If Your Hair Is Curly:
Since your hair is prone to dryness, use a moisturizing
shampoo and conditioner.
After washing, gently blot hair dry with an absorbent
towel and apply 4 to 6 drops of silicone-based shine
serum (the thicker your hair, the more you can use).
Detangle hair with fingers, and allow it to air dry.
If Your Hair Is Wavy:
Lather up with a shine-enhancing shampoo and conditioner.
Rinse well.
Smooth and separate wet strands with wide-tooth comb,
then spritz a silicone-based shine-enhancing spray from
ends to roots.
Dry hair using a blowdryer with a tapered nozzle to
direct air down the hair shaft and seal the cuticle.
If Your Hair Is Straight:
Your hair tends to lie flat against your scalp, where
it can accumulate shine-dulling grease.
To avoid this, use a deep-cleaning shampoo daily and
apply a clarifying gel treatment to roots once a week
to prevent oil buildup.
After blowing hair dry, use a flatiron to enhance sheen.
How To Give Yourself A Trim
Peeking out from a bit of fringe is sexy. Bang-induced
blindness is not.
If you are not quite ready for a full haircut, take
things into your own hands: "trimming your own
bangs will keep your cut looking fresh between salon
visits", says stylist Garren of the Garren New
York salon.
He tells clients to trim about an eight of an inch every
month.
Here's how to do it at home:
First, grab a pair of straightedge cuticle or mustache
scissors. Style bangs as usual and clip back the rest
of your hair. Start at the center of your bangs and
work your way to the outside.
Using your fingers, gently hold a small section of
dry hair - only about 10 to 12 hairs at a time - straight
down against your forehead. (Don't pull too tight -
you'll stretch the hair and end up cutting a lot more)
Trim and cut below your fingers to keep from cutting
it shorter than you'd like.
When you are done trimming each section, comb it back
into the rest of your bangs to check length (and that
they are even) before moving on.
When you reach the end, return to the center and trim
in the opposite direction until you are done.
How To Treat Dry Hair
Hair normally has a moisture content of approximately
10%. If your hair's moisture content drops below this
level the key is to increase the hair's ability of attract
and retain moisture. This is accomplished by using moisturizers.
Good ones have "humectants" that not only
replace lost moisture but actually attract moisture
and retain it in the cortex of the hair. Essential fatty
aids (EFA's) are great moisturizers. One of the best
and most cost effective essential fatty acids is safflower
oil. It is the kind you can buy to cook with. It is
rich in EFA's.
The scalp produces the best EFA's called sebum. The
problems is once the hair grows past the neck line or
does not have direct contact with the scalp the scalps
natural oils can not be utilized throughout the hair
shaft.
- You can manually replace the lost EFA's by:
- Placing 1 or 2 drops of safflower oil in your palms
and rub them together.
- There should only be enough to make your hands "shine"
in the light.
- Carefully take your hair (while dry) and "scrunch"
the small amount of oil to the ENDS first and work
toward the scalp.
- Leave this in your hair.
- 1-2 drops of safflower oil on dry hair is so small,
you won't notice it is there.
Doing the above as often as necessary will ensure your
dry hair will have the proper amount of humectants to
attract and reatin moisture. The key is that a small
amount will go a long way.
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