The Better Blog

Sandwiched between the hot humidity of summer and the coldness of winter are about three weeks of blissful, hair-friendly weather. Neither frizz nor hair static bothers us. Our hair holds curls a bit more easily. It even accepts wash-and-go styling. And every year we breathe a collective sigh of relief during this brief period of perfect hair weather. 

But this break is short-lived.  

Despite the reprieve from warm weather hair issues like frizz and flatness—especially common for fine hair—winter weather brings its own set of hair woes. The dry days of winter can wreak havoc on aging hair. When cold, dry air replaces the humidity of summer, the result is hair static, which can also lead to dullness, dry and unmanageable strands and even breakage.

The maximum length of time hair spends in the anagen phase, otherwise known as the active growth phase, varies from person to person depending mainly on genetics. Yet, various things can disrupt the time our hair spends growing, like our health, diet, stress and hormones. For example, an increase of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in our system during menopause leads to follicle miniaturization. 

When this happens, our once-healthy follicles start producing thinner, weaker hair. DHT and other issues can disrupt the growth phase for some of our strands, cause fragile hair and even result in permanent hair loss. But there are ways to counteract this issue and increase our hair's time in the active phase. 

Better Not Younger is here to help you get in the holiday haircare spirit with our 12 Days of Better Hair Tips designed to show your hair and scalp some love with instant, healthy hair treatments. From heat styling protection, to products that moisturize your hair, stimulate your scalp, and focus on your inner health, we have everything your daily haircare routine needs.

Silicone is a safe ingredient used in many hair-care products, from sprays and serums to conditioners and shampoos. It's incredibly effective for adding shine, sealing in moisture and managing frizz. But what is silicone, and is it good for your hair?

Silicone sometimes gets a bad rap. However, it's non-toxic and safe, and there are many different kinds. Some are heavier and bond well to your strands; others are lighter and wash away easily. In addition, many silicone hair-care solutions, like those used in Better Not Younger products, are formulated to be non-drying. We’re here to take a closer look at silicones that are beneficial for your hair. 

Head down any supplement aisle these days and the collagen supplement offerings are overwhelming to say the least. You have your powders and pills, bars and beauty gummies, even collagen-infused waters and shots. 

But your choices don’t stop there—some are sourced from bovine collagen (that’s cow), others from marine collagen (that’s fish) and others still from porcine collagen, otherwise known as pig. And did we mention there are 28 different types of collagen? That being said, only 3 of them (types I, II, III) are the true influencers of firm, glowing skin and stronger, healthier-looking hair. Even so, there’s still a bunch of confusion out there about which types are found in bovine collagen vs marine collagen vs porcine collagen. 

So before we dive into the details about marine collagen, let’s set the record straight: Cow, fish or pig, the source of collagen doesn’t dictate the collagen type. Bovine collagen, marine collagen and porcine collagen are all composed of the same amino acid building blocks and contain types I, II and III, though each collagen source has different amounts of each type. For example, marine collagen tends to have higher amounts of types I and III while bovine collagen tends to have higher levels of type II. What’s important to keep in mind is that not all supplements will contain all types and each supplement will have varying ratios of different types. This all depends on the processing method, which is at the discretion of those formulating the supplements. 

Now that we cleared that up, let’s take a closer look at this superstar protein.

Nothing washes away a bad hair day—or a bad mood, for that matter—better than an invigorating hair wash. But as anyone who has ever made the switch to sulfate-free shampoo knows, there are a few challenges that come along with using a sulfate-free formula when you wash your hair—namely creating that sudsy lather we typically equate with feeling clean.

While sulfate-free formulas may be more lather-resistant than regular shampoos, they are equally effective at removing dirt and excessive oil from your scalp—not to mention they offer a whole bunch of hair-nourishing benefits to boot!

Washing your hair with sulfate-free shampoo simply requires a little more shampooing savvy before you start, and a little extra effort along the way—all certainly worth it! That’s why we’re letting you in on the essential secrets to know for cleaning your hair!

A common complaint among women experiencing menopause is seeing more and more hair strands falling out each day. Hair that doesn’t grow as long or as fast as it once did is another issue they face.

But even though some of your hair follicles may eventually go dormant and stop producing new hairs altogether, these sleeping follicles are not a lost cause. Regular scalp massages and topical hair products with the right stimulating ingredients can effectively wake them up and trigger hair production again. 

Our bodies use the nutrients we eat to create our cells and generate life-sustaining energy. This means vitamins are crucial for all our bodily functions, including our skin and scalp’s ability to retain their shape, conserve moisture and create hair fibers in the follicles.

Retinol is a form of vitamin A, an essential nutrient for skin and scalp function. Our bodies require retinol in our system to effectively build healthy skin from the inside out.

We receive vitamin A from the foods we eat, however, that isn’t always enough. Retinol supplements are an effective way to buoy our reserves and promote optimal skin and scalp health.

You may have noticed that your hair grows faster or slower at different times throughout your life. Many factors can contribute to these fluctuations, and when we’re talking about slow hair growth, nutritional deficiencies, stress and hot styling tools are just a few of the culprits. 

But before we dive into all the reasons your hair grows so slow, it’s important to understand the hair growth cycle and how it can impact how fast or slow your hair grows.

Flaky, dry skin is a common skincare issue for women. Especially as aging reduces sebum production, leaving us less oil to moisturize our skin and scalps. And this is even worse in the winter when the cold winds and hot showers converge to heighten skin dryness.

As skin cells build up on the surface and flake off, you'll likely experience itchiness, clogged pores and blocked hair follicles. Dry brushing is one method to rid your epidermis of buildup and has a wide range of benefits for your hair, scalp and body systems.