A good hair day can make you feel confident and super attractive. Strong and shiny hair is the envy of peers. This makes hair care is one of the mandatory aspects of our beauty regime.
Lack of proper care ensures that most of us suffer from hair fall, dry/oily hair or unhealthy looking hair. Let’s look at a few basic hair care steps which seem elementary but can affect the health of your hair.
- Shampooing :
1- Identify the shampoo based on your hair type. Different hair types like dry, oily and combination require different shampoos.
2- Shampoo your hair every alternate day. If you have dry hair, ensure a hot oil massage half an hour before shampooing.
3- Don’t shampoo without following it with a conditioner.
4- It is better to dilute the shampoo with water before using. Rinse the shampoo within 30 seconds of applying it.
5-It is another myth that your hair gets used to a particular shampoo and conditioner, and they do not work well for them after a point of time. It is true that product build-up occurs in your hair but to get rid of that just mix a little bit of baking soda with your favorite shampoo every two months and ten continue using that shampoo and conditioner.
6- Use small circular, motions with your fingertips to massage your scalp and stimulate blood flow.
- Breaking And Hair Loss :
1- To minimize breakage, make sure that your hair is thoroughly wet before applying shampoo.
2- You want a soft finish.Control the flyaway strands of hair which are known to break, spray some hairspray into your palm and then run your hands over your hair.
3- Make sure that the hair accessories like bobby pins, flowers and different clips don’t damage your hair. Choose branded accessories like Revlon clips.
- Rinse
1- Never pour hot water on your hair as it gets rid of the natural oil that the hair has.
2- Use lukewarm water for your first rinse, shampoo and condition your hair as usual and then use cold water for your last rinse.
3- You can opt for a final rinse with beer or even apple cider vinegar. You can choose cold steeped tea for a nice gloss to your hair.
- Hair Dryers And Other Tools
1- Do not use a hair dryer to dry your half wet hair, and make sure to let them air dry.
2- If you urgently need to style them, then towel dry your hair.
3- Do not rub your hair with the towel, rather wrap the towel around your hair so that it may absorb moisture.
4- Always opt for heat resistant sprays to protect your hair. Work them into wet hair.
5- Choose Argan oil which can be left in the hair prior to heat straightening.
- Brush Your Hair
1- Brush your hair every morning to keep it free of tangles.
2- The brush helps distribute natural oils evenly throughout your hair. This gives your hair a healthy shine.
3- To avoid breakage and static in your hair, instead of using a brush use a wide toothed comb to de-tangle your hair. If you do want to use a brush, use a paddle brush but make sure you never use it on wet hair.
4- Use a soft-bristled brush to gently brush your hair. And don’t do a hurried job! Pamper your hair.
5- If you don’t have time, brush your hair while watching TV, but do it gently. Vigorous brushing can scratch the scalp and break the hair.
6- Comb/ Brush your hair out before you shower so that you don’t have to deal with knots while your hair is wet and more vulnerable to breakage.
- Styling :
Whether you prefer an elaborate hairdo or something simple, you need to style your hair every day. Try to be gentle while handling your hair and do not pull or tug unnecessarily. Use your brush to carefully style your hair and make it presentable.
- Care
1- Cover your head if you have to go out in the sun as environmental factors such as sunlight, the wind, cold temperature can dry and damage the hair.
2- Always use a bathing cap when you go for swimming to ensure that the hair is not affected by chlorinated water.
3- Using coated rubber bands for ponytails for holding the ends of a braid will help reduce the stress on hair.
4- Avoid sharing your brushes and combs.Follow a cleansing regimen for your hair implements.Wash them with soapy water.
- Night Care
1- Before you retire to bed, spend a few minutes in front of your mirror and brush your hair gently. This will get rid of the knots and tangles that have accumulated during the day.
2- After brushing, tie your hair into a loose ponytail to prevent tangles while you sleep. If you have short hair, you have no cause for worry.
- Diet
1- A healthy diet also will help you improve the health of your hair. Take proper minerals and vitamins to boost hair growth.
2- Include vitamin B12 rich foods in your diet. Fish and eggs are nutrient rich and will help in hair growth.
3- Even people facing baldness should follow a proper diet to reduce hair fall.
- Hair Treatments :
1- Hair spas, oils, and treatments are suggested on regular intervals to boost hair health.
2- Use of natural products like amla, reetha and shikakai are beneficial.
3- Opt for DIY hair masks like avocado, bananas, and egg yolk based masks.
4- Deep conditioning treatments are essential for restoring moisture to your hair.
- Oil Your Hair Regularly :
1- Applying oil can be a time-consuming process and at times a little messy, but a good hair oil massage stimulates your scalp and encourages healthy hair growth.
2- You can choose from a lot of options- almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil even our very own mustard oil. This is one of the oldest Indian hair care tips ever.
- Coloring :
1- If you want to get highlights on to your hair, avoid bleach based treatments. Opt for natural products like Henna.
2- Opt for Branded and formaldehyde free products.
3- Do not shampoo for at least 48 hours after coloring hair. Every time you wet your hair, you increase the risk of opening the cuticle. Instead, let the hair grab as much color as it can.
- Hair And Static :
1- Moisten your hairbrush before using it to reduce the static electricity.
2- To prevent static use satin pillow cases while sleeping, as they reduce static build up in your hair, unlike cotton ones, which are known to increase static build-up.
- Hair Cutting And Trimming
1- Get regular haircuts to reduce possible split ends.
2- Though it is a myth that trimming helps in your hair growth, nonetheless a trip to your salon every 6- 8 weeks helps your hair to be healthy and strong.
- Hair Care For Kids :
1- Use a mild baby shampoo.
2- In case of lice, use products that are safe for kids like Medicare.
- Over The Counter Help
Take biotin capsules to make your hair grow faster.
- For Oily Hair :
Treating this kind of hair is the easiest because this type of hair is less damaged (naturally at least).
1- Ensure that you use a shampoo that has a lighter pH level than the others available in the market.
2- Try to use a shampoo that is diluted for reduced hair damage.
3- Transparent shampoos are good for oily hair.
4- Make sure to condition the hair only at the ends. However, skip this step if you have extremely oily hair.
5- Women with oily scalps should avoid leave-in conditioners or any styling serums.
6- Skip brushes and choose to prevent any oil stimulation.
7- Rinse your hair one last time with lemon juice (one part lemon juice and four parts water). It adds that extra shine and locks your scalp cells from oozing oil.
8- Saying no to heat for oily hair will be an added advantage. Overuse of blowers, curlers and straighteners dry the hair from the lower tips, while the making the scalp more oily.
9- Ensure that you avoid a hot water hair shower. Hot water will further open the pores to increase sebum production. So try using tepid or cold water for your oily hair.
10- Try applying any hair pack made of eggs and lemon. This works best for oily hair.
11- For the final rinse, you can use beer which is effective in removing residue from hair. Take a cup of warm water and add six tablespoons of beer to it. Rinse your hair with this.
- For Dry Hair :
Hair is considered dry when it lacks the average moisture level. If hair is unhealthy and it is dry, then it is prone to more damage quickly.
1- Drink loads of water to help keep your system clean and hair healthy.
2- Wash your hair at the interval of three to four days.
3- Avoid shampooing often, and when you do, use a shampoo with a low pH level, which is creamy in its look.
4- Avoid hair styling tools as the hair is already dry and at more risk of being dull easily. On occasions where you do want to style your hair, make sure to use a heat-protecting balm or conditioner as this will help reduce damage.
5- Applying oil on your hair on a regular basis will promote hair health. Apply a mixture of coconut oil, olive oil for hair health along with taking vitamin E capsule.
6- Make a hair pack with some readily available ingredients. Apply a pack of yogurt/curd with a spoonful of olive oil to cure dryness.
7- As a final rinse and to add shine, try to mix 1 part of apple cider vinegar to 5 parts of water.
8- Don’t expose your hair to sunlight. The harmful UV rays will strip out the natural oils. Always cover your hair when you out in the sun.
These are some of the best hair care tips! Happy hair means happier and more confident you.