Hey everyone, Melanie Day here, founder of In Living Curls Haircare Community. 

I was honored to be joined by Nutritionist Deepa to discuss haircare products and other nutrition relating to hair. A few months ago I was on her podcast and we did an episode talking about how important nutrition is for hair growth and to prevent hair loss.

Nutritionist Deepa and I want to remind you that nutrition comes first, food comes first. Hair care products are not a replacement for good nutrition, but when you choose the right ones, they are a good protectant for your hair and additive to good nutrition. 

We talked about the results of not having the proper nutrition in your body and the effects on your hair, the things we need to put on the hair for it to be strong and healthy, and we debunked myths about additives on your hair. We just really get into it. For all the details take a look at the full video or listen to the podcast.

I let her question me on all the nitty gritty of hair products and she gave me some pointers about nutrition. Below are some of my favorite questions and answers from that conversation. 

Deepa: The most common complaint that I hear from my patient is they’re suffering from hair loss and hair texture changing. This can be either because of hormones or any kind of disease or conditions or deficiency. So once we get the nutrition up and running, and as they start to get their life, and their hair back, what kind of hair care products should we be looking at?

Melanie: I always like to tell clients, or for you patients, when you're looking for hair care products think about what the current needs are of your hair. For instance my hair has an afro texture, which by nature is very dry. It's healthy so I don't need anything special, so I want to look for products that are moisturizing. I want to look for products that are going to be able to help me retain the moisture that I may not have. Is your scalp dry and itchy? Is your hair color treated, is it chemically treated? And you’ll go from there. 

Deepa: Is there anything in particular we should be looking at when it comes to ingredients? Things that maybe we shouldn't be buying? 

Melanie: So yes. Well, yes and no. There's been huge debates about parabens and sulfates. So sulfates are detergents, they're cleansers when you really look at them from a cosmetic science standpoint. Things are said for marketing purposes, unfortunately. But you know, from what I've seen and read and from what other professionals have shared with me, they’re fine. According to researchers and doctors, there's not a lot of evidence that parabens actually are causing breast cancer. There hasn’t been a lot of data but in the solon world things are being sold with labels that say paraben and sulfate free. When it comes to your shampoos,  you're wanting something that's a mild cleanser. You’re wanting something like a sulfate, you’re not going to use Ajax for your hair. 

You want something PH balanced. Sometimes when things are not formulated right, it can be really stripping to the hair. Stay right around 5.5, that’s good for a shampoo. 

Deepa: So that’s shampoo, do we need anything like a conditioner? 

Melanie: Yes, conditioners are great. I know some clients have finer hair, and that makes them feel like conditioner is going to weigh their hair down. But it helps smooth out the hair, and adds volume so I think it’s important. 

All conditioner isn’t made the same. You  have instant conditioners that can be used as a leave in or a rinse out. There are water-based conditioners, but when you search again you’ll want to consider the texture of your hair. If your hair is on a thicker and coarser side, you're going to use something that's a little bit thicker in consistency. If it's at the other end of the spectrum, you might want to use something that’s liquid-based. A liquid based conditioner or a spray or something like that. 

Deepa: So you wash your hair, you condition your hair, then what?  

Melanie: So you shampoo your hair, you condition your hair, then once again depending on the curl type and hair texture, you might do a deep conditioner, or a leave-in conditioner, or a detangling spray. Honestly, I love to equate hair textures to fabrics. You have silk, you have wool, you have cotton, you have denim, right? So your hair is like silk, and with a silk blouse you're not going to use really heavy or harsh detergents. You’re going to use Woolite. My hair is more like cotton, and I need something to make it softer, so I’m going to use something super conditioning. It doesn't matter if you have short hair or long hair, because once again hair is a fabric and it doesn’t really matter how much there is. 

Deepa: So what if someone is dealing with differences in their hair and it feels like a mixture? Say if it’s long, and dry with split ends? 

Melanie: So if a person is experiencing split ends, and their hair is long, and they also have dryness, those are kind of like three separate things.  For starters, I would look into what's causing their hair to be dry. Then what’s causing the hair to split. Those things sound like they could be a nutritional deficiency, or there could be something else causing it.  There could be an underlying health issue. A lot of women who struggle with their thyroid, either hypo or hyperthyroidism struggle with dry, brittle hair. 

It could also just be their texture. For someone who has an afro texture like me, our hair is just really fragile. It has such tight coils, that it's hard for the oil to go from the scalp all the way to the ends of the hair. Since your hair is straight, it probably gets oily very fast because oils can just travel straight through. 

The third thing could be styling. Maybe they’re using too much heat, maybe they’re in an area with hard water or deposits from well water. They could be using the wrong products, they could be drying the hair out rather than moisturizing it. 

Deepa: I want to inject nutrition here and mention that dry hair is often a sign of essential vitamin deficiency. Specifically Vitamin E, Vitamin D3, B Complex, Iron, and Ferritin. Our hair is a storage system, and so when we’re trying to get more nutrients, our body is going to start sucking nutrients from places that aren’t essential like your hair. So hair dryness and loss can be an early indicator of nutritional deficiencies. 

How important do you think hydration is for hair? 

Melanie:  I mean everybody out there who is refusing to drink water, because they don't like the taste of water. They’re forgetting water is in their hair. 

Deepa:  Exactly, so please, please, please, drink water. These products will not work if you are not hydrating your hair from the inside out.  Moving on, what do you think about treating hair with color? How damaging is it? I want to know the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Melanie: I think color is a great way to express yourself. It's a way to make yourself feel pretty.  It's a great way to camouflage ‘natural highlights’ as I like to say, you know gray hair.  Technology and science has come a long way.  While 15 to 20 years ago permanent color had a lot of ammonia in it, now color is being formulated without ammonia.  There's a lot of color on the market that has less harsh ingredients to allow you to do the same thing as the old stuff. 

Deepa: I know henna is a popular alternative, can you talk about that? 

Melanie:  A lot of women and men are doing henna treatments on their hair.  Let me say this, henna and regular hair color do not mix. They're two separate chemicals, and they’re like oil and water. They do not mix.  So for individuals out there who want to use henna, think deeply on that. If you ever want to go to a different type of color, it has a negative reaction, and it's not pretty.  So just putting that out.

Deepa: Any advice on gels and sprays, and any of that stuff?

Melanie: Yes so when you're looking for styling products once again, think about the needs of your hair at that particular time.  I love hair that moves, but even if you want a style that stays in place you don’t want it to feel tacky. I use a curl enhancing mousse in my salon that has a nice medium hold, I also have a lot of sprays if you prefer that. I have a spray gel that gives you almost a beach wave, it has a little bit of a gritty salty texture to give you an ocean feel. It really depends on the style you’re looking for, and I like to give personal recommendations. 

Deepa: Okay my last question would be, should i be spending money on buying organic shampoo? If I’m eating organic food can I save by not getting organic shampoo? 

Melanie: That's a great question, because here's the thing, you have good, better, best. You can use anything to shampoo your hair with, but is it going to be the BEST option? A very plant-based brand that’s   organic and fair trade, you’ll know the ingredients that go into it, but will it be the best for your hair? It may not work for your hair even if it’s marketed as organic or natural. So if you’re trying to limit the chemicals you have in a product, sure go that route, just make sure it’s a formula that works for your hair type and needs. If you're not familiar with the ingredients, look it up and see what the uses are for that particular ingredient. You might already have it in your cabinet at home.

Deepa: Okay, real last question, what about people struggling with dandruff? 

Melanie: I would personally start with gut health first. Dandruff is a yeast so if you’re using a product make sure it’s zinc based. A lot of people go for peppermint or tea tree oil but that can be irritating. Zinc shampoos can sometimes be drying though so look for something that has good moisturizer in it. 

I had such a fun time with Nutritionist Deepa, as always, and we decided that next time we talk, we’ll have to talk about styling and protecting when you’re going through disease treatments and safe ways to decorate your hair and things like, so let me know if there’s anything we should include in that conversation.  

If you’re looking for more resources for your wellness journey, take a look at her content, she has some really great stuff. 

If you’re looking for specific product recommendations for your hair type, or anything else having to do with the hair or scalp, reach out to me. I’m here to help teach you about proper hair care, healthy living, and self-love. 

Thank you for joining me today,

- Melanie Day.