Why did you add alcohol to your products after saying in your book that it's bad for our hair?

Surely you would not think that I would say one thing and do another? I pride myself on being honest which is why we have been in business so long. In 2000 when I wrote my book, Ultra Black Hair Growth II, I stated that the use of hair spray should be avoided because it contains alcohol which tends to dry out our hair. The fact remains that the type of alcohol typically found in hair sprays – ethanol—does indeed have a drying effect on the hair. Products that contain this alcohol evaporate rapidly and are used in products to hold the hair in place. Thus, they have a tendency to dissolve very quickly while soaking up oil in the process. This causes the hair to dry out, giving the hair a frizzy, roughened look. This is especially true for our naturally coily hair that is robbed of needed moisture by the ethanol.

It has been over ten years now since I wrote Ultra Black Hair Growth II, and I have discovered that there are other types of alcohols that can be used in hair products without causing damaging effects. These are called fatty alcohols. So unlike ethanol alcohols which tend to dry out the hair, fatty alcohols have a creamy consistency and can actually provide additional lubrication, and prevent moisture loss while giving a smooth, soft appearance by helping the cuticle to lie flat on the hair surface. Some examples of fatty or (moisturizing) alcohols include: Stearyl alcohol, Cetearyl alcohol and Cetyl alcohol, but there are several others that you will discover if you decide to conduct some research of your own.

To answer the question, I still believe that hair products that contain ethanol alcohols are bad for our coily hair because of their tendency to cause drying and frizzing. However, this is not the case with fatty alcohols, which I added to my products because they help condition and moisturize our hair while making it smooth and manageable. So when choosing hair products, be careful that you select those containing the “good” or moisturizing alcohols and avoid the “bad” or drying alcohols. Making the right choice will make all the difference in the look, feel and health of your hair.

Is your shampoo causing you to lose your hair?

It is possible. Many people are not able to tolerate the sulfates contained in some shampoos. The internet is buzzing with discussions about products containing sulfates versus those that are sulfate-free. Sulfates are basically detergents or soaps and they are in just about everything that lathers because they offer “cheap suds.” The most common surfactants in shampoos are sodium lauryl sulfate or ammonium lauryl sulfate.

Surfactants (or soaps) do the main work of cleansing the hair by removing sebum from the hair shaft. Sebum is the natural oily coating on our hair shaft that can collect dirt, hair flakes, styling products, etc. Without getting too technical here, the type and the amount of surfactants present in your shampoo determines how gently or how harshly it cleanses. The amount of lather produced is primarily determined by the type and concentration of surfactants used in the product formulation. (I was shocked to learn that the toothpaste I was using contained the sulfate, sodium laurel sulfate! I quickly changed to a new brand.) In some instances, shampoos heavy with sulfates have been found to contribute to thinning, balding, and stripping the hair of oils and hair coloring.

Remember that sulfates are just one type of cleansing agent. There are other types of cleansing products or soaps that can be used in shampoo without creating some of the negative risks to your hair that exist with sulfates. These risks are more prevalent with afro hair. Since afro hair is naturally coily, oils produced in the scalp can’t travel as easily down the hair shaft, which causes our hair to be more prone to dryness. If the hair becomes too dry, the greater the chance for breakage. So, it’s important to choose a shampoo that is gentle enough to remove dirt and excess oils left by maintenance products while not completely stripping the hair of needed oils.

Let me reiterate here that the presence of soap in your shampoo, in and of itself is not the enemy. In fact, you need to have soap to cleanse your hair. Many hair forums discuss co-washing as an alternative to using shampoo. This method is basically using conditioner to wash your hair instead of shampoo. Although some people swear by this method as a way to “clean” the hair without shampoo, I personally consider it an outrage. When I take a shower, I don’t rub lotion all over my body in the shower and say I am clean! So using anything other than a product containing soap to wash my hair is really not an option.

So, yes your shampoo could indeed be causing you to lose your hair. Excessive lather is one of the causes of hair dryness which results in breakage. The best choice in a good shampoo for afro hair should be one that is sulfate-free. This will provide the gentle cleansing your hair needs without stripping all the oils to prevent dryness and breakage.

Is it okay to wear weaves while doing Cathy Howse's 365-day challenge?

The answer to this question depends to a large extent on the type of weaves you use and the result you are aiming for. First, let me explain my 365-day challenge. This involves using the Ultra Black Hair regimen and products during the course of one year to grow your hair 6” more or longer.

If you are familiar with my method for growing longer, healthier hair you know that keeping the hair clean, moisturized and conditioned with products that improve the hair are critical for successful growth. But what do you do if you just don’t feel comfortable wearing your own hair in the interim? Some weaves may be an option. The most common hair weaves are: sew in, glue on, and clip on. Sew in and glue on can actually prevent the hair from getting the full benefit of the cleansing, moisturizing and conditioning it needs. For example, because the hair is braided beneath sew-in weaves, products needed to keep hair clean and healthy are wasted on weave hair, by preventing sufficient product penetration to your own hair. As a result, important conditioning and strengthening benefits that the hair needs are wasted on hair that will be taken off and thrown in the trash.

So, if you feel the need to wear weaves while taking my 365-day challenge, I see clip on weaves as the best alternative. They are easily removed and re-attached so you have continuous access to your own hair and can provide it with the proper moisturizing and conditioning it needs to grow strong and healthy. For this reason, wigs are also a good alternative.

So it’s okay to wear weaves while taking the challenge as they can provide instant beauty and fullness to your hair. But, I believe that for the best results choose an option that will not block your hair from receiving the products needed for healthy hair growth. After all, the beauty and fullness of our own hair is what most of us are trying to achieve.

For more information on clip on weaves see the video below.

How can Afro hair be shiny without hair grease?

Shiny hair is a visual characteristic of healthy hair. Shiny, beautiful hair happens when the top layer of your hair reflects light. Most of us strive to have healthy hair, and sometimes this means doing things to our hair to make it appear as if it's healthy. Using hair grease to add shine is a good example. But hair does not have to be coated in grease to shine.

Using hair grease has some pretty nasty consequences. It makes everything you touch after touching your hair – greasy! Your hands, your pillow case, even your clothes. But the most dire consequence is that it can cause afro hair to break. Grease creates a moisture barrier to stop moisture from getting into your hair where it is needed most. Dry afro hair breaks if it is deprived of moisture. So, a major problem with hair grease is that it does not allow moisturize into the hair. It is a petroleum-based product that sits on top of your hair without penetrating the hair shaft. A good moisturizer contains water first to penetrate the hair shaft adding moisture as well as oils to help prevent the moisture from evaporating.

There are products on the market that will produce shine and manageability on afro hair. The best ones are products that contain silicone. When used before hair is flat ironed or curled, the non-greasy, smoothing capabilities of silicone leave hair soft and silky. Silicone is truly a product that can be used by all hair types. Although a lot of products that incorporate silicone in them will list them as conditioning and moisturing, don’t believe the hype. Silicone does not provide moisture and it does not condition. It provides a brilliant shine that will still allow a good moisturizer to penetrate the hair unlike hair grease that blocks moisture from getting into the hair at all.

Morracan oil is getting a lot of publicity as a "miracle oil" that is very hard to acquire. But if you were to review the list of ingredients for this costly hair product, you would see that two of the top three ingredients are silicone: diemethicone and cyclomethicone. A cheaper alternative for over-priced Morracon oil is hair polish. Let's review the benefits claimed by producers of Morracon oil vs those of hair polish:

• Morracon oil claims to reduce blow drying time substantially--Hair polish does the same thing.



• Morracon oil claims to de-frizz and detangle--Hair polish does the same thing.



• Morracon oil claims to add shine --Hair polish does the same thing.



• Morracon oil claims to condition and moisturize--Oils do not moisturize they lubricate.



• Morracon oil claims to balance sebum levels making oily hair easier to manage--This claim is subjective.



• Morracon oil claims thermal protector from styling irons and hair dryers--Hair polish does the same thing.



• Morracon oil claims it is a good scalp treatment--We should not put this oil or any oil on our scalp.

For years I was under the same misconception about hair grease benefits until I conducted my own research and discovered the truth - hair grease should be banned from our hair care regimens! The better alternative to hair grease is hair polish because it allows the needed moisture to penetrate afro hair while producing a beautiful shine and pleasing results!

Why Did Cathy Howse Change Her Products?

In 1992 UBH introduced our first hair product. In January 2011, we decided to reformulate. Although many who purchased UBH products for years were satisfied with them, some of our clients wanted to know why we would change them. The simple answer is -- to make them better.

Lotion creme is now Satin Creme

• Replaced olive oil with almond oil (which has a longer shelf life)
• Made the formula a lighter consistency
• Removed the parabens (parabens are an old preservative system)

Dew Spray is now Silky Spray

• Blended better to prevent separating
• Better consistency so it stays where you spray
• Removed the parabens
• Removed the artificial color
• Removed ALL fragrance