From Let's Talk Hair

I am finally finishing up Let's Talk Hair by Pamela Ferrell. I'm writing down some informations so I won't forget. I might even write a google knol when I'm done. If the information I am writing is the kind of thing you want to read in a book, please get the book. I'm not writing details and leaving out A LOT of information.

And now that I finished reading this book, I highly recommend it to those getting natural hair and need information, advise and hairstyles.

Parts of the Hair
Follicle - pocket within skin that holds the hair root. Its shape determines shape of the hair.
Oil Glands - keep hair soft
Papilla - at the very bottom of the hair follicle. Blood vessels. Provides blood supply.
Hair Bulb - covers papilla

Ingredients

- Common Natural Ingredients
cocamide ,shea butter, jojoba, citric acid, aloe vera, royal jelly, vit. E, vegetable glycerin, fatty acids, flower or seed extracts and oils, lecithin, sea plants and minerals

- Shampoo
Potassium Cocoate (for lathering), Lauramide DEA (softner or foaming agent), Cocamidoproply Betaine (coconut oil), Glycol Stearate (glycerin and alcohol), Methyparaben (preservative, can cause allergic reaction), Sodium Chloride (table salt. Used as astringent), Disodiumlauryl Sulfosuccinate (wetting agent when mildness is needed), Lauryl Sulfate (foaming), Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (surfactant, may cause curly hair to be dry), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (less drying than Ammonium, wetting and cleansing agent).

- Dandruff Shampoo (put on scalp, only and in moderation unless all-natural)
Zinc Pyrithione (can damage nerves), Sulfur, Tars, Salicylic Acid, Resorcinol (preservative that is anti itch and fungal)

- Conditioner
Lanolin (from sheep oil glands, helps absorb and hold water), Mineral Oil (liquid petroleum, remains on surface rather than being absorbed into skin), Spermaceti (emollient to improve gloss, from the head of a sperm whale), Monostearate (fatty acid, gives pearly colour), Alcohol (a fat solvent that can cause dryness), Sterols (alcohol from animals and plants)

Safe, Natural Hair Colour (I spell colour with a 'u' by habit. Sorry. :P)
- Vegetable Colour - a powder of dried herbs mixed with water. Gives intense, long lasting colour.
- Colour Rinses - a tea and remains until you shampoo it out.
- Colour Shampoos - enhances faded or dull hair colour
- Stick Colour - for new growth
(Why didn't she mention henna?)
Avoid Phenylenediamine. For dark hair use Purple sage, black walnut shell, and indigo elderberries. For red hair, use saffron, sassafras root, red clover.

Braids
- When applied correctly, they will not pull the hair or hurt.
-Synthetic hair may cause itching because it lacks porosity and moisture. But it is durable.