Here are the ten commandments that, in my opinion based on my experience, one must obey in order to achieve healthy hair and help it on its way to being rapunzel....
Eins- Step away from the dye! Chemical dyes and bleach severley damage hair, no matter how much you condition it or say to yourself 'it's only a semi permenant..' the fact is it damages your hair badly. The makers of these dyes make clever claims such as 'enriched with avocado oil' or 'adds intense shine', the reason for this is dye strips and damages the cuticle so the dye has to be shine boosting, but this is an artificial shine as the hair is in fact damaged underneath. My only recommendation is have your natural hair colour or dye it with henna (something I do wish to try and will blog about it here when I do) or for blondes try natural lighteners (I shall try to convince one of my blonde friends to do this).
Zwei- A handful of nuts a day.... Nuts contain essential fatty acids and protein that are essential for healthy hair. Watch this space as I will do another post in the future about the importance of diet for hair growth.
Drei- Hot, Hot, Hot... Any heated appliances you use to style your hair are also bad news for it's health. The worst culprits: curling tongs and straighteners *shudders at the thought*. These appliances will strip your hair of its shine & oils, they will also cause breakage, which as any aspiring rapunzel knows is a big no-no. Let your hair dry naturally and if you must use some form of styler then use normal rollers NOT heated ones.
Vier- Drink up... Drinking plenty of water is also important for healthy hair (2 litres is recommended but I am an aquaholic so drink around 3 litres a day). The reason? Water allows nutrients to be delivered better around your body and easier absorption of vitamins and nutrients. Also, if you are hydrated from the inside then your hair will also be more hydrated as your body will not be lacking in moisture.
Fünf- Wear it up... Wearing your hair down everyday causes the ends to fray and pollutuion to gather on your-hopefully healthy and radiantly glossy- cuticle surface ruinging the shine and causing additional stress. The gentle tugging of catching your hair on things (such as underneath a bra strap, in the handle of your bag etc) can also cuase some hair loss. There are many different styles that you can do, and nothing looks as timeless and elegant as a simple bun! I will also be blogging about different updos you can do to care for your hair and wear whilst your hair is in oil.
Sechs- Oil up... oiling your hair is THE best thing you can do for it: conditioners are important but oils are th e best. My favourites are Amla and Olive oil, although I am keen to try others and will be logging more about oiling and my favourite oils, as well as reviewing them. This is only the beginning, dolls....
Sieben- My dirty little secret... I have a secret that is probably going to horrify a lot of you and make you think 'what a dirty bit*ch!': I only wash my hair once a week. Yes, only once every seven days does my hair see water, shampoo and conditioner. Washing your hair strips it of its natural oils, decreasing shine. Of course my hair becomes hideously greasy in this time so I resort to updo's and adding oils such as Amla and Olive oil to condition it. I probably look like a health hazard who hasn't heard of shampoo to those around me, but I just remind myself that the oils I have put on my hair are working little miracles and one day I shall be rapunzel...
Acht- Stretch and Snap.... This is what happens if you comb/brush your hair when it's wet, your hair is at it's most fragile so stretches easier and then snaps: definetly not going to help you in your mission for healthy, beautiful hair. The only answer is to not touch your hair when it is wet, let it dry naturall and become fantastically tangled and then comb it. Personally, I only recommend a tangle teezer (this has transformed my life!) as it detangles easily and dramatically reduces hairloss and breakage. If you do not have a tangle teezer nor the funds to buy one then i recommend a wide toothed comb, never a brush! And never comb through conditioner, as this just damages your hair whilst trying to condition it, which seems pretty pointless to me.
Neun- No excess... As tempting as it is to load up on hairspray to maintain your french plait all day, or use the latest serum to give you Kardashian-esque shine, in reality excess product just ways hair down and stops the hair from absorbing the oil you have added to it. A lot of these products are drying in the long run as they contain chemicals that damage the hair (alcohol and sodium lauryl sulfate i am mainly looking at you...). So say no to these types of products, or if you really must use them occasinonally only use the minimal amount :).
Zehn- Pop a pill... Taking a supplement really helps (I will do another post on supplements and how they've helped me, as well as my personal favourites) as it makes sure that your body recieves all the neccessary nutrients, although nothing can replace as healthy and nutritional diet these are a great addition. Personally, I take perfectil which I truly recommend for healthy hair growth and maintenance (they also help skin and nails, my nails are now rock hard but I just can't stop nibbling them off :( ) . But I think any hair supplement will help, only buy these from respected high street stores though as ones you purchase over the internet can be dangerous. Alternatively, a general multi vitamin would also be useful but I think the supplements aimed specifically at hair, skin and nails are best.
And finally.....
take the anti-hair extension vow:
'I swear on all things beauty ahair growth related that I will no longer use extensions and will worship and condition my own so it grows longer than my once beloved extensions'
tar-dar!!! You are now welcome to join me on my hair care journey :D
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