What is Hair?

Hair is mainly keratin, the same protein found in skin and fingernails. The natural color of hair depends on the ratio and quantities of two other proteins, eumelanin and phaeomelanin. Eumelanin is responsible for brown to black hair shades while phaeomelanin is responsible for golden blond, ginger, and red colors. The absence of either type of melanin produces white/gray hair. Typical mammalian hair consists of the shaft, protruding above the skin, and the root, which is sunk in a follicle, or pit, beneath the skin surface. Except for a few growing cells at the base of the root, the hair is dead tissue and is composed of keratin and related proteins. The hair follicle is a tubelike pocket of the epidermis, (see How Skin Works) that encloses a small section of the dermis at its base. Human hair is formed by rapid divisions of cells at the base of the follicle. As the cells are pushed upward from the follicle's base, they harden and undergo pigmentation.

Healthy Hair Tips

~ Eat a diet high in protein. Fish, poultry, nuts and beans

~ Blow dry hair with cool air.

~ Do not brush wet hair.

~ Use a quality shampoo and conditioner.

~ Try a thermal protector if you use heat on your hair.

~ Have your stylist do all chemical work.

~ When blow drying...stop when your hair is "almost dry"

~ Use a UV protector on your hair

~ For dry ends...try a DROP of safflower oil. "Scrunch" it in the ends

Henna For Hair

Henna for the hair is sold quite a bit differently that the other henna items we have available. The mix will need to be done in your own home and requires some rather unusual ingredients, such as yogurt and coffee! Sounds odd but trust us, it gives a really nice result.

Henna is a very desirable product to use on the hair despite the peculiar list of ingredients! It gives a radiant glow of red but just like with the henna applications to the skin, it also depends on your actual hair color. For black hair, it gives a gorgeous red hilite. For lighter hair colors, the color becomes more obvious. Gray haired people in this region of the world frequently use henna and have a glowing head of hair much like natural red heads.