Are sun hats not your style? Would you rather spend time out basking in the sun rather than going through day long hair care regimens in a salon? Here’s how you can rock healthy-looking hair without either hassle.
Let it shine
I’ve lived with what I like to call ‘the Hermione syndrome’ all of my life. With no wand or magic to spare me from the bird’s nest, I assumed blow-drying and straightening irons are my new best friends. I’ve never been more wrong! People would kill for natural curls and I soon learnt why when I used the simplest product there is in the market — hair serum! Remember not to overuse it. A pea-sized amount worked into wet hair from tips to root should do the trick.
Keep it cool
My shower is as close as you’ll ever get to Mordor. Big mistake! Hot water is the recipe to dry, dull hair. The quick fix is to rinse with cool water after the shampoo-conditioner routine. It closes the cuticle and allows light to reflect off the hair.
Leave it in
We all know the trick to get the most out of your conditioner is to leave it for a short while before you wash it off. Some even wrap a warm towel around it for a steam effect. Investing in a leave-in conditioner is worth it. There are options like lotions and spray-ons. Use very little; you don’t want to weigh your hair down.
The right direction
For those who blow-dry their hair at home, pay attention to directing the nozzle down the hair shafts. Hold each section of hair with a round brush as it helps styling it much easier and quicker, which means less heat. Finish with a blast of cool air, giving it the same results as cold water.
From within
With the scorching heat, you don’t need to be told to drink plenty of water. Did you know that aside from keeping your insides healthy, it nourishes your locks as well? Eight glasses a day is ideal. Reduce your carbon footprint; keep your own water bottle by your side to avoid using more plastic ones.
Eat right
If I had a dinar for each time someone told me that! Vitamins A and E are mandatory for healthy hair. Proteins help hair growth as well. Add eggs and nuts to your diet plan whenever you can.
Wear a mask
Sometimes sun damage is inevitable. Replenish the strands with deep conditioning masks at least once a week. Sit with it in a steam room if you have one in your building. Since I don’t, I settle for a vaporiser and a sitcom marathon.
Take care
There’s no point doing any of the above if you’re planning to slap on a 100 kinds of harsh chemicals. With pool season at its peak, you can expect some damage due to the chlorine levels in the water. Protect your hair with a coating of leave-in moisturisers. Avoid relaxing creams, alcohol and bleach.
Snip, snip
If you can see those split ends, the chances are others can too. Nothing says dry hair like split ends. Schedule a trim every four to six weeks to maintain your hair’s health and the cut!
Iron it out
The straighter the hair, the shinier it looks. However, styling with heat reduces the moisture in the strands. Silicone-plated flatirons are better than the typical ceramic and metallic ones most commonly found in the markets. It straightens your hair in one pass, resulting in less damage than usual flatirons.
