But, never fear trusty reader, we’re going to look at a few simple ways that can help you manage your hair issues, not just in the winter but always, and even though this post may not solve all of your problems, we hope it will inspire you nevertheless to know that there are solutions out there - just look for them.
And boy do we love our hair! From extensions to undercuts, weaves, braids, and every style in between, the time has never been better to show off unique elements of your personality, through your hair.
Let’s get busy.
LET’S START WITH SOME TIPS FOR MANAGING DRY HAIR
Believe it or not, the easiest way to get rid of dry or brittle ends is to simply get your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks. Tada! Visiting your stylist regularly helps to get rid of split ends before they become even bigger issues and problems.
Regular trims also keep layers fresh and ‘falling’ properly, and with each trim, your hair goes into ‘boss mode’ when it comes to growth. Now remember ladies, we all seem to think that the only salons worth visiting are the ones that give you champagne, canapés, and imported coffees - and while these treats are nice, you could just as easily find a local stylist with all the skill, but minus the price tag.
Suffering from chronically dry hair? You may need to adjust your diet. Omega-3 (salmon, nuts, and seeds), as well as antioxidants (found in berries and spinach), can go a long way to ensuring that your body is working at its best and when your body is working at its best - it shows. Keeping up to date with your vitamin intake (D, A, C, and E) won’t just let you live better, it will also give you shiner, happier hair too. There is a reason pregnant women look so good.
NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT ALL OF THAT UNRULY HAIR!
Unruly hair is a real pain in the…well it’s a challenge. Make no mistake, as soon as you’ve found that one great look for you, that frizz makes an unwelcome appearance, and your one shot at marrying Ryan Gosling disappears as fast as that frizz arrives. Unruly hair seems to defy all laws of physics, in that it seems to be at once a slave to gravity while defying it too.
It starts with your shampoo. A thought you’re going to hear and read about a lot when it comes to hair care and there’s a good reason for that - it’s true. Taming unruly, frizzy hair starts with the right shampoo, and there are plenty to choose from. Again, you don’ have to spend a ridiculous amount of money on the best of the best products, but you do want to look for products that have active anti-frizz ingredients. You want a complex that smoothes your hair fiber and also coats your hair to achieve that anti-frizz protection.
As a general rule, gentle, moisturizing shampoos are the best choice for unruly hair.
Don’t wash your hair too frequently at the best of times, but certainly with unruly hair because, with unruly or frizzy hair, you already have hair that’s too dry, and washing it unnecessarily will only serve to dry it out, even more, making the problem more extreme.
Your hair strand is made up of different layers, when one looks at a strand of hair under a microscope, one can clearly see this and too frequent washing will make the cuticle layer of your hair rougher and drier and the result - the strawman look.
Always use conditioner
If you have dry, unruly, or frizzy hair then conditioner is your friend - always. The conditioner contains nourishing ingredients that make your hair feel smooth, luscious, and silky and it closes that cuticle layer of the hair. If you’re going to spend a little more on hair products, but you’re limited at how much more - a good conditioner is where you want to spend that extra money, you should also invest in a good hair mask from time to time.
AND NOW, TREATING AND REPAIRING DAMAGED HAIR
Is there anything more frustrating than having to deal with damaged hair? Damaged hair makes life impossible (at least it feels that way) because nothing will work. Styles fall flat, weather conditions have extreme effects, you’re bogged down into a route of oils, lotions, crémes, and more, and nothing seems to work.
That’s because, as we mentioned a little earlier, hair strands are not smooth and singular. Rather, the strand is made up of layers and ‘scales’, when these are damaged it is near impossible to repair them completely. So what can you do?
For starters, lower the temperature on your devices. We LOVE our curling irons, flat irons, hairdryers, and diffusers, but overuse is what may have caused this situation that you’re facing right now. Heat damage brings brittle hair, flaky hair, and broken hair. If you don’t have super thick or coarse hair, then a mid-range setting on your irons is more than sufficient, and whenever you can, skip styling altogether.
Take care when handling wet hair too, as this is where it’s at its most vulnerable. When your hair is wet, the damage potential really kicks up a gear and this is especially true if you have fine, curly, or fragile hair to begin with. Never pull a brush through your wet hair, unless it’s the right kind of brush. A wide-tooth comb will help detangle your hair first, and rather let your hair air dry for as long as possible before taking a hairdryer to it, and never tie up your wet hair with an elastic band, that is the damage express-highway.
Hair masques, leave-in treatments, and oils - your new best friends.
Speak to your stylist to get some expert advice or do a few online searches and you’ll quickly find what solutions are available to you and your budget, however introducing a hair masque from time to time can yield wonderful results, and take a look at all of the options available to you in as much as leave-in treatments and oils are concerned.
These provide an intensive care experience and if done correctly can repair a lot of damage over time. Now, if you’ve done all of these things and your hair still looks more wizard than Dorothy, it’s time to get a trim - and potentially a big one.
The best thing about hair - is that it grows back, so if yours is beyond hope it is time to embrace a shorter, cooler style and start over because if you don’t, all new growth will just continue to break and add to your drama.
You can soften hair in 4 steps, and this could offer you some relief too and you can try different styles and accessories that don’t hurt your hair while you’re undergoing treatment, but ultimately, hitting the reset button may be just what the doctor ordered.
Take care when exposing your hair to the elements as sunshine, rain, cold, wind, and seawater can all have disastrous impacts on your hair.
