PH balancers for moisture retention and better hair growth

Keeping the hair in the proper pH balance is an essential part to maintaining healthy hair. Hair is acidic with an average pH around 3.7. Most shampoos have a pH between 7 and 9. The wash process should always consist of cleansing and conditioning. Conditioners help to restore the pH to the hair, after cleansing. 

But conditioning is not enough!

On top of  conditioning, the Coily Queens Regimen uses pH balancers.  Each wash process is completed by applying a pH balancer to the hair. The program has two pH balancers: ACV rinses and Aloe Vera spritz.

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

After rinsing DC from hair, pour all over hair, leave on for 3 minutes, and rinse with cool water.

Pure Aloe Vera Leaf

ALOE SPRITZER: Apply to hair after you rinse out your deep conditioner. Leave on hair, then add your leave in conditioner or moisturizer

Both of these are done at the end of your shampoo process. Both have great benefits. I recommend using them both. Simply alternating each wash routine. Both of these treatments are cheap. But ACV is the cheapest of the duo.

ACV Rinse

Is a rinse out treatment

Use once a week only

Helps the hair cuticle to lay flatter, so hair holds moisture longer and has more shine.

Helps growth by removing bacteria and fungus.

Be sure the pH is a 4.

Aloe Vera Spritzer

A leave in treatment

Use daily if desired

Helps hair cuticle to lay flatter, thus creating smooth twist outs, shine and hair holds moisture longer. 

See how to increase hair growth with aloe Vera leaf HERE

What you need to know about the hair cuticle.

The hair cuticle is the outer layer of your hair, the part you see is the cuticle.

The hair cuticle is made of  layers, which resemble  fish scales.

The hair cuticle is made up of dead cells.

The hair cuticle is protection for the inner cortex of your hair, which is softer. 

The hair cuticle never closes. No product can be truly sealed into your hair.

The hair cuticle can only be made to lay flatter.

The majority of products you use, only lay on top of the hair cuticle. You do not want a lot of products reaching the inner cortex of your hair.

Water can penetrate all hair. Because all hair is porous. No matter if you think you have low porosity hair or not. 

Heat makes the hair cuticle open more.

Cold makes the hair cuticle lay flatter.

Once the hair cuticle is damaged it cannot be corrected. It can be temporarily repaired.

Things that damage the hair cuticle

Harsh ingredients with PH over 10

Hair color, bleach, relaxers

Brushing the hair

Heat from flat irons, straighteners and blow dryers.

The leave in conditioner

 
Afro hair is curly hair and curly hair thrives on moisture. The hair care regimen of those with curly hair must consist of products which feed the hair moisture and products that are properly PH balanced for the hair. There are 3 categories of  hair care: cleansers, conditioners and stylers. Conditioners are the most important of the three. There are different types of conditioners such as: deep conditioners, rinse out quick conditioners, protein treatments and leave in conditioners. The leave in conditioners is the most important product in your hair care regimen. The leave in conditioner is comprised of ingredients which can remain on the hair to provide continuous conditioning to Afro curly hair through out the day. The leave in conditioner was created for your Afro curly hair.

If you are on a budget, the leave in conditioner is the one product you want to splurge on. A good leave in is essential to longer growth retention.  Be sure to invest in a leave in conditioner that is not made up of ,a ton of harsh ingredients. Remember this product remains on your hair until washing, what goes on the hair eventually seeps onto the scalp. Consider this when you shop for your leave in conditioner. 

SEVEN QUALITIES TO LOOK FOR  IN A  LEAVE IN CONDITIONER:
1. PH not over 5.0
2. Water as the first ingredient
3. Contains natural butters, oils,  and extracts
4. Least harsh ingredients
5. Economically priced ($1.50 or less per ounce)
6. The colder the touch of the product the more moisturizing   I find it to be. 
7. Does it leave the hair moisturized for 2 days or more?

THE WRONG PH BALANCED PRODUCT CAN CREATE A MESS!
The PH of the product is very important because if the PH is over 6.0 that product stands a good chance at raising the hair cuticle. When the hair cuticle is raised higher, moisture quickly escapes the hair. This leaves you with dry, hard hair that forms knots when you manipulate it.  You can keep piling on moisturizer but it will feel as though your hair is soaking up the product yet is still not any softer. In reality the product is just sitting on top of your hair shaft causing buildup, this also causes your hair to dry out even more. Day after day you have applied this high PH product to your hair, and after a week you have a huge brittle mess! This is why PH is so important.

ROTATE THREE LEAVE IN CONDITIONERS
The Coily Queens regimen suggest you have at least 3 leave in conditioners you rotate within your regimen. WHY? Well the needs of our hair changes from time to time,  for various reasons. It is very common to have an awesome product you love and then one day it just no longer works the same. If you rotate your products this is less likely to happen. 

A PRODUCT DOES NOT HAVE TO SAY "LEAVE IN CONDITIONER" ON THE BOTTLE, IT ONLY NEEDS TO CONTAIN INGREDIENTS THAT CONDITION AND CAN BE LEFT ON THE HAIR.

A GOOD LEAVE IN CONDITIONER WILL ALSO DOUBLE AS A STYLER. 

LEAVE IN CONDITIONERS I LIKE, THAT PERFORM AS CONDITIONERS AND STYLERS.

SHAMPOO 1st DAY RICH CREAMY LEAVE IN CONDITIONERS>>>>>>>

Shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie

Cantu Shea Butter leave in conditioner

Afro Stretch creme by 4Naturals

Shea moisture restorative conditioner

Elasta QP Olive oil Mango butter curl pudding

Taliah Waajiid curl defining creme

AS I AM DOUBLE BUTTER CREAM (for 1st day conditioning use the As I am leave in under it)  

Read my review on the As I am double butter cream here.
 

These are great 2nd or 3rd day  lotion conditioners>>>>>

As I am leave in conditioner

Shea moisture milk

Karen Body Beautiful sweet ambroisa leave in

Green magic cream by Liquid Gold products

Shea butter blend of peppermint and orange. Stimulate your hair follicles with this yummy blend. Great 3rd day styler to keep hair elongated.

These products are great for 3rd day styling. These products keep the hair soft, defined and lubricated while giving the hair more stretch. You get less shrinkage and more elongation for your twist outs. 

Nikki's Naturals Shea butter peppermint-orange blend
Green Magic cream

As I am double butter cream

SHEA YOGURT HAIR MOISTURIZERS by Alikay naturals. 

ORDER GREAT QUALITY SHEA BUTTER CREME, SHEA BUTTER AND AUTHENTIC BLACK SOAP HERE

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How to choose your hair care products?

Part one: 

Choosing your basic care products 

A successful hair journey is broken into 3 parts. One half mindset, 1/4 technique and 1/4 products. The hair care regimen is included in with technique. Hair, for most people is a huge part of their daily outfit. Hair is a big deal to most, so your mindset about your hair is very important. You need to have a good attitude about your hair, even when it is not exactly the way you desire it to be. Your positive mindset combined with a good regimen and the right products will help you grow the hair you desire. 

The first in creating your hair care regimen is having the right products for your hair. The products you use are based on the current condition of your hair and the style you plan to achieve. In the beginning of your regimen it is good to perfect one style first, this is your signature style. This is better than trying different style each day and becoming discouraged. 

How to choose a cleanser for your hair

You need a cleanser that is formulated to cleanse the hair. Co washing with conditioner is not cleansing your hair. Conditioner is not formulated to cleanse your hair.  Choose a non sulfate shampoo or a conditioning cleanser. 

Choose a shampoo that is sulfate free, alcohol free and silicone free. Keep your cleansers between a PH of 4.0 and 7. Your shampoo should clean without stripping your hair. Look for the words "moisturizing on the bottle, those are usually good choices.

Cleanser suggestions:
Shea Moisture coconut & Hisbicus shampoo
Shea Moisture Thickening shampoo
Shea Moisture retention shampoo
Cream of Nature moisturizing shampoo
Lisa Rachel conditioning cleanser 4.5PH
As I am coconut co wash cleansing conditioner 5.5 PH
As I am cleansing pudding 4.5 PH
Eden bodyworks co wash

The entire As I am line is PH between 4.5 and  6.5 the perfect PH for maintaining healthy hair

How to choose your deep conditioner

Honey & Sage Deep Conditioner

Each shampoo should be followed by a  regular conditioner or deep conditioner. A regular conditioner, is applied to the hair and rinsed off in 5 minutes or less, in most cases. Deep conditioner should contain ingredients which penetrate the hair cuticle. Heat from a hooded dryer or steamer is used with a deep conditioner. Sit under hair dryer for at least 20 minutes, then rinse with cool water. Using cold or cool water will help to lock in the moisture benefits from your deep conditioner. Again beware of harsh alcohols, sulfates and silicones.

Conditioner recommendations:
Shea Moisture black soap masque
Shea moisture restoraton masque
Alikay Naturals honey and shea
As I am hydration elation intensive conditioner  5.5PH

How to choose a leave in conditioner

Follow each shampoo/DC with a leave in conditioner. Afro hair requires continuous moisture. So choosing the best leave in conditioner is extremely important. All other products are rinsed off, but your leave in stays on your hair. If the ingredients are harsh it will dry your hair out. Choose the leave in with the least amount of harsh ingredients.

No parabens
No sulfates
No harsh alcohols

Recommended leave in conditioners:
SM Curl enhancing smoothie
As I am double butter cream 5.5
As I am leave in conditioner 5.5
Taliah Waajid curly curl cream
 Afro stretch by 4Naturals
Cantu shea butter leave in
Cantu curl activator

Your leave in conditioner should also function as your styler for twists out and braid out. All of those mentioned above work great as a styler and leave in conditioner.

For extra hold use gel on top of your leave in conditioner. Not all products are compatible. Test your products on the back of you hand to see how they mix together. Also try using a leave in conditioner with a gel from the same line to avoid product conflict. Product conflict will leave flakes or white balls in your hair and require immediate cleansing. 

Twist out

Twist/braid outs work great with curling creams and leave in conditioners.

 

Wash and go wet sets need a leave in and a gel to freeze the curls in place. The leave in helps the hair to not dry out under the gel. 

Once you get your products, then be sure you are cleansing your hair using the correct technique. Read here on how to shampoo your hair effectively.

HOW TO CONDITION YOUR HAIR, THE RIGHT WAY.