The typical woman wants three things – an endless supply of chocolate, a narrow waist and shiny hair. The first wish creates problems for the second but the third is a breeze with these steps.
1- Sleep on a silk pillow. This helps stop the hair tangling and knotting. Hair slides across silk but it catches on cotton.
2- Get your hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks, even if you’re letting your hair grow. This will take away any split ends and keep the hair shiny and healthy. The oldest part of the hair is the end. This is the part most in need of TLC, so apply treatments and conditioners only to the mid-length and ends of the hair. This will cut costs and stop conditioner making your roots look greasy. Hair sticking to your head is not a good look, unless you’re auditioning for Severus Snape’s double.
3- When you’re finished washing out the conditioner, turn the water onto ‘cool’ for a few seconds. This seals the cuticle which makes the hair stronger. Strong hair means it will not break when brushing or styling.
Use the same principle when blow-drying hair-turn it down to ‘cool’ before you finish. Sometimes rich conditioners or treatments can aggravate the skin and cause allergies on your back. Rinse out your hair in the sink, not the shower, if you have this problem.
4- When drying your hair, try to be gentle. If you are towel-drying your hair, do not rub it because this will break the hair. Instead, squeeze out any water and blot it with the towel. If you are blow-drying your hair, point the nozzle downward so that the hair dries smoothly and hold the hair dryer 15cm from your head, at the lower heat setting. The less heat you use on your hair, the less damage will be done.
5- Always remember to use a heat protection spray when styling your hair with a straightener or a heated curler. I love the Kérastase range for treatments, protection sprays and conditioners. They bring the hair back to its full strength and shine. The effects can be seen after the first use. This range is at the top of my recommended list and is available nationwide in most good salons starting from £14.
