A beautiful head of hair is your crowning glory. But for many of us, that crown is not so glorious. In fact, it’s downright thin, brittle, dry, and damaged. Furthermore, the more often you wash your hair, the faster it becomes greasy. So, if you’re looking to restore shine, strength, and thickness to your hair, follow these golden rules of hair care. Your tresses will look good-to-go again in no time!
1. Apply shampoo the right way
Water temperature should be comfortable for you. Stand in the shower for a minute and make sure your hair is already wet. Squeeze out some shampoo – about the size of a large coin – onto your hands and rub them together. Apply the shampoo onto your head in a circular motion, moving from the top of your head to the bottom. Rinsing takes more time than applying, and it is recommended that you wash out the shampoo for 5 minutes. Left and dried shampoo particles can cause dull hair colour and even the appearance of dandruff. It is also recommended to rinse hair with cold water in the end. This will lead to the strengthening of hair cuticles and your hair will be able to keep in more moisture and appear shinier.
2. Rest your hair
Remember, your hair needs a rest too. Care for your hair by giving it a break for a couple days each week. And while it’s nice to have your tresses out of the way, it’s important to give hair a rest from ponytails, braids, and chignons. These tight hairstyles cause “traction” – tugging or pulling – on your hair, and can traumatize the hair and contribute to hair loss if used too much.
3. Minimise wet hair
Water makes hair swell from the inside, which forces the cuticle up. When that happens over and over again, you get frizz and breakage. Don’t wash your hair more than you have to. Skip a day of washing whenever you can. You can also embrace a dry shampoo that’s a hard-core oil and odour absorber so as to remove grease and sweat from your hair rather than just coating it with powder. In addition, dry shampoo should be used before working out so that it can absorb all the sweat produced during a workout.
4. Have a pillowcase schedule
It’s very pleasant for us and useful for hair to sleep on clean pillows. As time passes, pillowcases absorb epidermal cells and old makeup and it creates an enabling environment for bacteria. To support our skin and hair health, we need to change pillowcases at least once a week. And if your hair is greasy, it’s better that you do it twice a week.
5. Make your own hair lemonade
Applying lemon to your hair helps to fight against excessive greasiness, keep your hair fresh and voluminous, and create natural shine. It’s very easy to prepare it. Simply mix juice squeezed out of one lemon with one litre of water and rinse your hair with this mixture. It’s recommended to pour it slowly and massage your hair roots with one hand.
6. Style the smart way
We all know that heat styling tools can wreak havoc on hair, leaving it brittle and lifeless. But beauty calls. And there are ways to combat and prevent unnecessary damage from heat styling. For a start, you can try to reduce the amount of time spent with a hot hair dryer pointed at your head, by blotting your hair with a towel after the shower. Be careful not to rub, as this can exacerbate frizz. Then, take some paper towels and blot again. You’ll be shocked at how much excess moisture you can soak up this way, and your blowout time will be cut in half. Before blowing dry, curling, or straightening, your hair, be sure to use a protective spray. When drying, keep your hair dryer on a cooler setting and a lower velocity. The same goes for straightening and curling. It’ll take a bit more time to get the look that you want, but your follicles will thank you in the long run.