Whether your hair is long or short, curly or straight, you need to know how to take care of it properly so it can look at its best. To take care of your hair, you really need information more than you need expensive products. Read on to learn the basics of hair care.
Women who are taller should have medium-length hair. This will make them look a little shorter than they are. On the other hand, shorter women can get away with pretty much any haircut with the exception of long hair. Shorter women tend to look even shorter when their hair is too long.
Use leave in conditioner on your hair on a regular basis. This is particularly useful for those who have dry and brittle hair. Using a leave in conditioner is equivalent to using a daily moisturizer on the face. It will help keep your hair healthy and replenished and prevent damage.
When you finish bathing, skip the blow dryer. Air drying your hair encourages volume and discourages frizz. If you must use a blow dryer, consider using it on the cool setting to encourage the sheath of your hair strands to lay down. This encourages the illusion of shine and is better for your hair than heat.
If you can, avoid using the blow dryer to dry your hair. The best way to dry your hair is to allow it to air dry naturally. If you must use your blow dryer, be sure to only use it on its coolest setting possible. Do not keep it in the same area of hair for more than a few seconds. Keep it moving as much as possible.
Do not use a brush on wet hair. Using a brush on hair that is wet subjects the hair to breakage. Instead of using a brush on your hair when it’s wet, use a comb to detangle it. Your hair will suffer from less breakage than if you used a brush.
It is important that you never use hot water to wash your hair. The only thing this is going to do is dry your hair out and when using hot water frequently, it could even cause irreparable damage to it. It is recommended that you use lukewarm water when washing your hair.
As tempting as it may be, try not to get a salon perm for your hair. The chemicals that are used in perms can cause major damage to your hair, even making it fall out. If you insist on getting a perm, ask for a Acid Perm, which does not cause as much damage.
Make your hair fit your individual style. Your hair says a lot about your personality. Whether you are sophisticated and elegant, or if you like something more fun and carefree, find the right style to suit you. This will allow any first impressions you make, to be accented visually by your personality through your hairstyle.
Keep products such as gel and hairspray away from your scalp. Doing this can increase acne on your scalp, clog your pores, and even create issues with hair growth. Ensure you only put these products on your hair!
If you are interested in going blond, try highlights first! Lightening your hair to the extreme can cause serious damage, so be sure it’s something you really want before committing to it. Pretty highlights might be just the thing that you need to brighten your hair, without the harsh damage that coloring can do.
As tempting as it may be to quickly dry your hair by rubbing it with a towel, do not do it. You should allow your hair to dry in a towel on your head for a while and then gently blot your hair with a towel until it is dry. Rubbing with the towel will cause knots that will lead to breakage.
Even if you just need a quick snip of a trim, never use regular household or dull scissors to cut your hair. Hair cutting needs to be done with specialized and sufficiently sharp scissors or you risk damaging it and throwing off your entire style! Look for affordable hair cutting scissors and reserve these to use for hair only.
Don’t use conditioner if your hair is very greasy. If your hair is greasy, it already has enough of its own natural oils to protect it, so it does not need you to apply any artificial oils to it in the form of hair conditioner. Using hair conditioner will only make your hair even more greasy.
If you want volume, wash your hair and lean over so you can comb your hair from the base of your neck. Blow dry this area before you flip your hair back. You can also use a shampoo designed to give more volume to your hair but drying it upside-down is often the best solution.
Some people that are convinced that excessive shampooing is harmful to hair, have started using dry shampoo products. Such products present significant drawbacks, though. When the hair is not rinsed, residual traces of the shampoo will remain in the hair. This can weigh hair down and make it appear greasy. Dry shampoos should be avoided unless there is a very compelling reason to use them.
If you insist on using a blow dryer, flat iron or curling iron, you must be sure to protect it, prior to use. Use a quality leave-in conditioner or a heat pre-treatment product. There are many products on the market that are specially formulated to protect your hair from the damage of the heat that these things put off.
Choose a color or perm – not both. Dying and permanents both involve harsh chemicals and are very harmful to your hair. Therefore, if you are going to alter your hair chemically, choose one or the other. Attempting to both color and perm your hair will strip it down, and can even cause your hair to fall out.
Hair care principles help you take care of your hair regardless of what type of hair you have. Now that you’ve read this article, you should understand what you need to do in order to keep your hair looking at its best. Good luck, and enjoy your new, healthier hair.