Switching shampoos?
Most Salon Brands do not build up on hair, they continue to work effectively as long as you use them, so there’s no need to switch products (another myth debunked). However, shampooing occasionally without using any conditioner or styling products to give hair a rest. Choosing the right products for your hair - Fine or thin hair can sometimes be more delicate and could benefit from a protein enriched shampoo and conditioner formula with a light level of conditioner. Curly hair may look dry, and therefore can benefit from a regime that includes moisturizing ingredients.
Here is a guide to how gentle your shampoo is according to the surfactant used:
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate - very, very, harsh
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate- very harsh but better than the above
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate- better than the above, but still a little harsh
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate-gentle, great pick!
Be kind to wet hair:
- Shampoo and towel dry gently.
- If hair tangles easily, apply a clean-rinsing conditioner in the shower and then immediately comb with a wide-toothed comb before rinsing out the conditioner.
- Comb wet hair gently and slowly with a wide-toothed comb.
- Take time to detangle knots. Don't yank at them.
- Never brush wet hair. You will stretch it too much and cause breakage.
Splits:
The truth is that trimming your hair anywhere along the hair shaft will give you a clean, even look. But cutting away split ends that occur above the ends of the hair may still leave damaged hair, making splits worse rather than better. The hair tends to abrade even more, resulting in another dreaded split end. Prevent split ends altogether by caring for hair with the right conditioning and care regimen, and have hair ends trimmed regularly.
All Frizzed Out:
People with naturally curly, coarse, or damaged hair know all about the frizzies. But most everyone has a frizz attack at one time or another, usually when the weather is wet and rainy. Even a little humidity in the air can make straight-and-smooth blow dry style frizz up instantly! Control damaged hair and frizzies with style and care products designed to fight them.
Don't Tease Me! I Break:
When you tease or backcomb the hair, you're actually ripping away its cuticle protection. This exposes the hair's sensitive inner layer, the cortex, and leaves it vulnerable to breakage.
To protect your hair, comb your hair smoothly downward, from roots to ends, helping the cuticles' "shingles" lie flat and smooth. Backcombing makes the "shingles" stick up, so hair doesn't shine and a coarse, frizzy, fly-away look is created.
For Sun Bathers:
When laying out apply a good conditioner with sunscreens in it. The heat from the sun will help the action of the conditioner and the sunscreens will block out the UV rays which cause hair damage.
After Swimming:
Use a good "clarifying " shampoo. The main ingredient to look for is E.D.T.A.. It is like a chemical claw that will remove all the chlorine in the hair. Chlorine is damaging to the hair and will also join with copper sulfate in the hair and turn it "swimmers' green."
Dry/Flaky Scalp:
If you have a dry or flaky scalp it could be for a variety of reasons. Changes in weather climates can affect scalp moisture. Winter produces a dry climate in houses and the cold air outside makes skin chapped. Medications can also cause dry scalps. It is very important to correct dry/flaky scalps as sebum build up can clog hair follicles which could lead to early hair loss.
Care for Dry Hair:
- Dry hair lacks sufficient natural oils. To care for dry hair, you'll want to preserve the natural oil it has and add moisture with specially formulated dry hair remedies. Don't forget: Condition dry hair often, especially when hot combing or blow drying.
- Avoid too-frequent chemical treatments, which can be overly drying to oil-deprived hair.
- Shampooing dry hair every day is not necessary. Women with very coarse, dry, or super curly hair may only need to shampoo once a week to maintain a fresh look. When you do shampoo, choose a moisturizing shampoo.
Care for Oily Hair:
- Keep oily hair clean, clean, clean. That means shampooing every day at least once. Don't forget:
- If you exercise vigorously and sweat a lot, you may need to shampoo twice a day.
- Use a good cleansing shampoo on oily hair.
- Use conditioners sparingly.
- A mild finishing rinse made for oily hair will help with combing.
Thick Hair:
- People with thick hair have about 150,000 on their heads.
- Most people who have thick hair like the thickness, though combing can sometimes be a challenge. Use a finishing-rinse conditioner with silicone as an ingredient or use a leave-in treatment. If you have a lot of thick hair, it's important to get a good haircut that complements the proportions of your face.
Thin Hair:
- People with thin hair have about 90,000 strands on their heads.
- A major complaint with thin hair is limpness. To help avoid the thin hair, limp-locks look, especially on damp days, try styling products that build volume in thin hair without weighing the hair down. Using hair color also helps to add volume, as hair color actually contains properties that slightly puff up each strand to help it look fuller.
What is a Conditioner?
The term "conditioner" is vague. Conditioners fall into different groups according to what you want to accomplish with your hair. People with thin hair need a specific kind of "conditioner", people with thick, dry hair need another...
Conditioners fall into these categories:
Moisturizers
Are concentrated with humectants. Humectants are compounds that attract and hold moisture into the hair. They may not necessarily contain botanicals or protein (they often do).
Reconstructors
Normally contain protein. Hydrolized human hair keratin protein is the best source, because it contains all 19 amino acids found in the hair. Human hair keratin protein has a low molecular weight. This enables it to penetrate the hair shaft (the cortex). The main purpose of a reconstructor is to strengthen the hair.
Detangles
Most detangles are acidifiers (see above). Most have low pH's 2.5 to 3.5. They close the cuticle of the hair which cause tangles. Some "shield" the hair shaft with polymers (polymers are strings of "like" molecules- a chain). Some detangles are instant, some take 1-5 minutes to work.
Thermal Protectors
Thermal protectors safeguard the hair against heat. Using thermal protectors are one of the best things you can do to your hair if you blow dry, use curling irons, or hot rollers. They normally use heat absorbing polymers that distribute the heat, so your hair does not get heat damage (a major cause of hair damage).
Glossers
For the most part glossers are cosmetic. Most Glossers contain dimethicone or cyclomethicone (very light oils derived from silicone). Used in small amounts they reflect light. Also, they are one of the best products to control the "frizzies."
