Healthy Hair Tips
Secrets to getting smooth, silky, and healthy looking hair
Tired of having dry, frizzy, unmanageable hair? Here are a few tricks of the trade to get your hair soft, sexy, and touchable.
You've invested in blowdryers, curling irons, flat irons, and countless hair color sessions at your favorite salon. And now everything you've done to make your hair look so lush and gorgeous has accomplished the opposite: your hair is now dull and damaged. Fortunately, the damage is easy to remedy.
Get a trim
Most stylists recommend a trim every six weeks. A regular trim will help prevent or get rid of split ends. Often, it's not the entire head of hair that needs the fix - just the dried out ends. If you're trying to grow your hair out and are freaked by the prospect of a cut, just make sure you clearly advise your stylist to cut off only up to the line of damage. Plus, seeing your hairdresser on a consistent basis will allow him or her to assess your hair during each visit, and help you get your hair to its maximum beauty potential. Consider it a regular checkup.
Use a good shampoo
Shampooing daily isn't necessary; in fact, it's not even recommended. The detergents in most shampoos on the market will strip your hair of both color and moisture. It's a good idea to look for a sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) -free shampoo. This is a chemical often used in soaps and shampoos because it effectively causes a product to foam up, leaving the skin feeling invigorated and clean. However, it's been proven that SLS is greatly drying, and can also be very irritating. Hair tangled after washing? Blame sodium lauryl sulfate. Fortunately, shampoos that are SLS-free are becoming more and more available. Two industry favorites are Paves Professional's Flawless No Sulfates Allowed Repairing Shine Shampoo, and Alba Botanica's Plumeria Replenishing Hair Wash.
Use a conditioner daily
Find a conditioner that's specifically tailored for your hair type. If your hair is fine, use a lightweight conditioner, like Dove's Volumizing Color Care Conditioner, that won't weigh it down. If your hair is thick and coarse, a thicker formula, like Aussie's Moist Conditioner, will keep your strands luxurious and healthy. No matter what your hair type, distribute the product only at the ends, to prevent it from weighing your hair down. If, however, your whole head of hair is extremely fried and damaged, use a deep conditioning treatment all over, like L'Oreal Professionnel Intense Repair Masque, once a week.
Use the right tools
Do not use a brush on wet hair, because this is when hair is most vulnerable. Use a wide-toothed comb instead, and gently work out any tangles. Once hair is dry, a boar-bristle brush is best - this kind of brush smooths out the cuticle and helps distribute your hair's natural oils from your scalp to your ends, giving you shine.
Try to cut blowdrying, flat ironing, and curling down to a couple of times a week. But if you must use heated tools, use a protectant on the middle to the ends of hair beforehand to prevent further and future damage. One to try is Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream with Olive Oil. A celebrity favorite, this leave-in not only protects the hair from heat styling, it tames fly-aways, helps guard against humidity, and leaves your hair looking strong and shiny.
