A visit to a hair salon is a treat rather than an everyday extravagance. That means, for the most part, your hair is in your hands – and let’s face it, you don’t have the training.
The hair industry is huge, most of it geared towards giving us salon results from the comfort of our bathrooms. But it’s still a problem. Even worse, it’s baffling in different ways. For one woman, her frizz may be the bane of her life. For another, frizz sounds quite nice, given their hair is plastered to their head within moments of being dried.
So what’s the solution – a salon visit every other day?
Not quite. While everyone’s hair is different and results are variable; there are some simple fixes for common hair complaints. While we can all accept hair done at home is never going to be as good as that done by a stylist, isn’t it about time we did a bit better than this?
The Complaint: “My hair is lank and greasy even after right after washing.”
The Primary Suspect: Product residue.
The Solution: Clarification
The average woman probably uses a variety of products on her hair to achieve different results. You’ve got shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, heat protection spray et al.
Most of these products leave behind a residue in the hair which can’t be shifted by water. At least once per week, you need to clarify your hair to give it back its luster.
How To Do It: You can buy specialist clarification shampoos, though results are variable. One of the easiest ways is to introduce texture into your shampoo by adding a few teaspoons of sea salt. This works like skin exfoliation, buffing off the top layer of grime and leaving hair free to breathe beneath.
The Complaint: “My hair is lank and greasy even right after washing.”
The Primary Suspect: Hard water.
The Solution: Rinsing in soft water.
Hang on, didn’t we already do this?
Yes, it would be simpler if all problems had the same cause – but sometimes, there are multiple reasons for an issue. Hard water can leave mineral deposits on your hair that make it heavy and greasy. Get rid of it by rinsing with hard water’s direct opposite; soft water.
How To Do It: Buy bottled water, distilled water or use a water softener. Use this water as your final rinse. The cheapest option is to collect rain water if you don’t mind waiting awhile.
The Complaint: “No matter what I do, my hair won’t hold a curl!”
The Primary Suspect: Improper technique.
The Solution: Change the state.
Curls that won’t hold are the bane of styling for many women. There is nothing more disheartening than spending time with a curling wand in hand, making your arms ache, to create the perfect head of curls. Then, ten minutes after you’re done, they immediately fall out.
The standard solution to this is to get layers cut into your hair. This will make some difference, but won’t fix it completely (and besides – not everyone wants layers!). The key to solving this problem once and for all is to drill the words “change the state” into your mind.
How To Do It: The major changes of state you need to set a curl are as follows –
- Wet to dry. Use bobby pins to twist hair into pin curls and let them totally dry before brushing out.
- Hot to cold. Many women mistakenly think it is the heat of using a wand that makes the curl set – but it’s actually the cooling process. Leave freshly curled hair alone for at least an hour to properly cool.
The Complaint: “My hair is frizzy and uncontrollable.”
The Primary Suspect: Your genetic code.
The Solution: Products, and potential health screenings.
If your hair has not had issues with frizz and dryness before and suddenly does, then it might be worth talking to a doctor. It’s nothing serious, but can be a symptom of hypothyroidism.
Otherwise, it might just be the way your hair is – there’s not much you can do to change the fact of the problem. You can, however, change how you manage it.
How To Do It: Oils are your friend, particularly argan oil which can control without leaving a greasy residue. You may often see coconut oil recommended, but this is a little too thick. There’s plenty of wonderful things coconut oil can do, but particularly if you have thin hair, it’s too much to tame frizz. Brush the oil through with a natural fiber brush such as boar bristle brushes and you should get an element of control back.
Credit
The Complaint: “My hair doesn’t grow!” or “I have bald spots!”
The Primary Suspect: Genetics again or, with bald spots, wearing weaves and hairstyles too tight.
The Solution: Oil and scalp massage
It’s oil again! This time it’s castor oil that is running to the rescue. This is one way to encourage hair to grow, especially if mixed with essential oils such as rosemary to stimulate the scalp. The other (or additional) option for scalp stimulation is to massage regularly. Hit two birds with one stone by giving a massage while applying castor oil.
This technique will make a difference if you have bald spots from overly tight styles like weaves and up-dos. It should go without saying, but it needs mentioning: this is something you have to stop doing. Anything else and the problem will come back. At least give your hair as much of a break as possible between weaves, and wear hair loose at night.
How To Do It: Mix castor oil with a lighter oil, such as grapeseed, in a bowl. This is necessary because castor oil is very thick and difficult to control by itself. A 75% castor to 25% grapeseed solution should suffice. Add a few drops of stimulating essential oil if using. Massage into scalp and wrap with a towel; leave for 20 minutes before washing out.
Now go forth with renewed style!
