Have you ever had the urge to call upon any superpower to tame your wild, wavy hair? I definitely sailed that ship this year!
Picture this: a 54-year-old woman facing the unruly challenge of managing her wavy locks as they become more rebellious by the day. That woman is me! I was seeking a low-maintenance solution, and stumbled upon a combination of popular hair products that tamed my waves and kept them hydrated for days.
The joy was palpable until an unexpected foe, hot flashes, made a surprise comeback. The hot flashes had disappeared once I started taking phytoestrogen supplements and incorporating ineffective natural hair care products into my wavy hair routine.
However, impatience crept in, leading to a daring experiment involving chemical-based products that did the de-frizzing job, but triggered a sleepless battle with night-time hot flashes. Were the frizz-control products to blame? The evidence spoke for itself.
Armed with toxin-busting apps (click on my download to the right), I embarked on a quest, testing five chemical-free de-frizzing combos for an effective wavy hair routine. Curious about the victorious products? Thanks to Lori W. for inspiring me to write this article when she asked me which products I use while we chatted in the Lark Mountain Modern store in Bend, OR during a recent girls trip. LOL
Look below for product recommendations and stay tuned for a how-to demonstration in an upcoming video.
The Science
A recent study published in the National Institute of Health Pub Med database about phenoxyethanol, a preservative found in many haircare products, reveals that when approved human doses of the chemical are injected into healthy ocular cells in vitro, the cells die within 24-hours!
Let's set the record straight: this wasn't a deep dive into how chemicals in hair products work, but this study marks a clear boundary for me. The health rating apps I rely on flag products with phenoxyethanol, and that's my cue to steer clear! Plant-based alternative products exist so I set out to find ones that work for me.
Disclaimer: I am not a chemist, but a firm believer in the power of eliminating harmful ingredients from personal care routines, this "tale of one" showcases the positive impact hormone-disruption-free products can have on hormonal balances.
Anti-Frizz Fabrics Should Definitely Join
Your Superhero Squad for Luscious Wavy Hair Routines
How Do Harmful Ingredients Make It Into Our Products?
An excerpt from an article on "Toxic Beauty" from Harvard Health Publishing, sums it up pretty well.
"At least on the federal level, no one is checking to make sure that the chemicals you're putting on your body are harmless. "Products are tested to make sure they don't cause short-term problems, such as skin irritation. But they're not tested for long-term safety," says Dr. Kathryn M. Rexrode, associate professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Women's Health at Harvard Medical School. The FDA steps in only if people actually complain about a product because they suspect it harmed them. Prior to that, the onus is on the company alone.
"Just because it's on your shelf doesn't mean that it's safe," says Tamarra James-Todd, the Mark and Catherine Winkler Assistant Professor of Environmental Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. With this in mind, women should take some time to consider what they're putting on their bodies each day and how it could potentially affect their health, she says.
