LINKS TO TOPICS

Healthy hair
Care for dry hair
Professional secrets to shiny hair
Eat right for healthy hair
Common hair-care mistakes
Hair mistakes that terrorize your look!
Hair tips
Naturopathy & dandruff
Tips for coloring hair

Healthy hair

To avoid dry, lack-luster locks and a scorched scalp, make these mane modifications:

1. SHAMPOO LESS. The detergents in most shampoos can cause drying of hair. If you shampoo your hair daily, then skip the shampoo at least twice a week. Instead rinse your hair with water.

2. SPIKE YOUR STYLING PRODUCTS. Max your gel, mousse, or straightening balm with a bit of cream conditioner. This adds control and helps to hydrate hair.

Care for dry hair

Hair normally has a moisture content of approximately 10%. If your hair's moisture content drops below this level the key is to increase the hair's ability of attract and retain moisture. This is accomplished by using moisturizers.

Essential fatty aids (EFA's) are great moisturizers. One of the best and most cost effective essential fatty acids is safflower oil. It is the kind you can buy to cook with. It is rich in EFA's. ( Saffola is a good choice)

The scalp produces the best EFA's called sebum. The problems is once the hair grows past the neck line or does not have direct contact with the scalp the scalps natural oils can not be utilized throughout the hair shaft.

You can manually replace the lost EFA's by:

• Placing 1 or 2 drops of safflower oil in your palms and rub them together.

• There should only be enough to make your hands "shine" in the light.

• Carefully take your hair (while dry) and rub the small amount of oil to the ENDS first and work toward the scalp.

• Leave this in your hair.

• 1-2 drops of safflower oil on dry hair is so small, you won't notice it is there.

Doing this as often as necessary will ensure your dry hair will have the proper amount of humectants to attract and retain moisture.

Professional secrets to shiny hair

Get the sheen of your dreams with these easy tips

• Lubricate up with lipids. Your hair's supply of natural lipids (fatty acids that coat the hair and seal in moisture) starts to diminish in your 30s. To return tresses to their former lustre, wash and style with products that contain lipidrich ingredients; look for sesame oil, butter and cocoa butter on the label.

• Try some colour. Highlights can create the illusion of extra shine in hair that is ashy blond or light brown.

• Set your stands straight. Straight hair shines more than curly. To get yours perfectly pin-like, apply a styling cream that contains wheat protein (it constricts the cuticle, making hair lie flatter) to damp tresses. Then blow-dry two-inch sections, one at a time, with a paddle brush, directing hot air toward your ends.

Eat right for healthy hair

Great nutrition is the most effective way of getting awesome hair. Shiny, healthy hair is a reflection of a healthy body, so it's like two for the price of one. Just like your body, your hair needs a balanced, nutritious diet to stay healthy. So follow this recipe for healthier hair, and be amazed at the difference it makes!

Water

Water makes up one-fourth of the weight of a strand of hair. Moisture makes the hair supple, so make sure you get plenty of fluids. A key point is NOT to wait until you're thirsty. If you're thirsty, it means your body has already lost more water than it should have, and it's urging you to fill up the tank. Water not only hydrates your body, but helps keep your hair silky and shiny. Ideally, you should drink between eight and ten glasses of water a day.

Protein

Protein is the building block of hair, so a diet for healthy hair contains an awful lot of protein! Protein will give the shaft of your hair more strength, and will reduce the likelihood of dame through snapping and splitting. You can get protein from foods like fish, meat, milk, cheese and cereals.

Minerals

• Iron helps to carry oxygen to the hair. Without enough iron, hair and its follicles get starved of oxygen. This means that the 'goodness' in the root of your hair is much less effective along the length of the strand. You can increase your iron intake by eating red meat and dark green vegetables, or by iron supplements.

• Zinc builds hair protein which helps to prevent hair loss. Meat and seafood are the foods highest in zinc.

• Copper is involved in the pigmentation of hair. You can optimize your natural color with a diet with plenty of copper. Shellfish, liver, fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds and meat are all high in copper.

Vitamins

• Vitamin A will give you a healthy scalp, because it's great for the skin! You can get vitamin A from foods like vegetables - in particular, in carrots.

• Vitamin B and C are important for good circulation, hair growth and hair color. If you ensure that you have enough vitamin B and C, you'll have strong, supple strands of hair that do not split. You can get these vitamins from eating foods like fruit, vegetables, cereals, eggs, milk and bread.

So follow this healthy guide… be sure to add a dose of daily exercise to keep that blood pumping… then add proper hair care on the surface! Go ahead! Try it! 

Common hair-care mistakes

What are the hair care mistakes we need to avoid?

Excessive shampooing. Don't wash your hair more than twice a week. If you need to re-do your style, just spray water on the roots and blow-dry.

Roughly handling wet hair. Do not rush wet hair, no matter what. Wrap a towel around wet hair. When it is fairly dry use your fingers to gently de-tangle the knots in your hair. Divide your hair into small sections, work your way from the ends to the scalp. Avoid blow drying wet hair and try to tumble dry it as often as possible.

Neglecting scalp care: It's not just your hair that needs care. Your scalp needs a lot of attention too. Don't forget our scalp houses the roots of the hair. Scalp needs to massaged with warm oils regularly. And wash off with tepid water.

Over using heating appliances on your hair. Hair dryers, flat ironing devices and curlers can do immense damage to your hair if used wrongly and regularly.

Chemicals: Too much of chemicals like perms, colours and tints can make your hair brittle and damaged.

Over brushing your hair. A gentle brush with smooth strokes helps to spread oil all through our hair and produce a shine. But too many brisk strokes could damage your hair.

Washing hair on a daily basis strips it of its essential oil. Hair does not need to be washed every day. While washing your hair, don't scrub the scalp too vigorously. Always be gentle with your hair.

Leaving shampoo and conditioner residue in your hair after a wash can ravage your hair. And using styling products over and above that just worsens the damage. Besides inadequately washed hair also looks dull and lank.

Spend an extra few minutes washing your hair well.

Hair mistakes that terrorize your look!

Have you ever felt like there's something really off with your hair, but you just can't seem to identify what it is? We have, so we consulted with Bumble and bumble senior hairstylist Damian Santiago, who graciously laid out our hairstyling errors. We confess, it stings for a moment, but you will thank us later. Here, Damian's list of our most common hair mistakes.

Baselessly cutting your own hair. Let's say there appears to be one strange and straggly piece that somehow emerges longer, looser or odder than any other piece on your head. You are tempted to trim it, but don't self-cut! "It'll all straighten out in the shower," Santiago says. And, if you don't have time for a shower, just dampen your hair, and evenly distribute a bit of styling pomade. Once you start cutting, it's hard to stop and impossible to keep your style even.

Erroneously misusing products. Damian calls this "product abuse" and explains that, because it's often so difficult to decipher the language on many products' labels, there is no mystery behind our confusion. With promises like "de-frizz," "smooth out," "keep it sleek" or "make it shine," we consumers are left totally befuddled. The result of using the wrong products can be limp, greasy-looking hair or hair that just won't stay in place. The only way to get around it is to resign yourself to tons of trial and error purchases, or ask your hairstylist for recommendations. Professionals will be able to tell you which products are right for the results you want and for your specific hair type.

Misguidedly generous with products. Another product no-no that can lead to flat, dead-looking hair is applying too much product. Remember, unless stated otherwise, most hair products are concentrated, so a little goes a long way. (Even shampoo!) Never forget you can always add more later.

Faulty compartmentalizing. You just see the front section of your hair, but never forget the world sees all of it. Too many of us spend too much time getting the hair around our faces perfect, to the detriment of our overall look. If this is your "hair-or," you're in good company. Damian says when he's done with a cut and offers to show clients the sides and back of their hair, many of them say, "No, that's okay, I never look back there anyway." Need we say more?

Mistakenly choosing an impractical style. Before you choose a hairstyle, understand this: After you walk out of the salon, it's up to you to maintain that style. "A good hairstylist can replicate any style you throw at him," says Damian, "but is it realistic for you?" Before selecting a style, he says, take into account your hair's texture, length and health and how much time you want to spend styling it each day. "If you're not realistic before you get a haircut, you'll end up being a slave to your hairstylist."

Breezily tuning out when going for a consultation or haircut. You've heard before that you must bring pictures and communicate clearly to your hairstylist, but you must also pay attention to what your hair stylist says. In order for a hairstylist to do the best job, you must be open to his expertise. If you don't trust your stylist, find another one.

Miscalculating your color choice. Even though all hair colors are beautiful, they may not appear beautiful on you. So, when coloring or highlighting your hair, carefully consider which shades will flatter your skin tone. It can be the difference between appearing totally ashen or radiant and glowing. Bring a photo of the color you want to your colorist and discuss the tones and hues of the shade and how it will look on you.

Hair tips

• If your tresses are stressed from heat styling, try this unplugged spiral stunt: Before you hit the sheets, braid your damp hair into tiny, pencil-wide plaits, sleep in them and unravel in the morning. Voila, instant crimps!
  

• Just because your hair is short doesn't mean you can skimp on conditioner (it's crucial for strong stands). For insta-tousle, wash your hair at night and work in a leave-in conditioner before bed, then finger-style it in the morning.
  

• Short hair may be quicker and easier to style, but that doesn't mean it's totally low-maintenance. Cropped coifs need cutting every four to six weeks to maintain their shape. Ask your stylist about reduced-price trims.

Naturopathy & dandruff

What does dandruff do to your hair?
- Dandruff weakens the roots, and consequently leads to hair fall.
- Dandruff sticks on to the skin of the scalp in a cake form and blocks free flow of air to the roots.
- As a result, hair becomes weak at the roots and loosens its hold.

If Anti-Dandruff Shampoos Don't Work, Try These Home Remedies…

• Add six spoonfuls of water to two spoonfuls of pure vinegar and apply it on the scalp with cotton wool before going to bed. Tie a towel around your head to protect from the pillow. Wash your hair next morning. After shampooing, rinse again with vinegar water. Continue this once a week for at least three months.

• Mix a spoonful of lemon juice with two spoonfuls of vinegar and massage onto the scalp. Wash your hair with an egg shampoo after this.

• Soak fenugreek (methi) seeds in yogurt overnight and apply the curd on your scalp for half an hour before washing in the morning.

Have A Natural Anti-Dandruff Massage!
--Massage your scalp with warm coconut or castor oil twice a week.
--Massage with the tips of your fingers in a circular movement for at least half an hour.
--Leave it on overnight and shampoo the following morning.
--This prevents the hair from becoming dry and moreover prevents dandruff and falling hair by improving the circulation and strengthening the hair roots.

(Hair)Pack Off Your Troubles…
Methi Magic: Hair washed with methi seed paste prevents dandruff, falling hair, baldness and dandruff and keeps hair healthy. Just soak the fenugreek seeds overnight in water to soften the seeds and grind in the morning to make paste. Before hairwash, apply this paste on scalp and hair and leave it on for half an hour. Wash off with shampoo later.

Eggs Are Good Too:Beat two eggs and add two tablespoons of water to it. Wet the hair and apply the egg mixture over the hair. Now massage your scalp and let the mixture on for ten minutes to fifteen minutes. Then rinse the hair with lukewarm water. This will keep both dandruff and hairfall problem away from you.

Quick Tips
--Never use the brush or comb of a person suffering from dandruff as it is dangerous and contagious.
--Likewise, make sure that you wash your comb/brush after every shampoo if you have dandruff yourself!
--Many medicines, medicated soaps and shampoos are available to counter dandruff, but the most effective is cleanliness of hair.
--Brush your hair thrice a day and shampoo at least once a week.
--While washing your hair, take care the water does not trickle down your face. There are chances that you may get pimples.

Food For Hair With dandruff / flaky scalp:
Eat: Fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and vitamin A rich foods.
Avoid: Dairy products, spicy food, piping hot food and animal fat.

Tips for colouring hair

Planning to streak, tint or colour your hair? Here are some useful tips for you.

• Think twice about colouring hair that is not in good condition. You'll only end up making it worse.

• Deep condition dry hair before you colour it.

• Don't go in for a radical change. It won't sit well with your complexion. Start off with colours that are two shades darker or lighter than your natural colour.

• If your complexion isn't clear, don't choose solid colours that are very dark or very light. Only clear skins can carry them off.

• There are special shampoos for hair that has been coloured. Use these shampoos only. The will help protect your hair.

• Coloured hair should be conditioned regularly. Don't wait till your hair gets dry.

• Always pick a colour that will enhance your looks. The wrong colour could have a counteractive effect.

• If you choose a darker colour, it is advisable to use a dab of Vaseline at your hairline to prevent the colour from spilling onto your skin. But if you get Vaseline onto our hair, it might prevent that bit of the hair from getting dyed. You need to be careful and draw an extra fine line.

• Wet hair needs to be handled with extra care. Coloured hair tends to break easily. Gently remove the tangles with your hand.

• Avoid hairbrushes. Use a wide toothed comb to keep to your hair in order. If your hair still tends to get dry and brittle, consult your beautician.