Rapunzel, Rapunzel…Let Down Your Hair
Unfortunately, we can’t all have magic hair that glows when we sing. (It would be nice, right?) However, you can have magic hair that looks voluminous, feels soft to the touch, and cascades down your back in long, glossy waves.
Any girl with long hair understands the time, patience, and dedication it takes to grow it. Once you’ve reached your desired length, keep your hair healthy and fabulous with these easy to follow hair care tips:
Start In The Shower
Healthy hair begins in the shower, but it might not be what you’re thinking. While the type of shampoo and conditioner matter, how you use them matters just as much. Start with lowering the water temperature. Heat from hot water leaves your cuticles open, allowing moisture to escape. Instead, use cool or lukewarm water to keep your cuticles closed and lock in moisture.
Another shower tip is to detangle your hair while you still have conditioner soaking into your strands. Wet hair is more prone to breakage, so be careful. Run a wide-toothed comb through your hair, starting at your ends and working your way up to mid-shaft to easily remove knots and tangles. Then wait for your hair to be 70-75% dry before detangling a second time.
Don’t Overwash
Shampooing your hair can strip it of its natural oils and irritate your scalp. As a result, your scalp produces even more oil, leaving hair limp and greasy. Shampoo less frequently and use a quality dry shampoo between washes to soak up excess grease, oil, and sweat.
Get Frequent Trims
How often you get a haircut is relative to your specific hair type, length, and texture. As hair grows out, it can begin to look thinner at the ends, usually as a result of damage from heat, moisture, and general wear-and-tear. Long, straight or wavy hair may require less maintenance but regularly removing splits ends and stopping breakage will help your hair look and feel fuller, smoother, and thicker. Consult your stylist to find out how many weeks you can go between visits.
Protect Against Heat Damage
Heat is the worst thing for your hair. It threatens the integrity of your hair and makes your strands more susceptible to breakage–an obvious sign of unhealthy hair. Skip the curling iron and straightener and find an alternative to styling to your hair. Buns, braids, and ponytails never go out of style. If you go this route, be sure to use hair ties that don’t pull at the root, like stylish scrunchies, silk hair ties, and plastic hair rings. This will reduce scalp stress and reduce hair loss.
If you must straighten your hair, use a reliable heat protectant spray first. Grab small sections of hair and mist from roots to ends, then comb through to evenly distribute.
When using a hair dryer, point the dryer down to reduce frizz and keep the nozzle at least two or three inches away from your hair.
Try A Silk Pillowcase
Ooh La La! Sleep like a queen and use a silk pillowcase. Silk creates less friction when rubbed against your hair, reducing frizz and breakage.
Do A Weekly Nourishing Treatment
Repair dry, damaged hair with a weekly deep conditioning treatment or hair mask to repair hair at the source. Not only will this restore moisture, it will make your hair stronger, smoother, and fuller.
At LJ Hair Design we want your hair to always look and feel its best, regardless of its length or texture. Contact us today to schedule your next visit!
