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The summer
months are the time when our hair really suffers and what was
once shiny and healthy can become dull and lifeless.
Sun, salt
water, styling products, colour and heating tools can all leave
your hair dry, brittle and altogether unmanageable. No one likes
to have hair that feels like straw and looks like hay. Having
gorgeous, healthy hair can have a huge impact on your overall
appearance. Not only does it frame your face, but when your crowning
glory is unhealthy it is usually a reflection of how you feel
as well and no amount of cuts and colours can make it look better.
Prevention, as with most things in life, is the best option. But
with the middle of summer and the new year fast approaching now
is the perfect time to whip that hair back into shape. Just keep
in mind that once your hair is out of shape, it's a bit like neglecting
your body, one visit to the gym is not going to fix it. But with
a little TLC and the right products you can have healthy hairdresser
hair that will feel, look and smell a whole lot better.
The Basics:
A conditioner is not a treatment and if your hair is longer than
6cm and/or has any form of chemical treatment in it, then you
need to do both. The more you have done to your hair, and the
older and longer it is, the more you will need to do on the treatment
side. It's all about nourishment and knowing what type of hair
you have and how to look after it.
Some basic rules of thumb would be:
* Use a once
a month treatment if your hair is in good shape and you want to
keep it that way.
* Use a once a fortnight treatment if you tend to suffer from
any form of dryness or your colour fades.
* Use a once a week treatment if your hair is out of shape and
needs nourishing.
* Use a twice a week treatment and even an in-salon treatment
(which is stronger and more specific) if your hair is in really
bad condition.
There is no use doing a treatment too often so make sure you only
give your locks what they needs. Hair only has the ability to
absorb so many nutrients, it's a bit like taking too many vitamins.
Leaving it on for longer than is recommended is also not beneficial
and may actually do more harm as when too much protein is added
to hair it can become brittle and prone to breakages.
What's Out There?
There are several options for repairing damaged hair which range
from in-salon treatments to supermarket products. While they range
in price and vary in strength they all serve to put vital nutrients
back into your hair.
LC2, available from Goldwell salons, is a range
of intensive treatments including products to rebuild the structure
of your hair and add strength. They also have treatment packs
which give you the ultimate in added moisture. Selecting the right
product for your hair is very important with this range so it's
a good idea to go to your hairdresser for a diagnosis first. Recommended
prices range from $17.50 to $29.50.
How to keep your colour looking good in all that sun:
ARTec the famous brand name in colour protection have everything
from colour moisturisers in a shade to suit your hair colour with
names like sunflower, strawberry, cherry bark and mahogany (RRP
$28.30). They also have their Kiwi Coloreflector range
of styling and finishing products that protect and preserve your
hair colour from harmful UVA and UVB rays increasing the life
of your colour.
Goldwell's LC2 range also contains Keep It Brilliant, a
leave-in treatment designed to regenerate colour treated hair
and leave your hair with a silky soft feel. They retail from around
$29.50.
On the supermarket side of things, there is AM, which have
a new range of shampoos and conditioners to look out for. These
include rich moisture, colour and volume boosting products which
all have the added bonus of UVA and UVB filters. There is also
Decoré Intensive Colour Treatment which is designed to
lock in your hair colour and protect your hair from damage as
does VO5 Hot Oil Shower Works which includes Aloe Vera.
These are all available from stores nationwide.
One more thing to keep in mind in your quest for smoother, shinier
hair is that you are what you eat. If you feel unhealthy inside
it will usually reflect on the outside, not just in you hair but
in your skin and nails as well. So be conscious of what you eat
and avoid too many fatty food, cigarettes, caffeine and alcoholic
drinks. Instead try and work plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole
grains, nuts, lean meats and water into your diet.
©
VirtualHairCare
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