Your water quality directly affects your scalp, hair, skin, and overall wellness — especially if you wear locs or protective styles.
Opens the EWG Tap Water Database for your area. Also check your provider's latest annual report for current numbers.
Hydroviv shower filter
Once you see what's in your water, this is the fix. Filters 93%+ of the chlorine that dries your scalp and weakens hair; installs in ~5 minutes, replace the cartridge about every 6 months.
Key contaminants commonly found in tap water — and why they matter for your hair & scalp:
🚿 Disinfection byproducts+
Strips natural oils from the scalp
Contributes to dryness and brittleness
Leaves residue on hair and locs
Makes products feel less effective over time
Impacts long-term moisture retention
Hot water doesn't remove these — it can increase exposure.
🧪 Nitrates & nitrites+
Can irritate the scalp environment
Contributes to inflammation over time
Affects follicle comfort and balance
Can interfere with healthy hair retention
Inflammation at the scalp = weaker hair longevity.
⚠️ Hexavalent chromium+
Causes follicle stress
Can irritate sensitive scalps
Interferes with healthy growth cycles
Adds environmental stress to delicate hair
Hair grows best in a low-stress environment.
♾️ PFAS / "forever chemicals"+
Do not break down easily
Build up in the body over time
Can affect skin and follicle function
Daily shower exposure adds up
Your scalp absorbs what it's exposed to.
Important: Boiling doesn't remove most contaminants. Hot showers open pores → more absorption. Hair and scalp are exposed longer than skin. This isn't about fear — it's about awareness.
How to support your scalp
Consider a shower filter
Use gentle, pH-balanced cleansing
Focus on true hydration (water-based first)
Seal moisture properly
Keep the scalp calm and balanced
Healthy hair starts at the scalp — and the scalp starts with what it's exposed to daily. Questions? I'm always here. 💛
04
Shampoo & conditioner
Two brands I trust — pick whichever scent and feel you like. Both sulfate-free and safe for locs, natural hair, and protective styles. For locs, lean on a clarifying wash so product doesn't build up inside the loc.
Option 1 · As I Am (Coconut & Tangerine)
Curl Clarity Shampoo
Clarifies buildup without stripping. Great for locs.
Keep it cool — heat is the enemy. If you work in a field or a job where you wear a hard hat all day, or you keep hats, beanies, or scarves on all day, that traps heat, sweat, and oil against your scalp with no airflow. That trapped heat kills off follicles — which means thinning and hair loss over time.
So if you’re in a hard hat or a head covering all day — outside or inside a building — cool your scalp down on your breaks: run cold water over your scalp until it runs down your face, a good amount, a couple of times every hour. Why? It pulls the built-up heat out of your scalp and calms it back down, so your follicles aren’t cooking all day.
06
Her accessories & hair care
Booked a healing session with me? These protect the work while your scalp heals and keep everything still so nothing shifts.
Metal lift comb / afro pick
For clients who booked a healing session — gently scratch and stimulate the scalp. Prevents breakage, thinning & loc loss.
Important — scratch BEFORE you wet your hair, never after. Use the pick to gently stimulate your scalp while your hair is dry. When hair and skin are wet, the hair stretches and snaps more easily and the softened skin can be punctured by the metal prongs. Scratch and stimulate first — then hydrate with your spray and oil.
My pick · 10/10
Women's Satin Bonnet
Double-layer, elastic tie-band, made for long hair & locs. The one I use.
Important — scratch BEFORE you wet your hair, never after. Use the pick to gently stimulate your scalp while your hair is dry. When hair and skin are wet, the hair stretches and snaps more easily and the softened skin can be punctured by the metal prongs. Scratch and stimulate first — then hydrate with your spray and oil.
Durag (velvet)
Holds freshly installed locs down — front or middle — while they set.
If shipping's slow or you run out, here's what you can make at home to hold you over — found at Amazon, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Safeway, or Trader Joe's.
Hydration spray (for roots & locs)
Aloe vera juice — about 1 cup (base)
Aloe vera gel — 2–3 tablespoons
Step 1: Shake well. Step 2: Spray your roots and down your locs to rehydrate — focus on the roots.
Use it in the morning too, not just at night — straight from the fridge it feels refreshing on the scalp, and it’s great when you sleep in a durag. (Starter amounts — adjust to your preference.)
Keep it in the refrigerator and use within 7 days, then make a fresh batch. There are no preservatives in this — if you leave it out or keep it too long, bacteria and fungus can grow and end up on your scalp and locs. Don't risk it. (Bonus: cold spray feels amazing on the scalp.)
Scalp oil
Mostly jojoba oil (the base)
A little pumpkin seed oil
A little sweet almond oil
Optional: a few drops of an essential oil — just for fragrance, to make it smell good
Mix in a small bottle. Focus on the scalp to stop dryness and flaking; you can run a little down your locs too. The oil locks moisture in — it doesn't replace the hydration spray, so use both. Oil is shelf-stable; no fridge needed.
