With various COVID-19 lockdown regulations being adjusted and enforced, it’s fair to say that we’re going to be spending more time indoors than we’ve been previously used to. However, that’s no reason why we shouldn’t give our skin and hair the best care. In fact, lockdown could be having quite an impact on the health of our precious locks.
How does lockdown affect our locks?
One of the biggest impacts that the new guidelines have had on our locks is heightened stress levels. High-stress levels, often caused by anxiety surrounding the future and finances, can be tough on our locks. Aside from the fact that it can cause us to go into depression, caring very little about the health of our curls and skin, high-stress levels can also cause our locks to become brittle and dry, which can increase the risk for hair loss (1).
Luckily, you don’t have to cringe at the thought of your locks in quarantine. In fact, there are plenty of products that can keep your mane healthy throughout this period, and we’ve chosen our favorite. Use these products to say goodbye to lockdown bad hair days forever.
Lockdown Hair Products
1. S+AVA Chebe Powder
The S+AVA Chebe Powder helps to keep your curls healthy in the comfort of your homes. S+AVA is a South-African organic, vegan, GMO-free, cruelty-free brand, with an online store available in the UK.
The product helps offer practical hair solutions for all of our lockdown hair concerns.
Chebe powder
“Chebe powder is used by women of a Chadian ethnic group, giving them exceptional quality and length of hair,” says Silava June Ogana, the founder of the S+AVA.
In addition to encouraging growth, the powder can also help prevent hair loss and deeply hydrate your locks. Granted, the application can be a little messy, but it’s a small price to pay for long and healthy hair.
2. Inoar Resistance with Bamboo Fiber Conditioner
If you’re battling dry and fragile curls, the Inoar Resistance Range, enriched in bamboo, may be exactly what your weakened locks need. In fact, the entire range can help prepare your locks for any post-lockdown outings.
Bamboo fiber
While it’s often used around the world as a more environmentally friendly alternative in the textile industry, bamboo fiber can also care for your hair. This may have to do with the fact that bamboo fiber is rich in amino acids and selenium.
The amino acids not only help to regenerate your mane, but they also help to provide volume and shine. Selenium, on the other hand, is an essential nutrient that has been found to play a pivotal role in hair growth (2).
3. John Frieda Detox and Repair Care and Protect Spray
Avocado Oil
This is one of the main ingredients in the spray and for good reason. In fact, avocado oil helps to effectively penetrate deep into the hair shaft, allowing for all of its helpful nutrients to be properly absorbed by the hair. One of these nutrients is vitamin E, which we know is perfect for your mane.
Green Tea
Rich in antioxidants, green tea is the perfect ingredient for healthy locks. For one, green tea is a rich source of catechins – compounds that help to reduce the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DTH), which is responsible for hair loss (3). Secondly, research has found that EGCG, the main antioxidant found in green tea, may help to promote growth.
Additionally, as mentioned, stress can trigger hair loss, yet green tea can help to alleviate your stress levels. That said, it would be advisable to end your day off with a cup of green tea, especially if you’re looking to keep your mane healthy.
Want to know more?
Our new normal requires us to wear masks at all times. Now, while this is important for curbing infection rates, masks are having quite the effect on our skin. In fact, wearing masks all day is causing breakouts, leaving us with skin concerns known as maskne. But fear not! There are ways to fix acne breakouts from wearing a corona face mask.
References
Dinh, Q. Q., & Sinclair, R. (2007). Female pattern hair loss: current treatment concepts. Clinical interventions in aging, 2(2), 189–199.
Esfandiari, A., & Kelly, A. P. (2005). The effects of tea polyphenolic compounds on hair loss among rodents. Journal of the National Medical Association, 97(8), 1165–1169.
Gavazzoni Dias M. F. (2015). Hair cosmetics: an overview. International journal of trichology, 7(1), 2–15. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-7753.153450
Goluch-Koniuszy Z. S. (2016). Nutrition of women with hair loss problem during the period of menopause. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 15(1), 56–61. https://doi.org/10.5114/pm.2016.58776
Karashima, T., Tsuruta, D., Hamada, T., Ono, F., Ishii, N., Abe, T., Ohyama, B., Nakama, T., Dainichi, T., & Hashimoto, T. (2012). Oral zinc therapy for zinc deficiency-related telogen effluvium. Dermatologic therapy, 25(2), 210–213. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8019.2012.01443.x
Peters, E., Müller, Y., Snaga, W., Fliege, H., Reißhauer, A., Schmidt-Rose, T., Max, H., Schweiger, D., Rose, M., & Kruse, J. (2017). Hair and stress: A pilot study of hair and cytokine balance alteration in healthy young women under major exam stress. PloS one, 12(4), e0175904. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175904
