Cut Your Hair: Don't Think About it; Do It

Maintaining the health of your hair is an arduous task that must be done religiously. If you haven't been taking the best care of your hair, get a fresh cut and fresh start. Healthy hair actually grows faster and this time around you can be sure to give your hair what it needs to be strong, soft, and shiny.

How can we girls (and guys) resist the temptation of curling irons and straighteners? All that talk about products and heat being bad for your hair don't mean much when you walk out of the house with bouncing curls or straight, luscious locks. Take a look around you at the people you know who have been styling their hair with heat and products for a long time. It stops looking good with excess breakage and just looks atrocious when the hair is so damaged that you can see a crispy, fried row of hair up and down a part and all over the back of the head. We've all seen it, we all cringe, and we all wake up the next morning and plug in the straighteners.

A year later, you notice that your hair has taken a turn for the worst. That walking nightmare of split ends and frizz has become you! Be honest with yourself. You know if your hair is damaged and everybody else can tell, too. Unfortunately, there is no way to get rid of slit ends besides lopping them off, no matter what commercials say. Fortunately, if you start from scratch with an easy, healthy hair care regimen with affordable products and invaluable tips, you can be proud of a thicker, shinier, and softer head of hair than ever before!

Each time you cut your hair, it gets thicker. Just like when most of us shave our legs the hairs grow back thicker. Apply what you know to be true about unwanted body hair to the hair on your head and take advantage of your knowledge. In recent years, I've only cut my hair twice. Once when I was 9, the other when I was 19. As a little girl, I had gorgeous silky hair that grew back gorgeous, silky, and thick when I lopped it off. I let it grow all through my teens and experimented with straighteners, curlers, colors, gels, and sprays. By the end of my senior year, my hair was so long it took three hours to curl it all! But the wear and tear of my experimental stage as well as neglecting my monthly trims took a toll. Although not too frizzy, I had hideous split ends. I had lost my envied natural multi-toned golden hair forever and was very unhappy. Still, I hadn't cut my hair in ten years and I was extremely attached to it. Everybody knew me by my hair, my best friends, my family, even the guy who works at the MAC counter in the mall where I buy my makeup had to come over and hug me and touch my hair! For weeks, I seriously had nightmares where I'd wake up tear-streaked and clutching my hair, having cut it in my dream and deeply regretted it. One day, it was just so hot outside and I was fed up with maintaining the color of my beat-up hair that I went into the bathroom and cut off two grocery bags full of hair myself. Now, it is the thickest and softest it has ever been and not a split end in sight.

Now that the split ends are gone and can no longer inch their way up strands of hair, it's time to make your dream of beautiful hair that could grace the cover of any magazine come true! There are so many ways to take care of your hair in different conditions, but as for coming up with a daily system and keeping away from no-no's, I'll share with you my decade of personal research to make your hair, and your wallet happy, by not having to experiment on yourself!

You wouldn't guess it, but an overall healthy lifestyle is not only good for your body, but for your hair as well. This means staying away from smoking, not exercising, not eating healthy, vitamin rich foods, and stress. If you're like me, getting good sleep should be an easy thing to do to ensure the health of your hair.

Choosing the right shampoo and conditioner for me was an expensive trial and error process that led to a lot of wasted money and wasted products. I have learned that salon products work miracles on my hair, leaving it fluffy and absolutely tangle-free. Rise impurities out of your hair before shampooing, don't just wet it. If you don't, you're just rubbing dirt into soap. I went a long time washing with just baby shampoo. I love baby shampoo, but without a conditioner, you're in a world of hurt. If you're concerned about oily hair or your complexion, apply conditioner to the ends of your hair and not your roots. I concentrate on the roots and streak a bit from my fingers on the crown of my head and make sure everything but the roots around my face have been covered and, because I have troublesome skin, soap my face with my usual face product after shampooing and before conditioning to assure that no oils penetrate my skin. Without rinsing thoroughly, you will get "build-up" which is another word for all-day greasy hair. But knowing if all your conditioner has been rinsed out is tricky. After being properly rinsed, your conditioned hair will be soft, but not soapy. Flip your hair over out of the water and massage your hands through it to see if any conditioner remains to be rinsed. I have begun to try the every-other day washing, even if at first the thought disgusted me. Your hair will respond to not having oils put into it every day and produce less. Amazing! As always, pay attention to what your hair is telling you.

My conditioner is deep-penetrating and lasts all day long, at least for me. If you don't see ideal results with regular conditioner, make the switch to a leave-in conditioner.
A good one will be light and leave your hair manageable all day, but it will not completely keep your hair from tangling. Dry your hair on the "cool" setting even if it takes longer because heat distorts hair shafts. While you're drying your hair, go through tangles gently with your fingers to un-knot as many rats as possible before taking a brush to it. Always comb before you brush; brushing is necessary but it is also the most damaging process. Wait until your hair is completely dry before brushing, your hair is most vulnerable when it is wet. I like to brush my hair before I get in the shower because rushing water and busy hands make impossible knots out of already tangled hair. Choose a brush with natural animal hairs because they are flexible and easier on your hair. Wash your brush once a week, just go ahead and take them in the shower with you. This will get rid of any oils or other impurities that have accumulated throughout the week.

In the winter, cold dry hair calls for keeping shampooing down to a minimum but conditioning every day. The same tips go for protecting your hair from the summertime heat and sun.

Of course, using any product on your hair and styling are just like wearing makeup- the less, the better. If you do use product, make sure it is alcohol-free and, just like conditioner, keep it away from the roots to present clogging. Redken makes a wonderful line of different products for swimming, sunning, etc. that are formulated to protect your hair from the elements. No matter your hair type, there are many resources available to you to suit your look and lifestyle. Embrace your hair and find a flattering cut. Not only will it make you happy without all the turmoil of fighting with your hair to make it do what you want, but your hairstylist will be thrilled to see you taking care of his or her work of art, and you will find that you will get more compliments of a cut and style that goes with your natural self versus against it.

Taking excellent care of your health includes doing the best for your hair. Salon products are more expensive but are worth it because of the sustained health they provide for your hair. Buying the right products first will save you big time instead of picking something off a shelf and then tossing it in the cupboard with all the crap you bought that doesn't work like it does on TV. Talk to a hairstylist about your hair and your needs. He or she can help you pick out a system that works for you, all you really need is shampoo, conditioner, and a proper comb and brush. Get a low-maintenance hairstyle as it will be better for you and your hair. If you swim Going the extra mile in buying the right products is a no-brainer; all you have to do is wash it, dry it, brush it, and cut it properly to look great, even if you can't choose an outfit to wear.

For more information regarding care for your particular hair type and extra tips, visit www.haircareguide.com.

Source:

"Hair Care Tips," http://www.haircareguide.com/tips.htm.