Basic Long Hair Care with a Little Help from Pantene Hair Solutions

I have had long hair for most of my life. Also for most of my life, I have struggled with what to do with my long hair. It is a particularly contrary sort of hair -- flat and thin in the winter, wavy in odd places and fiercely frizzy when summer humidity hits. I've struggled to find hair products that fulfill the claims made in advertisements.

When the opportunity to review Pantene's new line with a Personal Hair Consultation, I was interested. Not exactly convinced, but interested. Well, I got my sample of the Hair Solutions product, wrote the review and proceeded to go on a hunt for coupons so that I could purchase more. Simply put, the stuff is wonderful.

So having finally had some success with my hair, I became a little more interested in taking good care of it, rather than just putting it up to get it out of my way. After looking through various websites devoted to long hair care, I found some things I already did right and more that I didn't. I'm not as interested in styling as I am in hair-health, so I'll leave aside styling advice and instead focus on the basics of good care for long hair.

Health
As your hair is a part of your body, it's health will reflect the health of your body. Those things which contribute to your overall physical health will also lend themselves to healthier hair. That means maintaining an active lifestyle, eating well and resting well.

Washing
One of the biggest hair killers is excessive washing. In my teens, I washed my hair daily and often found that by the end of the day it was still disgustingly oily. I got into a very unhealthy cycle of excessive washing, actually increasing my hair problems. Then I went to Africa on missions, and didn't have the opportunity to wash my hair daily. At first I was horrified, but I found after a few weeks that my hair was actually smoother, healthier and easier to manage than it had been before.

It is recommended to wash hair in the shower, in lukewarm water (rather than hot). Use shampoos and conditioners that are formulated to your particular hair needs (anti-frizz for frizz-prone hair, moisturizing for dry hair, special formulas for delicate or damaged hair). This is the idea behind the Pantene Hair Solutions Consultation. When conditioning, pay particular attention to the tips of your hair that are more vulnerable to damage.

To make long hair healthier, Pantene Restore Beautiful Lengths series really does the trick.

Drying
Air drying is best for long hair. If you think about it, the amount of heat and time needed for a hair dryer to dry long hair is much greater than for short hair, thus creating even more room for heat-related damage. Never brush your hair when wet, as it is weaker than dry hair. But you can detangle with a wide toothed comb or fingers.

Brushing
Try to avoid brushes with synthetic bristles, and those with bristles that have hard knobs on the ends, which can break and tear out hairs. Brushing only the top layer of hair can restore volume.

Accessories
Metal hair styling accessories can break hairs and cause damage, so they shouldn't be used to regularly. Look for elastic bands that are not held together with metal, and either plastic or wooden clips and combs.

Styling
I said I wasn't a stylist, and I'm sticking to that. But I have found a few things that help tone the frizz down and make my hair manageable and ready for styling: mainly, lightly dampening hair after brushing but before styling, and working in the tiniest bit of leave-in conditioner or styling gel makes all the difference in what kind of hair day I'm going to have.

Pantene has some style suggestions for long hair, and you can find many others on the web. Overall, long hair that is well taken care of can be a great beauty asset. Enjoy it!