Sometimes surprises are the best! Like an unexpected visit from someone you've been longing to see, or a gift you weren't expecting. It's great to be surprised, but not when it comes to our hair care products. Many of us have no clue what is in the products we use. There are probably lots of ingredients hidden in your products that you are unaware of. Some of them are amazing and others you may prefer to pass on. So, here’s a quick read about which ingredients to look for to ensure we can look good, feel good, and be good.
Let’s just hop into it!
While we admire a few of the wonderful gifts of spring like fresh flowers or new shoots of grass, let’s talk about one of the oldest grasses in the world that predates human history.
Bamboo is a highly renewable resource so it’s great for the environment. It has 70% all natural silica concentration; that’s 10 times the amount of silica in herbs like horsetail extract. Silica promotes collagen formation in the skin and is the perfect ingredient to look for on your quest for stronger, healthier hair. You can find Bamboo in hair care products like Shedavi’s Protein Masque, Hair Growth Vitamins, or the Hair & Scalp Growth Elixir.
The one thing we all strive for when it comes to styling natural hair, is making sure our hair looks good, feels healthy, and, without a doubt, is moisturized! Aloe is the perfect ingredient to achieve juicy curls. It's jam-packed with rich medicinal properties and filled with antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E.
Aloe smooths, hydrates, and nourishes hair, bringing renewed vibrancy to damaged and lackluster hair. Our Wash+Go Styling Gel is powered with aloe to ensure your hair looks healthy, moisturized, and defined!
Having aloe in your shampoo & conditioner helps to regularly incorporate this ingredient into your hair care routine. Shedavi's Moisturizing Shampoo & Moisturizing Conditioner both contain aloe and help to moisturize & soothe your scalp, while maintaining your hair's health and repairing damage.
Carrot Seed Oil nourishes your scalp, reduces frizz, strengthens hair, prevents split ends, and breakage; All of which aid in length retention. When oils are cold pressed, it preserves the nutritional properties of the ingredient.
Another scalp hero is Baobab Seed Oil. It is rich with Vitamin D3 plus five Fatty Acids that nourish, moisturize, help reduce frizz, and builds strength. Both can be found in Shedavi’s Hair and Scalp Growth Elixir.
Contrary to popular belief, there are alcohols that hydrate hair. Fatty alcohols create a thicker richer product leading to moisturized, conditioned, and detangled hair... The slip is real! Fatty alcohols include Cetyl alcohol, Cetearyl alcohol and Stearyl alcohol.
These moisturizing, good alcohols can be found in our Shedavi’s Protein Masque which is also packed with Amino acids, proteins, aloe and many more ingredients to deliver healthier & softer curls after every shampoo!
We care about what you put on your body just as much as we care about what you put in it. When it comes to hair care, there are a few big no-nos to avoid like drying alcohols.
Just how it sounds, drying alcohols are put into products to make them dry quicker but they also can strip hair of moisture, leaving it brittle, frizzy, and prone to breakage. This is problematic if you have curly hair because moisture and elasticity are essential for maintaining healthy curls. Avoid Ethanol alcohol, Ethyl alcohol and Propanol alcohol so that your natural hair retains moisture and thrives.
It’s extremely important for our overall health to avoid as many toxins and chemicals where and when we can. Therefore, its best to choose products like Shedavi that leave out bad ingredients (Acrylates, Parabens, Benzophenones, & related compounds). Trust us, you will be happy and satisfied after every wash and styling sesh!
We have a full list of Do's and Don'ts within our SheGrowin’ Journal to help you get on track to feeling, looking and being your best self!
Now that you know the best ingredients and where to find them, you are well equipped to have a successful hair journey. Shop Shedavi for products to help you feel good, look good and be good with zero compromises. Grab your favorite products today!
For decades, many of us across the world have been sitting on the outskirts of euro-centric beauty standards. Whether the standards related to the color of your skin or the shape of your body, businesses within the beauty industry rarely catered to persons with black and brown skin. Make-up rarely went beyond a tan shade, and similarly, hair care was generic catering to people with straight or wavy hair overlooking people with afro hair and darker skin.
Many companies today including those that cater to textured hair care and darker skin are men-led or more specifically, white-male-led. Beautiful black women and men deserved beauty products made just for them, by them. Black men and women should be at the center of decision making for products catering to black hair, because they understand what it means and what it takes to create products that solve specific issues experienced by those in their community. Thus, many black entrepreneurs dove directly into building and creating brands and products targeting textured hair and dark skin. These entrepreneurs, like Shedavi’s Proprietress, Elizabeth, inspired many black owned businesses today.
Shedavi is an all minority, women of color team breaking societal stigmas of what and who it takes to run and grow a successful business. From creating products for curly girls of color with textures ranging from 3A to 4C, to testing them and sharing valuable knowledge gathered over the years, this vibrant team knows the importance of being directly involved in what we offer to all black men and women out here searching for textured hair care solutions.
It’s a given that when the goal is growth, topical solutions are what comes to mind. Elizabeth recognized that while textured hair care solutions were scarce, a hair care solution targeting growth from the inside and out was nowhere to be found. She felt as though this combination will be a game changer for the beauty industry, specifically black hair care, by providing a holistic solution to those with hair growth goals or experiencing hair loss. Elizabeth also saw an opportunity to expand Shedavi further into hair maintenance so customers would have products that made hair look good and did not damage their health overall with harmful chemicals.
Shedavi strives for you to look good, feel good and be good everyday which is why we are dedicated to providing natural, vegan, and quality products for all your hair care needs. From 1A to 4C, everyone can benefit from what Shedavi has to offer. Stay up to date with us this year for all our exciting drops for your curls, coils and more coming soon!
As a black business woman herself who graduated from FAMU, Elizabeth has a heart for contributing to the elevation of black youth everywhere. The desire to promote excellence in education has led her to inviting the entire SheHive Community to donate! Round up your sale at checkout and donate to help progress education at FAMU. With these donations we hope our students are inspired to start new black owned businesses that support and elevate our community, give what you can today.
Shop the entire collection & donate at checkout: https://www.shedavi.com/collections/natural-hair-products
When we speak about black history, the significance of hair is often overlooked. So let's discuss the historical symbolism of black haircuts and hairstyles.
The known history of black hair dates back as early as 3500 bc. Hair symbolized what tribe one belonged to, social status, marital status, cultural practices and more. Styles like the bantu knot came from the Zulu people, long braids were seen on the Mbalantu people, and the Himba people wore Locs with a distinct red ochre called Otjize. Some communities believed that hair connected them with the divine. Within many spiritual practices, hair was and still is a significant symbol of cultural and spiritual connection. Hair is the ‘crown’ - the most elevated part of the body. For example, the Yoruba people would braid their hair to send messages to and communicate with their gods and goddesses. Therefore, hair care wasn’t just for enhancing the external appearance but also inner spirituality.
Hairstyles were an unspoken way of communicating the phase of life that the women were in. Girls and women of various life stages had their hair prepared by their mother or an elder in distinct styles to acknowledge their status in the tribe. Rituals like marriage, initiation, or experiences like motherhood included a variety of styles and preparation creating special bonds among women. Even today, hairstyling is a memorable experience between a mother and daughter.
Fun Fact: The founder of Shedavi, Elizabeth, frequently styled her mother and sister's hair from a young age.
Many black women around the world recognize the beauty and power their hair holds, empowering others by the styles they wear and the confidence they exude. In the 18th & 19th century, this confidence was threatened, policed and regulated by laws that forced black women to cover their hair in public or dangerously manipulate it. However, this did not work. Women rebelled by wearing scarves and wraps in different colors adorned with jewels making them fashion statements.
In the early 1900s, women like Annie Turnbo Malone and Madame C.J. Walker were pioneers and entrepreneurs in the beauty industry. Each developed hair care products for black hair.
In the 60s & 70s, the Black Power Movement strongly embraced the natural tresses of black men and women. Afros became a symbol of pride and power. Even today, laws like ‘The Crown Act’ are being passed, prohibiting discrimination based on hair style and hair texture.
Black hair continues to be celebrated and appreciated year round through hair shows, documentaries, Juneteenth and Black History Month. Today, unique black hairstyles can be seen in the workplace, fashion, movies, arts, and festivals. Thanks to the traditions, trailblazers, and Natural Hair Movement - the availability of products for textured hair has expanded.
Shedavi continues the legacy and heritage of caring for black hair with natural and ethically sustainable products so you can feel inspired to embrace your crown with zero compromises.
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Cold Water on Hair
Most people will say that it is much better to wash your hair in cold water apart form hot water. Truth be told, they aren’t entirely wrong. Washing your hair with cold water prevents the hair from getting fried. Think about when you run a flat iron through your tresses. Have you ever experienced any breakage from having it on high? If you haven’t, count your blessings. Everybody isn’t so lucky.
Well, your flat iron isn’t the only thing that shouldn’t be too hot. Scolding hot water can not only burn your scalp, but it can also damage your tresses. Therefore, many recommend that you always use cold water on your hair. I don’t know about ya’ll, but freezing cold water is not the most pleasant experience. Not to mention the fact that freezing cold water is actually not as good for your tresses as people say.
With that in mind, you might be thinking, “So should I ever wash my hair with cold water?” The answer is yes, you should rinse your hair with cold water when you are removing conditioner from your hair/ Why the conditioner? After applying conditioner, most people turn around and sit under the dryer for a little deep condition situation. When you sit under the dryer, you allow your cuticles to open up while all that goodness seeps into the shaft. After you finish, you need the close those cuticles. Therefore, you do the opposite of applying heat which is adding something cold (i.e. water) to make those cuticles close into place.
On top of closing your cuticle, applying cold water also adds luster and shine—a direct result of closing those cuticles after deep conditioning. The biggest con of washing with cold water, apart from it being uncomfortable, is that you will lose volume in your hair. That’s right sis. Cold water tends to have the hair looking a bit flat. If your hair is thick, then this is a great thing. However, if your hair is on the thinner side, flat hair may not look that flattering.
Warm Water on Hair
Notice I say warm water on hair and not hot water. Why? Like I mentioned in the previous section, hot water can and will damage your hair. Now on the other hand, warm water is a different story. Remember how I told you about the heat from the dryer helping to open your cuticles and allow all the goodness from the conditioner to seep through? The same thing happens whenever you use warm water to wash your hair. Everything becomes open including the pores on your scalp which makes for a deeper, more effective cleaning session.
The biggest con to warmer water is that it has a tendency to make the hair frizzy. If you have the right hair products like the Shedavi Crowned Styling Wash -Go Gel, then you won’t ever need to worry about frizz again.
As a wrap up, you need to use warm water when washing and cooler water when rinsing out your conditioner. How do you usually wash your hair? Tell us about it in the comments!
Written by Bianca Scott
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Feel it out
When you first realize that your breakage is worse than you thought, it’s completely normal to feel emotional. You’ve worked hard to grow your hair out. Have a good cry. Scream into a pillow. Give your emotions the space to process, and then get to work.
Cut it out
It’s tempting to try and keep your length, breakage and all, but that’s going to hurt you in the long-run. Get a trim, or give yourself a trim. Depending on the extent of the breakage, you might take this opportunity to experiment with a new hairstyle. Don’t let an opportunity for a bold haircut go to waste.
Plan it out
Recommit to caring for your hair. First, get a good understanding of what caused the breakage. Then make a plan of action. Remember that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Don’t let yourself fall into that trap. Take charge of bouncing back from breakage.
Start taking Shedavi’s Whole Food Vitamins and their Hair + Scalp Growth Elixir daily. Lookup heat free hairstyles. Replace your hats, scarves, and pillowcases with silk alternatives. Find less-damaging alternatives to your favorite hair accessories. Protective style. Schedule weekly and monthly treatments with Shedavi products like the Protein Masque and build a solid haircare regimen. These are simply ideas of actionable next steps. Keep the ones that work well for you, and create your own.
Breakage isn’t fun, but it also isn’t the end of the world. The great thing about hair is that it’s always growing. With the right care, you’ll be on the right track again in no time. Show us how Shedavi is helping you bounce back from breakage using #shedavi for a chance to be featured.
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Hair Weave is Born
Although it’s not completely clear as to the exact day, it seems to be the consensus that weaves originated around 5000 B.C. in Egypt. Some say that the wearing of weaves and extensions was synonymous with stature. In other words, the richer you were, the more extravagant your extensions. Men would shave their heads in order to wear wigs, and women would wear braids and extravagant hair pieces to show off their wealth. A few believe that Cleopatra wore weaves made out of human hair and dyed sheep wool which was attached to the head by a series of complex knots.
Hair Weave in Europe and Early America
In the early 17th century, King Louis XIII of France was losing his hair as a result of having syphilis, and he supposedly did not believe that being bald was very fitting for someone of his stature. As a result, he began to hire wig makers to create white hair pieces for him so that his receding hairline could not be seen. Here lies the birth of the powdered wig which was customary of the nobility in Europe and even our nation’s founding fathers in the Americas.
Hair Weave in the 20th century
Fast forward to the 1950s and we come across a woman named Christina Jenkins. Now, it’s Christina who many credit as being the founder of the modern-day sew-in technique that we all know and love. Although a bit fuzzy as to the specifics of her product, she patented the hair weaving technique which involved sewing the hair straight to netting, and then the netted hair piece were attached to cornrows. The alternative method at the time was weaving all of the extensions together then adhering the hair using hairpins.
Hair Weave Today
Since then, we know that weaves have become much more sophisticated and versatile. While the weaves that Jenkins used were stiff and unnatural, now we have different types of hair that can blend with just about any texture. The weave game has changed for the better, and we have a long list of people that we can thank for the evolution of the hair weave. Happy Black History Month ladies!
Written by Bianca Scott
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CAN YOU RELATE TO THIS?
It seems like you hair will only grow to certain length and then it stops. No matter what you do it just won’t grow to the long thick hair that you see others have. You’ve spent years trying to grow it out, only to end up with breakage, dryness, thinness and frizziness. It becomes unmanageable and you end up chopping it off again. This is the point I was at with my hair.
I was at my wits end trying to grow my hair. It would grow to shoulder length and stop there. Once I decided to learn about long hair growth techniques my hair turned around for the better. Through my research, I came across key ingredients that are nutrient rich for hair. I mixed it up applied it topically to my hair and it flourished! After a few years I decided to use these ingredients to help others like you be able to achieve the hair length you desire. Shedavi hair products was born.
The photos below show my hair progress from the end of the 1st year I was completely natural to 4 years natural.
What are the benefits of Shedavi Hair Elixir Oil for Hair Growth?
This elixir oil contains a powerful combination of exotic hair oils that heals the scalp and the hair shaft. There are over 20 rare oils and minerals that boost hair growth, soften and conditions hair. The oil repairs all types of hair including natural, relaxed, color-treated, dry and heat-damaged. The topical application of the oil improves hair by:
+ Increased Growth, Thickness & Length
+ Alleviates dry scalp and dandruff
+ Helps prevent split ends
+ Seals the hair shaft
+ Seals in moisture and shine
The exceptional ingredients are:
What are the benefits of Shedavi Hair Vitamins for Hair Growth?
This hair vitamin is like no other! It contains over 20 herbs & botanicals from nature! The plants in this vitamin are taken straight from the garden without the worry of putting fake ingredients in your body. This vitamin is practically 100% natural and organic unlike a majority of synthetic, lab-made hair growth vitamins on the market today. The supplement increases growth and thickness in all hair types including: straight, curly/ kinky, relaxed, natural and damaged hair textures. Taking this vitamin improves hair with protein building nutrients going straight to the hair shaft; increasing growth, thickness and sheen.
The exceptional ingredients are:
How does Shedavi Hair Vitamin and Elixir Oil help me Achieve Maximum Hair Growth?
Shedavi's simple equation for your most beautiful hair ever:
Internal Nourishment + External Nourishment = Maximum Hair Growth
Internal Nourishment - A healthy and balanced internal body environment is necessary for hair growth and beautiful skin. Shedavi Herbal Hair, Skin and Nail Supplement is formulated with whole botanicals that naturally contain minerals and vitamins necessary for hair growth, glowing skin and strong nails.
External Nourishment - The skin is the largest organ on the human body and it is designed by nature to absorb moisture and nutrients that will benefit a specific area of application. Shedavi Hair & Scalp Elixir is the perfect topical application full of nutrients absorbable through the scalp.
Let’s dispel some common myths about hair growth:
Myth #1: Black hair doesn’t grow
There is a common misconception in the black community that African American hair can’t grow long in its natural and relaxed state. This common belief is absolutely false. Black hair can grow long and healthy as long as you treat it with proper care and follow a regimen that works for you. Black hair is actually closer to being the most fragile compared to every other hair type. African American hair is more prone to breakage in its natural and relaxed state. Black hair can lose its moisture much easier therefore it’s very important to apply protein and moisture treatments along with natural oils like Shedavi Hair Oil regularly.
Myth #2: I have short hair genetics
Just because everyone in your family seems to have short hair doesn’t mean you have to. Hair breakage is often the result of mistreating the length of the hair and not properly moisturizing it. Shedavi Hair Oil is best for this. Thinning hair is usually a result of not having a healthy diet filled with nutrient-rich foods. Shedavi hair vitamin provides the nutrients for fuller hair. As long as you practice healthy hair habits, you should be able to maintain the length and thickness of hair you desire, whether that’s short or long.
The Hair Growth Cycle
Hair grows from the follicle, or root, underneath the skin. Between starting to grow and falling out years later, each hair passes through four stages: anagen, telogen, catagen. Every hair is at a different stage of the growth cycle.
Over time, the length of the anagen stage decreases. Therefore, the hair may become weaker and thinner after each.
How to Keep Hair in the Growth Phase
Nutrients are responsible for the strength, growth and thickness of each hair strand.
Silica strengthens hair by delivering vital nutrients to follicles and increasing the elasticity of the hair's cortex preventing hair breakage.
Biotin is responsible for thickening hair strands and increasing the amount of growth.
Sulfur increases the growth phase of your hair allowing the hair to grow much longer rather than entering the shedding and resting phase
Massages increase blood flow to the scalp. The hair is ‘fed’ by blood vessels at the base of the follicle, which distributes the nourishment it needs to grow. Massage the scalp for at least 5 minutes a day.
Average Hair Growth vs. Shedavi Hair Growth Results
The average hair growth amount per month for most people is ¼ to ½ of an inch. Those who have used Shedavi hair growth products have reported results of up to 1 inch of growth per month and fuller hair. That’s more than double the normal amount of growth! Take advantage of this at a low cost! You will not regret your purchase.
Women everywhere are testifying of their amazing results!
Testimonial 1: Anonymous, Atlanta, GA
I was skeptical about a product that promised more hair growth. I already had pretty hair but it had broken off from heat damage. I wanted to grow it back as fast as possible. I decided to test the product out and here are my three month results. My hair grew over 3 inches in three months! I am very happy with the results I received from using Shedavi products. I will continue to use indefinitely so I can reach my hair goals.
Testimonial 2: Kamelah, New York, NY
I really like hair the scent of the elixir oil and it has softened my hair texture. I love how the vitamin and the oil are both from nature. I have no concerns that I am hurting my body with bogus ingredients. I have the Shedavi Length Check t-shirt. When I first started using the products I was barely scraping the 3 inch mark. In one month, I am now past 4 inches! It definitely worked like a charm!
Testimonial 3: Johanna, San Antonio, TX
My hair has grown over 4 inches since starting Shedavi Vitamin and Oil. I apply the oil to my scalp daily and massage in for about 3-4 minutes as instructed. I take the vitamin twice a day at 6am and 6pm. I am thoroughly amazed by the products! I love that it nourishes my hair from the outside as well as the inside. The vitamin has helped my nails grow faster too!