Much like your hand luggage, your hair goes through a lot when you travel. Breaking from your normal routine and exposing it to very different elements can take a toll on your hair. We asked our scientist and some frequent travelers some the hair troubles they experience while flying. Here a few tips to help maintain healthy hair during your travels.

Flight Attendants, Prepare For Takeoff! 

Pack travel sized items of your favorite products currently in your hair routine in your carry-on to maintain hair during your travels. If you can’t find travel sized items, you can also fill plastic travel containers and take it with you on the airplane. This way, you don’t have to part with your favorite products and it’s convenient!

Frequent flyer Tip 1: Moisturize hair during your flight

Hair strands can get really dried out during a flight. The air is arid and the humidity is low – leading to dry hair and static. To combat, try this: before the flight add a little bit of conditioner to your palms to emulsify and apply to hair. This gives a protective barrier to your hair and prevents the moisture from leaving your strands. Even better if you put your hair in a bun or updo!

Frequent flyer Tip 2: Oily roots? Use a dry shampoo!

Dry shampoos are great for cleaning hair when you just don’t have the time for a traditional shampoo. It’s the easiest way to get rid of dirt and oil and gives your hair life without using water. And best of all, it saves time! Opt for a volume boosting dry shampoo to put some movement back in after sitting for so long.  

The sun and sea salt water from the beach can leave hair feeling dry and even crunchy, leading to split ends and brittle, damaged hair. It’s important to take care of your hair as you would your skin.

To avoid exposure to the sun, wear a hat or pin hair up in a cute bun to avoid excess sun exposure and contact with the water. Using a thermal protectant such as NIUCOCO’s Renewing Serum to keep hair protected from the heat is also a great idea! It also tames frizz. BONUS: it’s small enough to pack in your carry on! Here are some pre and post-beach tips to protect and replenish hair from the drying effects of salt water:

Pre-beach tips:

Wet hair with fresh water before exposing it to the salt water. Hair is porous, so saturating it with fresh water will slow down the absorption of salt water. Treat your hair prior to exposing it to the salt water by coating strands and scalp with a little bit of coconut oil. The oil will repel some of the salt water and will also keep hair moisturized. Remember to only use extra virgin, unrefined, cold pressed coconut oil for maximum purity.

Post-beach tips:

Shampoo and condition hair right after exposure to the water, so that sea salt is removed from hair and strands can be revived. We recommend NIUCOCO’s Hydrating Shampoo to cleanse hair without over stripping the hair’s natural oils followed by NIUCOCO’s Smoothing Conditioner to add softness and shine to hair.

While traveling, if hair becomes extremely dry, the best way to remedy it is to add moisture by using an oil treatment. Coconut oil is a superfood and one of its many amazing properties is to replenish dry strands. It is one of the only oils that has been scientifically proven to penetrate strands, thereby adding strength to damaged hair. To apply it, liberally coat strands with coconut oil and let it sit for 2 hours to overnight. Shampoo and condition for healthy and moisturized hair. Repeat oil treatments on a weekly basis until hair is back to healthy.

Happy Travels!

The fundamentals of healthy hair is a balance of oil, water, and protein. Not only should you pay attention to your strands, but your scalp also plays a huge role in healthy hair. Coconut oil is that miracle ingredient that you cannot hear enough about. It has natural properties that alleviate dry hair and help get your scalp and tresses ready for whatever life throws at you. Because you are a boss babe, you want to know exactly why coconut oil is excellent for nourishing dry hair.

Coconut oil contains a high amount of lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid. Lauric acid has a small molecular structure which allows it to work its way under the cuticles and penetrate into the cortex of the hair, helping to moisturize and strengthen the strands from within.

Other oils have large molecular structures and cannot easily pass through the hair cuticle merely because they are just too bulky. These coat the hair shaft, sometimes causing a heavy, greasy feeling on the hair.

Now you are thinking: “But what about if I have a dry scalp?” Or, “what if I have an oily scalp?” Here is how coconut oil can be your secret weapon broken down into 4 easy to understand steps:

1. Coconut Oil Rebalances Sebum Production

Sebum is a natural secretion of oil that lubricates the scalp. Both sebum and coconut oil have similar compositions in that they are both comprised of medium chain fatty acids.

DRY SCALP: A dry scalp indicates not enough sebum is produced or the scalp has stopped producing sebum altogether. Applying coconut oil to the scalp will communicate to the scalp that sebum is present and it will begin to produce sebum again, slowly rebalancing sebum production over time. Fun Fact: Using an oil that is not similar to the composition of sebum will indicate to the scalp that there is already too much oil present and in turn won’t produce any sebum.

OILY SCALP: An oily scalp indicates that there is an overproduction of sebum. This is usually due to using overly stripping hair cleansers; all the natural oils are completely removed and the scalp is compensating by producing too much sebum. Applying coconut oil to an oily scalp will dissolve excess oil and communicates to the scalp that sebum is present, thereby discontinuing its over production. (Oily roots and scalp are vanquished, never to be seen or heard from again. The End.)

2. Coconut Oil Moisturizes The Scalp

Because of coconut oil’s medium chain fatty acids and small molecular structure, it is easily absorbed and moisturizes the scalp quickly. Coconut oil is also close to the scalp’s sebum composition so it helps to restore the body’s natural lipid barrier which can help seal in moisture by protecting loss of hydration from within the skin layers.

Coconut oil can also help with itchy scalp as it helps to moisturize the scalp by protecting against loss of hydration from within the skin layers, regulates sebum production, and has natural anti-fungal properties.

Itchy scalp can be caused by several factors including dry scalp, dandruff, poor sebum production, or fungal infections. For a really dry scalp, use coconut oil 1-2x a week. Apply to scalp and massage for 5-10 minutes.  Let it sit on scalp for 30 minutes to overnight and shampoo to remove.

For maintenance, apply just a few drops of coconut oil to fingertips and massage onto scalp. Don’t apply too much to make roots heavy so that the oil can be left on the scalp for one or more days.  Using a conditioner in between shampoos can help to cleanse hair without over stripping oils from hair and scalp.

3. Worried about Dandruff? Don’t Be. Coconut Oil has Natural Antifungal Properties

There are a few causes of dandruff with fungus being a main culprit. Since coconut oil has some antifungal properties, it makes it a natural anti-dandruff treatment. Not only can it help in killing the fungus that causes dandruff, but since coconut oil also has moisturizing properties it can help alleviate the irritation associated with dandruff and dry scalp. (Later Alligator!)

4. Vitamin E Rich Coconut Oil Promotes Circulation

Coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant which promotes circulation to the scalp and can help repair damaged hair follicles; increased circulation means increased nutrient supply to follicles which is related to healthier hair.

Now that we know coconut oil is the secret superpower to perfect hair, what kind should you use?

Not all coconut oils are the same! The type of coconut oil you use makes a difference especially when it comes to hair care. And if we are honest, you will want to use it in everything. Here is the best type of coconut oil for when you want to feel and look your best.

BEST: EXTRA VIRGIN, COLD PRESSED, UNREFINED

The best quality coconut oil is EXTRA VIRGIN, COLD PRESSED, UNREFINED (which is what we use in NIUCOCO products, because only the best for our customers). To produce this type of coconut oil, only fresh, raw coconut is used which is air dried. The oil is then cold-pressed by hand so that minimal heat is introduced and is also a chemical-free process. This maximizes the coconut oil’s benefits and ensures that the naturally occurring nutrients are intact. It also contains a higher lauric acid and vitamin E content than refined coconut oil.

NOT OKAY: REFINED COCONUT OIL (It is not the highest quality) 

This type of oil uses desiccated coconut flakes or copra. Copra is coconut meat dried at very high temperatures, usually under unsanitary conditions, and is not suitable for consumption. This process uses a chemical distillation method usually dependent on harsh solvents or is expeller-pressed using added heat. Refined coconut oil is bleached to remove impurities and deodorized to remove the smell of the chemicals used in the extraction process. This is abbreviated RBD, i.e. refined, bleached, deodorized, and is necessary to create a palatable product.

Because you are putting coconut oil on your body, you want the purest you can get with no added chemicals. Also, since extra virgin, cold pressed, unrefined coconut oil is minimally manipulated, the percentage of lauric acid and vitamin E is higher than in other types of coconut oil. Therefore, its properties and benefits are maximized when applied to hair and scalp.

Now that you are an expert, you know why it is important to use organic, extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil. Other types of coconut oils, especially refined coconut oil, may contain chemicals and other unknowns that can irritate scalp further and no one wants that.  So for the healthiest strands and scalp to tame your mane, turn to NIUCOCO for the best coconut oil based products that only uses the highest quality of coconut oil.

In a previous article, we covered that shampooing your hair too often can lead to very dry, parched strands or a very oily scalp (stripping of the natural oils lead to overproduction). Now, we will take a deep dive in all things dandruff and the dreaded dry scalp. Don't be confused - these are two different conditions, but both produce similar symptoms! Both produce flakes and are often accompanied by an itchy scalp.

WHAT CAUSES DANDRUFF:

Dandruff occurs when too much oil builds up on the scalp and skin cells regenerate too quickly.  The skin cells pile up and then they shed. The most common causes of dandruff are:

Aging, Dermatitis, Malassezia globosa*, Hormones, or Stress

(*Malassezia globosa is a fungus and is a natural inhabitant on our scalps. For unknown reasons, sometimes the body reacts negatively to this microbe. To protect itself from the fungus, the scalp overproduces skin cells as a defense mechanism – causing dandruff.)

WHAT CAUSES DRY SCALP:

Dry scalp is exactly what it sounds like - the scalp is so dry that the skin cells fall off and can be seen as flakes falling off the scalp. Dry scalp can be caused by:

Aging, Contact Dermatitis**, Environmental Factors, or Hormones

(**Can be caused by using hair products that are too harsh for the scalp such as shampoos that are made with harsh detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate)

QUICK TIP: One way to tell the difference between dandruff and dry scalp is that dandruff produces oily, large flakes while dry scalp produces dry, smaller flakes.

Tips to Help Dandruff and Dry Scalp

When it comes to dandruff, using a gentle shampoo will reduce the amount of oil on the scalp. A gentle shampoo is absolutely necessary. Using a harsh shampoo will over strip the oils present on the scalp which will in turn make the scalp continue to overproduce oil circling back into the cycle.

If you have a dry scalp then applying a small amount of coconut oil to the scalp will help to reduce flakes. Apply a small amount every day until symptoms lessen. This will also train your sebum glands to start producing its natural oils again which will help alleviate dry scalp.

Dandruff Shampoos

Most dandruff shampoos contain medicated active ingredients, such as zinc pyrithione, salicylic acid, and ketoconazole. Others even contain known cancer-causing agents, such as coal tar and selenium sulfide!

A toxin-free, non-medicated shampoo alternative NIUCOCO’s clients have continually given feedback that the Hydrating Shampoo has helped lessen their dandruff and, in some cases, has gotten rid of it. NIUCOCO’s Hydrating Shampoo is rated 0 on the Think Dirty meter so it’s safe to use every day. Best of all, it does not contain toxic ingredients like other dandruff shampoos. 

Pregnancy and Dry Scalp

Hormone levels during pregnancy can affect hair growth and scalp health. Hair can grow quicker and appear fuller. Or on the other hand, the scalp can become too dry or too oily leading to flakes and itchiness.

During pregnancy, the scalp can also become more sensitive to the products you use, causing irritation of the scalp (dermatitis) and that notorious itchiness. Sometimes it’s as simple as discontinuing the use of products or switching to other products. When looking to switch shampoos, look for one that is low foaming and sulfate free like NIUCOCO’s Hydrating Shampoo. The low foam makes it gentle on the scalp.

New moms often struggle with postpartum dandruff or dry scalp due to the hormones or not taking in enough fluids during breastfeeding (thereby causing dry skin and scalp). Avoid medicated dandruff shampoos while pregnant or breastfeeding. These medicated shampoos often contain active ingredients that are toxic and known carcinogens.

Stick with natural products like NIUCOCO’s hair care line.  NIUCOCO only produces non- toxic products that focus on performance. Everyone deserves great hair.

Hack your hair care routine with the "conditioner first, shampoo after" method, also known as reverse washing. The idea behind this method is that the conditioner hydrates first and then the shampoo cleanses and removes any excess weight that the conditioner leaves behind.

Both thin hair and those with dry, damaged hair can benefit from reverse washing.

Thin Hair

You are the true winners when it comes to who benefits most from reverse washing. Conditioners contain oils and other emollients that coat hair and can be too heavy for thin hair. Therefore, the classic method of conditioning after shampooing can make thin hair oily, flat, and limp. Conditioning before shampooing on the other hand, allows thin hair to receive nutrients without weighing the hair down.

Dry/Damaged Hair

Those who overdid it and ended up with dry or damaged hair can also benefit from reverse washing. The difference from thin hair application however is that dry or damaged hair requires extra nourishment. So, apply conditioner to hair, shampoo, rinse, and then apply another coat of conditioner. Thoroughly rinse the second coat of conditioner from hair as you would normally do.

When reverse washing, keep a few of these tips in mind:

1. Follow the same directions on the conditioner bottle when reverse washing; saturate hair with conditioner and let sit for 1-3 minutes so that hair receives nourishment.

• NIUCOCO’s Smoothing Conditioner detangles hair and is also rich in high quality moisturizers like cold-pressed coconut oil and shea butter. This is why our users with thin hair love it for reverse washing: it has high moisturizing properties to thoroughly nourish parched strands and because of the formulation it doesn’t weigh hair down.

• NIUCOCO’s Hydrating Shampoo cleanses while retaining hair’s natural oils and therefore is not as stripping as other shampoos. To thoroughly remove conditioner, shampoo twice.

2. Condition from the bottom up. Apply conditioner from ends and work product upwards. If you have normal to oily hair, condition at the ends and work half way up the strands. No need to apply conditioner to roots as this can weigh down the roots. If you have dry hair, work conditioner all the way up to roots as parched hair needs nourishment.

3. Shampoo from the top down. Using too much shampoo can dry hair excessively especially if using shampoos with harsh detergents. Most people apply shampoo to roots and lather, and then apply additional shampoo to the rest of the hair.  

4. Instead, apply shampoo to the scalp and massage into a lather. Work the product down hair to ends without applying additional shampoo. Hair tends to be most dirty on roots and drier on ends, so this is a good way to mitigate the dry ends.

The Reverse Washing Hack Not for you? Here are some other ways to get clean.

Shampooing your hair too often can lead to very dry, parched strands or a very oily scalp (as the over stripping of the natural oils makes the scalp release excess oils to compensate for the lack of sebum).

Use just water! We are programmed to shampoo to cleanse hair but it may not be necessary to use a shampoo every day to cleanse hair. If you are shampooing every day, try rinsing your hair in between shampoos with just water instead, as water alone has some cleansing properties. Massage the scalp to break down buildup. Apply conditioner to ends of hair and rinse. Style as usual.  

Add a dry shampoo to your routine! Another great way to cleanse hair without using a conventional shampoo is adding a dry shampoo to your routine. A dry shampoo offers a practical, water-free way to cleanse hair and absorb oils while leaving hair with a pleasant scent and additional body.

Dry shampoo works for dry hair and oily hair! Dry shampoo is beneficial to dry hair because you don’t have to conventionally shampoo your hair as often. If you have dry hair, washing your hair too often can actually strip away too much of your scalp’s healthy oils and lead to even drier, damaged hair. If you have oily hair, dry shampoo is useful because it offers a quick pick-me-up for your hair and can be used during the day to avoid limp hair in the afternoon hours.

Use only the conditioner and skip the shampoo! If you have extremely dry hair, you can benefit from washing your hair with conditioner alone and skip the shampoo altogether. The conditioner has some natural cleansing properties that will also moisturize hair leaving hair refreshed.

If you have ever bleached your hair, you know the damage it causes to your strands. Or worse, you might know the pain of when bleaching your strands goes too far - the chemical cut! In this month's newsletter, we tackle what happens when you bleach your hair and how to avoid significant damage so you can live your best blonde or rainbow coloured unicorn hair day.

Hair gets its colour from melanin, a pigment found within the hair strands and is produced by melanocytes. Hair has two types of pigments: eumelanin and pheomelanin.

Eumelanin has two types: brown eumelanin and black eumelanin and like the names indicate, is largely responsible for brown and black pigments.

Pheomelanin, on the other hand, is most responsible for red and yellow pigments. The ratios of these types of melanin determine the wide range of hair colours.

The more brown eumelanin and black eumelanin present in the hair, the darker the hair strands will appear, and the less brown eumelanin and black eumelanin in the hair, the lighter the hair strands will appear.  The absence of melanin causes hair to appear white/grey.

When you bleach your hair, the melanin in the hair shaft is broken down – or to put it scientifically, the bleach oxidizes the melanin, causing the melanin to lose its colour and makes the hair appear its natural colour – a pale yellow.

“… bleach oxidizes the melanin,

causing the melanin to lose its

colour and makes the hair appear

its natural colour – a pale yellow.”

FUN FACT: The bleach you use to lighten your hair IS NOT the same bleach used to disinfect your bathroom.

To bleach your hair, the bleach is added to hydrogen peroxide and mixed together. When applied to hair, this alkaline mixture changes the pH of the hair and causes the cuticle layers to lift up and open up, which allows the lightener to pass under the cuticle and into the cortex.  

Once the bleach reaches inside the cortex, it oxidizes the hair’s melanin and the oxidized molecule is colourless. The brown and black pigments are first dissolved followed by the red and yellow pigments; the yellow pigments react the least with bleach.  The pale yellow colour bleached hair has is due to this and also because the natural colour of keratin, the protein that comprises hair, has a yellow tint.

The bleach will continue to lighten hair until it is removed from hair. This is why a professional should bleach your hair, as they will know when the right shade has been reached. A professional will also take into account the texture of the hair and its health to know how long to process hair.

 Bleach can also destroy the cuticles and cortex which can lead to dry, brittle, rough, straw-like hair.  Dry, brittle hair due to over bleaching is referred to as “oxidative” or “bleaching” damage (Wolfram, 1970). Porosity and elasticity of the strands can also be affected if hair is over processed (Hesserfort, 2008).  Hair that is overly porous will be hard to hold any style, which is why you may notice your hair is flat and limp and has no body. Overly porous hair will not be able to retain moisture.

OK, SO YOU BLEACHED YOUR HAIR AND IT’S DAMAGED.  WHAT DO YOU DO? HOW CAN YOU REPAIR IT?

1. BE GENTLE

Bleached hair is fragile and most of the bonds that were lost during the bleaching process are no longer remade.  This leads to the deterioration of the cuticles and cortex, which is vital to the inner structure of the hair.

During the first week after bleaching, it is best not to shampoo.  Use a conditioner to clean hair instead - as conditioners have some cleansing properties.  You’re probably not adding a lot of product to your hair at this point so a deep shampoo is not necessary.

“Use a gentle low lathering sulfate-free shampoo

the first week after bleaching.”

After the first week, you can introduce shampoo back into your life. Use a gentle low lathering, sulfate-free shampoo the first week after bleaching. Make sure your shampoo does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate; these are powerful degreasers and are just too harsh for over processed hair.

The shampoo we love is NIUCOCO’s Hydrating Shampoo. It’s free of sulfates, its low lathering, and it cleanses hair without stripping your natural sebum – needed for healthy scalp and strands.

Be gentle when you shampoo and don’t rough towel dry. The added strain on the hair can lead to further damage.

2. NO HEAT STYLING

Sorry, but it’s just a must to stay away from heat styling tools. Heat styling can remove added moisture from the hair strands. At this point, your straw-like hair wants to keep all the moisture it can in the strands. Although not recommended, if you have to heat style, make sure to use a thermal protectant like NIUCOCO’s Renewing Serum.

3. COCONUT OIL TREATMENTS ARE A MUST

Hair is associated with fatty acids and several integral hair proteins (Lee, 2011; Wertz, 1988). Bleaching doesn’t just break down melanin and the cuticle structure, but also the fatty acids within the hair and other integral hair proteins – causing that straw-like feeling.

To add fatty acids back into the strands, use coconut oil treatments. Coconut oil is one of the only oils that has been scientifically proven to penetrate strands, thereby nourishing parched, damaged hair. Only use extra virgin, cold pressed, unrefined coconut oil as it maximizes the coconut oil’s benefits and ensures that the naturally occurring phytonutrients are intact; it contains a superior lauric acid content, the main fatty acid that comprises coconut oil, than other types of coconut oil.

Directions: For an intense treatment, liberally coat strands with coconut oil. Wear a shower cap and let the goodness in the coconut oil penetrate strands overnight. The next morning, shampoo with a gentle shampoo and follow with a conditioner. Repeat oil treatments on a weekly basis until hair is back to healthy. 

Implement the coconut oil treatment starting from the second week after bleaching.  Start with 2 times per week for the first week and then 1 time per week afterward.

4. ADD SOME OIL TO HAIR DURING THE DAY TO KEEP IT MOISTURIZED

During the day, add a pea-sized amount of coconut oil to your hair to give it some extra nutrients or apply a small amount of leave-in conditioner to hair.

5. USE A DEEP CONDITIONER

We recommend this DIY deep conditioner that will give results that will amaze you.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup coconut oil (extra virgin, cold pressed, unrefined)
• ¼ cup kaolin
• Optional: a few drops of essential oil for a spa-like experience!

Directions: Mix together to form a slurry. Slather onto hair strands liberally and cover with a shower cap. Let sit for 30-60 minutes. Shampoo with a gentle shampoo and follow with conditioner.

We know what the coconut oil in this recipe does for hair (see tip #3). The other main ingredient, kaolin, is a clay that is high in silica, which helps to strengthen hair and add moisture.  It is the gentlest of clays so it won’t remove moisture from the hair.

Apply this mask to your hair twice a week for optimal results. 

YOUR HAIR FEELS LIKE STRAW.

WE HAVE A 4-WEEK REPAIR REGIMEN THAT WILL HELP.

Author: Yasmine Ishmael

References

1. Hessefort Y, Holland BT, Cloud RW. True porosity measurement of hair: a new way to study hair damage mechanisms. J Cosmet Sci. 2008 Jul-Aug;59(4):303-15.
2. Lee WS. Integral hair lipid in human hair follicle. J Dermatol Sci. 2011 Dec;64(3):153-8.
3. Wertz, PW & Downing, DT. Integral lipids of human hair. Lipids. 1988 Sep;23: 878.
4. Wolfram LJ, Hall K, Hui I. The Mechanism of Hair Bleaching. J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem. 1970 Dec;21: 875-900.

More and more consumers today are living lifestyles focused on health and wellness. This should go beyond just food and diet and be incorporated into choices for beauty and hair care products. 1 out of every 3 Americans suffers from an allergy or intolerance that is in our everyday beauty routine. As a result, beauty brands have researched ingredients so that consumers can make healthier choices when choosing a cosmetic brand and its products. 

With the growing demand for transparency regarding the ingredients in the hair care products we use every day, information is now readily accessible via digital technologies and social media. Consumers can research products and individual ingredients with a simple click.

Reputable groups, such as Think Dirty and EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, have emerged to help consumers define the toxicity of cosmetic products and highlight potential hazards and health concerns. Their scientists compare ingredients to published journal articles and government regulations to provide the consumer with an easy to understand toxicity rating for a cosmetic product.

We have done our homework and compiled the 9 most toxic ingredients you want to avoid that you can find in your everyday hair care. 

1: Synthetic fragrances are a common addition to cosmetic products, including hair care and body care products, since they add a pleasant scent to the products.Synthetic fragrances are also cost effective and minimal amounts are required to give the product a strong and long-lasting scent.

Why should you avoid synthetic fragrances (even the ones that smell really good): 
Government regulations require companies to provide an ingredient declaration for each product. However, since fragrances are considered trade-secret formulas they are not required to list each component of the fragrance on the ingredient label. So many cosmetic products containing synthetic fragrances also likely contain phthalates.

2: Phthalates are a common industrial chemical used in synthetic fragrances to stabilize the fragrance. They are also found in PVC plastics and are often referred to as plasticizers.

The science behind avoiding this ingredient:
Phthalates have several potential health effects and have been linked to asthma, allergies, and problems of the reproductive system, such as decreased sperm motility.

FUN FACT: There are alternatives to using fragrances containing phthalates that your hair and body will thank you for: natural fragrances! NIUCOCO’sfragrance is composed of natural, organic coconut aromatics and is phthalate free.

3: Parabens are a widely used inexpensive preservative and have been used in cosmetic products since the 1920s.They are primarily used to extend the shelf life of the products and protect the products from fungal and bacterial contamination.

The truth about parabens is scary:
Many studies have linked parabens to the disruption of reproductive hormones (since parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen). The push to remove parabens from cosmetic products came when a study showed the presence of parabens in 19 of 20 breast cancer tumors.

4: In the cosmetic world, sulfates are designated to anionic surfactants and specifically to sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium laureth sulfate.These four detergents are powerful degreasers and are typically used at very high concentrations in shampoos due to their cleansing and foaming capacity.

Why sulfates are to be avoided:
Sulfates can be too harsh on the hair and scalp and can strip away your hair’s natural oils causing dryness and skin irritation. As hair is stripped of its natural oils it becomes vulnerable to breakage. To avoid this, most people apply a heavier amount of conditioner to replace the natural oils they just stripped out. It’s a vicious and expensive wash, rinse, and repeat the cycle. 

5: Formaldehyde and formaldehyde donors (urea and DMDM Hydantoin) are used as a preservative in cosmetic products such as hair straightening systems, hair serums, shampoos, and an endless list of other hair care products.

Here’s the dirty secret: 
You may experience watery eyes, skin irritation, coughing, and nausea with this ingredient. It is also a known animal carcinogen. They are no studies linking cancer to humans, but it is best to avoid it all together.

6: PEG (Polyethylene glycol) is a petroleum compound typically used as a humectant or stabilizer in cosmetic products. PEGs have a penetration enhancing effect; this helps the other ingredients in the products to easily penetrate the skin.

Why is this bad, you ask?
PEG allows the ingredients in the products to easily penetrate the skin but also allows the potential impurities PEG carries from petroleum to also easily penetrate the skin.

7: Synthetic colours are typically derived from petroleum or coal tar and are suspected to be a human carcinogen. Yuck! The words “coal tar” requires no further need to explain why you should avoid this.

8: Diethanolamine (DEA), Monoethanolamine (MEA), and Triethanolamine (TEA) are known to form cancer-causing chemicals and are commonly used as foaming agents in shampoos, bubble baths, and body washes.

9: Mineral oil is a derivative of crude oil (petroleum). It is inexpensive, can be found in many hair care products, and is most popularly used in baby oil. (Yup! You read that correctly!)

Mineral Oil = Bad News: 
This is not a sustainable oil in the long run. And, since it is derived from crude oil, it can be contaminated with carcinogenic materials.

NIUCOCO and our team of health conscience scientists avoided these dangerous ingredients that have been part of hair care for so long. Scientists in the industry have developed alternatives to phthalates, parabens, and sulfates due to the demand from consumers for safer, non-toxic ingredients. There are more health conscious choices on the market for cleansers, preservatives, and fragrances. Additionally, an increasing amount of ingredients derived from natural and sustainable sources have emerged.

NIUCOCO only produces non- toxic products that focus on performance but also have a low environmental impact. Everyone deserves great hair.

Beauty Independent asked NIUCOCO's founder, James La, about the difficulties of breaking into retail spaces.

You can read James' tips to getting your brand into retail stores here.

Beauty Independent asked NIUCOCO's founder, James La, about the difficulties of breaking into international markets as a North American beauty brand.

You can read James' 3 tips to keep in mind when branching out your brand here.

Coconut oil can help reduce hair damage (protein loss) by up to 39%, helping to stop your hair from falling out.

One particular study, performed by Rele and Mohile, highlights coconut oil’s ability to prevent protein loss in hair by reducing the amount of water absorbed during saturation.

This study utilized four hair types, three of which were of Indian origin (straight, wavy, and curly), and one of which was untreated and provided by a producer of human hair wigs (DeMeo).

Each hair type underwent eight separate treatments prior to testing, and all eight treatment types were performed with the help of twenty-five tresses of each hair type.

The treatments included (a) undamaged control; (b) undamaged/coconut oil; (c) bleached; (d) coconut oil/bleached; (e) bleached/coconut oil; (f) boiling water; (g) coconut oil/boiling water; and (h) boiling water/coconut oil.

After treatment, the tresses were washed with a 20% solution of sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and evaluated for a number of qualities, including protein loss caused by wet combing.

The results, both for undamaged and bleached or boiled hair were similar, in that every instance of coconut oil used as a prewash lessened the amount of protein loss experienced by the hair.

You can read more about the studies conducted and 3 big reasons to use coconut oil in your hair care routine, here. 

Beauty Independent asked NIUCOCO's founder, James La, about the difficulties of navigating online traffic and driving real customers to your brand online.

You can read James' advice on search engine optimization (SEO) here.

Divine.ca has put together a list of their favorite hair oils that not only nourish, but also give you those holiday vibes. 

"The serum of the brand is soft and silky, and leaves our hair shiny with barely a drop of serum. Heat it by rubbing your hands together, and apply on the lengths and the ends, on dry hair. You’ll be hooked too!"

Read more and see their complete list here.

Boca Life says your locks deserve some attention this year! They picked NIUCOCO for the job. 

"Improve your hair by using a hydrating shampoo made with natural ingredients for a boost of volume and shine. Don’t forget to use a mask once a week to penetrate deep into the hair follicle for added moisture."

You can read all of Boca Life's reccomendations here.

Do you have curly hair that is dry, fine, and thin? This read is for you! 

"I have weird hair: it’s curly and dry, but it’s also fine. This means that using products traditionally formulated for curly or dry hair can easily weigh my locks down, sucking the volume out of them. It’s been a struggle for me to find styling products that help me smooth out my tresses and fight frizz without being too heavy.

Although I loved the shampoo and conditioner, I am NEVER letting go of the Renewing Hair Serum."

Read more about this curly girl's take on NIUCOCO's products here.

Master hair stylist Andrianna Napoletano discusses her love for NIUCOCO's Renewing Hair Serum. Why does she recommend it to her clients? Because it’s a natural product that works wonders. She applies just a few drops before heat styling when using straightening irons, curling irons, blow dryers.

"After traveling extensively this past summer, I was horrified to see the current state of my tresses: dull, lackluster, and as dry as the Sahara, which I blame on all the hours stuck up in the dehydrating, stuffy cabin air. So when the entire line of NIUCOCO came across my desk in all its natural and toxin-free glory, I was eager to give it a go. Made from all natural, cold-pressed, extra virgin coconut oil, this Canadian haircare line is free from sulphates, gluten, parabens, and phthalates. A big bonus, the brand is also cruelty-free and supports fair trade- win-win for your hair and your heart!"  

Read more about the Green Queen's review of NIUCOCO's Hair Care line here.

NIUCOCO's Trio made the top of the list! Check out their fabulous beauty selection that will help you get your glow on before kickoff. 

See more of their beauty picks here.

"Their Hydrating Shampoo and Smoothing Conditioner are perfectly suited to the needs of color-treated, chemically treated, dry, damaged, coarse, curly, fine, fragile and naturally straight textures." 

You can read more about their thoughts on NIUCOCO here. 

Yasmine Ishmael, Chief Scientist of NIUCOCO, was asked by Reader's Digest how to solve common mistakes people make when washing their hair. 

"Shampoo from the top down. Most people apply shampoo to the roots and lather, and then apply additional shampoo to the rest of the hair. Instead, apply shampoo to the scalp and massage into a lather. Work the product down the hair to the ends without applying additional shampoo. Hair tends to be dirtiest on the roots and drier on the ends, so this is a good way to treat dry ends."

You can read more on how to avoid common washing mistakes here.

Forget Everything You Know About Washing Your Hair!

"NIUCOCO is another up and coming line who focuses on the power of natural ingredients. The star in their products is a unique form of cold-pressed coconut oil so their products are super moisturizing and smell delicious."

See the full list here.

Meet James La, founder of NIUCOCO - a must have non-toxic hair care line that is rated green by Think Dirty and made in Montréal!

Watch Adrien Yves Dupuis from M salon tell us how he's NIUCOCO's #1 fan and recommends this product for any hair type.

Suka and Spice

"I want to smell sexy, not sickly", I told my sister one night, as I mourned the fact that my Moroccan Oil had gone the way of so many other hair products--the trash. The issue however, is that many of the cleaner products I was picking up, didn't have the loveliest of scents. Enter @niucoco Renewing Hair Serum. The name first caught my eye, as Niu is quite literally "coconut", in Tongan. I love most things coconut, and when they sent this over, I was pleased to find that it included not only coconut oil, but guava extract and quinoa protein. It doesn't hurt that it smells fresh and light. Not overperfumed or synthetic in the least. Just a handful of drops, is perfect for applying in damp hair--but I also found that adding a generous amount to dry hair, an hour before washing, is also a conditioning treat. I have a lot of hair, though each individual strand is fine...I don't find that this weighs it down, and that's something to be grateful for. In fact, I'll show you a picture this week, as evidence. But for now, baby has a checkup, and this hair is in a permabun. Do you use a hair serum that smells as delicious as this? Tell me about it!

http://www.sukaandspice.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sukaandspice/

#niucoco #beautywithoutbunnies #leapingbunnies #hairserum #coconutoil #greenhairproducts #guava #coconut #quinoaprotein #greenbeauty #greenmama #greenmumma #greenbeautyblogger #beautyblogger #bblogger #haircare #nontoxichaircare #niu #sexyhair #hairtreatment #sukaandspice

To choose the best coconut oil for your hair, read the ingredients. You’re looking for something 100% natural and PURE—oil purity is the key to unlocking its full benefits. Keep in mind, companies will purposely decrease the size of font used for their product’s ingredient lists!

One of my favourite lines so far is by NIUCOCO because they only use cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil, an ingredient I’ve yet to find on any other label. Their products are also free of artificial fragrances and phthalates—they’re entirely chemical-free and they work well. 

http://theheartysoul.com/coconut-oil-for-hair-growth/