The difference between “good” hair and “great” hair largely comes down to your hair care habits. While everyone’s hair needs are unique, there are some steps all of us can follow to maintain the health of our hair, and keep it looking great.
Wash your hair regularly
How frequently you should wash your hair depends on your hair type and how quickly it gets greasy. Some of us can get away with once a week, while others can’t go longer than two days. Shampooing regularly leads to a healthier scalp and healthier hair. Shampoo helps water remove dirt, debris, bacteria and unwanted odours. For a deeper clean, we recommend double shampooing (shampooing your hair twice before applying conditioner). In theory, the first shampoo removes superficial dirt from the hair, allowing the second shampoo to penetrate deeper to remove sebum and grease.
For overall clean and healthy hair, try Mane ‘n Tail Deep Moisturizing Shampoo (R189.95) and follow with Mane ‘n Tail Deep Moisturizing Conditioner (R189.95). Fortified with natural proteins and vitamins to strengthen and nourish hair for increased elasticity, it provides healthy, manageable, soft and silky hair and is safe and gentle for all hair types.
Sleep on silk
Silk pillowcases are very popular, and it’s not just because they look pretty in the bedroom! Silk is smoother than fabrics like cotton and linen, which means less friction when you toss and turn during the night. Less friction means less frizz, less breakage and fewer tangles. Unlike cotton, silk is non-absorbent, which means it helps your hair retain its moisture content as opposed to absorbing moisture from your hair.
Limit your use of heat styling tools
We’re not saying you should never curl or straighten your hair, but limiting how frequently you heat style has major benefits. Exposure to too much heat, too often, can lead to dehydration, damage and even breakage. Try to limit heat styling to a couple of times per week and use a good quality thermal spray before styling to limit damage. Try Hask Argan Oil 5-In-1 Leave-In Spray (R200.00). Its key ingredient, argan oil, restores dry and damaged hair, while providing thermal protection and conditioning benefits.
Use at-home treatments and masks
It’s important to maintain regular home treatments in-between your salon visits. At-home treatments and masks will help your hair retain moisture, minimise damage and breakage, preserve colour, detox and hydrate – depending on your needs. We recommend applying a nourishing hair mask once a week.
To strengthen hair, try OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Strength Hair Mask (R210.00) is an ultra-creamy hair mask that helps to intensely hydrate and lock in moisture. Formulated with argan oil of Morocco and silk proteins, this hair mask detangles hair and provides added inner strength.
For damaged hair that needs restoring, try Marc Anthony Grow Long Restoring Anti-Breakage Mask (R195.00). Infused with Hydrolyzed Keratin, Caffeine and Ginseng, this formula works to smooth the cuticle and enhance the look and feel of your hair while reinforcing strength from the inside out.
Take care when your hair is wet
Hair is at its most fragile when it is wet, and can easily break if handled too roughly. This is why you should never rub your hair with a towel to dry it – the friction can cause serious damage! Rather pat your hair gently or wear an absorbent wrap to absorb excess moisture. Another thing to consider is brushing: you should never use a regular hairbrush on wet hair as it will break your strands. Wet Brush Detangler (R189.95) can be used on wet hair and features IntelliFlex Bristles which detangle hair without breakage or pain. The unique design of the bristles help prevent tugging, pulling, ripping, and damage that can cause split ends, breakage and hair loss.
Don’t forget your scalp
When you’re concentrating on the lengths of your hair, it’s easy to forget about your scalp. But when you consider that your scalp deserves a skincare regime of its own, and that paying attention to the skin on your scalp will result in healthier and shinier hair, it’s worth the extra steps. A healthy scalp regime is two-fold: the scalp requires regular exfoliation to ensure dry and dead skin cells are removed, and regular hydration and nutrients in the form of a mask or treatment. We recommend a weekly scrub with Umberto Giannini Scalp Scrub Exfoliating Anti-Dandruff Treatment (R170.00). Packed with natural exfoliants from super fruit enzymes and micro grains of natural walnut shell, this 97% natural clinically proven formula removes dead skin cells, bacteria and excess oils to prevent flakes and restore a clear and healthy scalp.
If your scalp is prone to dryness, use Marc Anthony’s Detox Instant Cooling Scalp Treatment (R180.00). It provides instant cooling relief for a dry and irritated scalp and contains peppermint oil and witch hazel, which leave your scalp feeling refreshed.
Trim your hair regularly
Even when you’re trying to grow your hair, it’s important to trim it regularly to remove dry and split ends. This will result in a healthier appearance and will help maintain your shape.