Bringing back the luster in your hair
By Lameya Alma Amin
That’s right! Washing your tresses is like art. With the summer sun attacking the hair, shampooing it the wrong way would end up giving you dull, dry and brittle hair. Get that soft, silky gorgeous cascade by putting some of these tricks into practice.
One frequently asked question is how often one should shampoo their hair? While this varies from person to person, depending on the scalp and the hair type – some would need to wash their hair every single day. Then there are the lucky ones who require washing only once or twice a week. People with thicker hair and a moderately dry scalp will have cleaner hair longer than peeps with thinner hair and a greasy scalp. The latter usually tends to get dirtier and needs more attention.
Foam it up
Before shampooing, gently comb your hair. That way you will be able to untangle the small knots and get rid of the residue of any previously used styling products. Steer clear from hot water as it makes the roots sensitive and prone to breakage. For medium length locks, squeeze a small amount of shampoo, roughly the size of an almond or a hazelnut. The amount required should be adjusted accordingly if you have longer or shorter hair. Optimise your shampoo experience by lathering up from roots till the ends. Mix a bit of warm water with the shampoo to evenly distribute it along the hair.
Gentle on the roots
Massage the scalp gently with vertical strokes on the scalp to increase the blood flow and stimulate hair growth. Avoid using fingernails as scratching can lead to dandruff and lead to those ugly flakes on your shoulders.
Rinse and repeat?
Forget about it. Contrary to popular belief, shampooing the hair twice isn’t set in stone. If your hair is squeaky clean on the first go, you don’t need to lather up the second time. However, if you have greasy hair or have a lot of leftover styling products on after last night’s party, then you could go for seconds.
Done and dusted
Nothing beats the silky soft cascades your hair will transform into after a hearty conditioning. To fight damage, leave the conditioner in your hair for about 2 minutes, avoiding the roots.
Rinse the hair with cold water for that fresh, healthy shine. Even when you decide not to shampoo, try washing your hair with conditioner only. Swapping to conditioner once a while retains moisture in the hair as well and gives your hair a break from excess cleansing.
Let it breathe
Best way to dry your hair is to let it happen naturally under the fan. Give it five minutes before you start to untangle your wet hair by loosely finger combing through the strands. If done otherwise, the excess force may damage the still wet sensitive hair.
For best results, shampoo your hair every two to three days. But if you are out and about too often with your hair being exposed to the scorching sun and the dirt, you should shampoo and condition daily. Go, bring back that luster!