It seems like barely a month goes by without some new innovation in the world of hair care, and these developments may be genuinely beneficial or pure gimmickry. It can certainly lead to the unpleasant scenario of being paralyzed by choice: what do you need to use? What should you never use? What will stop this bad thing happening, and what will make the good things happen more? Getting to the core of the question – which in this case should perhaps be “what is best for my hair?” can be a difficult process.
The truth of the matter is that the answer to this question will be different for different people, and you can end up taking the wrong path for your own hair by following instructions that work perfectly for someone else. So it’s fair to say that it’s tricky to get to the right conclusion and get the best results if you simply buy products based on word of mouth. The only sane way forward is to have some set rules which do work for everyone, and make your own decisions based on those commandments. The following are the pure facts you need to know about keeping your hair looking and feeling right.
Understand your hair type
The way your hair behaves can vary wildly based on a number of different factors, with heredity being perhaps the most definitive of those. Essentially, genetics will define a lot of what you can do with your hair. The most common hair types in South East Asia, for example, tend to be very fine and hard to style into a curl, while the hair common to most of Africa may be just the opposite – tightly curled and requiring a lot of treatment to relax it. If there is a style you particularly want to try, it’s worth looking into what it will take to achieve it with your own hair type; sometimes it won’t be possible without a lot of pain and further maintenance, so you have to consider whether it’s worth it in your book.
There probably isn’t one perfect shampoo for you…
Shampoo is there to do a job – predominantly to get your hair clean without stripping it of beneficial oils. However, what it takes to achieve that can vary depending on a number of factors. If, for example, you work outside a lot, you’re likely to need a more powerful shampoo in order to get rid of particles that float in the air and land on you. For many women, the shampoo that works best will depend on what stage they are at in their monthly cycle; hormones can cause your hair to be greasier, drier, and even more brittle at different points. Your best base shampoo will probably be an SLS-free one, but be prepared to sub in different choices depending on the circumstances.
…But “no shampoo at all” won’t work for everyone
If you’ve followed hair trends for long enough, the “no-poo” method will be familiar even if only by name. Some advocates of washing without shampoo will swear blind that this method works best for everyone, but the facts don’t seem to bear this out. Just like anything else to do with human hair, no-poo works well for some people and very badly for others. Additionally, there are a lot of different ways to do it, so if you’re interested in going shampoo-free, give some thought to which approach is going to suit you best.
Use as loose a comb/brush as possible
When combing or brushing your hair, you’re doing more than simply trying to get your hair under control and into a certain style. Another key element of brushing involves spreading the natural oils secreted in the follicle, as far throughout the hair as possible. Your best choice here is as wide-toothed a comb or brush as you deem effective. A tighter comb is harder to pull through the hair and won’t go as far in spreading oils. It’s also likely to pull out more hair and leave you feeling like you need Regaine or something similar to replenish lost strands. Combing your hair shouldn’t hurt, and if it does you need to ask why.
Get it cut when you want, trimmed when you need
If you can manage a head full of long and lustrous hair, then it’s a fine thing to have, and so there is no need to have a standing appointment with a hairdresser to get it cut to a certain length if you’d rather not. What really keeps hair manageable is ensuring that growth is healthy. The longer hair gets, the greater the chance of some strands becoming damaged and lifeless. These strands need to be trimmed out for the good of the rest of the hair, and you can usually do this yourself. It’s the same principle as pruning a rose bush – cut back the parts that aren’t thriving, and the ones that are will look even better.
Listen to your hair and scalp
A certain amount of trial and error is going to be necessary in whatever you do to your hair, from washing to styling. Only some very lucky people will get to do what they want to their hair without some chemical assistance, but you need to monitor what the outcomes of those processes feel like for you. If you find that your scalp itches with a certain shampoo, then don’t use it – it’s not going to suddenly stop having that effect. If a specific wax holds your hair in place for about half as long as it should, then don’t use it – you’re adding extra stress to your tresses for an imperfect result. Your hair will tell you what it likes, and in the end that’s what you’ve got to listen to.
There are few hard and fast rules when it comes to keeping your hair in its best condition, but following the above advice and knowing what to do – and when to do it – will spare you a lot of expense, pain and frustration in the long term.
