Phytolactum+ Intelligent Shampoo

I will be reviewing Phyto's Phytolactum+ Intelligent Shampoo, which is a great shampoo for my sensitive scalp! But first, some details on the product:

Product Description
What it is:
A gentle, daily shampoo for medium to fine hair that helps maintain hydration as it soothes and calms the scalp.
What it is formulated to do: Phytolactum+ effectively treats the scalp's ecosystem by preserving its natural protective shield. It is formulated with a natural, clarifying base, which gently cleanses irritated and sensitive scalps providing fast relief. Hair and scalp are protected with each shampoo, leading the way to healthy, beautiful hair.

Ingredients
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Fruit Extract, Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Laureth-8 Sulfate (Derived From Coconut Oil), Decyl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate, Magnesium Laureth Sulfate, Magnesium Laureth-8 Sulfate, Sodium Oleth Sulfate, Magnesium Oleth Sulfate (Derived From Coconut Oil), Xylitol, Zanthoxylum Alatum Extract, Lacitol, PEG-15 Cocopolyamine, Isostearamide Mipa, PEG-150 Distearate, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride Glycerin, Lauryl Pyrrolidone, Xanthan Gum, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Fragrance, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Citric Acid.


My Review
As per the product description, this shampoo soothed my sensitive scalp, leaving it feeling clean and comfortable, with none of the itchiness! I also find that my scalp gets oily less quickly, meaning the shampoo is probably doing a good job balancing the ecosystem of my scalp.

However, I find that hair gets too squeaky clean when using Phytolactum+. After shampooing, I am unable to run my fingers through my hair at all, at least not until I apply conditioner. That said, it works very well as a clarifying shampoo to get rid of product residue on my strands.

I think the best way to use Phytolactum+ would be to alternate it with another more hydrating shampoo, and use this mainly for scalp washes or to clarify every once in a while.

How to change your hair parting

You're tired of your current hair parting, and decide to change it, for example from a center part to a side part. So, you grab your comb and comb out a nice side part, holding the parted hair down. Satisfied with your new part, you release your hand, and to your horror, the hair poofs up and flops back to its original position.

At one point or another, you may experience the scenario above. Having kept your hair parted in a certain way for years, you feel that its time for a fresh look, but how do you go about changing a stubborn part? Here are some tips to aid you in your quest for a new hair part:

1. It is easier to restyle your hair when it is wet. Thus, after washing hair, carefully comb out the new part and blow dry your new style. Do this for 1-2 washings and your hair should naturally fall into its new part thereafter. More stubborn parts may need to repeat a few more times.

2. For those who do not like to blow dry their hair, pin hair down after combing into the new part, and leave to air-dry. As with the blow-drying method, you may have to repeat a few times for the part to stay.

3. To change part without having to wash hair, comb into new part, dampen hair with some water, and pin into place. Alternatively, use a leave-in conditioner instead of water. However, this method may take longer for your hair to recognise its new part.

Note that those with thinner hair are likely to be able to change their part more easily, and those with thicker hair may face more difficulties. This is because thicker hair means there is more hair to "flip over". Also, drastic changes to your hair part, for example, from a center part to a deep side part, may require more patience.

Steps to take after washing hair

Many people either leave their hair to air-dry or use a blow-dryer directly after washing their hair. Leaving it to air-dry without detangling first may lead to hair being frizzy when dry, and blow-drying without heat protection is very damaging to your hair. Here are some steps you can take to ensure healthy and beautiful hair after washing:

1. Use an absorbent towel to soak up excess water from your hair immediately after washing it. Do not rub your hair with the towel! Use dabbing motions or simply wrap your hair in the towel for a few minutes.

2. On damp hair, apply a leave-in conditioner to nourish and moisturise hair, and follow up with a light layer of oil to seal in that moisture. You may choose to use either one of leave-in conditioner or oil according to your preference, but if your hair is normally very tangled after washing, it is best to choose one which provides some slip for easy detangling.

3. Proceed to detangle hair using a wide tooth comb. Always start from the bottom, and slowly move upwards towards the scalp when your comb can easily slide through that portion of hair. Never ever start from the scalp as you will cause all knots and tangles to accumulated downwards, causing an even bigger knot which may be very difficult to remove.

4. If you are planning to blow-dry your hair, make sure that your leave-in conditioner has heat protection properties. If not, leave hair to air-dry. One thing to note when blow-drying; try to blow your hair until it's about 95% dry, then leave the other 5% to air dry naturally. This reduces the chance of you over-drying your hair.

5. Lastly, do note that wet hair is very fragile! Always handle it with extra care.

Using a Flat Iron

I generally do not recommend those with long hair to apply too much heat to their hair, as you risk frying it, especially if you do not take proper precautions to protect your hair from the heat. However, those who do not have straight hair, or have to style it for various occasions, here's an article that may be of use to you.

Proper Way to Use a Flat Iron
By Naomi West

Women in all walks of lifes and in every country battle with one of the same things certain mornings of their lives. What could that possibly be you ask? The bad hair day! This day wreaks fear in the heart of most women. We are here to offer a solution for some of you in order to help you through this traumatic time.

Not everyone has the same type of hair and almost all of us wishes we had someone else's. One of the hardest hair types to have is the thick hair that doesn't learn to lie flat on its own. For some people using many conditioners and serums doesn't cut it. The minute you blow dry the hair it sticks out in every direction. The best way to fix this problem is to purchase a flat iron.

A flat iron is similar to a curling iron in the fact that it uses heat to help tame the hair and let it flow in the direction that you are going in. They are affordable for anyone and can range in different sizes depending on how long your hair is and how often you will be using it.

Because you use heat to straighten your hair with a flat iron you need to make sure that your hair is thoroughly dried before you begin. Also keep in mind that the heat can damage the hair (much like a blow dryer can) so you may not want to use a high heat every time. The best type of flat iron to purchase are ceramic ones because they diffuse the heat and can cause less damage.

There are a few steps you need to take to help make the straightening process faster and much easier on you. The first thing you will want to do is to place styling cream in your hair while it is still damp. Those of you with coarse, curly hair should consider using a straightening balm. You will also need to use a heat protective spray before you blow dry. Part your hair into four sections and blow dry each of those sections.

After the hair is dry separate the hair into sections again. To straighten take two inches of your hair and squeeze the flat iron over it and as close to the scalp as you can. Pull down the iron slowly over the full length of hair.

When you have finished straightening all of your hair apply a serum gloss (not too much) to your hair. This will help to calm any stray frizzies and to give your hair extra shine. A flat iron is one of the best hair salon equipment that we can keep in our home.

Having the best straightening iron and other Salon Equipment is just one step when starting your own salon. You also need to find Used Salon Furniture and more Hairdressing Equipment to complete the ensemble.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Naomi_West
http://EzineArticles.com/?Proper-Way-to-Use-a-Flat-Iron&id=1744387

The Fundamentals of Good Hair Care

The Fundamentals of Good Hair Care
By May Harrow

Regular exercise, good nutrition and sleep habits make you healthy in body, mind and soul. Stress and undernourished diet leads to ill health and affects the hair and scalp too. Hair care tips given below are some of the guidelines people may follow, to maintain healthy, lustrous hair.

Certain hair care products can be very damaging to the hair. Using a blow dryer is one big mistake and most of us use it because we don't have the time to dry our hair naturally. We are always racing against time in this corporate world. It is preferable to use the cool mode when using the dryer as hot air is damaging to the scalp. It is always good to pat dry the hair with a towel and let the rest of the moisture dry up.

Another good hair care tip to observe is to put your cap on before swimming and always wet the hair before getting into the pool. This way chlorinated water does not enter much of the hair as the water is already soaked up in the hair.

Try and avoid combing the hair when it is wet as it breaks easily. Combs should always have teeth that are spaced widely and should be kept clean always.

Using hot water dries the hair and even scalds the scalp. It is always good to shower in cold water and this is an important hair care tip. If the water is too cold go in for lukewarm water.

Hair care products like shampoos and conditioner should be used carefully according to the hair type. Generally a trial and error basis is often the best way to find out what suits you best, but not at the cost of your hair. They can be substituted by organic products.

There are actually a lot of ways to manage your hair care routine. The most important thing is to make smart decisions when it comes to buying your hair care products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=May_Harrow

http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Fundamentals-of-Good-Hair-Care&id=3020335

Phyto 7 vs Phyto 9 leave-in conditioners

I've been using various leave-in conditioners for my hair throughout the years, but I recently discovered Phyto's line of leave-in conditioners, Phyto 7 for dry hair, and Phyto 9 for ultra dry hair. Before I move on to my review of these 2 leave-ins, here's some information on both products:

Phyto 7 Daily Hydrating Botanical Cream - Dry Hair

Product description
A genuine "day cream" for hair, PHYTO 7 is a unique plant-based formula consisting of seven plant extracts specially selected for their hydrating and regenerating properties (Calendula, Sage, Burdock, Willow, Soybean, Rosemary and Althea). Its creamy, non-greasy formula works to enhance the natural protection of dry hair by maintaining optimum moisture levels. Your hair regains shine, suppleness and body.

Ingredients
Althaea Officinalis Extract (Mucilage Vegetal), Arctium Majus Root Extract (Bardane), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract (Rosmarin), Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract (Sauge), Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Leaf Extract (Saule), Lecithin (Soja), Sodium Dehydroacetate, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parabens (Butyl, Ethyl).

Directions for Use
Apply after shampoo to towel-dried hair. Squeeze a pea size amount of Phyto 7 into the palm of your hair and distribute evenly throughout hair, concentrating on the ends. Do Not Rinse. Style as usual.


Phyto 9 Daily Ultra Nourishing Botanical Cream - Ultra Dry Hair

Product description
A genuine "day cream" for dehydrated hair, Phyto 9 is a combination of macadamia oil and plant extracts, all carefully selected for their hydrating and nourishing properties (St. John's wort, calendula, sage, burdock, willow, soybean, rosemary, althea).
Native to Hawaii and very rich in essential fatty acids, macadamia oil has the distinctive feature of resembling sebum and provides intense nourishment without leaving a greasy residue. Soybean, calendula, burdock and plant extracts penetrate the core of the hair fiber to help restore keratin moisture levels. Treated from within and protected on the outside, hair rapidly regains its original shine, suppleness and softness.

Ingredients
Althaea Officinalis Extract (Mucilage Vegetal), Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Arctium Majus Root Extract (Bardane), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract (Romarin), Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract (Sauge), Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Leaf Extract (Saule), Hypericum Perforatum Extract (Millepertuis), Lecithin (Soja), Sodium Dehydroacetate, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parabens (Butyl, Ethyl).

Directions for Use
Apply after shampoo to towel-dried hair. Squeeze a pea size amount of Phyto 9 into the palm of your hair and distribute evenly throughout hair, concentrating on the ends. Do Not Rinse. Style as usual.


My Review:
Having tried both leave-in conditioners, I have to conclude that I prefer Phyto 9 to Phyto 7. Phyto 7 has a slightly more watery texture while Phyto 9 is more creamy. On separate days, I tried Phyto 7 and Phyto 9 on my towel-dried hair. Phyto 7 did not have effect on my hair at all, applying it on towel-dried hair did not help untangle, and after air-drying my hair felt as dry and frizzy as ever. It probably wasn't rich enough for my hair. However, it was a total different story with Phyto 9.

After washing, my hair is normally rather tangled, and a good leave-in conditioner usually helps provide lubrication for ease of untangling. Phyto 9 is that leave-in conditioner. It smoothed down my hair and my fingers slid through tangles with little or no coaxing.

Air-dried hair was smooth, shiny and soft to the touch. My brush glided through my hair very easily. The best thing was, it did not weigh down my fine hair! Hair was full of bounce and looked extremely healthy, no lanky or dirty-looking effect like how some leave-ins give.

I did not have to used too much of the product, probably about a 1 cm squeeze into my palm for each half of the head. You do have to experiment to get the right amount that works for you as it depends on factors such as hair length, condition, and hair thickness.

I recommend that anyone with dry, frizzy or damaged hair try this leave-in immediately! You probably won't regret it. But if you are unsure, try getting samples of the product before you commit to the full size. Phyto doesn't carry the cheapest of hair products, but to me, it is a well-worth and likely long-term investment.