We’re only a couple of days into 2020 and we’re already feeling pretty psyched for the rest of the year! We’ve got great plans for pretty much everything, honestly. Of course, our hair is included in those plans, that’s why we whipped up a list of goals and promises for 2020.

Curious what those are? Here are our 2020 New Year Hair Resolutions for the best hair-rific year ever!

1. I will try out more hairstyles

What’s life without a little adventure? Sure, you may love your trusty haircut that’s been your style since maybe 2010. You know you look amazing in it, and you know it works well with your daily style. We get it. Don’t fix what’s not broken, right?

Well, we beg to differ when it comes to hair. See, it’s not like your hair isn’t gonna grow back anymore once you cut. You have the rest of your life to stick to one hairstyle you love, so why not explore and be adventurous now? Trust us, you haven’t really lived hair-wise if you haven’t gotten at least 5 different hairstyles in your life. And yes, an uber short cut is a must-try.

2. I will get my hair trimmed regularly

Planning to grow your hair longer this 2020? Make sure to get it trimmed regularly! It may seem like a counter-productivee measure, but actually, getting your hair regularly trimmed helps you avoid possible instances of split-ends or other damages that can cause your strands to break.

Broken strands will obviously make it more difficult for you to grow your hair long, so regular trimmings it is!

3. I will lessen my heat-styling

Although we’ve said that heat is your hair’s greatest enemy time and time again, we do have to admit that heatt-styling is a necessary evil sometimes.

That said, while we don’t blame you for resorting to heat tools every now and then, there’s no reason for you to use them every single day. Doing that will only make your strands weaker and weaker to the point or irreparable damage.

And another thing: if you really need to use heat-styling tools, make sure that they’re of top quality to mitigate possible damages to your hair. Instead of using any old curling iron out there, for instance, you can use our very own ZALA 4-in-1 Cosmo curling wand. This curling wand can curl your strands without putting too much unnecessary heat on them, which helps if you curl your hair often!

4. I will pay more attention to my scalp

It’s easy to notice your strands. They’re literally what you think of whenever you think of the word ‘hair’, right? But see, there’s one more component that’s much less noticeable. In fact, people always seem to miss it when talking about haircare. The scalp.

Your scalp is just as important as your strands when it comes to achieving a great hairstyle. After all, your strands come out of the hair follicles in your scalp, don’t they? If your scalp isn’t healthy, then it’s only natural that your strands won’t be as healthy as well. That’s why it’s important to also give some love to your scalp and not to neglect it.

5. I will not be too lazy for my haircare routine

The best way to get amazing hair is simply to keep up with your regular haircare routine. If you don’t keep doing it, then you’re not going to reap any benefits, no matter what.

For instance, even though hair masks can improve your hair condition, you can’t just apply one hair mask one time and expect that your hair will instantly go from always frizzy to everyday gorgeous. You have to actually stick to it. Don’t be too lazy for your haircare routine–you’re the only one who’s gonna suffer in the end.

And that’s it for our list of 2020 new year hair resolutions! What about you? What do you want to achieve this year? Feel free to comment here at our ZALA blog!

PUBLISHED 4TH JANUARY 2020

Mythbusters: Is Cold Water Good For Hair?

It’s not uncommon to hear suggestions saying that you should use cold water and not hot water to wash your hair. In fact, we do it all the time here at ZALA. But the question is, why is that? Why should we use cold water instead of hot water?

In today’s ZALA Mythbusters, we’ll explore the answer to the question: is cold water good for hair?

The myth: cold water is good for hair

According to salon stylists and hair blogs–including the one you’re reading right now–using cold water is better for your hair because of all its positive effects on your strands.

In comparison, lukewarm water isn’t harmful but you don’t get to reap the benefits of cold water. Meanwhile, hot water can negatively affect your hair, so it should be avoided at all times.

How does hot water harm my hair?

How exactly does hot water harm your hair? To answer this question, you must first understand the anatomy of each hair strand. Every single hair shaft has what we call a cuticle. This cuticle can open and close depending on the temperature of your water in the shower.

Hot water opens these cuticles, while cold water closes them. If you use hot water, your cuticles will be left open, which means the moisture from your conditioner and other hair products won’t be locked in. This effectively dries your hair out and can even cause frizziness.

Cold water effects on hair

Cold water has better effects on hair than regular lukewarm water.

Cleans thoroughly. Cold water can rid your hair of all excess buildup and oil without drying out your strands.
Seals in moisture. Since cold water can close your cuticles, it can help seal in moisture from all your hair products, especially your conditioner.
Prevents oily hair. Cold water can also close the pores on your scalp, which helps control sebum.
Makes hair shinier and smoother. Closed cuticles look smoother than open cuticles, which means your hair will look shinier and smoother.

Is cold water good for hair?

Simply put, yes, cold water has lots of benefits for your hair. One helpful trick is to use warm water at the start of your bath, and then only use cold water to rinse your hair after applying the conditioner. Not only does it help you lock extra moisture in, it also helps you not feel too cold during your bath!

For more hair articles, don’t forget to check out our ZALA blog!

PUBLISHED 29TH DECEMBER 2019

Mythbusters: Can Smoking Harm Hair

We’ve said it here time and time again: bad lifestyle habits like drinking and smoking can negatively harm your health as well as your hair.

But how exactly does it happen? On today’s ZALA Mythbusters, we’ll answer in detail the question: can smoking harm hair?

The myth: smoking harms hair

Even the most staunch supporters of smoking would probably know that smoking does have a lot of negatives. Aside from the obvious medical issues like lung damage and throat damage, smoking is also said to have a slew of other effects, even to our hair.

One of the most common myths that you will hear is that smoking can cause early hair loss, especially in men. Apparently, smoking a lot in your younger years will cause your hair to gradually become thinner until one day, most of it is already gone.

That’s how the myth goes. But is it really a myth, or can smoking really harm hair?

How smoking affects our body

We could make an entire list of how smoking can negatively affect your body.

Heart diseases are some of the most common ailments that affect smokers, outside of the possibility of terminal illnesses like cancer. That’s because smoking leads to thicker arteries, restricting blood flow and therefore increasing the risks of getting a heart attack.

Smoking is also a common cause of asthma, colds, coughs, and wheezing. Smoking tends to damage the lungs and throat, causing those effects. Smokers also have an 84% chance of dying of lung cancer and an 83% chance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease .

How smoking affects hair

So, we already know how smoking affects our bodies. How does smoking affect hair in particular? One study conducted in 2007 reported that smokers actually experience a higher rate of hair loss compared to non-smokers.

There are two main reasons for this. One, cigarettes contain a lot of toxins, such as nicotine, arsenic, and cyanide. Over time, these toxins can damage the hair follicles, therefore affecting how they function. Since hair follicles are responsible for growing healthy strands, if they’re damaged, then you’ll certainly notice a decrease in hair count.

Two, since cigarettes can restrict blood flow, that means that blood won’t circulate properly on your scalp either. This effectively lessens the necessary nutrients that your hair will receive, which will eventually cause it to thin and eventually fall out.

In men, smoking is especially bad because smoking actually increases DHT, an androgen that reduces the size of hair follicles. Men who smoke will experience receding hairlines and baldness much earlier than men who don’t smoke.

Can smoking harm hair?

There’s no doubt about it, smoking harms hair. More than that, in fact. Smoking harms our entire body. It doesn’t even have any good benefits that could save it from all these negative effects. Smoking cigarettes is basically like voluntarily inhaling poison into your body. If you love your hair, and your health, it’s time to ditch the cigs once and for all.

For more ZALA mythbusters, don’t forget to check out our blog!

PUBLISHED 19TH DECEMBER 2019

Mythbusters: Is Onion Juice Good For Hair?

Although hair extensions can greatly help improve your hair’s appearance, we believe that it’s still much better to make sure that your natural hair is healthy all the time. That’s why we’re always on the lookout for effective additions to our hair care routine, whether DIY or commercial.

In today’s ZALA mythbusters, we’ll answer the question: is onion juice good for hair?

History of Onion Juice for Hair

Using onion juice on hair may seem a bit unconventional, but surprisingly, it’s not really uncommon nor unheard of. In fact, there’s a thread on Quora about using onion juice for hair that received a total of 158 answers both from supporters and naysayers alike.

There are also some scientific studies done to see whether any of the positive claims are true. In 2002, researchers had one group of participants wash their hair using onion juice, while another group was made to wash with tap water. Based on the results, participants who used onion juice, especially the men, experienced more hair growth than the other group.

A more recent study conducted in 2014Journal of Dermatology involved 38 participants suffering from alopecia areata. They were made to apply onion juice twice a day for the entire duration of the study. After two weeks, some hair regrowth was observed in a few participants. After 4 weeks, 74% of the participants had already experienced hair regrowth. And after 6 weeks, the number was already at 87%. Just like in the 2002 study, it was also found that men experienced greater hair regrowth than women.

Benefits of Using Onion Juice For Hair

As you can see, onion juice does have some benefits for hair, especially if you’re suffering from hair loss or thinning hair.

One of the reasons for this is because of the sulfur content in onion. Sulfur is proven to help promote the production of collagen which is very helpful for skin and hair.

Onion juice can also help blood circulation on the scalp by improving the blood supply to the hair follicles. If you have greying hair, this may also help you since its antioxidants can help delay premature greying. Lastly, onion juice has antibacterial properties that can aid in itchiness and dandruff.

Possible Negative Side Effects

That’s not to say that onion juice is completely safe though. There are still possible negative side effects that you need to be wary of before using this ingredient for your natural DIY hair treatments.

Even without ingesting onion, some people can get an allergic reaction just by making contact with it. For those who are not allergic, it’s still possible to experience redness and irritation. That’s why it’s important to do a patch test first before putting the onion juice on your entire scalp.

Something that needs to be taken in consideration is how pungent onion juice’s scent is. Since you’ll have to use this at least once a day in order to see results, this may hold back some interested people.

Is Onion Juice Good For Hair?

Based on studies and personal anecdotes, onion juice does seem to be worth a shot for those who are experiencing thinning or greying hair.

Do keep in mind that nothing, including onion juice, can cure hair loss disorders like alopecia. Even if you use this daily, there’s still a chance for you to develop new bald patches. Still, it’s worth trying, if only to regrow the hair that was previously lost.

The verdict on onion juice for hair? Definitely not a myth.

For more ZALA mythbuster articles, don’t forget to check out our ZALA blog!

PUBLISHED 11TH DECEMBER 2019

Does Hair Rebonding Harm My Hair?

Hair rebonding can instantly transform your hair from drab to fab. Just one session is enough to see a huge improvement, a permanent one to boot.

That’s not to say that there aren’t any risks. A lot of people claim that their hair changed after hair rebonding, and not for the best too. In today’s article, we’ll answer the most important question: does hair rebonding harm my hair?

The dangers of hair rebonding

Hair rebonding is a painless process that usually takes anywhere from 4-8 hours to complete. It’s rare to hear of accidents that occur during the actual process, though it’s not unheard of either.

One woman from the Philippines was featured in a Filipino TV show earlier this year after getting a huge bald patch due to a bad rebond job.

According to the story, Brenda, as she was called, got her hair rebonded at a local salon. The process took 5 hours and the stylist advised her not to wash her hair for a week. A week passes by. After washing her hair, Brenda realized that it has reverted back to its former state, which isn’t supposed to happen with a permanent treatment like rebond. So she goes back to the salon. The stylist redos her rebond, subjecting her strands to another 5-hour session. In the month that followed, Brenda started losing her hair. Eventually, she developed a bald patch so big that it covered about a third of her head. The incident left her with depleted self-esteem, forcing her to use a wig every time she goes outside.

The truth is, Brenda isn’t an isolated case either. All over the world, there are many unfortunate incidents that occur during hair rebonding.

Downsides of hair rebonding

Even if you escape the actual process unscathed, hair rebonding can also have other downsides for some people.

Expensive. Hair rebonding is simply more expensive than most other hair treatments out there. Of course, considering that the effect is long-term anyway, it could be said that it’s worth it. But its price in comparison to other treatments shouldn’t be overlooked either.
Makes hair more fragile. Breaking down, rearranging, and rebonding your hair tend to have a negative effect on your strands. Rebonded hair is always more fragile than non-rebonded hair. Even the simple act of tying your hair too tightly could result in breakages or hair damage. Also, do you notice how people with long, rebonded hair tend to get split-ends more easily? That’s because their strands are already more fragile than ever before.
Hair gets weaker the more you do it. Unlike other kinds of hair treatments, a chemical treatment like hair rebonding tends to perform more and more poorly the more often you do it. People who get their hair rebonded more than
Needs regular maintenance and touch-ups. Rebonded hair may be more manageable than non-rebonded hair, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to undergo regular maintenance and touch-ups, like getting a cellophane or a hot oil every now and then.
There are a lot of don’ts. Don’t bathe in chlorine water, don’t swim in the sea. Don’t tie your hair too tight, don’t use high heat to style. There are many don’ts when it comes to rebonded hair, and it’s up to you if you want to subject yourself to something so strict.
Some people may be allergic. Unfortunately, it’s really impossible to know beforehand if you’re allergic to the chemicals used in hair rebonding. However, if you experience itchiness, pain, or redness during the session, don’t hesitate to ask your stylist to stop. Seek medical attention if necessary.

Does hair rebonding harm my hair?

In all honesty, a hair rebond every few years or so isn’t too bad for your hair, but doing it regularly can lead to several problems including hair breakages and even hair loss. Rebonded hair also tends to be more fragile and weaker than non-rebonded hair.

For more hair articles, don’t forget to check out our ZALA blog!

PUBLISHED 1ST DECEMBER 2019

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