love Bullet photo shoot! }