Five quick hair hacks to cheat your way to terrific tresses minus the stress
Let’s face it, everyone loves a well-dressed mane. Voluminous, flowing locks are a sign of beauty, youth and vitality but great looks need time and energy. Now the good news: with minimal effort on your part you CAN have great hair, with the unbelievable benefit of no more bad hair days! Read on for insider tips from Nykaa hair expert Teresa Chen on how you can max out your crowning glory with minimum fuss.
Halt frizz in its tracks
High ambient humidity can buzz out your strands into a frizzy mess. The trick here, says Chhen is to use Argan oil to tame frizzy locks. “This oil has a very light viscosity and therefore penetrates hair shafts easily. In fact, it’s the only oil that contains Omega 3, an excellent restorative both for the skin and the hair,” she says. You could even try an Argan oil enriched shampoo and conditioner that lightly coats hair and locks in moisture, preventing fly aways. Nykaa recommends OGX Moroccan Argan Oil Weightless Healing Oil Spray.
Smart blow out tips
A high quality blow dryer can get you sleek and ready faster than a simple air drying routine. Instead of an old generation hair dryer, look for one that uses tourmaline technology like BaByliss D212E Hair Dryer Compact or a ionic model like Corioliss HD Professional Ionic Hair Dryer Lilac. These contain ceramic heating coils that distribute heat more evenly and won’t cause strands to burn or dry out excessively. Curly haired gals should stick to diffusers with prongs like Hairpro Hair Dryer Diffuser that act like fingers to define curls as you dry.
Straight hair forever
Sleek, straight locks means daily blow dries for many women. “Daily heat treatments can make hair brittle, leading to split ends and dull hair. “Blow dry if you must but not more than two to three times a week,” says Chen. However, if it’s straight hair you are after think about getting your hair professionally straightened, she says. “This is a fairly safe procedure provided it’s done by an experienced specialist.” She says that the new chemicals—unlike the relaxers used earlier—are much safer and don’t touch the scalp. “The new generation hair straighteners use either a sodium hydroxide or a thioglycolic acid base, the same chemicals used in permanent waves.” Whatever your hair texture, there’s a hair straightener for you, says Chen, adding that they now come in a variety of strengths for all types of hair, varying from slightly wavy to very curly. Chen explains that the newer generation hair straighteners contain more buffers to protect the scalp and provide more nutrition and moisture to the hair during treatment. “Such chemical hair relaxing products change the structure of the hair, penetrating the hair and rearranging the bonds in the hair shaft so that you have permanently straight hair, minus the headache of blow drying and styling each time you shampoo.” However, if you prefer using an at-home hair straightener, try Corioliss City Style Black Titanium Hair Straightener to sleek out your strands.
Smart coloring rules
One of the biggest blocks to fab hair is incorrect hair coloring says Chen. “Hair coloring has become commonplace but you should know that there’s always a risk of hair damage whenever any type of chemical is applied.” Wrong levels of peroxide, over-processing and over-treating hair are the leading cause for hair to lose shine and texture, she says. “Avoid drastic color changes and always use appropriate shampoos and conditioners specifically meant for colored hair that seal hair cuticles that open up during the coloring process.” If you like coloring up your strands, opt for authenticated brands such as L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Hair Color and BBLUNT Salon Secret High Shine Creme Hair Colour. Indians love using mehendi to color strands but Chen urges caution. “I find that mehendi—by itself or added to other things like tea and coffee—can be quite tricky. If you apply it to straight hair, it can make it glossy and silky but on wavy hair, it has the opposite effect. It overcoats strands, drying out hair and, making it dull and drab,” she points out.
Making wet hair work
Rushed mornings and an important presentation is a hellish combination. Fret not, you can pull of wet locks and still look put together. Here’s how: First squeeze out excess water with a microfiber towel, then apply a leave-in conditioner to tips like Pantene Pro-V Oil Replacement to seal cuticles and hold your shape. If your hair is chin length or shorter, make a deep side part with a comb and slide the sides behind your ears. Pull back longer hair in a high ponytail near the crown using a fabric elastic and wind the tail around the base of the pony to create a bun, securing it with hairpins. Once hair air dries in a few hours, let it down for irresistible beachy waves. Now go wow everyone with your silky strands.
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