It may have be funny in Coming to America to have a soul glow shine, but let me tell you there is nothing cute about leaving your presence behind that has nothing to do with your character. Warmer weather means products that normally solidified in the winter are now in danger of coating more than just your strands. Use them with caution.
Braid outs and twist outs were my main go-to styles while I was transitioning. Dealing with two drastically different textures and seamlessly blending the demarcation line is hard work, and the more product you use to coat your strands, the more you are at risk of shortening the life of the style. Remember: Certain ingredients like glycerin attracts humidity which causes shrinkage and frizz.
Sometimes I like to think of my hair as a plant, if you give it too much fertilizer you can harm or even destroy it. The same applies for your hair. Most of know our hair is composed of overlapping flat cells made up keratin, but did you that know constantly using too much products can weaken the hair shaft causing more breakage? Think about it.
If you use fewer products your scalp will cleaner and able to do what it’s meant to do—secrete an oily, waxy substance called sebum, through microscopic glands. Dust acts as a breeding ground for microbes, dust mites and fungus that work overtime to weaken your roots, which leads to unnecessary shedding. Try to keep your scalp clean without over-using products.
The less accumulation of products on your scalp decreases your chances for dandruff. Dandruff (not to be confused with dry scalp) is a sign that your body is over producing a yeast which is caused by a yeast-like fungus called ‘malassezia globosa’ present in our sebum. This over production can stem from a multitude of things, including as previously mentioned an excessive use of products.
Cipriana Quann is a former model who transitioned 10 years of fashion industry experience into UrbanBushBabes.com, where she is Editor-in-Chief.