10 Tips for Beautiful, Healthier Hair (Part 2)

Hello again! Today I'm back with part two of my little hair care series. (Tips 1-5 can be found here, or under the hairstyles/beauty tab on the left sidebar.) Tips 6-10 will complete my little sh-peal on hair care for now. I hope you'll see that taking care of your hair doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming, but with a little work here and there you'll see and feel all the difference in your hair. Here you have it!

#6. Diet: Before we get to the outside, we need to take care of the inside. Yes, what you eat, drink and how you treat your body has an effect on your hair. Your hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch every month, and the foundation of all of our new hair, skin, and nail growth is the nutrients we eat. Since our hair grows directly from our bodies, people who suffer from vitamin deficiencies and unhealthy diets can suffer from dry, brittle hair. There are lots of delicious foods out there that are loaded with the exact vitamins and nutrients that will promote healthy strong hair growth. Some of the best sources of essential omega-3s, proteins, biotin, selenium, zinc and vitamins A, B12, C are: salmon, dark green veggies, beans, poultry, eggs, whole grains, oysters, low fat dairy products (calcium, whey and casein proteins) carrots, and nuts! Keep in mind that while we need our vitamin suppliments, having vitamin rich foods in our diet is important because of their bioavailability (meaning your body can easily assimilate and reap its benefits more readily).  In short if you eat healthy your hair will be healthy. 

#7. Brushing and Maintenance: There's really no need to brush your hair '100 strokes per night' before going to sleep. You want your hair to be free of tangles but excessive brushing can cause damage. If you can, avoid using plastic brushes/combs which create static electricity and can be hard on your hair. Instead use a brush with bristles that are made from natural animal hairs, it is softer and more flexible which means less damage. Begin by combing your hair gently at the ends to get any tangles out and progressively work your way up to your roots. Always brush/comb with a downwards stroke. Our hair is most fragile when it is wet so avoid brushing or combing it wet, otherwise it can streth and break. Use brushes/combs with widely spaced bristles/teeth and smooth tips. Sharp tooth combs can damage your hair, cause split ends, and scratch your scalp. To keep your brushes and combs clean, wash them weekly using soap or shampoo. (I just leave my brush in the shower and rinse it there.) Also make sure you clean the dead hairs out of your brush before each use! If your brush is dirty, it will leave your hair dirty. 

#8. Styling: This runs along the same lines as the last tip, but with important differences. Firstly when styling  give thought to your hair-styling products. Choose products that are free of ammonia, alcohols, etc. Never put hair-styling products directly on your scalp; instead work them through your hair with your hands. Avoid constant teasing and ratting for obvious reasons: breakage and split-ends. These are common dilemmas for those of us trying to grow out our hair because they steal hard-earned length. Remember that putting in and taking down twists and braids can put major mechanical strain on the hair, particularly the ends.  Keep in mind that while some of us can daily style our hair with variety, others don’t have hair strong enough to manage that. In this case, gentle protective styles might be a better option. 

#9. Good Product and Washing: Firstly, buy shampoos & conditioners that match your hair type. Trial and error is the best way to find out what specific hair product is best for your hair. Use warm water instead of hot — hot water can really dry out and irritate your scalp. Not comfy. Use conditioner after shampooing or even instead of shampoo. Good conditioner cleans and also moisturizes hair; protects it from sun, wind, and dirt; adds shine, reduces hair static, and makes it easier to untangle! Its great stuff:) One common mistake (I'm speaking as a hypocrit here) is to avoid puting hair styling products directly on your scalp; if you do you'll clog the pores on your head. Instead, lather it up a bit in your hands and work it gently into your hair. Need I say, it is really important to wash your hair.haha  Washing removes dirt, dead skin cells, hair oils, and any other any hair products. However, keep in mind that it's recommended that you only lather once to avoid drying out your hair. If you have especially oily hair, multiple lathering may stimulate your oil glands to create even more unwanted oil. Even daily lathering may prove too much for some hair types. Careful with the lathering:)

#10. Trimming and Cutting: Look at the ends of your hair: If you're a hair goddess than you'll see thick lucious ends:) but, if you're a normal human being, you will see split ends- its that simple. You'll see a single hair that has literally split into two at the bottom of the strand. Split ends can be caused by repeated blow-drying, heat-straightening, or excessive brushing and so many more things. Once your ends are split, the only solution is to get them trimmed. Trust me, tugging on the ends (again, *thumbs on chest* guilty.) and breaking off one of the ends willl not make it better! Even if you are growing out your hair, (especially if you are gorwing out your hair!) get a trim at least once every two months (some recommend every six weeks) A trim is defined as removing ¼ to ½ inch of hair, nothing more. If your stylist insists on cutting off inches of hair every time you go in for a visit your hair won't get longer. So either find a professional who understands exactly how much hair you need removed or learn to trim your hair yourself. It's not that hard trust me, I've been doing it for years now:) (Tutorial upon request:))

 

Well there you have it!! There are of course a lot of other tips and tricks for protecting your hair and encouraging length and health (like wetting your hair before hitting the chlorine:)).  The list could go on; perhaps you've noticed that I love hair talk- but I've done my best to keep it down to what I feel are the essential 10 for keeping your locks stunning.  If you follow these basic steps and tips you'll be heading in the right direction to stronger, healthier, gorgeous hair every day.

xo, Emmy

P.S. I love the feedback. Questions and comments are welcome!