During the past year I have read a lot of articles about the effects of Biotin, Placenta and Sulfates on hair. I have also mentioned them in previous posts and thought that perhaps I should write a bit more about them so that you may understand why I say what I said about them and make your own decision:
Biotin
Biotin is said to be a major component in the natural hair manufacturing process -- it is essential to not only grow new hair, but it also plays a major role in the overall health of skin and nails. I used to take Biotin supplements from the Clicks range, but I have never been good at taking supplements so I never even finished the course. However, I found a placenta with Biotin so I just use that instead. I also read that biotin is not absorbed well by the hair and skin, so perhaps my placenta and supplements are not really of much use anyways. I keep using the placenta because it makes my hair really soft (in previous post). Its said that a biotin deficiency is a rare disorder so I guess most of us are safe. However, if you start experiencing hair loss, perhaps it would be wise to consider adding Biotin to your hair regimen or diet (if you can swallow raw eggs)...however please remember to first check with your doctor to see if your hair loss isn't linked to something more serious.
Placenta
When I first heard that placenta is good for hair I was not very keen on trying it. The thought of using placenta on my hair was a bit gross. However, I warmed up to it when I found it and saw that the product was in a spray bottle that looked like a normal hair spray. Placenta is good for hair because it helps build the protein that is lost as a result of processing our hair using chemicals (relaxers, perms etc) or the excessive heat caused by blow drying, tongs etc. I find that it helps make my hair more manageable, I use the nu-Hair brand, but I am sure there could be other brands out there I just haven't found them yet. If you know of another brand and have tried it, please email me (justfab13@gmail.com) or leave a comment and let me know. I am always open to trying new brands and will post the results on the blog.
Sulfates
Most shampoos that I have come across have a product called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laurenth Sulfate (SLES). Its used to give the shampoo a rich lather, and lets face it, most if not all of us tend to feel that our shampoo is working when we see the foam right? Well Sulfates are very good cleaning agents unfortunately they are too good. They actually strip the hair of moisture and various essential oils. Sulfate free shampoos are better to use BUT they do not clean the hair as well as the Sulfate shampoos do. So what's a girl to do???? Well I use a sulfate free shampoo at home. Its from the nu-Hair range. Its a bit more pricey than most shampoos so I am still looking for another brand. What I noticed about it is that it doesn't lather as quickly as the SLS/SLES shampoos, but my hair doesn't get hard after washing.
I figured that although it may not wash my hair as well as SLS/SLES shampoos do, its not a problem at all because I still visit the salon for washes anyways and I have a feeling that they use SLS/SLES shampoos. So my hair still gets the good "scrubbing" that the SLES/SLS provide (unfortunately it also gets the damage). If however, you are one of those ladies who prefer to do your hair at home 90% of the time, you may then buy a deep cleansing shampoo to use once a month.
Alcohol
If you want long beautiful hair, avoid hair products with alcohol at all costs. Alcohol dries hair and dry hair gets damaged and breaks off. This means that alcohol prevents hair growth. I have often felt like I look strange while looking at the ingredients/chemicals in hair products in the shop, but trust me its worth it. You don't want alcohol anywhere near your hair.
Mineral Oil
Okay, from what I have read, mineral oil is said to be bad for our hair because although it helps it shine, it also coats it so that no moisture can get to the hair. Think about it this way, its like trying to wash a pan that had oil in it. What you will see is that the water does not reach the surface of the pan, the oil does not get washed out. That’s what mineral oil does to our hair. However, companies that manufacture hair products say that the mineral oil they use is not the same as the one used for industrial purposes. They say that its fine to use on our hair, so in that case I leave it up to you to decide whether to use products with mineral oil or not. I personally don't use them because I don't want to take the risk.
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