This Shampoo will fix your LIFE

Ahhhh the powers of jojoba oil. Being a hippie of the once-dreadlocked tribe, I can say that I have not only slathered this oil, but bathed in vats of it. Being a weirdo curious trichologist, I can say that I think I understand why it works so well. The oil derived from the jojoba seed (yay it can be local-ish and fair and all that jazz- it’s native to North America) does not contain triglycerides, aka it’s much lighter than other oils. The molecular size, weight, and structure is similar to our bodies own sebum- the oil mammals produce to keep skin moisturized and elastic. I’ll try to figure out how to post pics of different molecules and such later, if for nothing else but visual interest. I’m super new to the world of compoooters and blargging (is that what it’s called? sharing too much on the intronets?), so bear with me.

Not gonna lie, I roll my eyes a little every time I tell a client their hair is dry and they respond with ‘But I sleep with olive oil in it and use a deep conditioner from Pantene (I’m not dissing Pantene, I like alot of their products, but I’m choosy about which ones- more on that later) once a week!’

Let’s consider the shaft of a strand of hair. It’s built like a tube with layers of shingles around the outside. Over time, or if you damage your hair chemically or physically, those shingles start to lift. This causes the inside to be exposed and more texture along each hair strand, allowing the lifted shingles to catch on each other as they pass, making wretched tangles. Um, I should clarify shingle lifting (olympic sport, anyone?) isn’t always bad and does have a set of benefits- but i’m getting ahead of myself- focus on the oil, Mopsy!

An oil or any type of hydrating base to your conditioner with a largely structured molecule will simply coat the hair shaft, which is good in the effect of ‘smoothing,’ as it will built around the hair shaft making a nice even coating, and is great to act as a barrier to not let moisture escape. But hi, that door doesn’t swing both ways: no actual moisture is getting in, either.

Since the jojoba molecule is already smaller, it tends to pass much easier into the hair shaft, and what doesn’t pass lodges more easily into smaller lifts in the shingles on the shaft (ten times fast-go!), giving a much smoother appearance and- most importantly- rinsing clean away when the job is done. I’ll post more on damage vs. dry later, and the difference between the two. Please let me remind you that this is only a chapter in a book of hair, and that there are a lot of factors at play with every head.

Because, in hair, like life, there are only band aids and the temporary. You can’t go back and truly reverse the damage.

SOOOOOooooooooooo AAAAnnnyyyyyhooooooo, this shampoo from Phyto is one of my go-to’s for damaged, dry, tangled, curly, or coarse hair. It’s magnificent. From my research, the chemists that make this Phyto stuff have pulverized the already small, recognizable-to-human-bodies jojoba molecule, into an even smaller version of itself- making it mightier to us in the process. I have fine, thin, hair that is very chemically processed with breakage on the ends and a ton of oil production at the scalp, and I do find that my scalp area does have more oil accumulation sooner than other shampoos, but duh, it’s because I’m adding micronized jojoba oil to my sebum-coated roots. But, my ends feel awesome. I use it as a treatment shampoo when my hair is very, very sad; but if your hair is coarse or dry, or your scalp is dry and tight, there is no other thing that will better suit your hair and scalp than this, according to my exhaustive and never ending search and experimentation.

When I was in seventh grade the only place you could buy this stuff was at Nordstrom, and it was muy expensivo for my 12 year old income. But I saved and saved and would buy from this fancy line. And to think, many years later, that my parents were surprised when I became a hairstylist . . .

Love,

Mopsy