hair

CleanLocs Science & Opinion | With Age Comes Wisdom....Highlights That Is. Wisdom Highlights.

Many clients ask about colouring their Locs. Surprisingly most want colour to cover greys, or as I like to call them, "Wisdom Highlights". Grey hair runs in my family with my grandfather having a full white head of hair by the time he was 30, my father was salt and pepper by the same age, and I started going grey at the age of 25. On my Earthstrong. SMH I freaked out a little bit but a few days later it really didn't bother me any more. Given I still have more melanated strands than not, they are there. And I let them be...

Once I noticed my silver sprouts I learned via a quick Google search that there is very little one can do to slow down the greying of one's hair. Going grey is more about loss than gain as it's simply the loss of that follicle's ability to produce enough melanin to pigment the strand.  As a result, naturally melanated people such as Blacks and Asians tend to have less grey hair. Highly melanated areas include eyes and pubic hair.

Melanin is produced by the pineal gland also known as the third eye which regulates the pituitary gland which secretes Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (MSH). MSH then binds with Melanocyte-Receptors on the surface of pigmented or melanated cells, resulting in darkening the eyes, skin and hair. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone as well as vitamin D from the sun can trigger and activate melanin production. At the end of each hair growth cycle some of the melanin production of the hair shuts off in the "dying" phase. When the cycle starts over and new hair is growing in, if the production of melanin doesn't turn back on, the strand will be grey.

 Naturally occurring anti-oxidant enzymes protect the melanocytes from being damaged however. In theory if the melanocytes remain undamaged, the hair will stay melanated. The top two things which we are rumoured to have control over are stress and smoking. Otherwise, your genes will decide your fate when it comes to how snowy your roof gets. So quit smoking and lighten up if you really want to keep that melanin glowing for years to come! 

Recently Erykah Badu a.k.a. "MyGirl" revealed herself and all her wonderfully wise wisps to the world embracing the natural and beautiful aging process that we will all come to experience. 

How do you feel about your Wisdom Highlights? Are you inclined to dye them? If so why? If you have embraced your Sexy Silver Strands what gave you the courage and frame of mind to do so? Share in the comments below! 

CleanLocs Promo. | FREE Sorrel ! FREE Style! And More!

This season pamper yourself or someone you love!! Treat yourself or a loved one to a SteamWash'n'Loc service to remove all the gunk, buildup, lint and last years negative energy and start fresh!! Clients often express how much lighter their hair feels and how great it smells after this treatment using steam to release the dirt, dust, lint, sweat and other buildup that has accumulated over the last 365 days!

After you #GetTheGunkOut, why not continue the pamper-me-time by having your feet and hands soaked, scrubbed and softened with a relaxing manicure and pedicure by SupremeMobileSpa! 

Nicole Allen is a trusted and trained aesthetician who truly treats your experience like her own! Take advantage of her talents by booking a manicure and pedicure today!

CleanLocs clients who receive a SteamWash'n'Loc service can book this SupremeMobileSpa service for only $45!!  

And the best part...? SupremeMobileSpa comes to you!!

Feel free to contact Nicole at 647.530.1300 for more information regarding the promo and other services she offers!! And of course drop us a line at cleanlocs@gmail.com for more info on #CleanLocs or call  647.496.0106

CleanLocs | Why You Should Wash Your Locs

When perusing Loc blogs and the like, a question that is often asked when starting out is how frequently to wash your NewLocs if even at all. I'm not sure how this rumour got started that you should not clean your hair in order for Locs to form, but I would really like to ask that they stop perpetuating this myth. You MUST, I repeat MUST MUST wash your Locs!

In everyday terms, Locs are fomed by creating a bunch of random knots with a bunch of random threadlike hairs and each loc can have a few hundred hairs.  If your hair is not clean there is a slick layer of oil and/or sebum on it. Now, something that is oily is usually slippery, and something that I'd slippery is generally more difficult to create knots with. Therefore the dirtier your hair, the less chance of knots forming or any tangling action, and definitely less chance, and longer time for Locs to form.

MIXED-RACE CLIENT WITH UNRAVELING LOCS

MIXED-RACE CLIENT WITH UNRAVELING LOCS

Sometimes I hear "my hair texture is different" and so this or that person feels they need to avoid washing so that the new Locs don't unravel. You might want to get a pen and paper for this next part; all new Locs unravel. LOL! Especially so for mixedrace hair, trust me I'm mixed with everything you can think of and "they" told me my hair would never Loc, because of the texture. But I tried my best to leave it alone, I washed it once a week, and in 4mos I was official.

Think of your new Locs like a plant, a mighty tree with strong roots. It is a cultivation. It requires, care, patience and a positive attitude. Your hair needs to be clean so that your scalp can get the oxygen and sunlight it needs to grow, and so that the hairs have enough "grip" to form the knots that create your Loc shaft. It takes time. 

After having all kinds of gunk put into his Locs and being advised not to wash his hair for a few months, check out this client's testimonial below talking about his SteamWash'n'Loc experience after 2months of not washing. 

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO