Beautiful hair doesn’t happen by accident. Chances are, like most people, you’re not famous and don’t have an entourage of hairstylists to make you always look amazing. The good news is, you don’t need any of that to have happy, healthy hair.
Regardless of what type of hair you have, oily, dry, curly or straight and everything in between, tips for taking care of your locks are universal. For example, think about the temperature of your shower. Most people enjoy a nice, hot shower. In fact, it’s not uncommon to feel the hotter the water, the more enjoyable your shower is. If this applies to you, you may be drying out both your skin and your hair. Hotter water can strip the essential oils from your hair making it look and feel dull and lifeless. A simple change of water temperature from hot to warm can make all the difference.
Know Your Hair
Understanding what type of hair you have will help you make the best decisions to take care of it. You also need to take into consideration the chemical treatments you’ve subjected it to. If you’ve relaxed your textured hair, dealing with the new growth may feel like a nightmare; it isn’t. There are many hairstyles for transitioning hair that bring new styles and opportunities. Braids, cornrows and scarves are a few excellent choices that offer as much versatility as you’d like.
How often you wash your hair depends largely on if your hair is more oily or dry. If you over-wash hair that isn’t oily, you risk drying it out even more. If you’ve chemically treated your hair with perms or color, you probably have drier hair than others who haven’t. The technique you use to wash your hair is also important. The focus of your shampooing should be on your scalp versus the length of your hair.
You should condition your hair every time you wash it. As opposed to washing, the focus of conditioning should be at the tips of your hair, not your scalp. This technique will help keep fine hair from looking limp.
Use shampoo and conditioner that are formulated for your specific hair needs. These basic products are available to cater to issues like frizz, color-treated hair, dandruff and many more. To have the best-looking hair you can, use products that will help you get your specific concerns taken care of.
Heat Styling
Most hair routines consist of some type of thermal heat application. If you use hairdryers, straighteners or curling irons, be sure to use a thermal protectant to keep the damage these tools cause to a minimum. Another way to minimize damage from heat styling is to use the lowest temperature possible to achieve your desired results.
Experiment with giving your hair a break from styling tools and let it air dry. That’s not to say do nothing after you get out of the shower. Use products for your specific hair type. If you have thin hair, avoid the thicker and heavier styling products and go for a lightweight mousse to help you get the style you’re trying for. Just remember, after your hair is dry, don’t keep going back and tweaking your look, chances are you will end up making your hair look frizzy.
Be gentle when brushing or working your way through tangles. Being too rough and forcing a brush through tangles can cause damage and breakage. Never, ever brush wet hair! When hair is wet it’s the most fragile.
Maintaining lovely locks doesn’t have to be a chore. Once you know what kind of hair you have, you’ll soon settle into a routine that keeps it, and you, looking your best.
Photo by Artssy20