Beauty Tip: De-Frizz Hair With Coconut Oil

My two pregnancies have taken their toll on my long locks. It wasn't long ago that I had really healthy, shiny, straight hair. Now I have dry, frizzy, wavy hair. I really don't have time to bother with my hair these days while chasing around wee ones. Instead, my new signature hairdo is a simple pony tail. Sadly, it looks like a frizz ball.

Anyway, I've been reading about easy, homemade hair treatments like virgin coconut oil. In desperation I pulled out the coconut oil I store in my bathroom to remove eye makeup (of course, I also have some in the kitchen for cooking, too) and ran some over my hair (both when wet and dry), especially at the ends. Then, I run the hair dryer over it for about a minute. I have too much hair to spend the time drying it completely.

Amazingly, the virgin coconut oil treatment took about 75% of the frizz away and cranked up the shine by at least 10 fold. It doesn't make my hair look greasy either. It's pretty amazing! Definitely a keeper in my beauty arsenal.

New Seals on Natural & Organic Bodycare Products

Ever wonder how pure, natural or organic your soap, shampoo and deodorant are? Sure their labels might proclaim in big, bold lettering natural, but then you read the ingredient lists and you can't pronounce half of what you read or have a clue if those chemicals are really safe.

Well, starting this summer, things are going to get a little easier for those in search of healthier personal care products.

If you shop at Whole Foods Market, you've already seen their Premium Body Care seal on 1,200 items sold in their stores. To qualify for the label, a product must contain "ingredients as close to nature and as minimally processed as possible" as well as have minor environmental impact. See wholefoodsmarket.com/wholebody.pbc for more information.

If you've been confused about what products are truly organic, the OASIS label is debuting this August to give some clarity on the claim. OASIS--which stands for Organic and Sustainable Industry Standards--is the first organic standard for the U.S. beauty and personal care market. It has the support of 30 founding members, including: Perfect Organics, Hain Celestial, Aveda, Juice Beauty, Buddha Nose, Origins, L'Oreal, Head Organics, Trillium Organics and Suki.

In order to qualify for the OASIS seal, a product must contain 85 percent certified organic ingredients (not including water and salt). For more information, visit: oasisseal.org

The Natural Products Association also has rolled out a seal, which covers products containing at least 95 percent natural ingredients. Additionally, in order to bear this seal, a product cannot contain any synthetic ingredients linked with any suspected health risks.

Companies participating in this certification, include: Burt's Bees, Aubry Organics, Badger, California Baby, Farmaesthetics, Trilogy and Weleda. Visit thenaturalseal.com for more information.

Natural Solutions to Common Hair Problems

Is your hair thinning, frizzy or flaky? Looking for a holistic remedy instead of a drugstore quick fix that doesn't get to the root of the problem? This April's edition of Natural Health offers expert advice and natural solutions to the most common hair complaints.

Thinning Hair

1. Eat more protein. It's what makes up your hair.
2. Be gentle. Pulling and tugging too hard only makes it worse.
3. Get your testosterone levels and thyroid checked. Too much testosterone or hypothyroidism can cause hair to fall out.
4. Massage the scalp to increase circulation, which will help get nutrients to the right place and promote healthy growth.
5. Use hair products containing stimulating herbs such as white needle, arnica and thyme.

Dry, Frizzy Hair and Flaking Scalp

1. Color, Blow-dry and shampoo less often.
2. Eat foods containing essential fatty acids such as salmon, olives, flaxseeds and walnuts to boost oil production to scalp.
3. Give yourself a scalp treatment with hydrating, nourishing oils such as olive and jojoba oils mixed with avocado.
4. Wash with moisturizing shampoos and finish with deep-conditioning treatments containing shea butter, avocado or cedarwood. Avoid silicone and look for natural oils such as castor oil.

Oily Scalp, Dandruff

1. Wash hair daily.
2. Get your omega-3s and zinc. The healthy fat helps regulate oil production and zinc helps to decrease oiliness.
3. An unhealthy gut leads to dandruff so eat yogurt, kefir and other fermented foods or take a probiotic supplement. Additionally, eat garlic and oregano to kill bad yeast in the digestive system.
   
4. Use hair products containing herbs with astringent, antibacterial properties such as sage and chamomile.
5. Use hair products fortified with zinc to stop dandruff and decrease scalp irritation.
   

Related Articles:
Choose the Right Hair Dryer for Shiny, Healthy Hair
Eat for Healthy Tresses and Fewer Bad Hair Days

Choose the Right Hair Dryer for Shiny, Healthy Hair

I never thought a hair dryer could change my life, but I think I found one that comes close. Having thick, long, wavy hair, drying it is quite a chore.

Last week, I discovered that there really is a huge difference between the low-end ceramic, ionic, infrared hair dryers and the real deal. After my Conair Ion Shine Hair Dryer started sounding like a dying cow, I thought it was time to get a new one. I never noticed a difference from it and a regular hair dryer so I was skeptical of paying more for a high-end model.

Kat James, holistic beauty and health expert, recommends in her book The Truth About Beauty the Chi Air Ceramic, Ionic, Infrared Professional Hair Dryer to minimize heat damage and cut drying time. It uses a different kind of heat that evenly penetrates hair, while not scorching it. However, the thought of spending $100 to $200 on this hair dryer didn't appeal to me.

Fortunately, I saw a similar one on Amazon.com from the same parent company, Farouk Systems, as the Chi hair dryer. The hair dryer is part of the Deep Brilliance line of professional products, which uses the same Chi technology. The Deep Brilliance hair dryer has a list price of $259, but Amazon.com is selling it for only $49.99. It really is a salon-quality dryer worth a higher asking price. It makes my hair look so much shinier, smoother and healthier. It dries faster with fewer watts so it's not taking daily abuse. Best of all, the once unmanageable frizz is gone.

If my new hair dryer ever breaks down, I just hope Amazon.com is still offering such a great deal because I can't go back to the low-end version. Now that I can see and feel the difference, it would definitely be worth it to fork over the big bucks for a true ceramic, ionic, infrared model.

Eat for Healthy Tresses & Fewer Bad Hair Days

If you're having a bad hair day, blame it on your diet. Your tresses are a reflection of what you eat, claims health expert Keri Glassman.

In case you missed the author and nutritionist on yesterday's "The Early Show", here is Glassman's advice on what to feed your hair:

• For strong/fast growing hair, eat foods rich in protein, vitamin B12, iron, calcium, biotin and silica. You should include in your diet: lean beef, eggs, chicken, yogurt, asparagus, Swiss chard, almonds, brown rice, cumin and turmeric.
  
  
• For shiny hair, choose foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin C and selenium. These foods are particularly helpful: wild salmon, tuna, sardines, walnuts, Brazil nuts, beets, broccoli, carrots, berries, melons and flaxseeds.
  
  
• For dry hair, make sure your getting enough iodine, vitamin A, vitamin E and zinc. Drink plenty of water and make sure to consume: seaweed, green vegetables, olive oil, avocado, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, kelp, iodized salt and garlic.
  
  
• To prevent graying and give hair more color, consume foods containing vitamins B5 and B6. Good selections include: coconut, brewer's yeast, milk, eggs, shellfish and liver.
  
  
• Healthy hair tips: drink lots of water; eat whole, natural, fresh foods; eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day; eat a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals; take a multivitamin and omega-3 supplement; get your sleep; and minimize stress.
  
  
• Avoid: caffeine; low-protein diet; vitamin/mineral deficiencies; refined sugars; processed foods with preservative; high salt content; transfats and saturated fats; excess amount of vitamins and minerals; and lack of sleep.
  
  Related Article: Salon Quality Healthy Alternative Hair Products
  

Salon Quality Healthy Alternative Hair Products

Keeping my tresses looking their best has always been a priority for me. So I wasn't too quick to convert my conventional hair products over to the healthy alternative kind. I don't know how it happened, but slowly I made the change to gel, conditioner and shampoo without sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens and other chemicals that I can't pronounce.

Admittedly, it wasn't easy at first. I tried everything in the body care aisle of Whole Foods. Without any recommendations, but strictly by trial and error, I eventually found myself exclusively buying Giovanni hair products. Why? Because they are salon quality that deliver a nutritional diet to my hair. They are not a pseudo-healthy alternative that has a drop of botanicals and loads of harsh chemicals. They are the real deal that truly make my hair look great.

Fortunately, they are easy on the wallet when compared to salon products, too. For example, Giovanni's L.A. Hold Hair Spray costs just over $7. This spray holds great, doesn't flake and is made with organic oils like rosemary, nettle, thyme and chamomile. The Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Safety Database even rates it a one (out of 10) for being minimally hazardous. In fact, they rate most of Giovanni's products a one or two.

In addition to shampoos and conditioners, Giovanni's hair line includes lots of products for styling and finishing. As an added bonus, Giovanni's packaging is just as elegant as what you'd buy in a salon, but in keeping with the company's biodegradable philosophy.

Thankfully, just because I've pitched conventional hair care products, my tresses haven't sacrificed a bit. In fact, they look as good as ever and are even healthier.