I still recall some of the rules of thumb my grandmother as well as my mother were usually talking about when it comes to hair-care, and which are still effective today despite almost all the products on today’s market, claiming to move mountains but don’t live up their promises.
Be it the “hundred brush strokes” before going to bed every night, using the lemon juice as a rinse water after shampooing, how to use a shampoo best, how to blow-dry your hair without “drying it out” etc…
This bespeaks that the beauty of our hair starts with simple gestures, and more often than not, these simple gestures are found to be far more powerful than complex solutions.
However, a lot of those simple good hair-care habits became unknown, forgotten or simply ditched due to our “too busy” schedules, forgetting that a few simple steps and precautions are more than enough to keep our hair healthy and beautiful in a few minutes flat.
And what do we do every day for the beauty of our hair instead?
We use different kinds of shampoos and industrial hair treatments stuffed with the weirdest chemicals.
So, here are five express rituals I’m using to take care of my hair and which I found to be very useful:
Re-implement brushing:
My grandmother was right! Brushing your hair before bedtime has only advantages. Including getting rid of all the pollution and any residue that sticked and weighed it down during the day.
This also helps prevent the formation of any dreads overnight.
However, I found the “100 brush strokes” practice to be a bit tedious to be honest. So I just stick to a conscientious brushing.
Furthermore, it is needless to say the a morning brushing ritual has also benefits as it helps aerate the hair and give it volume for the day, especially after it has been “crushed” on the pillow overnight.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Then Moisturize Some More!
Especially if you have long and curly dry hair like mine, your best bet is maximum hydration!
And while each one has her preferred method, the one that benefits me most is the leave-in nourishing mask am doing after shampooing once a week.
But when I don’t really have much time, I just start my daily hair care routine by simply applying some drops of pure Argan oil every morning as a day all-in-one care for hair.
Argan oil does wonders not only when used after shampooing but also before.
How to use it?
Rub some drops of 100% pure and genuine Argan oil in your hand palm then spread it evenly throughout your hair using a comb. Massage it to your scalp as well if you have dry and dehydrated hair – or apply it just on the lengths and tips if you have oily hair.
Then allow it to seep in for a few minutes before going under the shower.
If you have time and would like to have the best results however, it is better to leave it in your hair wrapped in a towel overnight.
Some use it mixed with other oils, like almond oil, Monoi, or even olive oil. I use it pure simply because this is what yields the best and quickest results.
Always Remember To Simultaneously Massage Your Scalp Skin While Shampooing
Ask anyone if they know how to perform a shampooing properly, and they might find this question somewhat ridiculous, because the majority of people think that using a shampoo means nothing more than washing your hair using ‘that liquid‘ in ‘that bottle‘.
And yet, a lot of people certainly have room for improvement here!
First step is to make sure you massage the scalp skin while shampooing without rubbing it.
Massage the key areas like the top of the head, above the ears and behind the neck a little longer, because those areas create more sebum and they are more sensitive than the rest.
Important here is that the massage has to be performed in small circular movements, using your fingertips. This has the advantage of enabling smooth blood microcirculation throughout the scalp.
The bottom line?
The more you stick to this practice and massage your scalp, the better “irrigated” it will be, and consequently the stronger and the shinier your hair will be.
Note however that you should absolutely avoid heavy-rubbing or scratching the scalp, which will only cause further irritation.
Tip: no need to perform two consecutive shampoos, even if it is often recommended on the product bottle!
If you want to avoid stressing your hair and scalp out, better to follow the hairdressers’ rule of thumb: “The first shampoo washes; the second etches!”
Add More Shine & Glow
When it comes to dull hair, rinsing is almost everything!
First tip here is to always rinse very thoroughly.
Shampoo leftovers are the worst enemies that not only kill your hair’s shine & luster, but in addition, they also weight it down and make it oilier.
Again, our grandmothers’ tips are worth their weight in gold here to secure more shine for your hair.
Start simply by adopting this lemon rinsing water recipe max twice a week. But no more than that since the lemon acidity is a little aggressive!
Furthermore, make sure you avoid direct sun light after rinsing your hair with the lemon water mix, as it might lighten your hair.
There are some brave souls out there who even opt for vinegar (cider). So if you can tolerate the smell (which I don’t), a few drops in the rinse water make the hair very shiny!
That being said, if you tolerate neither lemon nor vinegar, the easiest – and fastest – solution is to always rinse your hair with cold water (not ice cold as this will make them more brittle though). This will make you hair look immediately brighter.
Blow-Dry Your Hair Gently
The last tip I love is just as easy to implement as any of of the previous ones mentioned above: Pay attention to how you blow-dry your hair.
Avoid the brutal drying at all costs only because you’re in a hurry etc..
Many people tend to vigorously towel-dry their hair and end up breaking it – Others tend to brush their hair many times a day which makes it very fragile.
But the most common mistake is using a very hot hair dryer.
Obviously there is no “ideal” solution as it all depends on the hair kind as well as of how much time one has.
But some good practices are to simply roll your hair gently in a towel and give it some time. If you don’t have time however, only then you can opt for blow-drying your hair.
Do it as gentle as possible by sticking to average temperatures (never use the hottest!), and keep the dryer at least 15-20 cm away from the head while making sure to keep it always moving.
The best alternative (if one has the possibility) is drying it in the open air at home (not out to the city since they are still fragile and more vulnerable to pollution etc… that will stick on it all day long).
Tips:
The Art Of Disentangling Your Hair Without Damaging It:
Is your hair thin, brittle?
Then wait for it to dry first before starting to detangle it, because it is more fragile when it is still wet.
Always start gently from the tips and work you way upwards to the roots.
Also, it is highly recommended to use brushes with natural bristle, as those will tremendously reduce the breakage risk.
Shampoo: Avoid Silicone & Paraben!
Actually, there are far more trouble makers in today’s hair care products than just the two mentioned above.
A wide variety of those products promise you a “miracle” solution.
You often read something like that after a single use, the hair will be soft, very easy to manage and ultra shiny etc…
But the sad reality is that silicone and parabens are among the worst enemies of our hair.
They simply form a film around the hair, and thus weaken, tarnish and literally suffocate it. Not to mention that these components are not biodegradable. So pay attention to the ingredients’ list!
Here’s a VERY informative video which is very well worth investing the 8 minutes to watch it, and which I found to be very straight to the point about the chemicals crammed into the beauty products nowadays:
What about you? What tricks do you use to take good care of your hair? Share it with us and let’s discuss it out in the comments section below 🙂
