June 03rd, 2012

              Hair Glossary:


As more and more women, return to their natural hair, revealing the myriad of textures and types we never knew we had, in turn, a myriad of new hair techniques have emerged, tailormade to fit the needs of our very individual heads of hair. As the new hair landscape constantly evolves, here are some key concepts to help you navigate your way to the best care for your hair.....


Cowashing: This involves washing your hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. All conditioners actually contain cleansers called surfactants, which allow us to rinse the product off our hair after a treatment. These surfactants while gentler than those used in shampoos are highly effective, and cleanse the hair without stripping it of moisture. The best co-washing conditioners are light, highly fluid and free of petrolatum or mineral oil, which allows them to rinse clean from the hair.

Slip: Slip is the highly-sought after factor that makes conditioners a detangling dream. A conditioner with good slip slides easily over the hair, creating with a smoothing action that allows combs and brushes to glide readily through the hair, removing tangles quickly and without damaging friction.

Pretreating/Preconditioning: A pretreatment or preconditioner is a deep conditioning treatment that is applied to dry hair before you shampoo. These products are excellent for tackling persistent issues like breakage or shedding that usually require extra conditioning to resolve.

Doobie: The doobie is the Dominican version of the wrap, a process in which you wrap your hair around your head, using it as a giant roller to stretch hair straight (see) enhancing and extending the life of straightened styles. Done the Dominican way, the Doobie also often includes a roller at the crown to enhance volume.

End-sealing: To seal your ends work a rich moisturizing leave in into the tips of your hair, then apply an oil or thick butter over it, to seal in the hydration. This technique prevents the ends of the hair from breaking off, so is great for length maintenance and growing out the hair.

Transitioning: This refers to the growing out process for wearers of relaxers, texturizers or curly perms as they slowly allow their natural hair to grow in, gradually cutting off the chemicalised ends.