When clients ask me about their hair, the topic of hair appearance always comes up first and the issue of hair health is usually brought into conversation by me. I happened to know that healthy hair means beautiful hair and it goes in that exact order, not the other way around. Think of it as maintaining oral hygiene; unhealthy teeth are not very attractive, not in the US anyway. To make your hair always look best let’s learn how to take care of what nature gave you. Too often people mistreat their locks and diminish their natural appearance. And by the way, just throwing money at a problem doesn’t mean that it will go away, so when you are buying hair products, please be selective and only use something that will promote your hair health, not just mask the problems. Hair product selection comes down to picking a product designed for your type of hair. For example, if you happen to have curly hair you want to find something that would complement your curls.
Here I am going to share with you some of the useful tips on how you can manage and revitalize your hair. These methods are proven to work and most importantly they promote hair health.
Excess Shampoo Makes Your Hair Dull
Let’s say you are living an active lifestyle and you exercise and do a lot of things outdoors. In this case you have two choices. One is to avoid washing your hair every day. And another if you must wash your hair daily is to pick a mild natural shampoo and use it in a following manner. When applying shampoo, use small amounts, too much shampoo and rinse-in-a-hurry approach will leave residue which is both unattractive and damaging to your hair. Use plenty of water to rinse the shampoo off well. Shampoo is a cleaner, not a conditioner. Avoid using shampoos that contain sulfate compounds, especially if you wash your hair often, these over time will contribute to hair, and scalp damage as well as fade your color. A great hair protector and defender against damage is a natural oil treatment which I will cover later.
Conditioners and Hair Shine
I don’t like to sound like a parrot but make sure that conditioner you use is designed for YOUR HAIR TYPE. If it’s not you are unlikely to achieve professional results. Avoid using bottom-price conditioners, they use cheap and harmful chemicals which eventually will create a buildup on your hair and may result in dandruff which will lead you to using another chemically saturated product and further hair damage.
How To Apply Conditioner
Apply conditioner first on your hand, not your hair and gently massage it into your wet hair. If you have short hair make sure you are using just a bit, if you have long and thick hair, start from the scalp and applying small amounts separately proceed down to you hair ends paying extra attention to the ends. You also may use a wide tooth calm while in a shower to distribute conditioner. More conditioner doesn’t guarantee better results, use small amounts each time you apply and make sure you evenly cover your entire hair. Yes, it will take you a couple of minutes extra but it makes a big difference. Good conditioner also protects your hair. The key here is GENTLY massaging conditioner into your hair EVENLY. Please make sure that you rinse it out well, most conditioners are designed to be rinsed out, otherwise they will leave your hair dull and flat. Conditioners help to manage hair.
Use Silicon Flat Iron To Straighten Your Hair
“There is nothing that a glass of wine and a flat iron can’t fix.”
Flat irons are very popular these days and there are so many to choose from but I recommend using a straightening iron with silicon plates – these are much easier on your hair. Since flat irons apply heat to your hair they may cause damage but silicon-plated irons allow hair to slide through easier which reduces damage. As a result you will have more control over the iron and reduce heat exposure. Silicon plates are far better than metal and ceramic plates. Please test drive your new flat iron unplugged to get a better feel and then you will be prepared to handle it like a pro. Professional hairstylists use them all the time because of the minimal damage to your hair and they are good time savers. Soft silicon plates distribute heat evenly and are more gentle on your hair. If you are using a flat iron to style your hair get a silicon-plated, I am sure you will like it.
Working with Eucalyptus and Peppermint Hair Shampoos
These products contain natural hair cleansing and rejuvenating elements and besides wonderful natural fragrance they help to revitalize your locks. If you are willing to try buy a small bottle to see how your hair and scalp will respond to these products. You don’t want to use them every time you wash your hair. These are specialized products for scalp issues.
Keratin Magic
So, what is this keratin? Keratin is a natural protein and the truth is that hairs crave protein. Unlike chemical-based hair protein enrichment products keratin is a natural product which creates a non-damaging external layer which protects your hair against sun, harsh environment as well as soothes your scalp and hair and enhances appearance. Keratin based products especially beneficial for people with active lifestyle. Not too long ago a new, keratin-based hair revitalizing treatment entered the market. Since it proven to be quite effective many manufacturers have jumped on a band wagon and developed a plethora of keratin hair goodies and some of them include complex treatments. There is no need to undergo one if you just want your hair to look good, but if your hair is damaged you probably want the whole enchilada. Most commonly keratin products are used in battling frizz. Just like with most hair products I would advise you talking to your hairstylist on what keratin solutions will suit you best.
Hot Oil Hair Treatments
Is your hair dry? If that is so, please consider a hot oil hair treatment. It is very beneficial to your hair and scalp and usually is applied weekly. Again, there are plenty of various products on the market and at this point I am not going to endorse any of them, I just want you to agree with manufacturer’s application instructions. Generally, it is recommended that you gently massage oil into your hair and scalp and after cover your head with a plastic bag and put a warm towel to allow oil to do its magic. This will help to infuse oil into the hair follicle and after ten or fifteen minutes rinse your hair well with warm water. This will make your hair fuller softer, shinier and more manageable and the best thing is you don’t need a deep fryer to do this.
Conclusion
These are the tips that will help you to keep your hair healthy and manageable. Since all these treatments are safe you are welcome to embark on some experimentation to learn what works best for your locks and looks. Results will vary based on your selection, application techniques, and consistency as well as on the degree of hair damage but if you are my client you know by now that I would never recommend you something that would result in hair damage.
If you have any questions you always can contact our hair experts at San Diego hair salon Tamales.
Here is to hair shine and vitality,
Nancy
