We’ve explained hair loss and the hair growth cycle in other blog posts. (You can read the truth about hair loss, the many causes of hair loss, and the hair growth secret hiding in your kitchen.) But we haven’t spent a lot of time talking about sage.

Sage, or Salvia Officinalis, if you prefer a more formal name, is an evergreen herb with a lot of varieties. In fact, Salvia, from the Latin word salvere, translates as “to be saved.”  And it just may save your hair.

This herb is part of the mint family along with rosemary, oregano, basil, lavender, and thyme.

Sage is a known antibiotic, antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-fungal. Sage is loaded with vitamins B and C, and minerals like magnesium, zinc, and potassium.

This powerhouse herb helps manage dandruff, dermatitis, and psoriasis, heal the skin, reduce inflammation, balance sebum production, and prevent clogged hair follicles.

All of this improves the growth and strength of your hair.

Sage Prevents Hair Fall

Sage contains high levels of beta-sitosterol, a 5-alpha reductase compound that has been proven effective in treating hair fall, especially with male and female pattern baldness.

Unlike peppermint essential oil, which is also used to promote hair growth, sage strengthens circulation and as a result, could prevent hair follicles from being starved of nutrition from an insufficient blood supply, which would cause them to die off, and lead to hair loss.

It also helps keep hair follicles from becoming clogged. Clogged follicles cut off the supply of nutrition to your hair, which again cut off their blood supply and causes them to die off. Fewer follicles means less hair.

Sage Promotes Hair Growth

Another study of sage proved that it stimulated hair growth. This occurred when hair loss was triggered by testosterone (as in pattern baldness).

Sage can boost blood circulation in the scalp, increasing the supply of nutrients to the hair follicles. This alone would promote hair growth. Sage also helps to keep follicles unblocked with its anti-inflammatory properties, and essential compounds such as Vitamin A, B, and C nourish and stimulate hair growth.

Softness & Shine

Sage makes a great hair conditioner. Sage is loaded with vitamins and strenghtens your hair by all the ways mentioned above.

As you know, strong hair will not break as easily, so you can kiss those split ends and flyaways goodbye. Which will also make your hair more manageable. And strong hair is softer. Light passing over strong, healthy hair, is not diverted to flyaway and split ends, so your hair looks shinier.

Invigorate Biotin Shampoo

From lightening your elbows to eliminating athlete’s foot and diaper rash, there’s something for just about everyone here.

Lighten Dark Elbows & Knees

Dark elbows and knees are simply patches of darker skin on your elbows and knees. While darker skin can occur anywhere, your elbows are more vulnerable because you pay less attention to them. More prominent parts of your body, like your face, probably get more attention, including more beneficial treatments.

Several factors can cause or contribute to darker skin on your elbows, including:

• an accumulation of dead skin cells
• hyperpigmentation caused by sun exposure
• melasma (dark spots) from a pregnancy or birth control pills
• freckles and age spots
• skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema
• inflammation from a previous injury

Naturally darker skin tones are also more prone to darkening of their elbows and knees.

How do you treat it?

The favorite hack for this in our office was using Brilliant Eyes cream twice per day on your elbows, knees, and other darker skin areas (armpits or heels, anyone?).

We formulated Brilliant Eyes with Eyebright. Eyebright is a small white-flowered plant officially named Euphrasia, which has been used in herbal medicine for centuries.

Eyebright reduces puffiness, calms redness, and brightens dark spots on your skin. Its anti-inflammatory and astringent properties work as exfoliators and toners for your skin. It’s well known for clearing blocked pores and tightening the complexion for a flawless, even appearance. It also balances oil production and helps to maintain the skin’s pH to keep excess sebum under control.

Eyebright is a great healer for acne, blemishes, and skin conditions like rosacea and eczema, and despite its powerful effects, eyebright is a gentle herb.

Perfect for eliminating and softening those elbows and knees.

Oh, Baby!

Babies have very delicate skin. That’s why there are so many baby care products. Good baby care products are gentle.

Because babies have such sensitive skin, they can easily develop a lot of skin issues. Rashes–like diaper rash or drool rash, eczema, dry skin, dermatitis, and baby acne are all pretty common. These can result in itchy, uncomfortable, dry, and cracked skin.

How do you heal these issues and keep your baby’s skin soft, moisturized, and healthy?

Try LuxeOranix Psoriasis Shampoo + Body Wash. This gentle, non-medicated formula helps prevent, soothe, and stop the cycle of dry, irritated, flaky skin on the body or the scalp. It’s perfectly pH balanced and has no harsh chemicals or fragrance so it will not cause any irritation. There are also no sulfates, SLS, sodium chloride, parabens, drying alcohols, gluten, dyes, or phthalates, making it safe for sensitive skin, children, and babies.

A Remedy for Dry, Rough Patches & Tiny Bumps

If you’ve got rough, dry, bumpy skin – this one is for you!

Keratosis pilaris is a common skin condition that causes dry, rough patches with tiny bumps, often on the upper arms, thighs, cheeks, or buttocks. Sometimes called chicken or goose-flesh, the bumps don’t usually hurt or itch. Keratosis pilaris can occur at any age, but it’s common in young children.

Keratosis pilaris is considered to be just a variation of normal skin. It can’t be cured or prevented, but you can manage it with moisturizers to improve the appearance of the skin.

The beauty hack we stumbled upon is to use the ReNew Exfoliating Face Mask Polishing Scrub.

Gently scrub the affected area with ReNew, and then let it sit on your skin for 5-10 minutes. The scrub will clear clogged pores and uncover fresh, glowing skin, while the hydrating oils and natural ingredients soften, moisturize, heal, and protect.

This hack also works for the dry skin on your hands, elbows, and heels. As an added bonus, ReNew contains ingredients known to help aid in fading and brightening age spots or discoloration on this skin, too!

What’s a girl to do?

Our favorite hack is using your Biotin Shampoo as a shave gel. It gently stimulates and soothes with healing anti-inflammatory essential oils and plant extracts to hydrate and protect your skin.

Chock full of ingredients like nettle leaf extract, calendula, olive, and jojoba oils benefit your skin and accelerate the healing process of wounds, allergies, and rashes.

If you’re more of a shave cream kind of gal, another favorite shaving hack is using LuxeOrganix  CoWash Cleansing Conditioner. It’s enriched with Peppermint Oil that ignites your senses and leaves your shaved skin feeling refreshed. Considering it’s designed to protect and preserve your hair’s natural oils, just imagine what it can do for your skin with its natural botanicals and nutrients for enhanced moisture.

Put Your Feet First

Your feet are important. You stand and walk on them all day long. Problems with your feet can be debilitating. Keeping them healthy is relatively easy and taking care of them is a snap. Read on for some of our favorite foot care hacks.

If you struggle with Athlete’s Foot, you know what it’s like… a scaly rash, itching, stinging, burning, and not only uncomfortable but also embarrassing for others to see.

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal skin infection that usually begins between the toes. It commonly occurs when feet get sweaty while confined in tight-fitting shoes. The sweating, combined with the tight shoes, helps create the perfect conditions for this fungus to grow.

Athlete’s foot is contagious and can be spread via contaminated floors, towels, or clothing.

Important: If your condition is extreme, or if it does not begin to heal in a week or so, you should seek care from your primary healthcare practitioner. You may need anti-fungal medications.

Our hack might help you nip this condition before it warrants a visit to the doctor.

Using the Biotin Shampoo as a daily foot wash might help you avoid athletes’ foot. This is because of the essential oils of Tea Tree, Peppermint, and Rosemary, with anti-fungal properties, as well as, Horsetail Plant Extract, Sage, and other botanicals, that reduce inflammation, sweating, and fungal growth, and help to heal the skin.

It also works wonders on stinky feet!

And, Ladies, if you want really soft feet, try using our Biotin Conditioner with your pumice stone or callus grater. The Ginkgo Leaf Powder promotes circulation, while Sage, Peppermint, and Rosemary’s anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties help keep your skin healthy (no athlete’s feet for you!). The Aloe Vera, Jojoba, and Hemp Seed Oil will help soften callouses and keep your skin smooth and hydrated.

To get a sharp, close shave, you need to moisturize the skin and the hair on the beard and mustache. Softening your stubble makes it less irritating to remove, and both the Brilliant Eyes Cream and Vitamin C Moisturizer do just that, while also softening and moisturizing the skin so the razor blade can more easily remove the hair.

Once you’ve shaved the hair off, you also need to heal your skin from any nicks and keep it moisturized so that it stays healthy and calm.

Both the Brilliant Eyes Cream and the Vitamin C Moisturizer with their organic and natural ingredients help with this.

Brilliant Eyes has a unique blend of organic and natural ingredients that infuse and hold moisture, promoting long-term skin health. It’s also got Squalane in it, which has been used historically medically to treat wounds and burns (so just imagine its soothing and healing qualities for post-shaving!).

Our Vitamin C Moisturizer blends penetrating antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients to stimulate new cell growth, and elasticity, and locks in long-lasting moisture essential for keeping your skin hydrated and protected from harsh environment & climate trauma. It soothes sensitive skin, and the Vitamin C contained is a proactive remedy for skin that’s prone to break-outs and irritation, by balancing oily skin, and reducing dryness and itching,

Gentlemen, you cannot go wrong using either of these to shave your face! Try both and discover your favorite!

Vitamin C Daily Moisturizer

Psoriasis Shampoo + Body Wash

Life is too short to be unhappy with your hair! Plus, whatever the root cause of your concern is, you can fix it.

Let’s break your hair concerns into a few groups: hair loss, dry and damaged hair, and styling woes.

• Hair loss includes hair that is falling out in clumps, or more hair than normal falling out naturally when you brush or touch it.
• Dry and damaged hair includes hair that seems weak and prone to breaking, hair that feels or looks like straw, or that has a lot of split ends.
• And styling woes might include anything like flat, dull, frizzy hair, or hair that just cannot be tamed.

Is it Stress?

Many people just take their hair as it is and think that’s the best it will be. But these hair issues might actually be the result of stress or anxiety.

Hair stress is a real thing. It can result in dry and damaged hair, dullness, thinning, and hair loss. And those untamable bad hair days… yep! Stress might be a contributing factor.

Dry & Damaged Hair

While there’s plenty of evidence showing a link between stress and hair loss, stress can also lead to dryness, dull or lackluster hair, and breakage.

Stress and anxiety cause changes in your body. Most commonly, and often unseen, are the changes to the type and amount of hormones in your body. Any increase or decrease in your body’s hormones can result in changes to the strength and texture of your hair.

For example, when estrogen levels rise during pregnancy, hair can become shinier, and more manageable. This occurs because the hair follicle gets slightly sturdier, and less prone to frizzing. There’s also an increased blood flow and more nutrients in your body, both of which benefit your scalp. Many women experience their best hair texture during pregnancy. On the other hand, menopause causes androgen hormone levels to increase, while estrogen levels drop in response. This results in thinning hair and a dryer scalp, which weakens hair follicles.

Hair Loss

Stress can push your hair follicles into a “resting” phase so that they don’t produce new hair strands. Over time, strands can fall out more easily, even if you’re just washing, combing, or touching it. Because your hair is in the resting phase, these stands do not get replaced.

Telogen effluvium is a form of temporary hair loss that happens after stress, a shock, or a traumatic event. It causes diffuse thinning, a type of hair loss that affects your entire scalp. If you have telogen effluvium, your hair will look thinner and less dense than normal, especially under bright light.

Telogen effluvium can also be caused by poor nutrition and changes in hormone levels.

So how do you take the stress out of your hair?

First, check in with your healthcare professional just to rule out any medical conditions for the changes in your hair.

Once you get the green light, it’s time to grow your best hair ever.

Ready? …Let’s do it!

Feed Your Scalp

Beautiful, healthy hair starts at the scalp. When your scalp is healthy, not dry and itchy, your hair follicles are strong and nourished.

Give your hair much-needed nutrition by enjoying a healthy diet, taking your vitamins, and using products designed to nourish your scalp.

Products with biotin, like LuxeOrganix Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner, help strengthen your hair and promote healthier hair growth. This biotin power pair gently stimulates and soothes your scalp with healing anti-inflammatory essential oils and plant extracts that overcome and prevent scalp issues. The shampoo and conditioner are loaded with organic and natural ingredients that work to relieve dryness and itching on your scalp, returning it to its proper pH levels.

Care for Your Hair

A common reason for unmanageable hair is too little or too much moisture or protein.

So how can you tell if you need moisture or protein? The easiest way to determine what you need is the pull test. Take a wet or dry strand of your hair and gently stretch it. If it barely stretches and snaps, you need more moisture and you might have too much protein.

Also, if you brush your hair and strands fall out, you need protein.

To relieve dryness and lock moisture in, treat your hair with an occasional deep conditioner. Hair that is properly moisturized is bouncy, shiny, and soft. LuxeOrganix Deep Conditioner Hair Mask is safe for all hair types, paraben and sulfate-free, and it’s also safe for keratin and color-treated hair. This conditioning mask transforms dull, dry hair with botanicals and vitamins (A, C, D, and E), and hydrates with anti-drying ingredients, including Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Oil and Certified Organic Fair Trade Shea Butter.

To add protein, try LuxeOrganix Bond Integrity Protein Treatment. This ultra-nourishing and gentle protein treatment mask works wonders on your hair and your senses! Ancient amino acids from hydrolyzed rice and quinoa proteins, panthenol (vitamin B-5), and 2% biotin strengthen & support the integrity of bonds in your hair.

Coconut Oil Deep Conditioning Hair Mask

Whether you’re a seasoned co-wash pro, or a relative newbie, co-washing should be on your radar. Especially in the summer, when hair can be extra dry, thanks to the sun, chlorine and salt water, hot weather, and wind.

What Is CoWashing?

So what is co-washing, and why is everyone talking about it?

The term “co-wash” is a combination of the words conditioner (“co”) and washing (“wash”). Co-washing is washing your hair solely with conditioner, or a hybrid conditioner like LuxeOrganix CoWash Cleansing Conditioner.

Many people who cowash claim benefits like:

• hair that feels more hydrated and healthy
• improved moisture in curly or kinky hair
• better curl definition
• hair that is stronger and breaks less easily
• softer hair

Cowashing is also helpful to those of us with a need to shampoo very often (think: gym, work, lifestyles that get your hair sweaty). 

Cutting down on the number of times you shampoo may help restore your hair’s natural moisture balance, which means softer, shinier hair.

Why take a break from your shampoo?

Many store-bought shampoos include sulfates, which are detergents that not only clean your hair but strip the natural oils and moisture. Sulfates are not good. They leave your hair dry, dull, and more prone to breakage, and can cause scalp health issues for some.

Co-washing was initially created to cut down on the use of sulfates so your hair could maintain its natural moisture levels and grow healthier and more resilient hair.

Nowadays, co-washing isn’t just about skipping sulfates; it’s more about the health of your hair. Even if your shampoo is sulfate-free, like LuxeOrganix shampoos, changing up your hair care routine periodically may keep your hair more responsive to your usual products. Plus, the use of a cowash adds extra moisture to your hair, and that’s never a bad idea.

Shampoo vs CoWash

Shampoos and conditioners are created with two different purposes. Shampoos remove oils and buildup from the hair and scalp, while conditioners generally add moisture and smooth the hair cuticle to reduce frizz.

Both shampoos and conditioners, however, do share something in common: they both contain surfactants, which are substances that wash away oil and dirt.

Most store-bought shampoos contain anionic surfactants, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, which creates a lather. (Ugh! Sulfates!!) Sometimes, they contain amphoteric surfactants instead, which are milder, like those used in baby shampoos.

Ready to Co?

If you’re ready to give cowashing a try, pick up a cowash shampoo, like LuxeOrganix CoWash Cleansing Conditioner. Our CoWash condioner is specifically formulated to leave your hair clean, soft, and healthier.

Be sure the cowash you select includes ingredients that will benefit your beautiful locks, not harm them. Look for things like:

• Emollients (like Cetyl Alcohol, derived from coconut oil) that help to soften and smooth the cuticle and reduce frizz;
• Proteins (like hydrolyzed rice protein) that are known to strengthen hair fibers while repairing & conditioning hair.
• Humectants (like ProVitamin B5 and Lactamide MEA) which penetrate the hair cuticle and help absorb and lock in moisture.
• Moisturizers (including amino acids, aloe vera, jojoba, etc.) — these add softness and shine to your hair.

Whether you choose to use a CoWash, or your daily conditioner, be sure it’s sulfate-free. Sulfates strip your hair of essential oils and will dry your hair out.

Now that you’ve decided on a product to use, it’s time to “co!”

Get Co-ing!

Start by thoroughly wetting your hair, then take a small amount of your cowash and massage it into your entire scalp, using your fingertips to rub gently just like you do when shampooing. Your cowash combined with the friction of your fingertips will loosen any dirt and residue on your scalp without stripping your natural oils.

Once you’re massaged your scalp for a few minutes, rinse thoroughly. And by “thoroughly” — we mean more than you think you need to.

Next, take your regular amount of conditioner and condition as usual, carefully removing any tangles with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb. Be sure to spread the conditioner throughout the length of your hair.

Rinse your conditioner out thoroughly, too. Then dry and style as you would normally.

Note that if your hair feels greasy or heavy after you’ve cowashed, it’s likely that you did not rinse your hair completely, either with your cowash or your conditioner. Products left in your hair will attract any dirt and dust in the environment, leaving your hair feeling heavy, flat, or greasy.

Remember, you’re using your cowash days in between your regular washing, or (better!) in place of one or two regular shampoo days each week. Shampoo is still important, just not daily.

Co Your Own Way

There are no hard rules for the right way to cowash your hair. Some people cowash almost daily, while others cowash just a few times per week or month.

You are unique, so the best option for you depends on your hair type, how it responds to your routine, and your personal preferences.

Start by committing to using it twice per week, and adjust as needed.

Giving your shampoo a vacation just might be the summer break that leaves your hair softer, shinier, and healthier!

CoWash Cleansing Conditioner

For both women and men, hair loss can be absolutely devastating to your self-image and emotional well-being.

But it doesn’t have to be. The first step in de-stigmatizing hair loss is talking about it!

Before we dig in on this topic though, know that there are a lot of potential causes of hair loss. If you are concerned about the amount of hair you are losing, or the speed at which it seems to be shedding, check in with your healthcare professional to eliminate any health concerns.

Facts and Stats

If you’re looking in the mirror and wondering if your scalp is showing more than it used to, or if you feel that your ponytail isn’t as hefty as it once was, you might be experiencing some hair loss. And some hair loss is normal.

The average human scalp has about 100,000 hair follicles. At any given time, each of your hair follicles is in a different phase of growth, and that includes hair loss.

The lifecycle of hair occurs in stages, including the Anagen phase (which is where your hair grows), Catagen phase (where the follicles transition from growth to resting), Telogen phase (where the follicle is resting), and Exogen phase (where the old hair sheds as a new hair emerges).

Seeing some hair in your brush or in the bath is perfectly normal and shouldn’t cause any concern. For a new hair to emerge, an old hair must go.  That’s the exogen phase. On average, you’ll shed about 100 hairs each day.

If your hair looks or feels thinner, if you spot thinning edges, or your scalp becomes more noticeable, however, it may be a sign of excessive loss.

The good news is that most causes of hair loss in women are temporary and reversible. Reversing excess hair shedding may be as simple as watching your nutrition or changing your hair care routine.

If your hair loss has been triggered by stress, managing your stress could be the key to returning to a healthy rate of hair growth.

The next time you’re starting to feel your stress level rise, remember to take a deep breath and look for some healthy relief. A quiet bath, a walk-in nature, or a movie that makes you laugh… A little self-care goes a long way here. And your hair will benefit.

#2 Weight Loss

Research shows that rapid weight loss can cause your hair follicles to go into their resting phase. This is the phase where hair stops growing. The resting phase can last for two or three months, and at the end of this phase, your hair begins to shed. Like the rest of your body, your hair needs calories to grow. Cutting calories while you’re losing weight forces your hair follicles to conserve energy and rest.

Once you’ve balanced your nutrition out, your hair growth should return to normal.

#3: Childbirth

Known as one of the most physically and emotionally charged times in a woman’s life, sudden hair loss during and directly after childbirth is more common than you might think.

According to medical experts, this is often because of the hormonal shifts brought on by pregnancy.

During the nine months of active pregnancy, your hair stays in its growth phase (Anagen), and does not shed like it normally would. When your hormones shift again postpartum, your hair enters its resting phase. This is followed by the shedding phase. This can feel like a reason to sound the alarms, but it’s usually temporary and a natural part of childbirth, even if your doctor doesn’t mention it in advance.

#4: Damaging Habits

Do you love a good hot oil treatment? How about dry shampoos? Styling sprays? Hair color? Hot styling tools?

We love our hair, and we love to change it up. But excessive use of hair styling and care products, and chemical treatments like permanents and dyes, can cause scarring to your hair follicles, which may result in hair loss.

Your hair becomes stressed and can fall out if you style with heat frequently, bleach your hair, or get permanent treatments.

Even harsh styling habits like pulling on your hair to make tight braids or cornrows can be harmful.

Give your hair a little time to breathe. Take a few days off of your hot tools, maybe skip a week of dry shampoos, and extend the time a bit between coloring… for the health of your hair follicles!

Hormonal disruptions can cause hair loss and worse – some have been known to cause cancers.

The key to preventing hair loss because of your scalp health is to find a hair-care regimen that promotes a clean and healthy scalp, without harsh ingredients.

All LuxeOrganix shampoos and conditioners were designed with this in mind. Our Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner was created to protect and enhance curly, colored, and keratin-straightened hair. These products help eliminate frizz and add moisture to dry, damaged hair. Our Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner were developed using botanicals that support hair growth. They gently stimulate and soothe with healing anti-inflammatory essential oils and plant extracts to overcome and prevent scalp issues. These products help thin, lifeless hair feel fuller and more vibrant. Finally, our CoWash Cleansing Conditioner is perfect for all hair types. It helps extend the time between shampooing while leaving your hair soft, smooth, and more manageable without the build-up that dry shampoos leave behind.

#6: Nutrition

Your mom always told you about eating healthy but she may not have told you that your beautiful tresses depend on it.

Nutritionists have found that Vitamins D and B12, Biotin, Folate, and Riboflavin are linked to healthy hair. Many of these can be found in the food you eat, as well as in common multivitamins.

An often misunderstood aspect of your nutrition is fat. Scientists correlate a lack of healthy fats in a person’s diet to hair loss. Healthy fats are extremely important for hair growth because fat helps your body assimilate vitamins that are essential for healthy hair. Make sure your meals include some unsaturated fats like Omega 3s to keep your hair growing and shining.

#7: Genetics

Sometimes, hair loss comes down to your genetics. You’ve probably heard of male-pattern baldness, right? Experts at the Mayo Clinic say that the most common cause of hair loss in men is androgenic alopecia… male-pattern baldness. This often presents as a receding hairline and bald spots in men.

There’s another similar condition you might not have heard about, though, and that’s female-pattern baldness.

This balding also occurs gradually and in predictable patterns: thinning hair along the crown of the scalp in women. With female-pattern hair loss, new hair that comes in is finer and thinner that the older hair it replaced. What eventually happens is your hair follicles shrink and can stop growing hair altogether.

You should visit your doctor or dermatologist if you think you may be experiencing this type of hair loss, as they can help with a treatment plan.

Keep Your Hair Growing

No matter the cause of your hair loss, keeping your scalp and hair healthy is your best bet for continued hair growth.

It is possible to keep your hair growing for many decades. Start now with things you can control.

Like the healthy shampoos and conditioners from LuxeOrganix. We never use harsh ingredients, like parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.

CoWash Cleansing Conditioner

Helpful Videos

If you’ve been on the hunt for real answers and solutions for dry hair, you’ve probably learned by now that it’s typically not just ONE thing that could be causing your hair to feel dry.

Though it can be tempting to point the finger and hope that the latest trendy product will be the miracle you’ve been searching for, the truth is, if you really want to get to the bottom of your dry hair problems, you’ll be better served by taking a holistic or whole look at the picture, rather than just trying to treat a symptom of dryness.

Today we break down the many causes of dry hair and professional and natural tips for treating and preventing it.

Factors that Can Cause Dry Hair

• Weather
• Heat styling
• Too many smoothing treatments (such as Keratin treatments) used too frequently
• Hormone changes or treatments
• Products with harsh sulfates
• Brushing your hair when it is wet
• Over shampooing, stripping your hair of its natural oils
• Split ends

The good news is there are solutions to help remedy these challenges, and when combined with using healthy hair care products properly, it can dramatically improve your hair’s recovery process.

TOP 10 PROFESSIONAL TIPS FOR DRY HAIR:

1. WORK WITH YOUR WEATHER

Though you may already realize that dry and brittle hair is a year-round problem, cold winter temperatures combined with higher heat indoors can parch and dry out your hair. So, you’ll want to adjust your winter hair care regimen. Plan to give your hair a heavier dose of moisturizing love by allowing your conditioner to soak longer than you normally would (stretch the time from 3-4 minutes to 5-10 minutes). During summer, it’s just as crucial to maintaining a healthy balance of hydration for preventing dry hair and breakage. Using a sulfate-free moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, one with oil in it to outwit frizz (such as LuxeOrganix Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner), and skipping hot tools will all give your hair a fighting chance against dried-out, lifeless hair. Keeping up with regular trims to prevent split ends from secretly running up your shaft, shielding your hair strands from the sun with a hat, and saturating your hair before taking a dip in the pool or saltwater, are all extra beneficial ways of keeping your hair from becoming thirsty.

Also, consider adding a hair mask to your regimen. More on that in a minute…

2. HEAT STYLE THE RIGHT WAY

If you’re heat styling, it’s critical to do it the right way with the right tools. Did you ever see the YouTube video where the girl burned off her hair with a curling wand? There are absolutely right and wrong ways to style with heat that can make all the difference in the health of your hair. You can use hairspray and other products that contain drying ingredients like alcohol, but you want to place a barrier between these styling aids and your hair. The way you create the barrier is by using something with an oil base. (LuxeOrganix Argan Oil Styling Cream is perfect for this as it contains a Thermal Heat Protectant that provides hydration and control.)

IMPORTANT: Always make sure your hair is 100% dry before using a heat styling tool, such as a curling iron or flat iron. If you are using a styling gel, mousse, hairspray, or something similar that contains drying alcohols, make sure your hair is thoroughly dry before touching it with an iron to prevent damage. Be careful to avoid burning your hair when using a blow dryer by making sure your heat setting is not so high that it would burn your skin (this is a good way to test if it is too hot for your hair), and don’t hold the blow dryer so close to your hair that you see or smell product residue smoke.

Also, traditional blow dryers dry the hair from within the hair shaft to the outer layer and take longer to dry hair. However, an Ionic Blow Dryer dries hair from the outside, which makes a positive impact on the health of your hair, and saves you time by drying hair faster. If you blow-dry your hair, investing in an Ionic blow dryer is a wise investment for the health of your hair.

3. MINIMIZE SMOOTHING TREATMENTS

Are you doing too many hair smoothing treatments? Consider taking a break from, or discontinue straightening (i.e. keratin treatments) by instead working with your hair type. Many of us with naturally curly hair love the look of straight, sleek hair, and so we straighten our typically frizzy or kinky locks with heat or chemical processing. A well-trained stylist should be able to advise you about more gentle smoothing treatments, or hair styling products that can work with your natural hair, and give you beautiful, irresistible bouncy locks.

Another secret for dealing with those sections of your hair that don’t curl up well like the others is to simply use a curling iron or wand to spot treat those difficult areas.

You can also define your curls by gently twisting them around your finger while they are still damp and applying a styling cream. Then simply let them air dry or use a diffuser, occasionally scrunching (without rubbing) your hair.

4. USE SULFATE-FREE AND NON-STRIPPING HAIR PRODUCTS

Watch out for sulfates in your shampoo and be sure to check your styling products to see if they contain sulfates as well. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is widely recognized as a primary culprit of dry, dull, brittle, frizzy hair, and it can also lead to itchy, flaky, irritated scalp and other health concerns. Many companies use sulfates for the speed, ease, and efficacy of quickly cleaning the scalp and hair. But there’s a downside to this easy-to-foam ingredient…

Sulfates are known for stripping hair of its natural oils, as well as fading color and undoing keratin-treated hair. So if you’re color-treating your hair, getting Brazilian Blowout, Cezanne, or keratin treatments — and then using sulfate-based products, you may be decreasing the vibrancy and longevity of your color and smoothing treatment.

Using products with alcohol and detergents will also cause problems. If you use styling products with these ingredients, consider finding healthier alternatives that offer the same results without the harsh ingredients that take a toll on and can damage your hair.

It may take some experimenting to find a good alternative, but your hair will thank you for it (and so will your body). At LuxeOrganix we make it easy to find non-stripping, sulfate-free products because we don’t use those kinds of harsh ingredients in any of our hair or skincare. 

Also, one more thing to keep in mind is that traditional blow dryers dry the hair from within the hair shaft to the outer layer, and take longer to dry hair. However, an Ionic Blow Dryer dries hair from the outside, which makes a positive impact on the health of your hair, and saves you time by drying hair faster. If you blow-dry your hair, investing in an Ionic blow dryer is a wise investment for the health of your hair.

5. GIVE YOUR HAIR A BREAK FROM SHAMPOO

You may have already heard from your Stylist, “You shouldn’t wash your hair every day,” and that you should give yourself at least one day off in between shampooing. This is something you may or may not already be doing. If for some reason this strategy isn’t a good fit for you, here’s another alternative (or even a bonus to consider adding to your routine if you have extremely dry or brittle hair, or if you want to further prolong your colored or keratin-treated hair.)

It’s called, “co-washing.” Maybe you’ve heard of it?

The idea is to stretch out your shampoo days by exchanging it with a formulated cleansing conditioner, sometimes referred to as “co-wash” or “no-poo” (no shampoo). This can give your hair a break from shampooing, which has a tendency to over-cleanse your hair and rob it of its good and essential oils. Learn more about co-washing with our Refreshing Mint CoWash Cleansing Conditioner.

6. DON’T PROCRASTINATE ON CUTTING YOUR HAIR

You’ve probably heard that regular haircuts are important to remove the battered, split ends of your hair. Different factors, such as your hair length, chemical processing, or growing your hair out, will impact the amount of time you plan between cuts. Your hairstylist should be able to tell you how often to have your hair trimmed based on your unique situation. (But if it’s been over 3 months – you’re overdue!)

A good rule of thumb for short hair is 4-8 weeks, 6-12 weeks for mid-lengths, and no more than 8-12 weeks for long hair. You’ll want to trim more frequently if you’re dealing with damaged hair (such as split ends), and less frequently if you’re trying to grow your hair out. On the other hand, if you have already been cutting your hair regularly, and it’s really damaged, it may be time for a major cut. Sometimes, this is what it takes to make a big difference.

Several years ago, my hormones were wreaking havoc on my hair and I decided to cut off 11 inches. Unfortunately, the ends of my hair still showed the effects of my hormone imbalance (my ends were sparse, thin, and brittle, and didn’t match the top, healthy part of my hair). Since I lopped off those 11inches, I’ve averaged 6-8 weeks between my trims. My hair has never looked better and I am regularly complimented on how healthy it looks

7. DEEP CONDITION REGULARLY

Add a hair mask to your hair care regimen. Whether you use an inexpensive DIY (Do-It-Yourself) home remedy, such as coconut oil, or a healthy, organic-based hair mask that you purchase, using a deep conditioner regularly, combined with your sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, could make all the difference in bringing your hair back to its once healthy, vibrant self.

Check out LuxeOrganix Deep Conditioner Hair Mask that deeply penetrates to moisturize, strengthen, repair, and grow healthy hair. We hear from our customers with normal to thick, and curly hair types, how quickly they feel and see the difference with it. Alternatively, LuxeOrganix Bond Integrity Protein Hair Treatment is a favorite hair mask of those with fine, thin, and mature hair types, who are looking for stronger, fuller-looking hair. 

Now you may wonder how often should you use a hair mask?

It’s going to vary for everyone.

Try experimenting with once or twice a month. If you don’t notice and feel a significant difference, increase the frequency or allow the hair mask to soak in for longer periods while you shower the rest of your body. Those with severely dry or brittle hair, as well as bleached or color-treated hair, may find it helpful to deep condition once or twice per week. The texture and condition of your hair will determine the frequency; it really does depend on your individual situation. So don’t be afraid to experiment…or better yet, reach out to us for personalized attention and advice!

8. ADDRESS HORMONES, ILLNESS, OR NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES

Let’s be honest – most of us are affected in some way or another by our hormones, let alone dealing with illness and more commonly, we are dealing with nutritional deficiencies that we may not even be aware of or understand how it is impacting the health and appearance of our hair.

Hormone issues, for example, can cause sudden hair loss for many women, as well as cause hair to be malnourished; and therefore, lackluster and be susceptible to dryness and breakage. Hormone imbalances in cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, and low thyroid hormone, are several culprits that cause hair woes. Your doctor can check your levels to see if one of these hormone imbalances could be causing hair loss.

Postpartum hair loss ((hair loss after giving birth) is considered normal and happens because of changing hormone levels after pregnancy. You can’t prevent postpartum hair loss, but you can positively affect the appearance of your hair during the shedding and regrowth phase. Using thickening and volumizing products can help your hair appear fuller, and the new hair growth be fortified to grow out as healthy as possible. We recommend LuxeOrganix Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner, Bond Integrity Protein Hair Treatment, and Argan Oil Styling Cream for this. A fresh new style, cut, or new color can also give an instant visual boost! Ask your stylist for styling tips, as well.

If you are using high-quality hair care products and nurturing your hair – getting your glucose, hormones, and thyroid levels checked may give you a better understanding of the root of your problem.

Additionally, you can take charge immediately by eating clean, nutritious food, and incorporating more fiber into your diet, which can help lower estrogen levels. Eating a high protein, low-glycemic carbohydrate diet with lots of vegetables has a positive impact on insulin resistance. Insulin imbalance is not often something people would think could have a negative effect on hair, but it can.

Stress and lack of essential vitamins also play a role, so it really is important to feed your body whole foods that are naturally loaded with vitamins, as well as get enough sleep, and learn what your body may be lacking so you can give it what it needs to thrive. A Functional Health Practitioner or holistic health care professional can be a great resource to get to the root of these issues and help you achieve good health for your hair and body.

9. PROPER EXPECTATIONS AND USAGE OF YOUR HAIR CARE PRODUCTS

Chances are, you have invested in quality hair care products, but you are still reading because you’re looking for answers as to why you’re still feeling like your hair is dry.

But even with using our high-quality, gentle sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, some may still find their hair is feeling dry.

There are several possibilities for this, but first, let’s look at the most likely reason, which is how the shampoo is designed to work.

LuxeOrganix Argan Oil Shampoo was formulated as a healthy alternative to salon-quality products (and free from harsh and unnecessary ingredients that can cause damage). It isn’t loaded up with synthetic moisturizers or parabens, which can be found in lower quality, sulfate-based shampoos that strip hair of its natural, beneficial oils.

These ingredients give the impression your hair feels soft after washing, when in fact, it’s just coated with slippery materials and isn’t actually moisturized, repaired, or hydrated.

Since LuxeOrganix doesn’t contain any unnecessary or harmful ingredients, this may be why after rinsing the LuxeOrganix shampoo, some feel their hair is dry. However, it may actually be an indication that your hair is just squeaky clean, and is now prepared to be deeply moisturized and protected by our conditioner.

Simply put – it is not designed to be a stand-alone product, but rather, to be paired with the LuxeOrganix Argan Oil Conditioner.

Your hair needs hydration, so conditioning after shampooing is essential to preventing it from dehydration and dryness. Depending on your climate and how you style your hair, the frequency and how you condition your hair may vary.

10. REPAIR AND DAMAGE CONTROL

That said, another common reason hair may feel dry after washing, is that it is already severely dehydrated, or even damaged. “Prevention is key. Dry hair worsens with time because of accumulated abuse,” says Eugene Toye who is a senior stylist at Rita Hazan Salon in New York. He says, “The only real way to get rid of the damage is to cut off damaged hair.”

But if running for the scissors to trim it off isn’t an option – conditioning, prevention, and protection are your only other options.

Deep conditioning treatments with ingredients containing proteins, amino acids, vitamins (like Panthenol b5), marshmallow root, as well as hydrating oils such as argan or hemp oil, will help soften, smooth, and boost the vibrance of your hair for days. Using a leave-in conditioner can also make a noticeable difference.

Many of our customers have found it helpful to follow washing and conditioning with a small amount of LuxeOrganix Argan Oil Styling Cream to add hydration, control, and protection for heat styling. This product leaves hair smooth, frizz-free, and more manageable while providing a light hold.

For severely parched hair, using an oil, such as argan oil, as your base layer, then adding your styling products, can also visibly improve your hair. It may also help to occasionally use a deep conditioning hair mask, prior to applying your regular conditioner.

Some of our customers with severely dry or damaged hair have found it very beneficial to wash with the Argan Oil Shampoo, then after rinsing and squeezing the water away from their hair, follow with LuxeOrganix Deep Conditioner Hair Mask. The reason they find this deep conditioning hair mask so effective at rejuvenating stressed tresses is because it’s packed full of ultra-hydrating and strengthening organic and natural, bio-available ingredients. (It contains all of those impactful ingredients Toye mentioned for helping dry, damaged hair.)

Allowing the hair mask to soak for 5 minutes (or more if you have time), gives the conditioning nutrients a chance to soak in and do their miracle work. After rinsing the hair mask out, follow with a moisturizing conditioner, such as LuxeOrganix Argan Oil Conditioner.

Doing this initially once or twice per week, until the hair becomes more hydrated and visibly smoother, is a smart routine for a salon-quality treatment from the comfort of your home.

Of course, using high-quality products meant for your specific hair type is only part of the equation. Taking good care of your hair, eating healthy foods that will help your hair grow stronger, and using simple home remedies can help manage and maintain to prevent and protect your hair from being damaged and feeling dry — and keep it healthy going forward. It’s applying this knowledge that will reveal naturally beautiful, healthy hair.

Let’s NOT Make This Too Complicated!

We hope you feel empowered, rather than overwhelmed, by this information. Each tip can be used by itself or in combination with others to help improve the health and appearance of your hair. But it’s important to remember, that your hair didn’t get to its current state overnight, so expecting perfect, healthy hair overnight isn’t fair to yourself.

Yes, some of us have some work to do, but be gentle with yourself and give yourself time to explore what works best for you. Being focused and taking consistent action will always lead to results. At one point in time, the thickness of my hair was reduced by nearly two-thirds, and I struggled with thin, brittle ends for some time. Once I started chipping away at the causes of damage and was intentional about my health and the health of my hair, my life changed.

Your goal is absolutely possible… so, go for it!

And, if there’s anything we can do to support you along your journey, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We are committed to helping you look and feel beautiful, without sacrificing your health for the sake of your beauty.

Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner Sets

Bond Integrity Protein Hair Treatment

Your hair color is determined by pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. As you age, these pigment cells are not produced in the quantities they were when we were younger.

Your hair goes through a natural cycle of death and regrowth (we wrote about this in a lot of detail in another blog post).  With fewer pigment cells, the new strand of hair growing in will not contain as much melanin (the magic that creates your hair color) as the old strand, and will become a more transparent color, like gray, silver, or white.

Some part of your hair turning gray may be genetic. Your melanocytes are influenced by your genetics, in terms of how many you have and how resilient they are. And genetics are what they are. You cannot change them.

But it’s not just age or genetics that causes your hair to gray. A vitamin B-12 deficiency, smoking, problems with your pituitary or thyroid gland, and stress can give you gray hair, too.

You can see this when you look at any picture of the US Presidents when they start their term, and when they end it. Nearly all of them turn very gray while in office.

Research has found that your body’s fight-or-flight response (triggered by stress) plays a key role in turning your hair gray. But an article published by Harvard Medical School weighed in stating, “in humans, most gray hair is not related to stress.”

To be clear, your hair doesn’t actually “turn” gray. Once a strand of hair exists, the color is set. If a single strand of hair starts out brown (or red or black or blond), it will never change its color unless you color it. Your hair follicles produce less color as they age, so when hair goes through its natural cycle of dying and being regenerated, with less color, the new strand of hair will grow in as gray. This process typically starts around the age of 35, though genetics can play a role in this.

Can You Reverse Gray Hair?

While gray hair cannot technically be reversed, there’s a lot you can do to improve your chances of growing more hair in your natural color.

Creating a healthy scalp that nourishes your follicles and encourages more melanocytes to thrive might be the solution you need.

So, how do you do this?

Nutritional Support

If you’re not getting enough nutrients in your diet, it will show up on your hair and skin.  Because specific nutrients help your hair follicles to thrive, a lack thereof may decrease the pigmentation they create. When these nutrients are lacking, it can result in premature graying or thinning of your hair.

Sometimes, taking supplements can help but you should always consult with your primary health care provider first. They can determine whether you’re truly deficient in any specific nutrient and advise you on any next steps. Some common deficiencies that may contribute to gray hair include:

• Vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid) helps your body turn the food you eat into energy. It also helps make red blood cells. A 2020 study in mice showed that vitamin B-5 can reverse graying fur. While the jury is still out on whether this works the same for humans, it’s still a great idea to ensure you’re getting enough of your B-vitamins, as they are an important element in healthy hair and skin.
•  Vitamin B-6 is important for both your metabolism and your immune system. Without enough vitamin B-6, it can lead to dry hair, cracked lips, and general fatigue. Vitamin B-6 deficiency tends to be common among vegetarians and vegans, though some autoimmune and kidney conditions can also affect how your body absorbs this vitamin.
• Vitamin B-9 (folate or folic acid) helps your body metabolize amino acids, which help moisturize dry hair cuticles. The cuticle is the outermost part of the hair and is important in retaining moisture. Dull and dry hair is a sign of severe cuticle damage and a lack of amino acids. When you’re not getting enough vitamin B-9, you might also experience pigmentation issues in your hair, skin, and nails.
• Vitamin B-12 deficiency is one of the most common causes of prematurely graying hair. Studies show that vitamin B-12 deficiencies are often concurrent with folic acid (B-9) and biotin deficiencies in people with prematurely gray hair. Vegetarians and vegans are also more prone to this because B-12 is commonly found in animal products.
• Vitamin D is essential for bone health. It also helps your body absorb calcium more efficiently. A research study found that people with prematurely graying hair also tend to have vitamin D deficiencies, suggesting that vitamin D affects melanin production in hair follicles.

Now is a good time to review your diet and make sure you’re getting the nutritional support you need from vitamins to keep your hair healthy, and growing its natural color.

• Stop smoking. Among all the bad things attributed to smoking, studies show that smoking damages and shrinks hair follicles. If you smoke, and you’re noticing thinner, more gray hair, it’s not a coincidence.
• Protect your hair from the sun. Prolonged exposure to the sun’s UVA and UVB rays can damage the outside cover of the hair strand, called the cuticle. This damage can cause discoloration, dry and brittle strands, broken or split ends, thinning, and frizzy hair.
• Stop damaging your hair. Chemical hair treatments like keratin and color, hot styling tools, harsh ingredients in your hair care products, washing your hair too often… all damage your hair. As with too much sun, this can include the loss of color, dry and brittle strands, broken or split ends, thinning, and frizzy hair.

Choose your hair products carefully.

It’s important to remember that ingredients you put *on* your body will always end up *in* your body, too. So use the best, healthy and supporting ingredients you can. It matters.

Many store-bought shampoos are harsh on your scalp and hair. They strip away everything, including your hair’s natural oils and nutrients, and may also cause nutritional or hormonal issues, which directly affect your hair follicles.

Look for shampoos that contain more natural or organic ingredients, or even some of the ingredients listed above in the Nutritional Support section of this article.

The LuxeOrganix shampoos and conditioners keep this in mind. Our Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner have biotin, rosemary, peppermint, ginseng, and vitamins B5 and D. The shampoo also includes jojoba oil to strengthen hair and moisturizes hair follicles, which prevents dryness that leads to hair loss. Our Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner contain vitamin B5 to nourish your hair, and Moroccan argan oil to soften hair and moisturize hair follicles.

Adding deep conditioning treatments to your hair care regimen is always a smart choice. LuxeOrganix Protein Hair Treatment also contains a generous amount of biotin, as well as, peppermint, vitamin B5, and sage for providing more nutrition to hair follicles. 

You can’t go wrong with these products!

Not Everyone Wants to Change Their Gray

Lifestyle adjustments like managing your stress and maintaining a healthy diet, along with quality products to support a healthy scalp may help keep your hair its natural color longer. Talk with your health care professional for more tips related to your specific situation.

If gray, silver, or white is a color you love, go for it! We think everyone should feel beautiful.

P.S. Gray is being touted as the hair color of the hour and the hot trend for 2021-2022. Just saying! 😉

Beauty comes in all colors… Gray, silver, and white, included.

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Protein Hair Treatment Mask

Is there a right way to wash your hair?

If you want your best hair, there’s actually a little more to it than just wetting your hair, lathering up with shampoo, and rinsing.

Washing the right way ensures minimal damage to your hair, hair follicles, and scalp.

We’ve outlined the most important things to consider below.

Choose your products carefully.

Don’t pick your products just because they smell nice or they’re on sale. Pick the right shampoo for your hair type.

• If you have thick, coarse, or curly hair, use a shampoo and conditioner with moisturizing qualities, like the LuxeOrganix Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner.
• If you have color-treated, straightened, or processed hair, use a shampoo that won’t strip your hair every time you wash it. All of the LuxeOrganix shampoos and conditioners will not strip your treatments. They’re safe for perms, colored, and keratin-treated hair.
• If you have fine or thinning hair, or are prone to being greasy, use a shampoo that nourishes your hair and scalp to promote healthy hair growth and bring balance to your scalp pH, like our Biotin Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner.

Don’t know what kind of hair you have? You can always ask your stylist for advice.

No matter your hair type, you should avoid shampoos that contain sulfates. While sulfates help your shampoo lather, they strip your hair’s natural oils, leaving your hair prone to breakage and looking dull. All LuxeOrganix shampoos are sulfate-free.

The stripping of your natural oils can also lead to an over-production of those oils as your hair and scalp try to balance the dryness. Over-production of the oils means greasy-looking, flat, lifeless hair.

Sulfates can also cause irritation for some people, especially those with sensitive skin. That’s why anyone with rosacea, eczema, psoriasis or contact dermatitis should avoid shampoos with sulfates. Our Organic Psoriasis Shampoo and Body Wash is extra-gentle on sensitive skin. It helps clean your scalp and hair without any harsh ingredients, and it helps promote healthy skin.

Don’t wash your hair every day.

Seriously.

Don’t wash your hair every day. This can dry and damage your hair.

The optimal number of times to wash your hair weekly varies a little depending on your hair type. Oily hair may require washing every 2 to 3 days, but dry hair may only need washing 1 to 2 times per week.

For almost everyone, letting your hair go a few days between washes gives your hair’s natural oils a chance to do their thing and keep your hair healthy. Overwashing prevents this and may lead to an itchy scalp, flaking, and dull hair. You need those natural oils!

Try a co-wash.

Can’t skip your shampoo because you go to the gym every day? Try a co-wash.

Co-washing hair products are cleansing conditioners that moisturize and gently clean your hair and scalp.

Cowash conditioners are not meant to replace your shampoo. They’re meant as a go-between. You alternate between co-washing and shampooing to give your hair a break from your shampoo. It’s a great way to “skip shampooing” without skipping the part where you clean your hair.

The LuxeOrganix Cowash Cleansing Conditioner is free of harmful ingredients like sulfates, parabens, and sodium chloride. It’s proven to protect and enhance curly, fine, colored, and chemically straightened hair.

Over time, hard water can dry your hair, leaving it more susceptible to breaking. It can also irritate your scalp and exacerbate eczema or psoriasis.
Most people have little control over the mineral levels in the water in their homes — especially if you’re renting… So, what can you do?

If you own your home, you could install a water softening system for your whole house. This would purify your water at every faucet.

And if you’re a renter, you could install a water softener shower head, which contains filtering cartridges to remove excess minerals and purify the water in your shower.

Either way, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes on your hair and your skin.

How do you wash your hair the right way?

We’ve spelled out the basic steps for you, below.

Wet your hair completely.

Use lukewarm, not hot, water. Hot water breaks the bonds in your hair, and that will eventually lead to hair damage (splits, breaks, frizzies). So keep your water warm, not hot.

And do not start out by immediately applying your shampoo. Instead, let your hair get fully soaking wet.

Depending on how thick or dense your hair is, this might take longer than you think. So let the water flow over your head for at least 1 minute, then run your fingers through your hair to make sure all of it is drenched.

While the water is penetrating your hair, massage your scalp with your fingertips to help loosen up any residual product, dirt, and debris.
Letting your hair get fully wet with lukewarm water helps open the cuticles, making it easier for your hair to absorb your conditioner when you’re done shampooing.

And soaking wet hair will help any shampoo, including sulftate-free shampoos, develop a rich lather.

Apply your shampoo.

Make sure you’re applying the correct amount of shampoo for your hair length. If you use too much, you might not get it all out. And using too little might not thoroughly cleanse your hair.

If you have short hair, aim for a squeeze of shampoo that’s about the size of a nickel. For shoulder-length hair, make it quarter-sized. If you have long hair, make it half-dollar sized.

Apply the shampoo to your entire scalp and crown. Focus on shampooing your scalp, massaging your scalp with your fingertips to help remove dirt and debris.

You don’t need any shampoo on the tips of your hair. The ends will be cleaned later as you rinse the shampoo out.

Be gentle

Don’t use your nails when cleaning your scalp. Your scalp is sensitive and scrubbing with your nails can cause irritation, tears, and infection. Massage with gentle pressure using your fingertips (no nails!) and palms for about 3 minutes. Think of how your hairstylist does it and channel your inner stylist.

You also want to avoid circular or harsh back and forth movements while you massage the shampoo into your scalp. These movements can tangle your hair and damage hair follicles.

Be gentle!

Rinse thoroughly.

Rinse your hair with cooler-temperature water. Cool water will not dry out the sebum, which is an oily, waxy substance produced by your body’s sebaceous glands. It coats, moisturizes, and protects your skin. It’s also the main ingredient in your hair’s natural oils.

Spend at least two minutes rinsing your hair to be sure no soap remains.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is leaving shampoo in their hair. This is what causes buildup. The leftover shampoo also attracts and holds dirt. Nobody wants that!

Always use a conditioner.

Never ever skip your conditioner. Your hair, especially after you wash it with shampoo, always needs a conditioner.

Apply your conditioner from the mid-strand down to the ends of your hair. You don’t need to put conditioner on your scalp, it might make it appear oily.

Then, let your conditioner sit on your hair for the recommended time (this is usually spelled out for you on the bottle). Some conditioners need to sit for 2 to 3 minutes, while a deep conditioner, like the LuxeOrganix Bond Integrity Protein Hair Treatment or Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner Hair Mask, might require 5 or more minutes.

Don’t leave your conditioner in for longer than recommended or it might be harder to rinse out completely. Again, leaving residue behind is not a good look. And leaving conditioner on for too long can actually cause your hair to break. It’s called over-conditioning.

While you let the conditioner soak in, you can use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair if you want. Be gentle with this and start by combing at the bottom and working your way up as your hair is combed.

Rinse again, thoroughly.

Just like with your shampoo, rinse for at least two minutes. A good rule of thumb for rinsing is to always rinse longer than you think you need.

Channel that inner stylist again – what would your hairstylist do? You want to be sure you get it all out.

Dry gently.

Once you’re done washing your hair, get a soft towel and GENTLY squeeze or pat your hair dry.

Never rub, wring, or wrap your wet hair into a tight turban. Wet hair is fragile and this will break it.

If you can, use a microfiber towel or a soft t-shirt. The rougher the fiber in your towel, the more damage it could cause to your hair. So think soft!

Now you know!

There is a right way to wash your hair. And now that you know it, your hair will thank you.

If you take the time to choose your products carefully, invest in a water softener, wash your hair gently, and condition it, you can help your hair be stronger, healthier, softer, and shinier.

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CoWash Cleansing Conditioner

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These thoughts sometimes keep us up at night and sometimes lead to amazing discoveries.

Like Ginseng.

Did you know that Ginseng has the ability to decrease the levels of an inflammatory substance, known as TGF-81, that leads to hair loss?

How Does Your Hair Grow?

Before we dive in and tell you how amazing ginseng is, let’s take a look at how your hair grows.

Your hair grows in three stages, called Anagen, Catagen, and Telogen. These phases last for different lengths of time and control how long your hair actually grows. They’re broken down below for you.

The Anagen Phase

The first stage of hair growth is the Anagen Phase. In this phase, your hair grows approximately 1cm per month. Your genetics determine how long your hair stays in this phase. For most people, this phase can last from 3-5 years. The time your hair is in this phase also determines how long it will grow. About 85%-90% of your hair is in this growth phase at any given moment.

The Catagen Phase

The second stage of hair growth is called the Catagen phase. This is a rapid transition phase and only lasts about 2 weeks. In this phase, the hair follicle prepares to grow a new hair. It shrinks to around 1/6th its original size, cutting the existing hair off from nourishing blood supply. This is the phase where your hair follicle “dies.” Don’t stress about it – hair follicle death is actually a natural part of the hair growth cycle, and you can still regrow hair if a follicle dies.

The Telogen Phase

The last stage of hair growth, called the Telogen phase, is when your hair follicle is resting. The Telogen phase lasts from 1–4 months and approximately 10-15% of your hair follicles are in this phase at any given time. At the end of the Telogen phase, your hair follicle starts to grow a new hair. This new hair pushes out the old hair, causing it to shed. So, shedding hair is normal and part of the process of hair growth. Most people shed between 50 and 100 strands per day.

Bad News / Good News

There are a lot of factors — like hormones, harsh ingredients in your hair products, stress, and diet — that can interfere with these phases. This can cause things like your hair follicles to spend more time resting and less time growing. Eventually, the anagen phase can become so short that your hair follicles end up in a semi-permanent state of the telogen phase. This is also known as baldness, and can affect both men and women.

The good news is there are also a lot of factors — like ingredients that nourish your hair and scalp, your diet, and lifestyle — that can help these phases. If, for example, you can extend the anagen phase, and decrease the telogen phase, you would have more hair growth, and hair that grows for a longer time. (Thicker, longer hair, anyone?)

Like Ginseng.

These plants are characterized by the presence of ginsenosides and gintonin. It’s commonly called “man-root” because the root is shaped like a person. The root and root hairs are the parts of this plant used for herbal and medicinal reasons.

Ginseng benefits your whole body.

Does Ginseng Cause Hair Growth?

Ginseng has lots of benefits for your hair.

Ginseng’s herbal properties have the ability to regulate and decrease the levels of an inflammatory substance that leads to hair loss. This inflammatory substance, called TGF-β1, induces the telogen phase. Ginseng does the opposite by increasing the length of the anagen phase. In general, it promotes healthy hair growth by making sure the telogen phase is not longer than the anagen phase.

Ginseng is formed by active components called ginsenosides that have a positive effect on hair growth and its cycle. Ginsenosides have an anti-oxidation effect that alters the hair growth cycle. These active components can help reverse conditions that cause hair weakening and loss, like UV-ray exposure. Plus the nutritional elements of ginseng, like saponin and phytosterols, contribute to the maintenance of a healthy scalp. Saponin is an antibacterial compound that fights infections effectively and phytosterols are believed to minimize premature greying of your hair.

It is well known that Panax ginseng has various pharmacological effects such as anti-aging and anti-inflammation. In a scientific study, Panax ginseng extract was shown to induce hair growth by increasing the size of hair follicles, which promoted the growth of thicker, stronger hairs. It also shortens the telogen (resting) phase of hair growth, which means your hair stays in the anagen (growth) phase longer.

How do you use it?

The easiest way to use ginseng for hair growth is to use products that contain it, like shampoos and conditioners. It would be helpful if you make sure those products do not also contain harsh ingredients, like sulfates and formaldehyde, that may cause hair fall. Otherwise, your ginseng will not be of much use.

You do not need to do anything out of the ordinary — just shampoo and condition! 

Lucky for you, we’ve thought about this. Our Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner were created to give you the benefit of ginseng, along with a lot of other ingredients that support healthy hair and scalp. We’ve selected Ingredients that nourish hair in the anagen phase so that it grows healthy and strong, and left out anything that might lengthen the telogen phase or cause irritation to your scalp.

We believe that quality ingredients, not harsh chemicals, are the path to beautiful hair, and we want you to feel good about using them, too.

And ladies, share this with everyone, including your guy. We all struggle with hair issues. Could his hair maybe use a little boost from ginseng? It’s never too late to help make your hair follicles healthy, so you can grow stronger, longer, thicker hair. 

Biotin Shampoo 16oz 

The center layer, called the medulla, or the pith or marrow of the hair, is the innermost layer. It’s composed of round cells and is only normally found in thick and/or coarse hair. Naturally blonde and fine hair generally does not have a medulla. This almost invisible layer is the softest and most fragile part of your hair.

The cortex, or cortical layer, of your hair, makes up the bulk of what hair is. It accounts for 90% of the total weight of a strand of hair. The cortex is located between the hair cuticle and medulla and is the thickest hair layer. The cortex is the layer that gives your hair its strength, moisture, color (from melanin, like that found in your skin), and texture. The cortex also plays a part in the shine of your hair.

The topmost layer of your hair is called the cuticle. This cuticle is a protective shell of overlapping cells, arranged like tiles on a roof around the cortex. Their function is to provide a barrier that keeps moisture in, and everything else out. Your hair’s softness, prone to tangle, ease of combing, and shine all depend on the health of the cuticle.

Without continuing too far down the scientific rabbit hole of hair, let’s get back to the cortex…

Cells in the cortex are loosely connected in cylindrical bundles called macrofibrils, made of proteins. These macrofibrils are like the inner strands of a rope. They are made of amino acids combined together to create keratin, which is a protective protein that is less prone to scratching or tearing than other types of cells in your body.

Keratin is held together by two types of bonds:

1. Hydrogen: which are temporary bonds that, when heat is applied, can change the style of your hair.  These bonds give your hair its elasticity.
    
2. Disulfide: these are permanent bonds that maintain the shape of your hair.  They are the bonds that make your hair strong and resistant to breaking.
    

Why do Hair Bonds matter?

Hair bonds are responsible for the shape, strength, elasticity and shine of your hair. If these bonds break, your hair strands will become brittle, damaged, and ultimately break too, leaving you with short and broken hairs.

How do they break?

Hydrogen bonds are broken by water. They break when you wash your hair, stand in the rain, or simply are in a humid environment.

Disulfide bonds are broken by heat. This happens when you use a hairdryer, curling iron, or straighteners, from some chemicals like those used in straightening or coloring (bleaching) treatments, and even sunlight.

YIKES! That probably accounts for most of what happens to your hair every day.

• Be gentle with your washing – scrubbing your scalp results in tangles, which means more combing to detangle your hair, and this causes more breakage.
• Rinse your hair in lukewarm water, not hot. (Remember that heat breaks bonds.) Your bonds are weak at this point in your hair care routine.
• Always condition your hair. Conditioners, like our Bond Integrity Protein Hair Treatment, are made with proteins that help restore the bonds that are damaged. They also help to detangle hair. Deep conditioners, like our Coconut  Oil Deep Conditioner, help to hydrate your hair, which keeps your hair bonds healthy and your hair shiny.
• To minimize hair damage after you shampoo, avoid wrapping your hair in a towel turban, vigorously rubbing, and then drying your hair with full-strength heat from your hairdryer. Air drying your hair is the least damaging method to styling, but this may not be practical when you’re running late and need to get to work!  Be kind to your stressed-out bonds! Gently pat the extra moisture from your hair with a soft towel and blow dry with low heat.

This gives you a lot to think about, right? But thoughtfully taking care of your hair will give you the bonds that shine. And those that are strong, and flexible, and healthy!

And that concludes today’s science lesson on hair bonds… Any questions?

Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner Set

Deep Conditioner Hair Mask