Tis The Season…For Flat Hair

“Hair doesn’t make the woman, but good hair definitely helps.” – Tresemme

A good hair day can transform your entire outlook on life. It has the power to boost your confidence and lift your mood. Which means a bad hair day can dramatically drag you down. There are plenty of problems to deal with during the interim of the holiday season, from refreshing your hair color to updating your haircut to planning out your holiday hairstyles. Don’t let flat hair ruin an otherwise magical season. With these simple changes to your daily hair care routine, every day will be a good hair day!

Two Main Causes of Flat Hair

Decreased Humidity

As we approach the end of Fall and the earliest signs of Winter, we enter a period of increased precipitation but decreased humidity. Your hair naturally absorbs moisture from the air, causing your strands to swell in high humidity. As humidity levels drop, your hair is unable to pull as much moisture. The result is dry and frizzy or flat and lifeless hair.

Fortunately, this is the easiest form to correct. Simply fix flat hair and boost volume by upgrading your hair care products. Start with a shampoo labeled volumizing or that adds body for a little extra lift, and followup with a light conditioner that won’t leave residue or weigh down your strands. Post-shower, use a styling product like a pomade, shine serum, mousse, or hairspray to add lift. The product you choose will determine how it should be applied, so consult your stylist to see what works best with your hair type and daily routine.

Underwashed or Overwashed Hair

Your hair will gradually get oily or greasy for a number of reasons:

• Sleeping on an old pillowcase. Oils from your hair and skin get absorbed so regularly switching/washing your pillowcase is essential.
• Touching it. You brush your bangs out of your eyes. You finger comb it back. You pull it forward. You braid or twist it when you’re stressed. The number of times you touch your hair in a given day can get staggeringly high without your notice. After you’re finished styling it, tell yourself “Hands off!”
• Using the wrong products. Someone with thin hair shouldn’t use the same product as someone with thick hair. Different hair types have different needs. Before trying a new product, consult your stylist to make sure it won’t be too heavy for your hair.
• Wearing certain hairstyles or hair accessories. Ponytails, headbands, scrunchies, scarves…these products are rarely washed so just like your pillowcase, they absorb oil from your skin, scalp, and hair. Similarly, styling your hair can make it greasy because you’re touching it, adding styling products, and triggering oil production through heat.

The holidays are the busiest time of year so it’s easy to say “screw it” and skip the shower (or at least skip shampooing.) Because you’re shampooing less, these oils are continuously building up. On the other hand, over-shampooing can also cause greasy hair. Excess scrubbing irritates your scalp and strips it of natural oils. As a result, your scalp produces more oil. Skip a day or two between washes and experiment with dry shampoos, a hair care product designed to soak up oil without stripping your hair.

More Ways To Fix Flat Hair

There is no “one size fits all” answer to reviving flat hair. If the above methods still leave your hair looking limp, try one of these flat hair fixes:

• Cut your hair short. The longer your hair gets, the heavier it gets, the flatter it lays. Trim your hair to give it better body.
• Dye your hair. Hair dyes plump your strands, creating the illusion of thicker, fuller hair.
• Switch your part. Your hair has a good memory. When you consistently part in the same place, your hair gets used to it, and lays flatter.
• Dry upside-down. Tip your head upside-down while blow drying for a temporary lift.

At LJ Hair Design we want your hair to always look its best. Contact us today to schedule your next appointment!