Hair Porosity 101
Hair porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It affects how fast your hair dries, how well oils and moisture penetrate your strands, and how humidity affects your hair.
first things first… What it ‘hair porosity’?
Hair porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It affects how fast your hair dries, how well oils and moisture penetrate your strands, and how humidity affects your hair.
Is my hair ‘high porosity’?
High porosity hair dries quickly because it does not retain moisture for long. This is a result of the gaps or spaces in the cuticles. High porosity hair also tends to break easily and be frizzy.
test your hair porosity -the float test:
Take a strand of your hair and place it into a cup of water. If your hair sinks to the bottom, you have high porosity hair that it is soaking up the moisture. If your hair stays afloat on top, you have low porosity hair that has difficult absorbing moisture. If your hair is suspended in the water you have normal, medium porosity, or “balanced” hair.
damaged hair = high porosity
Adding excess protein to low porosity hair may clog the cuticle and make it even harder for moisture to penetrate. This can lead to brittle and weak hair, which lead to further breakage. High porosity hair, on the other hand, will benefit from protein treatments because they help the hair retain moisture and build flexibility.
can you change your hair porosity?
Yes. Porosity is usually genetic but it can change throughout your life depending on a number of factors. Heat styling, chemical processing, and environmental damage (like pollution or exposure to salt water) can all affect your hair porosity.
Pillow Talk: How your sleep habits affect your hair
There’s a reason she was ‘sleeping’ beauty. We spend a third of our lives sleeping. Here’s how to make your beauty sleep more magical.
Getting your beauty rest is vital for your overall health and well-being. Not only does it impact our physical and mental health, but it can also affect the health of our hair. Read on to see if you’re PM routines are sabotaging your hair health.
01 Lack of Sleep
One of the most significant ways that your sleeping habits can impact your hair is through hair loss. Sleep deprivation leads to physical stress in the body. In turn, this can cause your hair follicles to enter the resting phase. This phase causes hair loss, and if it happens frequently, could lead to thinning hair or even bald patches.
Improve your sleep quality:
Try a noise machine or a noise playlist at night. Pink noise has equal energy across all frequencies, similar to white noise. White and pink noise can help drown out external sounds and promote relaxation.
Use a sleep supplement like melatonin or GABA (never heard of GABA? Start here)
Wear a silk eyemask to block unwanted light disturbances. A 2010 study showed that sleepers were able to spend more time in REM sleep while wearing a sleep mask.
white and pink noise playlist on spotify
02 Your Bedding
Stop sleeping on cotton pillowcases. Cotton is a rough material that can cause friction between your hair and the pillowcase. This friction can lead to hair breakage, split ends, and even hair loss. To prevent this, consider switching to a silk or satin pillowcase. These materials are much smoother and will cause less friction on your hair, keeping it healthy and beautiful.
Bonus - Natural silk won’t absorb your skincare products or leech moisture away from the hair or skin.
Blissy Silk Pillowcase on Amazon
03 Damp Hair
If you're someone who likes to shower before bed and sleep with wet hair, you might be doing more harm than good. Sleeping with wet hair can cause your hair to tangle and break. Wet hair is also more fragile than dry hair, so sleeping with it wet can cause it to become damaged more easily. To prevent this, make sure your hair is completely dry before going to bed, or consider showering in the morning instead.
It’s also important to note that if you’re our client and have extensions, you should blow dry your extensions to maintain their shine and prevent knotting.
shop our favorite blowdryer: Repronizer 7D Plus
What makes Natural Beaded Rows different than other extensions?
Hair extensions are a popular way to add length and volume to your hair. However, not all extensions are created equal.
Hair extensions are a popular way to add length and volume to your hair. However, not all extensions are created equal. Natural Beaded Rows (NBR) is a sought-after technique that’s elevated how extensions look, feel, and maintain hair health.
A Lived-In, Natural Aesthetic
Remember how Barbie’s hair wouldn’t move? It just never sat quite right once you tried to style it. That’s exactly what we do not want our extension clients to feel like.
One of the main advantages of NBR is the natural look it provides. Unlike other types of extensions, NBR uses a unique beading technique that allows the hair to move freely and blend seamlessly with your natural hair. The extensions are placed on a track of beads that are sewn into your hair, creating a more natural appearance. The result is hair that looks and feels like your own. We wholeheartedly believe that the best transformation a client can have is feeling like her best self… not an over-produced replica of someone else’s idea of beauty. To that end, we spend the time required to ensure your cut and color help to create a perfectly unique, completely natural look.
Low Maintenance
Another advantage of NBR is its low maintenance. Unlike other types of extensions that require regular maintenance and upkeep, NBR only needs to be adjusted every 6-8 weeks. This is partly because the technique maintains hair health as you wear them. They are known for causing less breakage and thinning than clips, tapes, and glues. This means that we don’t have to fuss over appointments as often in order to preserve your hair’s health. You can enjoy your lush, voluminous hair without having to spend hours in our chair, sacrificing your aesthetic, or worrying that the grow-out is causing damage. .
They’re Actually Comfortable
NBR extensions are also known for their comfort. The beaded track used to secure the extensions is lightweight and doesn’t put any tension on your hair the way other methods can. With NBR extensions you can go from the tennis court to the office and then for cocktails without feeling weighed down.
What do you love most about NBR extensions? Have you tried them? If not, this could be your sign that it’s time to harness the power of incredible hair.
6 Ways you’re sabotaging your hair health
You may think you’re doing all the things right, but these three mishaps are more common than you think. In fact, we bet you’re making at least 2 of 3.
Every girl dreams of having hair that's healthy and shiny. But even with all the effort we put in, sometimes it just doesn't work out. Usually, it's because we're not really sure what we're doing. So, let's talk about the five most common ways we mess up our hair.
01
Too Much Heat
We love our straighteners, curling irons, and blow dryers, but they're not good for our hair if we use them too much. The high temperature of these tools can make our hair dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. So, let's use them less and at a lower temperature.
02
poor Diet
What we eat affects our hair health too. If we don't get enough of the right vitamins, minerals, and proteins, our hair becomes brittle, dry, and prone to breakage. So, let's make sure we eat enough protein, fruits, and veggies.
03
Over-Washing
Washing our hair too often can also damage it. If we wash it too much, we strip our hair of its natural oils, which makes it dry and brittle. So, let's wash our hair two to three times a week, depending on our hair type.
04
Tight Hairstyles
Wearing tight hairstyles like braids, ponytails, and buns can cause hair breakage and hair loss if we wear them too often. So, let's give our hair a break and avoid tight hairstyles as much as possible.
05
At-Home Color Treatments
Hair coloring, perming, and relaxing can also damage our hair. These treatments can weaken our hair, making it prone to breakage and hair loss. So, let's limit chemical treatments and use them only when necessary.
06
Bed Linens
Sleeping on synthetic bedlinens can cause hair damage. The fibers tend to be rougher and increase friction as you toss and turn. Synthetic fabrics may also be responsible for leeching moisture from your hair. Try a silk pillowcase to prevent damage. Bonus - it will reduce the formation of sleep lines and better preserve your skincare.
We often cause our hair distress without knowing it. But we can avoid these mistakes by taking care of our hair. A healthy diet, regular trimming, and using natural hair care products can help us achieve healthy and shiny hair.
Essential Nutrients for a Healthy Scalp
The key to a healthy scalp is providing it with the essential nutrients.
A healthy scalp is essential for gorgeous, healthy hair growth. Unfortunately, many women focus on products and treatments but neglect the importance of nutrition as a way to improve scalp health. Here are 3 essential nutrients for maintaining a healthy scalp - and preserving your natural hair growth cycle.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
These fatty acids help to reduce inflammation, which can lead to a dry and itchy scalp. Omega-3s also improve blood circulation, which can help to deliver nutrients to the hair follicles.
where you’ll find them:fatty fish, nuts, seeds
Biotin
Biotin is a B vitamin that helps to strengthen hair follicles and promotes healthy hair growth. Biotin also helps to prevent dry and itchy scalp by improving the production of natural oils.
where you’ll find them:eggs, almonds, avocados, sweet potatoes
Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral that helps to regulate oil production, which can prevent dandruff and other scalp conditions. Zinc can also work to strengthen hair follicles, which leads to healthier new growth.
where you’ll find them:oysters, beef, spinach, pumpkin seeds
A healthy scalp is essential for healthy hair growth, and providing it with the essential nutrients it needs is key. Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and biotin are three essential nutrients that can help to keep your scalp healthy. Incorporate these nutrients into your diet or consider taking supplements to promote a healthy scalp and beautiful hair.