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If you need and help and tips regarding hair and scalp….I’m your man.

Hi there!

I’ve been in the hairdressing industry for over 30 years…. Currently have my salon in the UK.

If you need any tips, product advice, care and maintenance or problems with hair or scalp…just give me a shout.

Cheers.

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Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
OK... I'll go first. I have psoriatic arthritis and it affects my scalp... and my face as well. I found a great bar shampoo that works great on my hair and keeps my scalp clear... but if I get much of it on my face, it produces ugly red bumps. They dissipate after a couple hours but it isn't pleasant. I was using the shampoo bar on my face too.... .but that's when I determined it was causing the breakouts. I thought it would be perfect for my face too... ooops

So... is there a hair shampoo that might solve my scalp problem but not affect my face? Here's the shampoo bar I'm currently using: All Natural Shampoo Bar Rosemary and Eucalyptus 100g - https://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/all-natural-shampoo-bar-rosemary-and-eucalyptus-100g

Brian Mulreany of ESC emailed the shampoo manufacturer and they couldn't pinpoint what ingredient is causing the reaction... and I didn't really expect them to be able to do so.
 
I wouldn’t use a shampoo bar on your face… the skin is more sensitive there

Use a facial cleanser, with minimal ingredients, or you could try a natural oat face soap, as oats is fantastic for very dry skin. My daughter has many allergies, and her skin is super sensitive to ingredients in many shampoos and soaps. Soaps containing oats does the trick, and she doesn’t have any reactions and her skin clears up.

Stress is a major factor with skin complaints too, as is diet. But, in the meantime, try an oat based skin cleanser. Aveeno is a great brand, and ready available.

 
I have brittle, stiff, rather porous and dry hair and hair line is receeding. So I keep my hair rather short.

Currently I simply use bar soap for washing my hair - I figured after trying tons of different shampoos it really doesn't make much of a difference. My hair stays dry. Also I don't like liquid detergents/syndets very much and rather use one bar for everything.

Since soap is very alkaline and opens the hair's cuticles (I think warm water already does that to an extent) I follow with an acidic (vinegar) rinse to wash out soap scum and to close the hair's cuticles again.
I heard these constant opening and closing of the hair's cuticles and the hair swelling leads to "hygral fatigue", especialy when you wash yor hair daily (which I do).

Shampoo syndets on the other hand seem to be formulated to be often on the alkaline side as well it seems (makes sense if you want to deep clean it, I guess).

What do you make of this trend of using hair soaps (vs shampoo bars vs liquid shampoo) in general?

I follow with a paraffin based hair cream and a bit of hair wax but when it dries up during the day my hair is rather meeh.
Water based pomades/waxes/gels dry my hair even further and make it look really dull.

Any tips for a hair care routine/products I can use (and btw I'm German, so may not have access to all the products in the UK/US) for my hair type?
 
You need to use a shampoo and finish off with a conditioner to close those cuticles. Soap shampoo is fine, but acid wash after will dry your hair up, as well as your scalp.
A decent hair conditioner will nourish your hair and stop it going brittle and dry. You don’t need to splash a lot of cash on decent products…

Biotin ( in tablet form) will do wonders for your hair, nails and skin, you can get them from Amazon or local health shops.
 
Nice of you to offer!

I have an itchy scalp with hard, straight hair. I only use Head & Shoulders. I sometimes (more often than not) have dry and itchy scalp.

I'd be forever in your debt if you could tell me what on earth to do.
 
Nice of you to offer!

I have an itchy scalp with hard, straight hair. I only use Head & Shoulders. I sometimes (more often than not) have dry and itchy scalp.

I'd be forever in your debt if you could tell me what on earth to do.

Head and shoulders is harsh. It will remove oils and make your scalp dry if you use it all the time.

Wash your hair in baby shampoo, give it 2 washes and condition it afterwards, massaging the conditioner into your hair and scalp and leaving it a few minutes before rinsing. You won’t see a difference straight away, but should improve over 3 washes.

Otherwise, use an oat based shampoo as the reply to the previous poster to see if things improve.

Don’t wash your hair everyday…. Wash it 2 or 3 times a week, maximum.
 
Head and shoulders is harsh. It will remove oils and make your scalp dry if you use it all the time.

Wash your hair in baby shampoo, give it 2 washes and condition it afterwards, massaging the conditioner into your hair and scalp and leaving it a few minutes before rinsing. You won’t see a difference straight away, but should improve over 3 washes.

Otherwise, use an oat based shampoo as the reply to the previous poster to see if things improve.

Don’t wash your hair everyday…. Wash it 2 or 3 times a week, maximum.
So nice of you. I’ve used Head&Shoulders for the last 35 years! Baby shampoo it is.

Any old conditioner?
 
So nice of you. I’ve used Head&Shoulders for the last 35 years! Baby shampoo it is.

Any old conditioner?
Yes, use a general one for dry hair and scalp and go from there. You could even massage olive oil and egg yolk in…. If you can eat it, you can use it!

Don’t forget, the best products are the ones you’ve never heard of.!

Manufacturers have got to recoup the cost of prime time advertising, cost of ads in daily newspapers and glossy magazines. That’s where the main cost of the product goes.
 
What do you recommend for long, wavy, thin hair and air drying? Natural or wet look preferred, and taming flyaways.

Thanks & love the decor. 👌
 
I've given it some time, and I have to thank you. I've not used Head & Shoulders since your reply, and my itchy scalp is gone. I don't have much flake anymore either. And H&S is a dandruff shampoo? Sound's like a sunscreen that is made to give you skin cancer!

I have not yet tried conditioner, but I suppose when I pick some up, my problems might be solved. May you live to be 125 years old.

Thanks again!
 
Thanks for offering to answer questions. @Shavingeveryday. I have a question about hair tonics. When should you use them and what do they do for the hair?

I used to have my hair really short, skin on the side and a 1/2 guard on top. I've decided to grow out my hair and it's about three inches long now and really in the awkward phase. A barber suggested that I should start using hair tonic once I got some length. Just curious if it will be beneficial to start using it.

Thanks.
 
I’ve heard many times over the years to not wash hair every day as it strips the oils.
I’m assuming the oil stripping is from the shampoo? And rinsing with straight water won’t have an effect?
 
If your head gets dirty quickly, you can wash it every day. Modern shampoos do not contain aggressive ingredients, so regular use will not harm hair or sebaceous glands. The best shampoos for everyday use are sulfate-free shampoos. They are the safest in terms of composition and have a less negative impact of the environment. It is necessary to comb the hair before washing your head. Most people skip this important point. As a result, already tangled hair is tangled even more during the washing process. And because of this, then fall out and break.
 
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