My Dad the Chemist

Mineral sunscreen, conditioner, and hand lotion are the top three types of products I buy all the time. I’m pretty loyal to a product once I find a version I like, but I’m not afraid to try other brands every now and then just to see if something better has appeared on the horizon. Conditioner is a particularly tricky one because I find that my hair’s needs depend on the environment. When I lived in NYC, I didn’t really need any special conditioner to detangle my hair.…

The water in my apartment is so hard that it leaves mineral deposits on my sink and bathtub—and it’s also the bane of my hair’s existence. It makes my hair feel dull and oily, no matter how often I wash it. I recently bought a bottle of CLR cleaner and it’s been a game changer. But unfortunately, solving the problem for my hair is a more complicated matter. After all, I can’t just spray some CLR cleaner on my hair and call it a day. I never realized how good I had it back…

I try to use fragrance-free hair care products whenever possible, just because I have to apply them with my hands and my eczema gets worse when it’s exposed to potential irritants like fragrances. But it’s really tough to find shampoos and conditioners that are fragrance free and effective. When I do find a fragrance-free product, it’s pretty basic. Meanwhile, all the other shampoos and conditioners claim to help boost shine, moisturize hair, and more. To get a product that…