MAINTENANCE OF HAIR
You can do a few things regularly to improve your hair's overall health and beauty, as well as a few things you should avoid. In general, below are a few guidelines:
Brush your hair as follows:
Yes, the traditional hundred strokes. This increases blood circulation to the scalp, eliminates dead skin cells before they become diseased, and distributes sebum across the hair shaft for moisturizing and protection. Bend over from a waist and hang limply while brushing your teeth. Use a soft brush, such as a natural bristle brush. Take your time, and don't rush. It's better to go slowly and only get in 30 strokes than to go quickly and risk breaking or yanking out your hair. Make it a practice to thoroughly brush your hair before washing it.
Massage the scalp:
Make a point of conducting a fast scalp massage before stopping to groom and brush your hair during the day. Slip your fingers into your hair and massage your scalp in small circular strokes with the pads of your fingers. Using your finger pads will keep your hair from breaking, scratching your scalp, and ruining your style. Then restyle, re-spray (if necessary), and go...
Day of Rest:
Make it a practice to give your hair a break once a week. That is not necessary to wash your hair daily (unless you are a teenager, have a dirty job, or work up a real sweat every day). Give your hair a day off if you are over the age of 20 and do not have any rashes or infections (such as dandruff). Choose a day when you don't regularly go out or when you only do housework and run errands. Do not use shampoo, and do not style with heat. After brushing your hair completely to disperse the sebum, just wet your hair, apply a little daily conditioner to the ends, rinse thoroughly, and then pull it back into a "wet look" ponytail or bun. Give your hair a vacation from shampooing once a week and blow-drying and heat styling whenever possible.
Conditioning Treatments:
Unless you have very fine, limp hair, make a routine of doing a deep conditioning treatment once a week. Deep conditioners are not the same as regular conditioners, and DIY remedies are highly effective. Coconut oil is particularly beneficial for hair conditioning. Brush your hair, then lightly wash and towel dry it. Wrap your head in a warm towel to open the hair cuticle and allow the conditioner to sink in. Allow 10 minutes to half an hour. Then, rinse well in warm water to remove any remaining conditioner residue, followed by cool water to close hair cuticle. Rinsing your hair into cool water can be painful, but it can do wonders for the appearance of your hair. It closes the hair cuticle along the shaft, increasing gloss and manageability while also helping to keep hair strong. Even better for shine and strength are a blend of chilly water and lemon juice (a half of a teaspoon of lemon juice in two quarts of cool water is sufficient).
Everyday Conditioner:
Make it a practice to use a daily conditioner to your hair ends every time you shampoo. This will reduce sliced ends, discoloration while coloring, heat styling damage, and the need for frequent trimming. Apply a thermal styling product if you routinely blow-dry your hair or use a curling iron or hot rollers.
Haircuts:
Make it a habit to have your hair trimmed as necessary. This, once again, eliminates split ends and keeps extra weight off your hair (which can cause breakage). For shoulder length or longer hair, once every eight weeks is sufficient, and once every six weeks for shorter styles.
Up-Dos: Yes, if you have long hair and want to keep it that way, wear it up whenever feasible. I'm not saying you should dress like a librarian every day, but one of the reasons women had such long, gorgeous hair in the "good old days" was because they kept it up all the time. The weight of your hair can cause the telogen phase to begin. When hair becomes too heavy and too long, it stops growing and falls out, or it simply breaks off. Putting your hair up regularly will keep the weight off the base of your hair. When doing errands, housekeeping, preparing dinner, performing yard work, playing on your computer, watching TV, and so forth, you can gently pin it up with bobby pins or a banana clip. This is dependent on your hairstyle and length. This step is unneeded and impossible if you have short hair. If you have shoulder-length or longer hair and want it to look as thick and healthy as possible, put it up and keep the weight off your scalp. Another advantage is that it will keep the hair out of the food.
How to Clean Your Hair
Believe it or not, there is a proper technique to wash your hair. Treat it as though it were the finest silk! You'll understand what I mean if you've ever run a pair of pricey silk hose through your washing machine.
Here are a few pointers to avoid causing unnecessary damage to your hair while washing it:
1. Wash your hair naturally, either standing in the shower, with your head leaning over the bath or in a shampoo sink. NEVER, EVER, EVER pile it on your head to wash.
2. To prepare for shampooing, wet your hair with warm (not hot) water. Maintain a modest enough showerhead pressure to minimize excessive water pressure on your hair.
3. Squeeze some shampoo into the palm of your hand.
4. Lather the shampoo in your hand and apply it to your scalp. Massage the shampoo into your scalp all over your head with your fingertips (not your fingernails). Lift your fingers and place them somewhere on your head to move them from one area of your head to another. Do not comb your hair with them. Remember that wet hair is the most prone to damage and breaking. If your hair is very unclean or oily, massage the shampoo all the way through to the ends. If your hair is extremely dry or damaged, you may only want to wash the scalp and let the shampoo pick up any dirt or oil on the ends as it rinses.
5. Thoroughly rinse hair with lukewarm water. Make sure to let it hang organically. If it's long and needs extra help for getting the shampoo out, spread it out gently with your fingertips.
This is the moment to use a rinse-out conditioner if you opt to use one. Unlike shampooing, apply conditioners to ends of your hair and, if your hair is normally dry, gently massage the remainder into the roots with your hands. Rinse once more.
7. Gently dry using a towel. The new hair towel wraps are fantastic; they retain hair in place and aren't as heavy as a towel wrap, so your hair is less likely to break.
8. Apply a leave-in conditioner after towel-drying your hair.
9. Always use a wide-tooth comb to comb wet hair and NEVER brush wet hair.
10. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER sleep on wet hair - damp hair is delicate and can easily break when you turn on your pillow. Even if it does not break, it roughens the cuticle and causes it to appear dull.
11. When feasible, let your hair air dry.
You may have the rich and gorgeous locks you deserve with just a little care and attention. Treating your hair like silk will repay you with shine, body, and brilliance.
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