Amodimethicone, Castor Oil for Sheen?

According to this study, amodimethicone and castor oil are among certain substances that "increase the luster of hair." Has this been true in your experience? Does castor oil give you sheen? What about amodimethicone-based products? Do other oils/substance give your hair more sheen or shine?

MORE READS:
AMODIMETHICONE + OTHER CONES
CLEANSING AGENTS FOR CONES

Sugar, Acne, and Skin Care Recap!

Skin Care Tip of the Day: You are what you eat.  Sweets, which are proinflammatory, may contribute to acne [1] [2].  (In my personal experience, they definitely do.) For clearer skin, avoid chocolate, cookies, cake, sodas, fruit juices, and other proinflammatory foods. Consume anti-inflammatory foods like salmon, whole grain, and oranges. Also, drink plenty of water.

*************
In case you missed previous skin care topics on this blog, here is a recap:

1. Black Skin and Sunscreen
2. Hyperpigmentation in Black Skin
3. Building a Skin Care Regimen
4. Hey Med School ... Skin Care, Please?
5. Household Makeup Removers
6. Natural Skin Care ... On a Budget

and more!

Grapeseed Oil, Linoleic acid, and Body Butter Mixs

Grapeseed oil contains a high amount of linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid. (Safflower oil, my first love, also contains this fatty acid!) Linoleic acid has many health benefits when taken internally (e.g., decreases LDL cholesterol), but what is not discussed as much are its benefits externally. When applied to the skin, this fatty acid can help combat dryness by providing protection against moisture loss (1). Additionally it has demonstrated a potential to effectively reduce the size of blackheads and whiteheads (2).

*******

It's that time of year again to mix another body butter! In my original batch, I used unrefined shea butter with safflower oil. Since then, I've experimented with a couple more substances and mixtures to get a feel for what my skin likes. Here's my latest mix that I use on my elbows, knees, ankles, and lips. Enjoy!

Ingredients
grapeseed oil (high in linoleic acid, odorless)
unrefined shea butter (high in vitamins A, E; softening)
aloe vera gel (99% organic, moisturizing)
vegetable glycerin (humectant)

Melting the shea butter
Perform the following if your shea butter is too firm to mix and/or contains impurities. Heat the unrefined shea butter over the stove until melted. Stir continuously. Use low to medium heat. Should be melted in less than 5 minutes.

Filtering the shea butter
If necessary, filter the melted butter through a napkin to remove any impurities. (This depends on how unrefined the shea butter is and from where you purchase it.)

All mixed up
Allow the melted filtered butter to partially solidify at room temperature. Then mix in the grapeseed oil, glycerin, and aloe. Allow the mixture to harden overnight. The next morning, it is ready to use! (Roughly estimated portions: about 4oz of shea butter, 2oz of grapeseed oil, several tablespoons of glycerin and aloe. May adjust to achieve your desired consistency.)

SOURCES & MORE READS ON LINOLEIC ACID:
BARRIER AGAINST WATER LOSS
COMBAT ACNE
BODY FAT REDUCTION
DEFICIENCY
FOUND IN THE SKIN
GRAPESEED OIL CONTENTS

Study || Hard Water Impact On Hair

Hard water metals concentrate primarily in the cuticle layer.  A study published in 2011 indicated that these metals can affect certain hair properties, which include:

- stiffening of hair strand
- reduction of combing forces
- improvement of ability to hold a style in virgin hair
- reduction of ability to hold a style in bleached hair

Additionally, certain variables affect the uptake of hard water metals by the hair, such as the:

- condition of the hair (e.g., chemically damaged)
- pH of the water
- level of water hardness


ABSTRACTS:
STRUCTURAL IMPLICATIONS OF HARD WATER METALS (2011)
UPTAKE OF HARD WATER METALS BY HAIR (2011)

Study || Cherries Reduce Abdominal Fat?

I was eating some cherries a couple weeks ago and thought, "Hmm, I wonder if there is any research out there on cherries and fat".  Up until that point, I thought the fruit was pretty useless other than being a fix for my sweet tooth.  Well, guess what? There is research out there, one of which associates a regular intake of cherries with a reduction in abdominal fat weight, percentage fat mass, and more.  Check out the abstract: REGULAR TART CHERRY INTAKE ALTERS ABDOMINAL ADIPOSITY, ETC. (2009).

Study, Skin Care || Turmeric for Hyperpigmentation and Wrinkles?

I am subscribed to tons of YouTubers, and one of them is Farah.  She has several videos discussing the effectiveness of turmeric against hyperpigmentation.  While I have not tried her homemade mixtures, I did view this is an opportunity to find any research on turmeric and hyperpigmentation.  What did I find?

• In one study, turmeric demonstrated effectiveness against hyperpigmentation and other UVB-induced skin damage in mice.  It specifically prevented the following: an increase in skin thickness, a reduction in skin elasticity, formation of wrinkles, and formation of melanin induced by chronic UVB exposure [1].  The mechanism by which turmeric accomplishes this is believed to be via the "inhibition of increases in metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression caused by chronic irradiation". 
• Curcumin, an active component of turmeric, "protects skin by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation through the inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B [2]".

SOURCES
[1] EFFECTS OF TURMERIC ON CHRONIC UVB-INDUCED SKIN DAMAGE (2009)
[2] SKIN REGENERATIVE POTENTIALS OF CURCUMIN (2013)

One of Farah's many videos on using turmeric for the skin: 

Study || Peppermint Essential Oil for Hair Growth

The use of peppermint oil for hair growth is not new at all to the natural hair community. Search the archives of hair care forums and blogs, and you will find at least one thread or article devoted to it. Nonetheless, there has not been a concrete study on peppermint oil for hair growth … until now.

1. Let’s talk about previous research of peppermint oil

Over the years, the benefits of peppermint oil have been evidenced in other regards.

“… peppermint has been reported to show anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities as well as strong antioxidant activity, and antiallergenic and antitumor actions. Several clinical trials examining the effects of peppermint oil (PEO) on irritable bowel syndrome have been reported. However, experimental trial of PEO in its hair growth activity has not been fully reported.”

In December 2014, a thorough study on the growth benefits of peppermint oil was finally published.

2. The study: methodology and experiment

“The aim of this study was to address the therapeutic potential of peppermint oil (PEO) for hair loss via the comparative analysis between PEO and minoxidil.”

Some of us are already familiar with minoxidil for hair growth, whether first-hand or through hearing the experiences of others. Research also supports this use and doctors widely recommend topical minoxidil (Rogaine®) to treat some forms of alopecia.

This particular study was aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of peppermint oil versus the widely used and researched treatment for hair loss, minoxidil. For the experiment, 100% pure peppermint essential oil was diluted in jojoba oil (a carrier oil). The mixture was then applied topically once a day, six days a week, for approximately a month.

The experimental design was as follows:

“This study investigated the effect of peppermint oil on hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. The animals were randomized into 4 groups based on different topical applications: saline (SA), jojoba oil (JO), 3% minoxidil (MXD), and 3% peppermint oil (PEO). The hair growth effects of the 4-week topical applications were evaluated in terms of hair growth, histological analysis, enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), known bio-markers for the enhanced hair growth.”

3. The findings

The results of the study showed that peppermint oil had the most pronounced effect on hair growth compared to the other three compounds. Additionally, the oil showed significant increases in follicle count, or hair density. Here is a snapshot of the results:

- “At week 4, PEO showed hair growth at about 92%, whereas MXD about 55%”
- “The depth, size, and number of hair follicles were also markedly increased in PEO treated skin.”
- "PEO showed remarkably increased IGF-1 mRNA expression at week 2, whereas MXD at week 4.” (NOTE: IGF-1 supports cell growth and survival while also playing a role to increase hair thickness.)

4. So what does this mean?

For those of you who use peppermint oil for hair regrowth, you might actually be onto something!

“In conclusion, our experimental data suggest that 3% PEO facilitates hair growth by promoting the conservation of vascularization of hair dermal papilla, which may contribute to the induction of early anagen stage. In addition, PEO effectively stimulated hair growth in an animal model via several mechanisms and thus could be used as a therapeutic or preventive alternative medicine for hair loss in humans.”

SOURCE:
Ji Young Oh, Min Ah Park, and Young Chul Kim. "Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs". Toxicology Research, Volume 30, Issue 4 Dec. 2014, pp. 297–304.