scalp

An important step on the road to natural, sustainable beauty is how you use your products correctly. At Use Me we are not only concerned with providing the best, healthiest products, but also with education people and often changing their perception of cleanliness. I must say corporate marketing teams have done a great job convincing consumers what it means to be “clean”. If you watch any shampoo commercial online, you will undoubtedly see copious amounts of foam and suds, followed by a swish of the head and voila – beautiful shine from root to end. Little do you know, all that lather is really doing is stripping away your natural oils. These oils are a necessity and help nourish our hair while protecting our scalp. If you follow the ads, then once your hair is “clean”, you lather on moisturizer while your body rushes to produce extra oils because SOMEHOW they just got stripped away. What you are left with is an unnatural cycle that is slowly taking you down the road of premature aging hair. I would now like to outline the correct way to wash your hair to start you on the path towards natural hair.

First Rule: Cleanser is for the scalp, moisturizer is for the hair.

When shampooing your hair, all you should be doing is cleansing your scalp. The cleanser (shampoo) is meant to remove excess oils and any dirt or grime that has accumulated on your scalp. Do not worry about lathering cleanser all throughout your hair. This will only lead you to use too much product and it will dry out your hair. If you are thinking “well my hair is dirty too so how do I get it clean”, do not worry. When you rinse, the cleanser will move down through your hair, removing any lingering dirt or grime. This process is more than enough to clean your scalp and hair, and it will leave your natural oils atop your head.

Now its time for moisturizer, to strengthen your hair and protect from the elements. Remember, you already have natural oils on your scalp that do the same thing. So, when applying moisturizer, focus on the hair and ends. This way, you will help repair your hair, reduce frizz, and enhance your natural shine without getting unnecessary buildup on your scalp that could clog pores and may even stress your body.

Second Rule: Wash once a day or every two days.

By washing your hair too many times, you run the risk of stripping away your natural oils. These oils make up a protective layer on your scalp called your sebum. Your sebum has many roles on your head and I recommend looking it up. Three important functions are protecting and moisturizing the skin, assisting your immune system, and nourishing your hair follicle. When the sebum is diminished or depleted, your skin is exposed and your body becomes stressed trying to replace it. Often times your body produce excess oils to repair the damage and prevent this from happening again. This will lead to an oily scalp, clogged pores, and cause you to wash more frequently, hence the unnatural, downwards spiral.

Final Rule: A little goes a long way.

Everyone is different and it will take some experimentation to find the right amount of product, but trust me when I say “more is not better”. Not only are you running the risk of stripping away more good oils and drying out your hair, but you are wasting product, and product is money! All you really need is a teaspoon sized amount (usually even less) to get the job done. Remember, your hair is not a kitchen floor, it should not be “squeaky clean”. There are natural process that control your hair and you need to synchronize with and enhance them, not replace them, in order to achieve natural, sustainable beauty.

Refill, Reuse, Repeat

What you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it.

Many people think of skin as a barrier, protecting your insides from the harsh environment and any dangers it contains. While this is true, your skin is much more porous than you think.

People often fail to realize that your skin is the largest organ on your body. Every day, substances are constantly diffusing in and out of your body through the skin. This means that whatever you put on your skin, from makeup and lotion to sunscreen and lip balm, gets absorbed into your body. This is usually a non-issue as most of the ingredients in these products are harmless and are easily filtered out of your body. But, there are many ingredients that can cause harm, an issue that was recently highlighted by the FDA’s mercury testing in cosmetics products.

Mercury is a human toxicant that, although it occurs naturally throughout the earth, is very harmful to humans in high enough quantities. Mercury poisoning dates back centuries. One of the first exposures to mercury poisoning was in the hat industry, where the fumes from animal pelts, preserved with mercury, induced significant neurological damage causing hat makers to go crazy (hence the name “mad hatter”). Now that a lot of research has been conducted and many studies published, most consumers know that mercury is dangerous. However, you would be surprised how many products still contain it.

Many cosmetics products have recently come under fire after it was found that they contain illegal levels of mercury. “According to the FDA, more than 35 products tested over the years have been found to contain levels of mercury beyond the one part per million (ppm) maximum standard for cosmetic products. The Minnesota Department of Health(MDH), for instance, tested 27 skin products recently and discovered that 11 of them had levels of mercury far higher than one ppm”. While many of these products were imported, this still raises the underlying issue of knowing what you are putting on, and therefore in, your body.

This same issue is rampant throughout the hair care industry. Almost everything you put in your hair ends up on your scalp and countless hair products contain ingredients that have been proven to cause adverse effects. Unfortunately, insufficient knowledge and understanding cause people to continue to purchase them. Even more suspiring are the customers who know the immense risks and still they choose to use these dangerous products. Ultimately I guess this is our societies fault, as such immense pressure is put on beauty. But, I have good news for you. You no longer have to sacrifice your health to look your best. Use Me products contain natural, organic ingredients, are 99% vegan (the exception is our Curl Up and Shine Creme, which contains lanolin from a no-kill sheep farm), Sulfate and Paraben Free, come in a BPA-free bottle, are made in the USA, and, most importantly, THEY WORK! Our stylists and customers can feel safe when using our products while achieving looks they never thought possible.

Check out and purchase our products at your nearest Use Me partner salon or online at www.usemeproducts.com.

For a list of the mercury-containing products tested click below: http://www.health.state.mn.us/topics/skin/

References:

http://www.naturalnews.com/035229_cosmetic_products_mercury_toxicity.html

Refill, Reuse, Repeat

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Tag Archives: scalp

How To Wash Your Hair: using Use Me products to achieve sustainable beauty

Know Your Products: FDA studies uncover toxic mercury levels in cosmetics