HOUSE OF DAME BLOG » Product Reviews
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The Dame Answers: What Are Sulfates And Parabens, What Do They Do To Your Hair?
Hi Dames, so I wanted to address a couple very important terms a lot of brands use. They throw around these terms sulfate free and paraben free but what does that mean? What the heck is a sulfate and why is it free? Sulfates are cheap/harsh detergents placed in shampoos for several reasons. First- they create a sudsing effect, that makes people think its cleaning their hair. Technically it is. However its the same ingredients that are in dish soap, detergent, surface cleaners! Yes it is cleansing but very harsh. Do you want to wash your hair with the same ingredients your washing your dishes with? I think not. It can wear your hair down over time and leave it completely stripped of its natural oils.
Parabens are a preservative used in cosmetics to prevent molds and harmful growths to the formulas. It gives our products shelf life. Very little amounts of parabens are actually in the formulas but they became on high radar alert when traces of these parabens were found in breast cancer tumors. Mostly because of products used on the skin and deodorants. As far as hair is concerned companies have responded to the demand of products without these potentially harmful ingredients. Therefore there are several options for us Dames out there now.
When it comes to hair extensions and hair color being high demand for constant use we should always be mindful about what’s in them. Sulfates can strip your hair color and make your extensions fall out. Parabens can cause cancer. So.. sulfate and paraben free are the way to go across the board. Below are a couple of options I love!
Pureology Haircare is one of the most natural and eco-friendly brands around
Neuma’s tagline is that all of its products are natural and sustainable! Sulfate and paraben-free!
Dames, I hope this was informative. Clean living!
XXOO,
Amalia Moscoso
The Hair Dame
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How To Protect Your Hair From Heat: Products
Hi, Dames! We are on the tail-end of winter and we are all trying to get through this time of dry hair, dry skin, and to find solutions to keep ourselves and our hair looking shiny and healthy. There are several products out there that aid in protecting your hair from the heat, but which one is right for you? Some things they fail to tell us on the products. Never fear, The Hair Dame is here!
First, there are several reasons why our hair gets dried out with split ends, some faster than others. Some Dames have a very thin cortex allowing almost anything to cause breakage- from blowdrying and irons to sleeping on the wrong pillow case, to using the wrong rubber bands. There are some of us that have damaged ends from over bleaching last summer and have spent all winter trying to make them healthy again, and the heat from styling doesn’t help. Then, there are some of us that just want to maintain that beautiful sheen in the hair and not let anything damage it.
The most important thing when blowdrying your hair is to use the nozel on the end of the blowdryer. This is a barrier between the heat and your hair. This is the difference between a shiny blowout and a frizzy one. The difference between an expensive blowdryer and a cheap one is in two things: the level of heat and the tricks. Ionic blow dryers will make your hair shinier and the hotter the blow dryer, the smoother and shinier your hair becomes. When you have a barrier product on the hair, the high heat pushes that product into the hair shaft, therefore protecting and smoothing the cuticle. My favorite blow dryers are Babyliss, CHI, and GHD.
THD’s favorite blowdryers
Below are examples of hair products and for who they would be best for.
PHYTO KERATINE is amazing for damaged hair building the cortex back with protein activated by the heat of a blowdryer and iron. If you are the Dame with over bleached ends, this is the heat protector for you.
BAMBOO SMOOTH ANTI BREAKAGE THERMAL SPRAY is best for the Dame who’s hair tends to break and split no matter what you do. This products creates a protective layer around the cuticle acting as a shield and infuses shine and smoothes the cuticle.
LIVING PROOF RESTORE is great for Dames that want to keep their hair shiny. It has a UV protector, which is great for beach or pool days, it adds a protective barrier over cuticle for very high heat irons, and is lightweight so you can layer it with different products for styling.
FRIZZ EASE HEAT DEFEAT is great for Dames that need humidity resistance. If you have frizzy or curly hair and you need your straight look to stay straight this is the product for you. It locks down the cuticle, protecting it from the heat and keeps it smooth rain or shine. Plus, its easy on the pocket book.
REDKEN HOT SETS 22 adds a major boost to your style. This is great for Dames with fine or limp hair that need protection and volume. It has a thermal protective feature, but the best part is the vavoom it gives to your style that lasts all night, think bouncy and shiny!
GHD STYLE HEAT PROTECT SPRAY is a very lightweight formula. It is great for Dames that use a flatiron regularly, it protects your hair from dry split ends, but is also awesome as a refresher. Because it is so lightweight you can spray it on your hair the next day and recurl or iron your hair and its shiny and ready to go for day 2.
CHI 44 IRON GUARD is an all around best of type of product. It works from the inside out so it builds the protein in the cortex, creates a barrier over cuticle locking in shine and moisture and is super lightweight. It adds a memory charge to your hairstyle for longer lasting curls or waves. If you are a Dame that has all of the problems above, this is the product for you.