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

What is Maskne?

Simply put, maskne is acne and irritation caused by wearing a facial mask. It can affect anyone, of any age, and both men and women. Women may see it more often than men because they also frequently wear makeup beneath the mask.

When you wear a mask, breathing or talking traps hot air close to your skin.

This trapped air creates a humid environment perfect for yeast, bacteria, and other flora, such as demodex (types of skin mites that naturally live on your skin), to grow.

This bacterial imbalance, combined with friction from your mask, can promote acne, dermatitis, itchy or cracked dry skin, and rosacea flare-ups.

And while most of the country is unmasking, we’re not out of the woods with maskne just yet.

Chances are that you are probably going to continue to need to use a mask periodically, such as if virus surges hit, or when using public transportation like airplanes, rideshare, busses, and trains. Medical professionals and others who wear masks at work are also prone to maskne.

So how do you wear a mask and still have clear, radiant skin?

Disposable masks are a good alternative to fabric. Especially if your skin is sensitive, a disposable mask can be a key part of your mask-wearing skin care. Using fabric masks for more than a day can irritate your skin and create an environment for acne to form and spread.

Why? Because the yeast, bacteria, and germs continue to live in your mask. With disposable masks, you will not be tempted to keep wearing a dirty mask. Plus they are typically made of a lighter weight than fabric masks, so they will not trap as much moisture so close to your skin.

Avoiding (or surviving) maskne is not only about the type of mask you wear. A regular routine of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing your face will also help control it.

A Good Skin Care Routine

A regular routine of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing your face will also help control it.

Cleanse

Every good skin care routine starts by cleaning your skin. The LuxeOrganix Remarkably Clean Purifying Facial Cleanser is your best start. Made with activated bamboo charcoal, it’s designed to pull the impurities lurking deep in your pores out so that bacteria and yeast that were triggered to grow beneath your mask cannot continue to thrive. It’s loaded with natural ingredients that also help minimize your pores. Use it twice a day to keep your skin clean.

Soothe

Many of our customers report that our LuxeOrganix Kakadu Vitamin C Serum is really helpful at soothing irritated skin and healing the acne caused by mask-wearing. We’ve put vitamin E in this serum, which helps heal and minimize acne scarring. The Kakadu plum vitamin C also helps to fade any discoloration caused by acne and gives you a more even skin tone. This serum also hydrates your skin, which is important. Hydrated skin has a strong outer barrier, which helps keep it healthy and works hard at keeping dirt, grime, and bacteria out.

You can do it!

You can control maskne. A solid skin care routine will clean your skin, exfoliate dead cells to keep your pores open, and moisturize to heal it. This, plus a constant supply of good, clean masks will help eliminate the red, irritated, and sometimes cystic acne that constant mask-wearing causes.

You can do it!

If you want to read more, we’ve written a lot about skin care and explain the best way to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize in another blog post. Click here to read it now.

Some Helpful Videos On the Subject

ReNew Exfoliating Face Mask Polishing Scrub

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.

Related Videos on Hair Care

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.

Some Helpful Videos On the Subject

CoWash Cleansing Conditioner

Bond Integrity Protein Hair Treatment

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

There is a way to get your beautiful locks back in line before springtime, and we’re sharing the secrets below.

​1. Frizzies

Frizzy hair occurs because the humidity (water) in the atmosphere affects the hydrogen bonds in your hair. The humidity breaks the bonds down and alters the pH, and consequently the shape of each hair. This causes your hair to kink up a little.

In the winter, friction between your hair and your winter clothes, like that cozy scarf or sweater, may actually rough up your hair follicle, resulting in some in static electricity and flyaway hair strands.

Add this to hair with broken bonds, and POOF! Major frizzies!

How can you stop winter humidity from making hair frizzy?

One way to combat this: a good conditioner will keep your hair hydrated, fighting off the static electricity and flyaways. A deep conditioner, like our Bond Integrity Protein Hair Treatment, will help prevent erosion of your hair bonds. This conditioner helps keep these bonds strong, so humidity can’t break them down so quickly.

2. Hat Head

Hats are a must in the winter. But hats can absorb any moisture in your hair, leaving your strands dry (and dull-looking) and your style limp.

Is there a fix for hat head?

Since you’re not giving up your hats mid-winter, you need a plan. You can avoid Hat Head by using styling products that lock moisture into your hair. 

Good products, like our Argan Oil Styling Cream, can help keep your hair moisturized (and reduce frizzies) while maintaining a beautiful style. It also gives your hair a healthy shine, which winter tends to dull.

Bonus tip: After you style your strands, make sure to wait until your hair cools. Do not put your hat on right after you’re done blow-drying your hair. You need to let it cool down; if your hair is still warm and moldable when you put your hat on, it will be flat and lifeless when you take it off. When you get to your destination, flip your hair upside down and give it a little fluff with your fingertips after you remove your hat. This will revive your hair, and since you waited until your style cooled, it will maintain its original shape.

3. Tight, Itching Scalp

Just like your skin, your scalp is prone to becoming dry and itchy once the cold weather hits. Unlike your skin though, you can’t slather your scalp in a rich cream and call it a day. (Please don’t try it…  it’s not a good look!)

A dry scalp lacks hydration and moisture, which leads to flaking and itching.

Hydrate your scalp?

To treat a tight, itchy, flaky scalp, switch up your regular shampoo and conditioner to a more gentle formula designed for dry scalps, like our Psoriasis Shampoo + Body Wash. You don’t need to go cold-turkey and ditch your favorite shampoo until spring, but using a more gentle formula a few times a week can help combat the dryness and itching. Our Psoriasis Shampoo was specifically created for dry, sensitive skin. It’s a soothing treatment (not medicated or artificially scented) that hydrates your scalp while it cleans.

Another consideration may be to wash your hair less often in the winter. This will allow more of your natural oils to sit on your scalp so that the skin stays hydrated and protected against the blistering cold. Our CoWash Cleansing Conditioner helps with this. It’s not a shampoo, so it will not strip your hair of its natural oils. It cleans while it conditions. Swapping your regular routine for a CoWash once or twice a week will help protect your scalp in the winter weather.

4. Matted Hair

While you probably don’t admit this out loud, a lot of people struggle with matted hair in the winter. The instant you start wearing thicker collar jackets and scarves, the hair at the nape of your neck creates a rat’s nest that rivals any beaver dam ever built. It basically looks and feels like you rode a motorcycle on the highway without a helmet. Yikes!

How do you combat mat?

Keep your strands together! Braid your hair to the back or side, or put it up in a bun to keep your strands tangle-free. If you absolutely have to wear your hair down, section your hair off so the hair from your ears down stays together. Put that section in a ponytail,  and leave the top section loose over the top of the ponytail. This will minimize your matting potential.

First, take a break from your hot tools. They suck the moisture out of your hair and contribute to the problem. Can’t cut them out entirely? Ok, scale them way back. Rather than everyday use, try using them only once or twice per week.

Next, add more moisture to your hair care regimen. A hydrating shampoo, conditioner, and a mask with hydrating ingredients like coconut oil or argan oil. We recommend our Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner, and our Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner. Using one or more of these products one or more days each week will help fight the straw effect.

Finally, sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase, or use a satin-lined cap when you go to bed. It sounds silly but these products help retain any moisture you’re putting back into your hair. You probably were not aware of this, but a cotton pillowcase can actually work against your hair as cotton absorbs moisture… even that hiding in your tresses.

You Can’t End Winter

Using any or all of these recommendations won’t make winter go away any sooner, but it will help you get through the cold months with beautiful, healthy hair that makes everyone take notice.

Who doesn’t want that?

CoWash Cleansing Conditioner

Argan Oil Styling Cream

Experts agree that these ingredients can enter your body through inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption.

LuxeOrganix was started, not as a response to breast cancer, but to combat the daily dose of harsh ingredients that impact our health.

In her early 30’s, LuxeOrganix Founder, Christine, was rapidly losing her hair and dealing with numerous health issues. Frustrated, she began working with a functional health practitioner at overcoming her health woes naturally. Christine was advised to replace the everyday products she was using in her home with more natural or organic alternatives. Christine learned that many of the ingredients in her daily routine products were contributing to her health problems. This list included cleaning products she was using in her home, toothpastes, hair and skin care products, and even the containers she used for cooking and food storage.

What Christine wanted in her shampoo and conditioner just wasn’t available. This inspired her to create LuxeOrganix

The focus at the beginning was to create hair care products that would provide a beautiful result, while intentionally leaving out known ingredients that have been linked to the development of breast cancer and other health issues. We started by avoiding two common ingredients found in many hair care products: Phthalates and Parabens.

As stated in the California Paths to Prevention Breast Cancer Plan (a great free report, by the way):

“Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are used to soften plastics and are found in toys and some medical devices, as well as in many household and personal care products. Phthalates have been detected in human urine and blood samples, in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women, and in human breast milk.  They can also pass through the placenta and expose the fetus during development. Because of their endocrine-disrupting properties, phthalates have complex effects on estrogen and androgen hormone systems… consistent with laboratory studies, exposure to dibutyl phthalate (DBP) has been associated with increased risk of ER+ breast cancer… Several phthalates have been associated with altered and delayed breast development. Other phthalates have been found to inhibit breast cancer cell treatment and increase the growth of new cells through in vitro studies.”

It goes on to mention parabens.

“Parabens are anti-microbial agents found in food, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products and can be absorbed through the skin and the GI tract. As estrogen mimickers, they can increase cell growth and proliferation and inhibit cell death. Since parabens can alter estrogen related pathways to cause abnormal growth in breast tissue, those exposed prenatally and during childhood are especially vulnerable to their negative health effects.”

We don’t need these ingredients. And our bodies do not want them. We took our products a step further, avoiding harsh chemicals and controversial ingredients. We truly believe that beauty should not sacrifice your health or well-being. We strive to create products made of as many natural and organic ingredients as possible.

What is touching to us, is that several of our customers have written to thank Christine for creating LuxeOrganix. They’ve shared their stories of going through breast cancer and being relieved to find products that actually deliver beautiful results without harsh chemicals. We all tear up every time we read that LuxeOrganix products made someone feel good again.

We thank you for trusting us with your hair and skin care, and are grateful for your commitment to nourish your beauty, naturally, with LuxeOrganix.

Feel beautiful.

​Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is one of the most important vitamins in your body. It helps convert the food you eat (fats, proteins, and carbohydrates) into energy. It’s also used by your body to produce red blood cells, promote healthy hair and skin, aid digestion, and create hormones. Some of its amazing benefits include:

• Anti-inflammatory: Panthenol has an anti-inflammatory effect and reduces the redness and swelling caused by sun exposure, rash, poison ivy, insect bites, dryness, and eczema.
• Improves hydration: Panthenol penetrates the lower skin layers bringing water to the cells, and helps strengthen the skin’s barrier so the moisture is locked in.
• Protects hair: Panthenol protects your hair from styling or environmental damage by locking in moisture. It also improves hair shine, softness, and strength
• Helps heal wounds: The same cells that boost the skin’s barrier are important for healing wounds, this is why panthenol is often used for minor skin sores and conditions.

What does all of this mean to you?

For Your Hair

Your scalp enjoys the same benefits from panthenol as your skin. Panthenol’s anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory properties hydrate your scalp and soothe irritation. Keeping moisture locked in may also help reduce itchy, dry scalp, and dandruff.

With your hair, after this pro-vitamin penetrates the hair cuticle, it promotes moisture retention and provides volume in the hair shaft. It has a similar action as in your skin, where it can penetrate deeply and lock in moisture. This creates a smooth hair strand, which makes your hair shine, prevents tangles, and protects strands from styling and environmental damage. It may also help to slow thinning of your hair.

To re-cap the benefits, panthenol moisturizes your skin and hair, leaving your skin soft and your hair shiny and tangle-free. It also helps protect both by building up the protective barrier and regenerating cells.

We’re often asked why we use panthenol in our products… Why wouldn’t we? We think it’s the perfect ingredient for younger-looking skin and more beautiful hair!

Where You Can Find It

We use Panthenol in our Vitamin C Infusion Nourishing Daily Face Moisturizer, Bond Integrity Protein Hair Treatment, Organic Psoriasis Shampoo + Body Wash, Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner,  Invigorate Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner Set, and CoWash Cleansing Conditioner.

Psoriasis Shampoo + Body Wash

CoWash Cleansing Conditioner