Why Kasia LOVES Jojoba Oil and how it benefits YOU!

An extract from the jojoba seed, the resultant oil is actually considered a wax ester rather than an oil. This is significant because unlike most oils (which have a myriad of different benefits), jojoba wax ester is the most similar to the sebum we naturally produce. This is significant for a number of reasons:

• Jojoba mixes with skin sebum and follows its pathways down to skin cell and skin matrix levels destroying bacteria, dissolving dried skin sebum and creating a deeply moisturising barrier across the skin that allows the transfer of gases and nutrients but holds moisture in.
• It supports the acid mantle of the skin and by doing so can trick the skin into thinking it is producing enough oil, thereby balancing out oil production.
• It is non-comedogenic and so suitable for combination skin and dry acne as well as normal to dry skin types.
• It spreads easily on the skin and absorbs well.

Like anything else, too much of a good thing can be a problem so ideally use no more than 10 drops on the skin…more may increase oil shine due to the skins inability to absorb any excess.

A few excellent uses for jojoba oil:

• Moisturizer – After dispensing any facial moisturizer onto your palm, try adding a few drops  of jojoba oil to make it into a super moisturizer. Flakiness will subside and the moisturizer will have an improved feel on your skin.
• Make-up remover – Since jojoba oil is not an eye irritant, nor allergenic, you can use it to remove eye makeup. It also easily removes foundation, blush, and lipstick.
• Lip balm – use jojoba oil as a lip balm -  put a few drops on your finger and apply to my lips. Lots of lip balms tend to contain comedogenic (clogs pores) ingredients, so jojoba oil is a nice alternative. This is especially nice at night because, excuse the grossness, but if you tend to slobber when you sleep whatever you put on your lips will come into contact with your face. Jojoba oil is great for this purpose. As a side note, if you need major help with dry lips
• Hair conditioner – You can mix a few drops of jojoba oil into your current conditioner or use it on its own. You can also add it to damp hair before drying. Also, you can add it to dry hair to promote shine. Jojoba oil also moisturizes the scalp, helping prevent dandruff.
• Shave prep – Put a whole bunch of jojoba oil on your beard area beneath your shaving cream (lather from Acne.org cleanser or other non-comedogenic shaving cream) for a more comfortable shave. This helps prevent razor burn and leaves your skin feeling nice and soft.
• For an intensive hair treatment, massage into scalp and hair and leave overnight. A weekly jojoba treatment in hair will help prevent lice infestation and leave hair strong, silky and shiny while minimizing split-ends.

Apply jojoba to face, body, hands and feet to smooth skin and nails, reduce cracking of dry skin, and improve skin elasticity. When pregnant, apply jojoba to stomach and breasts to improve skin elasticity and help avoid stretch marks.

Our team especially recommends blending Kasia Apothecary Essential Oils with our Jojoba oil for therapeutic effects or personalized perfume blends!

PH and Hair Care

There is never a dull moment in product development or understanding product actives in hair and skin care.   In coming up to the release of our new Kasia Citrus n' Spice Shampoo and Conditioner, I would like to share some simple concepts that may clear some questions you’ve once pondered, and possibly never thought about!

PH and Hair Care

Using detergent (sugar enhanced of course) on your hair may sound a little harsh, but I can tell you that it's a good idea.  In working through different formula options for our new base shampoo, I thought simplifying it down to just essential oils and a Pure Castile Soap  would work great!

Major …..Wrongo!  Here is why.

According to the cosmetic chemists, detergent is actually better for your hair than soap. Soap solutions are alkaline, which makes the cuticle cells swell up and get rougher. That leaves hair dull looking. In addition, soap may leave behind deposits of calcium and magnesium (known as soap scum), which will also make the hair dull. Old-fashioned beauty books suggested completing your shampoo with a lemon juice or vinegar rinse. Acid helps dissolve soap scum and makes the cuticle scales lie flat, protecting the cortex and making your hair shiny and smooth. Most shampoos and conditioners are slightly acidic, for the same reason.

How does conditioner help you out? A conditioner leaves a smooth, waxy coating on the hair, strengthening the cuticle or forming a protective layer over the cortex where cuticule cells have broken away.

Hair can tangle when the lifted edges of the cuticle layer on one hair get caught on the cuticle layer on another hair. By adding a proteins and other ingredients to smooth out these rough edges, conditioner helps keep your hair from tangling. This coating also helps reduce static electricity and seals moisture into your hair, keeping it from getting dry and brittle.

Rest assure - fine hair frenzy, our new conditioner will be powerful but weightless.  Many think that they should use more conditioner during times of bad hair days, but this is also not true and  it is possible to overdo a good thing. Over-conditioning" your hair means you've used so much conditioner that the waxy layers are weighing your hair down, making it limp and unmanageable.

Our suggestion is to use an appropriate ammout of conditioner, wash, and manage damage with heat protectors and serums (try  our John Masters or Hamadi collection).  No chemicals of course.

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For the non-fact finders: PH, which stands for potential of hydrogen, measures the acid or alkaline levels of a solution.

The pH scale ranges from 0-14

* Acid 0-6.9 (coffee, lemon juice)

* Neutral 7 (pure water)

* Alkaline 7.1-14 (toothpaste, baking soda)

Harsh chemicals (whether acid or alkaline) can strip away the  hair and skin's protective layer, or acid mantle. So stick to a gentle cleansers to keep your skin soft and supple, and avoid over washing in general. It can cause dry, lackluster skin.

Healthy, normal hair ranges from 4.5 to 5.5. When hair becomes too alkaline, it can look damaged and dull.  The solution? Find a low pH product (around 3.0-3.5) to put your tresses back in balance. Your shiny, smooth hair will thank you.

While you slumber..execute soft, wavy hair like Sarah Jessica Parker's!

The great thing about her look is you can get it while you sleep.

That's right.  By following a simple bedtime routine, your shut-eye can turn into some serious beauty sleep.

According to Deborah Dunham, creating great morning hair starts with a good cleansing the night before.

Tips to DIY!

1. Wash hair as you normally would  with your favorite Babo or Hamadi Shampoo!

2. Apply a rinse out conditioner.

3. Finish with a cool/cold water rinse.

4. Towel blot.

5. Apply leave-in conditioner, we recommend Hamadi's LEAVE IN, aside from Shea Spray, it is our TOP SELLER!

6. Apply and detangle with BABO to hair gently from the ends up to the roots.

7. Create desired part and/or fringe sections and arrange hair the way you normally wear it.

8. Allowing for where you wish to create waves, separate strands into individual 2" sections.

9. Gently twist hair into a clockwise direction until the hair is completely twisted (the tighter you twist, the tighter the resulting waves). You can also braid your hair or put it in a ballerina bun for a different wave pattern.

10. Tuck the end of the twisted strand under at the base of the twist and secure with elastics.

11. Go to bed and allow hair to dry naturally overnight.

12. The next morning, carefully remove the elastics.

13. Use fingers to pick out waves and arrange as desired (do not brush it or the waves will come out).

After waking, you only need to scrunch the curls into place with a bit  more  product. For those with a shorter, edgier, spikier style, it looks great with some product in it from the night before."

Try it! Creating your style overnight -- we could all use a few extra minutes before that alarm goes off!

http://www.stylelist.com/2010/03/24/how-to-get-great-hair-in-bed/

BABO! New Kasia Childrens Line..."Shh, momma uses it too.."

What is Babo?

"This certified organic blend of rich and powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients, vitamins and anti-oxidants was exclusively designed for a baby or child's delicate skin to achieve optimal protection."

When Tribeca mom Kate Solomon, a beauty industry vet, started looking for high-end organic haircare products that were good enough for her baby, she came up dry.

So the mother of two developed her own brand, Babo Botanicals, a line of paraben, vegan and sulfate-free products made on a certified organic farm in upstate New York.

Why Babo?

At Kasia Organic Salon we are committed to listening to our clients needs and suggestions.  A children's shampoo and DETANGLER were amongst  many of our mother's top non toxic "search list" as of late - as one of Kasia's priorities as well!

In my experience in health coaching and Functional Medicine, we value Babo's absolute VOID in harsh ingredients that contribute to rising numbers of our children with peanut, gluten, ezcema, "etc."

Baby yourself with the solution-oriented products, such as Oatmilk Calendula Shampoo and Bodywash for sensitive skin or UV Cucumber Aloe Vera Sport Conditioning Spray to protect hair from chlorine, salt and sun.

(If you're on the baby shower circuit, the perfect gift for moms-to-be.)

DETANGLE ME! We love the Cucumber Aloe detangler for the kiddo's and ALL our guests who have that certain type of hair that is constantly a "jungle gym" after a shampoo.

The Cucumber Aloe Vera line (shampoo + detangler) is specially formulated for swim, sun and active play - it helps remove chlorine, salt and grime and protects hair from UV damage. Babo Botanical's Oatmilk Calendula Moisturizing Baby Lotion and Shampoo A yummy lotion and shampoo uses nourishing botanicals to soothe and protect sensitive skin. Collodial Oatmeal is well known to comfort itchy, dry skin associated with eczema.  Calendula and Shea Butter moisturize and soften skin. .... rich in vitamins & anti-oxidants which combines chamomile, watercress, kudzu and calendula.

Babo's Ingredient Promise, we agree!

Pure Flower and Plant Extracts Sulfate Free Formaldehyde Free Paraben Free Phthalate Free Tear Free Allergy Tested Dermatologist Tested No Icky Chemicals No Synthetic Fragrances No Synthetic Colors Dairy & Soy Free No High Allergy Nut Oils Biodegradable Formulas Color Safe for Mom's Hair, too! Recyclable BPA-Free Packaging

"What goes on children's bodies should be as natural as what goes into their mouths." - Kate Solomon

With the launch of Babo Botanicals, my mission is to provide the highest quality, purest hair, scalp and skincare products for babies and kids.