Beauty Tips
KEEP YOUR HAIR SHINY & HEALTY
COLOR TREATMENT
STYLE YOUR HAIR DAILY
. Say yes to hair serum.
Shine serums are available that have been specially formulated to give frizzy or unruly hair a sleek sheen. Find some great options at your local drugstore, beauty supply store, or hair salon. These products moisturize your hair with a light concentration of oils or silicone, says Shorter. To apply, "use a pea-sized amount to start," she advises. "Start at the bottom of your hair and work your way up, rubbing it into wet hair with your hands." It's important not to use too much serum, because it can weigh hair down, but if you feel you need more moisture, go ahead and add a bit more.
2. Use a leave-in conditioner.
Regular conditioners are great, but if you really want to pump up the shine, Shorter recommends adding a leave-in conditioner to your routine. These come in both spray-on and lotion forms. Apply them the same way you do shine serum (see tip No. 1).
3. Wash with cool water.
Beware of hot water! It can dry out your hair and leave it dull. Instead, after shampooing and conditioning, rinse with cool water. "It closes the cuticle," explains Shorter. "And that allows light to reflect off the hair, producing lots of shine."
4. Be smart about blow-drying.
As you're blow-drying your hair, direct the dryer's nozzle down the hair shafts as you hold each section of hair with a round brush. Finish by pressing the "cool" button on your hair dryer - the cool air produces a reflective effect similar to that of a cool-water rinse after shampooing.
5. Spray on the shine.
When your hair is dry, finish your look with a spray-on shine product. Whether it comes in a pump bottle or aerosol can, a shine spray can be misted onto dry hair - no matter what texture it is - to give it an extra glistening effect.
6. Switch to a Titanium flatiron.
A flatiron can help straighten hair, which usually looks shinier than wavy hair. But avoid overusing a flatiron - all that heat-styling can be drying. "The heated silicone glides right over the hair and straightens it in one pass," says Shorter. "I've found that Titanium cuts the straightening time in half, which means less damage."
7. Get a glossing treatment.
If you really want to get your shine on, consider having a professional glossing treatment. These are often performed after a hair-coloring treatment, but you can get one without the dye job. "It's designed to give you richer hair color with more depth, but it doesn't actually have any pigment to it," says Shorter. A glossing is usually temporary, lasting about four to six shampoos, and glossing kits are available at some drugstores, so you can even try it out without hitting the salon.
8. Hydrate your body.
Drinking plenty of water will ensure that your hair is properly moisturized from the inside out. About eight glasses a day is ideal. Keep a bottle by your side and sip from it often!
9. Eat nutritious foods.
Shorter recommends getting your daily recommended allowances of vitamins A and E for shiny, healthy hair. Also, be sure you're eating plenty of protein, which promotes hair growth. "Eggs and nuts are excellent sources of protein," Shorter says.
10. Avoid harsh chemicals.
Shiny hair is healthy hair - so don't abuse it! Limit your hair's exposure to harsh chemicals, like the chlorine in pools, and lye-based hair-relaxing creams. Use heat-styling as infrequently as you can get away with, and avoid products that contain alcohol, which can dry out your hair and strip its shine.
1. Have Your Stylist Use Only Quality, Conditioning Hair Colors
Begin by asking your hair colorist to use a professional hair color with conditioning properties that will continue to condition the hair as the weeks go by. Hair color with natural oils will help retain moisture in your color-treated hair and leave it looking shiny and healthy. Ammonia-free haircolor is another great professional option that treats hair with TLC?
2. Remember: Red Dye is Most Susceptible to Color Loss
– Red hair colors tend to fade faster because they have the largest molecules. The molecule size makes it more difficult for red dyes to penetrate deeply into the hair, thus they dissipate more rapidly. So when going for a red hue, be sure to have your stylist use hair color that maximizes high-definition color results with minimum stress to the hair’s cuticle.
3. Shampoo Your Color-Treated Hair Less Frequently
– To prevent water from washing away your vibrant color, the answer is simple: Wash your hair less often. To retain those natural oils that help condition your color-treated hair, shampoo just two or three times per week, and never more than every other day. This will help your color last longer and help maintain health in your colored hair.
4. On the In-Between Days, Use a Color-Safe Dry Shampoo on Color-Treated Hair
-- To help keep color-treated hair looking fresh, flip your hair over and spray dry shampoo at the roots to soak up oil.
5. After Coloring, Wait 2 Days Before You Shampoo
– When you color your hair, wait at least 48 hours to shampoo, preferably longer. If you can go three or four days before shampooing, even better. This will give the color plenty of time to set.
6. When You Don’t Shampoo, Keep Your Hair Dry in the Shower
-- During those off days, wear a shower cap to keep your color-treated hair from getting wet while showering as this can cause some color to fade. Or, pull your hair up into a loose bun or a ponytail to protect it from getting wet.
7. Turn Down the Water Temperature When Shampooing Color-Treated Hair
– When you shampoo, stick to lukewarm or cooler water temperatures. Super-hot water leeches dye out of hair faster and strips the color because it opens the surface of the hair strand, which causes the dye molecules to escape.
8. Skip Shampoo and Go Straight to Conditioner From Time to Time Try Using Conditioner Only on Color-Treated Hair Sometimes
– If you can, consider using moisturizing conditioner only on your color-treated hair. Shampoo can take more color from your hair more than conditioner.
9. Condition Every Time You Shampoo Color-Treated Hair
– When you do shampoo, be sure to condition your color-treated hair every time with a color-protecting conditioner. Conditioned hair will help your color look shinier and more even. Even if you have fine hair, condition the tips, which are the oldest hairs on your head and have the most damage. Start at your ears and work your way down to the ends.
Product Usage Matters on Color-Treated Hair
What you put on your hair will make a difference in the longevity of the color and the long-term health of your hair. Dyed hair requires special attention, so invest in salon-grade products formulated for colored hair. Using color-protecting shampoos and conditioners on color-treated hair can help protect the color and add shine, volume and luster. Here are suggestions:
10. Use the Best Shampoo on Color-Treated Hair
– When you wash color-treated hair, be sure to use a color-protecting shampoo. Using a good shampoo will help your color last longer and help maintain the health of your processed hair.
1. When you shampoo, use a gentle moisturizing shampoo on your dry hair.
These shampoos, specially designed for dry hair, usually contains lots of nutrients such as oils, essential fatty acids and ceramides. Secondly, don’t wash your hair too often since shampooing too frequently can damage your hair by drying it out, which can lead to breakage and dullness.
2. When you shampoo, use your fingertips to massage the shampoo into your hair.
Work from roots to ends — taking care not to pile your hair up on top of your head; this can lead to tangles, dryness and frizz.
3. Use a mask for dry hair.
To add moisture, once a week or so before shampooing, apply a hydrating mask on slightly damp hair, wrap your hair in a warm towel and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Wash as normal.
4. Use a conditioner for dry hair.
After shampooing, use a hydrating conditioner and massage it in with your fingertips before rinsing it out. To close the cuticle and enhance shine, try rinsing your hair with cold water. Avoid overly hot water and hard water, which both dry out your hair even more.
5. Embrace a dry hair-friendly diet.
Don’t forget that what we eat impacts our entire body, including hair. To nourish dry locks from the inside out, eat healthy foods such as plenty of fresh fruit and green veggies, lean meats and dairy, and avoid saturated fat. When snacking, nourish your dry tresses by munching on nuts. When your diet isn’t perfect (that would be the case for most of us), consider nutritional supplements.
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