We are all capable and aware of making the decisions to keep chemicals out of our foods but what we don’t know is what we are not eating we are exposed to through external usages. A very true fact is that we often don’t even consider what we put on our skin because we are not literally digesting these chemicals, so we think. On the contrary, just because we are not eating these creams and soaps does not mean our bodies are not soaking them in through our pores and this is exactly what happens. Our skin can absorb chemicals very quickly if the molecules are small enough to allow it to do so.

Where your skin can be damaged from a scratch or a cut, the skin molecules are bigger and therefore it makes it easier for the chemical agents within your creams and soaps to be absorbed by the body. Another underlying problem with damaged skin is that these chemicals then have the opportunity to penetrate deeper layers of skin and even make it into your blood system where real damage can be done.

If you were to take a look at the ingredient list on your shampoo bottle right now you would find a list of at least 10 different toxic chemicals. This can be a big shock. Shampoos and conditioners have been one of the biggest toxic combinations on sale to consumers for decades. These chemical mixtures can be quite dangerous and are definitely not a friend to the environment either. The problem is that no one is warned of the chemical hazards and none of these companies want to advertise their ingredients because of the many chemicals within them. If you do not take the initiative and read them yourself you will never know what you are exposing your body to.

It is important to know and consider that almost every shampoo and conditioner on the shelve today that is not found in a natural health store contains toxic chemicals. With this in mind, isn’t it time to treat our bodies and health better? Take a look at a natural health store and you will find a wide variety of hair care products that are made from only natural ingredients. You will be surprised at how well they work and how affordable they are as well. Their containers are recyclable and the ingredients inside are nothing but natural. It is about time we started relying on what nature provided for us.

Relaxed and natural black hair tends to be quite porous so loses moisture quickly. The key to long beautiful locks is to keep replacing the moisture lost. The easiest way to do this between washes is to use a good moisturizer.

First things first, let’s deal with a common misconception about oil. Oil is not a moisturizer! Oil lubricates the hair and ’seals in’ any moisture you already have in the hair. If your hair is dry and brittle and you apply oil to it then you are doing your hair more harm than good. The oil will coat the hair and prevent any further moisture from entering the hair which will lead to breakage.

The best moisturizers should always be water based i.e. the first ingredient should be water; water is in fact the best moisturizer! Good moisturizers should also contain humectants. These are ingredients which attract water from the atmosphere, glycerine being the most popular of these. Honey is also an excellent humectant but more commonly used in conditioners and not moisturizers.

Always avoid moisturizers that contain mineral oil or any other petroleum based product in the first few ingredients. Mineral oil does nothing but coat the hair leaving it shiny but dry.

You may find that the best conditioners are the ones that are marketed to ‘wet type’ styles (jheri curl or wave nouveau) as they contain mainly water and glycerine. S curl is particularly good.

How to use hair moisturizers is just as important as getting the right product. If you plan to blow dry or roller set your hair, after towel drying apply a dime sized amount of a water and glycerine based moisturizer before you apply the same amount of heat protectant and comb through hair to evenly distribute. After the blow dry or roller set your hair will be left soft and silky to the touch and will remain like this throughout the day. If you plan to flat iron it then only apply leave in conditioner and a silicone based heat protectant to the hair.

Moisturizers should then be applied daily or as needed. Only a dime sized amount is required for shoulder length hair. A touch more for longer hair. Always comb the moisturiser through the length of the hair with a wide tooth comb to make sure that every strand gets its share. You can apply a bit more to the ends if desired. There is no benefit in loading your hair with moisturizer as hair is only about 10-14% water and all you are trying to do is regain the moisture balance in your hair. You are more likely to ruin your style by leaving relaxed hair looking greasy or reverting natural hair altogether by applying too much moisturizer! When you use a moisturizer well, it should keep your hair from drying out without weighing the hair down or being sticky.

Oil free moisturizers are also good option. They contain silicones that help ’seal’ the moisture into the hair but their first ingredient must also be water and hair should be washed every 3rd day to prevent build-up. Some good examples of natural oil that can be used to seal in moisture after a wash are coconut oil, avocado butter, mango butter or Shea butter. Remember that these are oils and will just lock in whatever moisture you already have in your hair. It is advisable to dampen the hair slightly before applying any hair oil to it.

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- Cut off all or any of the split and damaged ends of your mane. Doing this will allow your newly growing tresses to grow healthy and faster without the damaged hair damaging it

-The other good way of growing hair out is to increase your intake of hair vitamins and minerals such as biotin, prenatal pills, potassium and iron. These mineral and vitamins usually work to help your mane grow out at a faster rate. Remember that most hair loss is often due to an imbalance of minerals and vitamins which cause hormonal imbalances. Hormonal imbalances usually cause slower hair growth and hair loss. So make sure you supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals.

- Consume a mixture of walnuts blended with goat’s milk. This powerful contortion will boost your immune system and provide all the protein you need for faster hair growth! It contains antioxidants, vitamins and minerals perfect for the development of new tresses.

- Whiles growing hair out you can hide any bald spots you may have by changing your hairstyle. You can also use a shampoo and conditioner that will make your mane appear fuller as it is growing out.

- When growing hair out you want to make sure to wear a shorter style. A shorter hair style will give the impression that your tresses are thicker.

- Another option to hiding your bald spots when growing your hair out is to hair extensions. Hair extensions will replace lost tresses and give you the confidence you need as you grow your tresses out!

- Get a scalp massage with a good herbal oil such as Mira hair oil. Massage the oil onto your scalp before going to bed and wash it in the morning. This is one of the fastest way to help you grow out hair. Use this oil twice a week for growing hair out

Use these seven powerful growing out hair tips and very soon you will have your healthy, thick and long mane back.

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Some of the most common effects of SLS consist of:

* Irritation of the skin
* Increase of enzymes in the skin to create redness and swelling
* Dry skin
* When SLS penetrates the eyes it will immediately enter your body and can cause more serious side effects
* Damage to your immune system
* Maintains levels in your heart and liver after long periods of usage

Research has proven that the average shampoo found on the shelves today contains more than 50% of SLS. It is quite amazing how much this chemical is used in everyday products and how dangerous it can really be in the long run. Because these chemicals are found within products we use externally, it is easy to assume that we cannot be harmed. The fact that many people do not know is that our skin absorbs everything we put it in contact with and therefore these chemicals do make it into our internal systems.

The exposure level of SLS can make the difference when considering the different types of effects you may experience from this chemical. As you may imagine, since this chemical is found within your everyday shampoo, the effects can quickly escalate because of daily use for years and years. No matter what brand of shampoo you use you can be sure SLS is part of the ingredient list.

This chemical is cheap for companies to use within their hygiene products but as consumers we do not experience lower pricing because of their cheaper production costs. The reason for mentioning the cost of SLS is that there are much safer alternatives that can be used but of course they would cost the corporations ten times the amount of SLS. Clearly, the price of production is more important to today’s corporations than the health of consumers using their products.

There are many permanent affects your body can suffer from by using hair products containing SLS and because of this the natural hair care industry is beginning to blossom more than ever. Many consumers, men and women alike, are beginning to find out more about naturally made hair care products. Consider what natural ingredients can do for your health and consider what these harsh chemicals are and have been doing to your health. Don’t let mainstream hair care products cause long term harm to your body and health, especially when there are natural shampoos on the market for less than half the price and half the health risk.

Janice Johnson is the founder of the http://www.CurlyHairSalon.com website. An online multi-ethnic curly hair magazine that offers information, tips and advice to care for curly hair.