Decoding the secret to smooth hair
Bouncy, curly, wavy or poker straight; whatever your hair style, it’s likely that you use some styling products, color or strand highlights. All these tools and products can damage the hair’s texture and protective outer layer, giving you those dreaded split ends, hair loss, and dull and lifeless hair.
Ward off damage
The trick is to use appropriate hair care products to fix the damage. Look for conditioners with protein and other nutrients that sink into the hair shaft to repair tears and split ends. Try Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner or Sunsilk Advanced Reconstruction Dual Treatment Shots. The effect lasts until your next shampoo, so you’ll have to use it regularly.
Bouncy bed head
The fullness of your hair lies in your genes and styling technique. But there are tricks you can use to plump up your hair giving it a tousled fullness. Try Herbal Essence Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner to plump up the volume. Another trick is to use a leave-in conditioner or mousse like Dove Intense Repair Overnight Leave On or TIGI Bed Head Color Goddess Leave in Conditioner. The next morning flip your hair upside down as you dry it to give that extra volume and oomph to your strands. Go easy with the blow dryer though, frequent blow-drying is hard on your hair and can actually lead to hair loss
The hundred strokes myth
Chuck this directive into the bin. The fact is that too much brushing will snap off hairs. Losing about 50 to 100 hairs that have stopped growing and are in the resting phase is normal. If you feel, you’re losing more hair than usual, start using a brush with ball-tipped bristles. And never ever brush wet hair. The trusty wide toothed comb is always a better option than hair brushes.
Hair specific shampoos
Choose shampoos and conditioners meant for your specific hair type to keep your mane healthy. Sunsilk Advanced Reconstruction Detoxifying Shampoo works best for damaged hair, while Dove Dandruff Care Shampoo is ideal if you have a flaky scalp. Tresemme Smooth and Shiny Shampoo and Conditioner nourishes dry hair from within while colored hair responds best to formulations like Herbal essence Color Me Happy Shampoo and Conditioner. Experts warn that you’re at risk of damaging your hair when you opt for extreme color changes. They recommend that you stay within three shades of your natural hair color.
Hair becomes weaker and grows more slowly as we get older. Hair colors and humidity can cause normally well behaved hair to frizz, so using pH-balanced shampoos and conditioners work best. We like TIGI Bed Head Moisture Maniac Conditioner and Tresemme Climate Control Shampoo. Such formulas contain polymers that smooth hair and make it more manageable.
Gently does it
The best thing you can do for your hair is actually nothing! Let hair air dry as often as you can. All that tugging, combing, brushing, blow drying, styling, chemically treatments and even vigorous towel drying damages strands. Damaged hair does best if you take a break from styling. The hair that grows out will be healthy. Let your mane be your crowning glory.
