Why Quinoa belongs in your hair
Quinoa is not a grain. It is actually a seed more related to some weeds. It is part of the goosefoot family of annual herbaceous flowering plants. Why is that important for hair health?
It shows that it does not contain gluten. It is gluten-free. So, its topical application is safe even for those who have gluten allergies.
Quinoa is rich in fiber and minerals. Iron, manganese, phosphorus, copper, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. But its benefits for hair have more to do with its unique amino acid profile. The protein building blocks of hair.
How Quinoa works in hair
Quinoa has a full set of essential amino acids. It is one of a few complete proteins from plants and packed with uses for hair and skin.
It aids in hair growth, repairs split ends, and helps keep color. But to claim those benefits, and plenty more, for our own heads, hydrolyzed quinoa is necessary.
What does hydrolyzed mean?
To hydrolyze something is to break it down with water. The water breaks into two parts, hydroxide and hydrogen. These parts have opposite charges. One negative, the other positive. This aids digestion, but has astounding results for hair treatment too.
When hydrolysis occurs complete proteins break down into their individual amino acid parts.
What's left is a unique profile of individual amino acids ready to get to work. This team of building blocks penetrates the hair better than other plant proteins.
This is key to why it is so effective. ONC use hydrolyzed ingredients throughout its products.
Repairing and bolstering hair
Keep in mind that these amino acids not only penetrate the hair, but also leave a natural film. This natural film is a protective barrier serving a few purposes.
Coating the hair with protein, as the hair is also made of protein, is a natural way to bolster its defenses. Although many protein treatments can dry out your hair. Hydrolyzed quinoa helps with moisture retention. Goodbye dandruff! This defends against hair loss. Helps the body repair damaged hair. Restores hair health, and promotes new growth.
Volume and detangling
Quinoa proves itself on the hair care battleground. Offering strength, color retention, hydration, and shine. But the benefits aren't done.
In two exciting ways it volumizes hair. Yes, quinoa does boost hair growth, improving volume. But we also aren't waiting for weeks for the natural thickening, although that alone is worth the wait!
The natural film left makes the hair thicker. So, with hydrolyzed quinoa, you get a volume treatment now, and still more natural volume later.
Quinoa is effective for detangling hard to manage hair. It helps hair to respond to combing. In other words, quinoa can help detangle hair.
That makes it a tool in the arsenal for extreme hair care, like detangling dreadlocks. Hydrolyzed quinoa alone won't detangle dreadlocks. But it is an effective weapon during the entire process, which can take several days.
Coloring treatments. Hot tools that burn hair to keep a shape. And aerosol sprays that damage hair follicles and thin out hair. All lessen the beauty and health of our manes.
Hydrolyzed quinoa combat these. It reverses that damage and protects hair against future damage. It aids the hair shaft, moisturizes, and delivers the nutrients our hair needs to thrive.
The bottom line is that quinoa is a superfood that belongs in your hair products. To get the most out of it we paired it with the other superfoods and natural ingredients in our products. These work to transform hair into a glorious, shining mane.
Resources:
1. Neve, H.J., Bhatti, W.A., Soulsby, C. et al. Reversal of Hair Loss following Vertical Gastroplasty when Treated with Zinc Sulphate. OBES SURG 6, 63–65 (1996). https://doi.org/10.
2. Wells, Katie. (2020, July 30). 11 Natural Remedies to Stop Thinning Hair. Wellness Mama. Retrieved From https://wellnessmama.com/
3. Graf BL, Rojas Silva P, Rojo LE, Delatorre Herrera J, Baldeón ME, Raskin I. Innovations in health value and functional food development of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2015;14(4):431–445. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.