Dealing with a stressed scalp and sizzled straw ends?
Or perhaps you’ve read up on the difference between healthy hair vs not so healthy hair and you want to pile some extra love on your locks?
Hair and scalp damage can be a real Debbie Downer, causing itching, flaking, hair loss, frizz, and breakage.
It can also make that easy-care hair routine we all covet feel a long way off.
But it doesn’t have to be.
A regular deep-condition with a high-quality hair mask can provide the nourishing drink that damaged hair needs – restoring protein and moisture and rendering a wayward mane silky and manageable.
If you’ve been eyeing off our Better Hair Days Hair Mask, we bet you’re curious about what makes our hair mask different from the 2463 others out there and whether it really works.
Well, we love curious folks ‘round here.
We believe that you should absolutely ask questions about anything that gets to hang out with your delicate scalp.
So, let’s get you acquainted with the ingredients in Better Hair Days, which will drench your hair and scalp with plant-based loveliness.
Hero ingredients for damaged hair
Shea Butter
The African Queen of the beauty world, shea butter is the product of shea nuts, harvested in West Africa from the Vitellaria paradoxa tree, or “tree of life”.
African people have used shea butter in cooking, medicines, and personal care since at least the fourteenth century, but this ancient wonder has scientific merit, too.
Shea butter has been found to promote cell regeneration (hello healthy roots!) and boost collagen. Collagen is essential to keratin formation and encourages healthy sebum production, to keep hair nourished and smooth.
Rich in fat-soluble vitamins, A and E, and essential fatty acids, shea butter is intensely moisturising, sealing the hair cuticle, adding shine, and protecting from heat damage. A natural anti-inflammatory, shea butter will also soothe a cranky scalp.
Flaxseed Oil
A nutritional powerhouse, flaxseed oil is equally as beneficial in your hair as it is in your diet. Flaxseed is packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as B vitamins.
Protein strengthens the hair follicle and improves hair elasticity, increasing resistance to breakage. Protein will also enhance the look and feel of your hair, acting as a filler for damaged areas of the strand, and a barrier to further damage.
Omega 3s promote healthy circulation at the scalp, to encourage new hair growth, while their anti-inflammatory action soothes irritation.
You may have heard of biotin as key to hair health, but what you mightn’t have realised is that biotin is a type of B-vitamin – one in a family of vitamins which promote hair growth by providing oxygen to the scalp. Flaxseed is rich in biotin, and the whole B fam, promoting healthy hair from the root.
Kakadu Plum
Found in the Top End, Indigenous Australians have prized Kakadu plum as an important food and medicine source for thousands of years.
This Aussie native and superfood ingredient contains more available vitamin C than any other fruit – that’s fifty times the amount found in oranges!
That’s great news for hair because vitamin C is rich in collagen, which strengthens, moisturises, and protects hair as it grows.
This multitalented nutrient has a low pH, which smoothes and tightens the hair cuticle, resulting in glossier locks. It attracts and binds water, sealing moisture into the hair shaft, and it’s a powerful antioxidant, protecting the hair and scalp from environmental stressors, like sun damage and pollution.
Hydrolysed Quinoa
If you were introduced to quinoa on your latest health kick, you might be wondering what on earth it’s doing in your hair care.
Quinoa gained cult status as a superfood nearly a decade ago, as a complete source of vegan protein.
This wonder grain contains more protein than any other grain, and all eight essential amino acids, the same amino acids that comprise more than ninety percent of each hair strand.
Hydrolysis is the process of using water to extract the amino acids from quinoa – hence the term, hydrolysed quinoa.
Hair health depends on the right balance of aminos. If some are lacking, hair can become dull, dry, and weak.
The tiny molecules found in amino acids are well able to penetrate the hair shaft, boosting hydration, and repairing and sealing the hair cuticle to form a protective barrier against damage.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a hero oil for hair health, rich in moisture and antioxidants, and even offering some UV protection.
In a 2003 study comparing the effects of different oils on the hair, coconut oil came out on top of mineral and sunflower oils for protecting hair from protein loss.
While some oils simply coat the hair, the molecular structure of coconut oil makes it more readily absorbed. It’s comprised of medium chain fatty acids, which are long and straight, and more able to penetrate the hair shaft.
Coconut oil’s high saturated fat content makes it especially handy for protecting from heat damage, sealing the hair cuticle, and soothing a dry, irritated scalp.
Jojoba Oil
This desert beauty thrives in harsh conditions and is packed with nutrients and antioxidants, which nourish the hair and scalp and protect from collagen loss and environmental damage.
Not only is jojoba oil rich in vitamins C, B and E, and essential minerals copper and zinc, it’s a proven moisturiser.
Jojoba is chemically similar to sebum, the body’s natural oil, making it very well absorbed by the scalp. Its light texture will add hydration and seal hair cuticles, minus the oil slick.
Can hair get too much of a good thing?
There’s a rumour out there that too much moisture equals oily hair, but it’s actually a dearth of moisture and drying ingredients that cause the scalp to freak out and overproduce oil.
The majority of hair masks on the market are loaded with silicone, encouraging a build-up of oily residue, as well as synthetic preservatives, which strip the hair and scalp of natural moisture, resulting in greasy roots and dry ends.
Because our Better Hair Days Hair Mask contains all of the plant goodness above, and no synthetic nasties, your hair and scalp will lap up the moisture and nutrients within.
Being silicone-free, our mask won’t coat the hair, and easily rinses out after use.
You may notice your scalp producing more oil as it becomes accustomed to a natural formulation, but after a few uses, Better Hair Days will harmonise with your scalp and balance oil production.
Put hair flip-outs in your rear-view and satisfy that curious mind of yours by giving our Better Hair Days Hair Mask a try.
