Moisturize Your Lack Lusters!
For dry hair use shampoos with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5 (neutral). Blow-dry your hair on "cool" and wrap your hair with a towel when using a sun bed. An ultraviolet filter will help protect hair from further damage caused by the sun. Try also giving your hair a rest for winter by not washing it as much.
The only way out of this vicious circle is to supply the hair with food and nourishment to hydrate it for better health. Especially useful for this are the correct shampoos.
Whether your hair is exhibiting the wear and tear of chemical processing or is just naturally dry, deep conditioning can dramatically improve its texture and appearance. Try two wonderful (and easy) at-home deep-conditioning treatments.
The first is the hot-oil treatment. Most drugstores and salons carry oil treatments specifically formulated for the hair. Wet your hair and towel it dry. If you don't chemically treat your hair, you can heat the oil before you apply it. Each brand of hot-oil treatment is a little different, so read the directions carefully to determine how to heat it safely. A few minutes in a cup of hot water will usually do the trick, though. If you have processed hair, apply the oil cold, because too much heat will only damage your hair further.
Massage the oil into your hair from mid-length to ends. Try combing it through to assure even distribution. Then don a plastic shower cap and leave it on for up to an hour. The cap will trap the heat from your scalp, opening the hair shaft and allowing the oil to penetrate.
If you have over processed hair, you must be careful about using outside heat because it can actually worsen the situation. Never sit under the steamer in a salon or use your hair dryer to generate heat after you've applied the oil. Only use the natural heat from your scalp.
You can also use water-soluble shea butter to deep-condition your hair at home. It is available at most health food stores and some salons. A natural product, shea butter brings protein to the hair and is wonderful for women whose hair is damaged from over processing and needs a little natural TLC.
Apply shea butter the same way you apply an oil treatment. Shea butter, however, can be left on your hair for anywhere from an hour to an entire afternoon. Some people comb shea butter through their hair before a day at the beach. You can also put a plastic cap on your head and leave it on through the night.
Both oil treatments and shea butter should be shampooed out. Many women notice an immediate improvement in the look and feel of their hair. Don’t try deep conditioning right before a big event though, because your hair often has less volume immediately afterwards.
To achieve the optimum effects of deep-conditioning treatments, follow a three-month program. Deep-condition twice a week for the first month, and then once a week for the next two months. At the end of this process, your hair should be fully repaired. You will have successfully restored its natural shine and bounce and can wait another three months before deep-conditioning again.
Right before you dye it, let locks get a little greasy; that will help prevent hair from drying out.
Shampooing actually hydrates hair, since shampoo is mostly made of water; just be sure to use a formula made for your tress type and follow up with the appropriate conditioner to avoid drying out your ‘do. Just don’t shampoo more than once every 24 hours.
When blow drying, hold the nozzle six inches from your mane and use the low setting. Better yet, let hair air-dry.
Every few days, massage in a little bit of olive oil. This really helps to add gloss and get hair back into good conditioner.
Never re-blow-dry hair because that’ll really dry out strands.
Dry locks can lack luster and feel coarse. Cut back on how often you shampoo, since severely dry hair needs only one wash a week. Give your mane a weekly hot oil treatment to lock in hydration and encourage lustrous shine, or try a repairing hair mask. Stay away from styling products that contain alcohol, which can further dry out your strands. Instead, use moisturizing creams and styling oils.
All hair-color formulas will do a disappearing act if proper care and maintenance aren't followed. Always shampoo color-treated hair with warm water since very hot water can strip color. A final rinse with cold water will seal the cuticle, keeping color intact and promoting shine.
Protect your ‘do from damage: Skip super-high heat; only go as hot as you can take on the back of your hand for five seconds. For va-va-voom volume, hold hair at the angle in which it grows: to sections up, side sections out, etc. Move downward from roots to seal in shine and calm flyaways.
Treat tresses to a deep conditioner once a week. Look for one with moisturizers, such as shea butter and jojoba oil. Or go for homemade help with this tip: Comb a mashed-up avocado through freshly shampooed hair. Rinse after 15 minutes and style as usual.