All right everyone, its time to get real about the health of your hair!!!!
If your hair is dry, has split ends, is brittle or crunchy no matter what your stylist puts on your hair it won’t matter. You can’t cover up damaged hair with new color, you need to start from the inside out to improve the look of your hair. Below I have listed a routine to get the healthy hair you’ve always wanted!!
STEPS FOR HEALTHY HAIR:
- Always condition the hair after you shampoo.
- Always use a leave-in conditioner after you shampoo and condition your hair.
- Use a treatment at least once a month
- Try to reduce stress, eat healthy and get enough sleep.
1. Always condition the hair after you shampoo.
It’s important to only shampoo your hair every other day or every two days. However, whenever you do shampoo your hair you must follow it with a conditioner. I am going to say that again: ALWAYS USE A CONDITIONER AFTER YOU SHAMPOO!!! The reason this is so important is because shampoo expands the hair strand to allow the dirt to be cleansed from the hair. By doing this it also strips the hair of its natural oils which the hair needs to stay nourished and healthy. The conditioner then replenishes the hair with essential nutrients (it differs depending on your brand) as well as protein and then seals the hair strand back down so that it is no longer expanded.
2. Always use a leave-in conditioner.
It doesn’t matter if you have fine, thick or coarse hair you should always use a leave-in conditioner. A leave-in conditioner is very different from the conditioner you use in the shower after you shampoo. It helps protect your hair from dehydration, the sun and basic daily habits you may have.
To use, apply once you are out of the shower and you have gently towel dried your hair. If you have fine, oily hair then apply to the ends first and work your way up to the mid-length of the hair strand. Your scalp will produce natural oil to protect the rest of your hair. If you find that oil is not a problem then once you apply the leave-in conditioner to the ends and mid-length of your hair gently run your hands through the rest of the hair for a light distribution from scalp to ends.
If you feel that your leave-in conditioner makes your hair heavy or limp then you may be using to much. For some of my fine haired clients I use a small drop (as small as a dime) and gently apply that to the ends of the hair. Regardless if you have fine or thick hair, if you are new to using leave-in conditioner start with the small dime size amount and slowly increase the amount everyday until you find the right amount for your hair.
One other thing to keep in mind is that your scalp can produce different amounts of oil based on your body and the environment. If you find that your hair has a bit more oil one week and then seems a bit dry the next don’t stop using leave-in conditioner just adjust the amount until your body regulates itself.
3. Treatments, Treatments, Treatments!!!!
Treatments are often confused with conditioners, or the term “conditioner” is often used as a generalization for making your hair healthy. While a conditioner is very important to your haircare regimen it acts more as a protective outer layer to your hair while a treatment will penetrate the hair and restore and maintain internal strength.
Treatments can be used as much as once a week or as little as once a month. As with most products, treatments should be applied using the instructions on the pack or given by your stylist. However, most are as simple as applying to towel dried hair for 20 min.
Its very important you know the shape your hair is in, you don’t want to over treat your hair especially if it is a protein-based treatment. Excessive amounts of protein may make the hair weak and brittle. The next time you visit your salon make sure to talk with your stylist about the different types of treatments out there and which would be best for your hair.
4. Eat healthy foods.
One final tip to leave you with is to eat healthy. The food you put in your body will directly link to how healthy your hair is. Try to put at least 80% of whole foods in your body and don’t be afraid to eat healthy fats like avocado, nuts and healthy oils. STAY AWAY FROM PROCESSED SUGARS!!! I recently read that women are only suppose to get between 20-24 grams of processed sugar a day. To put this into perspective a Vanilla Chobani yogurt has 17g of processed sugar. Yikes!!!
Never fear, implementing just one of the four tips I talked about this week is a great step to achieving the healthy hair you’ve always wanted. Listen to your stylist, if they tell you that the color you want will damage your hair or if they suggest using a treatment a couple of times before your next color. Listen!!! The priority should be healthy hair!!!
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions and good luck!!
Averil Hull 