“Preened, primped, bouncy, shiny” hair buzz words that we all think we’ll never achieve.
When it comes to healthy hair it’s all about knowing your hair and scalp type and treating it in the right way; essentially, it’s just treating your hair care routine as you would your skincare regime.
image via pinterest
Head & Shoulders Senior Scientist, Saint Tiu, reveals the simple tricks to turn stressed, dull locks into a luscious and healthy hair just by re-thinking a few simple steps:
Rethink your washes:
For best results, know how often you should wash your hair based on your hair type – for example, thicker, curly hair can go a few days longer than those with thin, fine hair.
– Before washing always make sure you rinse your hair and scalp under clean, cool water before shampooing which assists with removing sweat and toxins from workouts, humidity and general environmental factors from your day.
– When applying shampoo, use around two full teaspoons on the palm of your hand, massage onto wet hair and thoroughly wash from roots to ends. You’ll know you have used enough product when your shampoo works into a rich lather and provides coverage all over. Work the shampoo for a total of 30 seconds to a minute.
– Even though we’re told to avoid using a lot of product on the scalp to prevent greasy and oily hair, our scalps need moisture. So ensure you condition from root to tip and leave for two minutes before rinsing.
Problematic warmer weather:
The warmer weather can create a multitude of problems for your hair and scalp health. Frizzy or dry locks are known as the top bugbears of harsh summer conditions, however there’s one problem that affects a staggering 79% of Aussies that we don’t talk about as the temperatures soar – dandruff.
Much like some people are sensitive to dairy or gluten, certain people are born with a sensitivity to oleic acid which is produced by a microbe known as Malassezia found on our scalps. Malassezia thrives in warm and moist environments increasing the chances for those with scalp sensitivities to become more susceptible to the itchy, dry and flakey symptoms.
A healthy scalp is the key to strong and healthy hair and the best way to avoid any of those flakey moments is to use anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner that contains nourishing ingredients such as Argan Oil. This will ensure that you are both cleansing and moisturising your hair and scalp.
Styling, cuts & maintaining:
Comb your hair carefully after each wash or after taking out a hair tie or style. Use a wide tooth comb or bristle brush to gently separate any tangles or knots (especially if you have curly hair). Avoid yanking or tugging as this can pull and break your hair resulting in split ends, or a bunch of hair ending up in your brush – nobody wants that!
Avoid using too many hair tools, with summer just around the corner let your hair dry naturally, it will love you for it. So, put a pause on the straighteners, curling tongs and blow drys.
The only way to get rid of split ends is to cut them, so make sure you keep on top of your ends by getting regular trims, ideally every six weeks to keep your hair fresh and bouncy.
Life factors:
Be aware that environmental factors such as the sun, chlorine from the pool and humidity from warmer weather can also make your hair dry and stressed out.
A well-balanced diet will help strengthen and protect your scalp and hair so try to ensure that you get the right nutrients like protein, iron, omega-3 fatty acid and zinc. Exercise can also reduce stress which benefits both our hair and skin.
