One of the main aspects of personal appearance is hair. Many people take the approach that it should be as long as possible, so as to allow for more creative styling options or simply to produce the eye-catching impression that long hairstyles do. But there is a flip-side to having it long, which is that it dries out, loses its color or starts to fracture and break. Nowadays, people try to counter these problems using the best hair serums.
The concept of a serum is not new. Hundreds of years ago, when people did not bathe on a regular basis, the accumulation of naturally secreted sebum (scalp wax) would actually form solid caking in the strands, thereby making them easier to style and also protecting them at the same time. Daily washing in modern times eliminates the sebum and makes this impossible to achieve.
Artificial serums are therefore more popular nowadays, especially since caked sebum would be seen as a sign of immensely poor personal hygiene. They come in two forms - silicon-based (synthetic) and organic. The organic variant is not surprising, since there is a modern sub-trend to move away from synthetic chemicals, whether in food or cosmetics.
Silicon-based serums contain a silicon emollient which adheres to the scalp and the strands, forming a continuous plastic-like layer. It therefore insulates the individual strands in much the same way that cellophane seals food in the fridge. This provides protection against mechanical damage. The serum also contains ceramides and amino acids.
If this sounds too scientific to understand, it isn't. Amino acids are simply the basic structural units of proteins. Hair is mainly composed of a protein known as keratin (which, incidentally, is also the primary component of the nails, since they are nothing other than conglomerated hair). The amino acids in the serum therefore feed the keratin, replenishing their decaying strand structures.
Protein is prone to damage by environmental conditions. Imagine the white of an egg (the albumen), and what would happen to it if it was left outside in the sun. It would soon denature (the technical term for a protein that is damaged or changing its state). Keratin is not similar to albumen in its physical properties but, being a protein too, it undergoes similar environmental trauma, so that it ages, dries out, or becomes structurally weak and breaks. You can see this in the way that it displays these changes or loses its color.
The main difference between silicon and organic serums is that the latter do not contain silicon. Apparently, the silicon is too effective as a barrier and actually asphyxiates the strand, while trapping chemicals inside the protected space, which in turn cause it to break. Users will have to decide for themselves which version they prefer, based on their own experience and homework.
Having some general knowledge on how the serums work is useful in using them and judging their effect. For those who try to have impressive, healthy hair at all times, hair serums may be of some assistance.
The concept of a serum is not new. Hundreds of years ago, when people did not bathe on a regular basis, the accumulation of naturally secreted sebum (scalp wax) would actually form solid caking in the strands, thereby making them easier to style and also protecting them at the same time. Daily washing in modern times eliminates the sebum and makes this impossible to achieve.
Artificial serums are therefore more popular nowadays, especially since caked sebum would be seen as a sign of immensely poor personal hygiene. They come in two forms - silicon-based (synthetic) and organic. The organic variant is not surprising, since there is a modern sub-trend to move away from synthetic chemicals, whether in food or cosmetics.
Silicon-based serums contain a silicon emollient which adheres to the scalp and the strands, forming a continuous plastic-like layer. It therefore insulates the individual strands in much the same way that cellophane seals food in the fridge. This provides protection against mechanical damage. The serum also contains ceramides and amino acids.
If this sounds too scientific to understand, it isn't. Amino acids are simply the basic structural units of proteins. Hair is mainly composed of a protein known as keratin (which, incidentally, is also the primary component of the nails, since they are nothing other than conglomerated hair). The amino acids in the serum therefore feed the keratin, replenishing their decaying strand structures.
Protein is prone to damage by environmental conditions. Imagine the white of an egg (the albumen), and what would happen to it if it was left outside in the sun. It would soon denature (the technical term for a protein that is damaged or changing its state). Keratin is not similar to albumen in its physical properties but, being a protein too, it undergoes similar environmental trauma, so that it ages, dries out, or becomes structurally weak and breaks. You can see this in the way that it displays these changes or loses its color.
The main difference between silicon and organic serums is that the latter do not contain silicon. Apparently, the silicon is too effective as a barrier and actually asphyxiates the strand, while trapping chemicals inside the protected space, which in turn cause it to break. Users will have to decide for themselves which version they prefer, based on their own experience and homework.
Having some general knowledge on how the serums work is useful in using them and judging their effect. For those who try to have impressive, healthy hair at all times, hair serums may be of some assistance.
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