Secrets To Healthy Hair

Unfortunately, most of the real basic ingredients for healthy hair are at odds with the way modern Americans lead their lives. Still, it bears repeating to say that coloring your hair, going on crash diets, and smoking or being with smokers will damage short and long hair. Care should also be taken to use products with a minimum of chemicals present to prevent a damaging build up that essentially suffocates the hair shaft. There are specific considerations for various types of hair.

Secrets To Maintaining Healthy Hair :

There are lots of secrets in maintaining healthy hair and some of them are as follows:

LONG HAIR

Although many people believe long hair is more difficult to handle, in reality it is the most versatile of all hair styles. Tangling is a major issue and can be lessened by detangling before shampooing and by not piling the hair on top of the head and bunching it when wet. It is best to shampoo while showering and to work the shampoo down the length of the hair as if you were milking a cow. Always end with a cold water rinse to enhance the sheen of your hair.

Concentrate conditioner at the ends of the hair to avoiding splitting and if possible, air dry. Any natural hair care methods will always be better than artificial ones like blow drying. If you have to blow dry, try to do so in shifts so that your hair does not get too hot which causes the hair to be brittle and to break more easily. Never brush you hair while it is wet and use only wide tooth combs.

If you would like your hair to fall in waves, braid it while it is still wet, then take it down when it is dry. Putting it up in a top knot while wet will create volume when the hair is released. Braids or pony tails are always useful in any situation where your hair can become tangled or caught in something. If your hair is down on a cold, windy day, put your hair inside your coat when going outside.

For special occasions braiding scarves or ribbons into your hair can create a touch of elegance and the pinned back chignon is always a classic touch as is a French braid. Make sure to have frequent small trim work even if you have to do it yourself to keep any split ends under control. If you trim your own split ends, do each hair individually. For this kind of self-care, it's a good idea to get a friend with long hair to do the trim for you and then you can return the favor.

SHORT HAIR

Short hair presents few problems in and of itself. There are of course issues with the quality of hair worn in any style (curly, fine, thick, frizzy, oily) which will be discussed below. The major consideration in short hair is to match the cut to the shape of your face.

There are seven basic facial shapes: diamond, heart, oval, rectangle, round, square, and triangular. Not all facial shapes are compatible with all cuts. Diamond-shaped faces that are narrow at the forehead but wide at the cheeks with a small, pointy chin work best with cuts that add more fullness at the crown of the head to balance out the width of the cheeks.

Heart-shaped faces with their wide foreheads and small chins looks best when paired with a layered bob with lots of volume. Asymmetrical cuts also compliment this facial configuration. Oval faces are characterized by high foreheads and narrow but round chins. This is the most balance of all the facial shapes and works well with any cut.

Rectangular faces are long with high foreheads and defined jaws and chins. In general a chin-length or shoulder-length cut will be most effective to call attention away from the length of the face and to give an overall softening effect. Some fringe or bangs at the forehead also works well.

Round faces have wide foreheads and full jaws. Because the shape is similar to the oval, most styles will work but be sure to have fullness above the ears. The softer the cut and the more the layers come forward toward the face the better the style for this facial type. Asymmetrical cuts are also good.

The square face with its "lantern" jaw and wide forehead needs a graduated cut with lots of volume at the crown. Triangular faces, on the other hand, that are widest at the jaw and more narrow at the temple can actually accommodate most styles except those with volume at the top or crown of the head.

CURLY HAIR

Curly hair care can present many issues because this hair type is so susceptible to frizziness. Many people use the old method of lightly spritzing the hair with hair spray, allowing the product to dry, and then shaping the hair with either their fingers or a brush. Be careful about doing this too much, however. Hair spray contains alcohol and if your hair gets too dry the frizziness will only get worse.

Always use a wide tooth comb and try to gently detangle your hair while it is wet. Never brush wet hair, however. It is best to allow the hair to drip dry. Beware of straightening products. Most contain harsh chemicals that will damage your hair over time and can lead to hair loss. If you feel you must straighten your hair use a steam straightening device set to the lowest temperature or go to a salon. Professional hair care products for straightening should cause less damage to your hair in the hands of a competent stylist.

FINE HAIR

With fine hair, the shorter the cut the better. Generally fine hair is very limp and cannot take the weight of a longer hair style. You should have the benefit of good sheen, however, so a short and relatively blunt style will give the illusion of volume. (Layering only makes fine hair thinner.)

Don't do anything to make the hair brittle, which leads to breaking and split ends. Avoid the excessive heat of blow drying and curling irons. Read the labels of your hair care products and avoid harsh detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate. Minimize the use of hairsprays and gels that contain too much alcohol. These products will dry out the hair.

Don't over condition. This leads to chemical build-up. "Leave in" conditioners are especially bad in this regard. At least once a week shampoo with a product designed for cleansing the hair only. This will combat build up from conditioners, which leaves the hair even more limp and less manageable.

THICK HAIR

Coarse or thick hair has much more body and life and so has more versatility than fine hair. Avoid blunt cuts which make the hair look bushy. Try something layered. If your hair is thick and curly, cuts that accentuate the curl will in the long run present fewer problems with hair style and care.

The greatest problem with thick hair is simply its tendency toward dryness. Avoid hair products that contain alcohol such as hair sprays and gels. If at all possible, air dry rather than using a curling iron and choose a mild shampoo to promote as much softness as possible, maybe even a baby shampoo.

FRIZZY HAIR

Although the problem of frizz is most often associated with curly hair, many people experience problems with frizz in the summer due to heat and humidity. Hair that is dry, drab, and brittle will also be frizzy.

You should choose both a conditioner and a shampoo designed to moisturize. Choose products that say they will "replenish" over those that speak to "volumizing" or to creating "body." With frizz, moisturizing is everything.

Don't blow dry or use a curling iron. At night or on a weekend when you plan to stay in, apply jojoba oil to your hair, wrap it in plastic, and if possible leave it there through the night. Do not shampoo daily. Wear a hat when you are in the sun. Hair can sunburn just as seriously as the skin. Be religious about getting your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks.

OILY HAIR

With oily hair, on the other hand, you want to shampoo daily with a formula specifically for your hair type. Leave the lather in at least five minutes and repeat. Don't use a conditioner, especially not one of the "leave in" variety. You may also apply a mild astringent to the scalp such as witch hazel.

When you brush or comb your hair try not to touch the scalp. The old method of brushing hair with one hundred strokes a day is actually a technique to spread and distribute hair's natural oils. With oily hair that's the last thing you want to do. Bush and comb as briefly and as infrequently as possible.