Daily Archives: May 4, 2012

May4

Salon Hair Dryer on Wheels

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Alright, it’s been almost two years coming. I’ve been eyeing this dryer since 2010, when I came across this thread on the CurlyNikki forums: Pibbs 514 Dryer. The thread was about the Pibbs dryer and whether it was worth the $300 investment. One poster responded:

I can’t say whether or not it gives the same exact results as the Pibbs because I’ve never tried the Pibbs but the SalonsRus salon dryer on wheels is amazing imo. It dries my roller set hair in an hour/hour 15 minutes max. With my old table top dryer it took over 2 hours (not really sure because I never stayed under long enough for it to dry completely). It also has an air control dial which allows you to change the direction of the circulating air so that all of your hair gets dry. It has a timer and also a temp setting. I can sit under the dryer without feeling like I’m in Hades. And the best part is it’s less than half the price of the Pibbs. I highly recommend it as an alternative. … [G]ot it online at salonsrus.com. They offer free shipping too (to anywhere in the continental U.S.).

Well, I went to the salonrus.site, which is now LCLBeauty.com, and located the dryer. The features listed were:

  • 1200 Watts of Professional Power
  • Durable Plastic Hood
  • Adjustable Height
  • Adjustable thermostat heats up to 165 degrees
  • Timer with automatic shut-off
  • Smooth casters for easy mobility

It was $99, but out of stock. When I returned to the site, it was back, but I waited too long and the price increased to $129.77 (shipping to the US was still free though). So, I bookmarked the site and there the dryer sat, collecting dust, for almost two years as I attempted to locate additional reviews and/or a cheaper, but effective, alternative. Neither search was very fruitful.

So, last year, I decided to give the Gold N’ Hot Soft Bonnet Dryer a whirl after Marsha’s review of it as it was cheaper and easier to return if it didn’t work (see here). The dryer worked okay, but wasn’t phenomenal as I still struggle with TnC sets that never dry. Also, it was a no go for an ApHogee Two Step Protein Treatment as the bonnet rested against and started to stick to my drying hair. If you know anything about the two step, you know that you don’t want to have to pry it from your dried hair.

So, after my protein treatment in February, I started thinking about a hard bonnet dryer once again as I knew I would need one if I didn’t want to use a hand dryer (heat is required for the ApHogee Two Step Treatment). I went as far as actually buying one of the Gold N’ Hot Hard Bonnet Dryers on Wheels at Sally’s. But, I immediately returned it after it rang up for the $99 sale price without the 20% discount. The cashier decided to tell me that my coupon didn’t work on sale equipment AFTER she rang up the purchase. I was so peeved, I told her that I didn’t want it without the discount.

And so we come to today. The Gold N’ Hot dryer was on sale for $99 again at Sally’s. I hit the crack spot to pick up Wild Hair Growth Oil in the white bottle (I purchased the “Light” in the yellow) and started eyeing the dryer under the sales table again. I asked about returns and was advised that there was a 20% re-shelfing fee. I walked out with only the hair oil.

So, I’m sitting here playing around on FB and internet surfing and decide to click on my old bookmark. There it was, still $129.77 with free shipping. Impulsiveness set in and I did it!!! I FINALLY ordered the dryer.

Now … the waiting …

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Do you use a hard bonnet dryer? If so, which one and how does it work for you (ease of use, sufficient setting options, drying time, value for price, etc.)?

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May4

Sunflower Oil for Hair

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If you remember, as part of my GOC regimen, I indicated that I would start oiling my scalp with sunflower oil. This was because I went to a salon where the stylist recommended sunflower oil to reduce shedding. After some research, I found information that indicated that sunflower oil is a nice light oil for those with oily hair or fine hair that is easily weighed down (see articles here and here). However, I didn’t find anything to support that the topical application of this oil to the scalp reduces shedding or thickens hair. I did find that taking a teaspoon a day orally might provide these benefits though.

via LiveStrong.com

Nutrition

Sunflower oil contains gamma linolenic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid. Such fatty acids are essential to hair health, says Spencer David Kobren in his book, “The Truth About Women’s Hair Loss: What Really Works for Treating and Preventing Thinning Hair.” GLA also is effective in preventing hair loss from male and female pattern baldness as well as alopecia areata, which causes round patches of lost hair. Just 1 tsp. a day is all that’s needed, Kobren says.

In regard to topical hair application, I located a study that compared the protein retaining and hair strengthening properties of coconut oil to sunflower and mineral oils.

via NCBI.com

The findings clearly indicate the strong impact that coconut oil application has to hair as compared to application of both sunflower and mineral oils. Among three oils, coconut oil was the only oil found to reduce the protein loss remarkably for both undamaged and damaged hair when used as a pre-wash and post-wash grooming product. Both sunflower and mineral oils do not help at all in reducing the protein loss from hair. This difference in results could arise from the composition of each of these oils. Coconut oil, being a triglyceride of lauric acid (principal fatty acid), has a high affinity for hair proteins and, because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft. Mineral oil, being a hydrocarbon, has no affinity for proteins and therefore is not able to penetrate and yield better results. In the case of sunflower oil, although it is a triglyceride of linoleic acid, because of its bulky structure due to the presence of double bonds, it does not penetrate the fiber, consequently resulting in no favorable impact on protein loss.

After reading this information, I have decided that:

  • I will not use sunflower oil on my scalp.
  • May occasionally use it on my hair post-wash.
  • I will continue to use Vatika oil, which is primarily coconut oil, for pre-pooing.
  • I may start incorporating a teaspoon of sunflower oil a day into my diet (i.e. on salad).

So, what will I use on my scalp? I have decided to use Wild Growth Hair Oil (WHGO). Stay tuned for more on my research on that ;))!!

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Do you use sunflower oil for your hair and/or scalp? If so, how and what has been your experience with it?