Ten Must Haves that Contribute to Healthier Hair

Hello Ladies,

Wanted to share a brief list of ten items that support maintaining a healthy 'Do." According to Allure Magazine, a few good staple products, make all the difference:

• A Restorative Shampoo is a must, at least monthly to clarify, hydrate, and repair hair from mishandling, weather, or product abuse.

• A Super-absorbent  towel or T-shirt really works to rid hair of excess moisture as well as helps to get you out the door sooner (especially if you wear a wash n go) without creating extra frizz.

• A good Heat Protectant is necessary - if you use heat - to shield hair from the use of blow dryers and flat irons and seal hair with a bit of silicone to keep damage at bay. A clarifying shampoo might be needed to rid hair of all traces of silicone afterwards.

• If you color your hair, a less damaging alternative is recommended. Although Henna is a healthy option, some women do not like the red tone it leaves behind. Another option is L'Oreal's new color line called INOA. This line of hair color does not contain ammonia or peroxide - which can cause dryness or strip hair of moisture, but it does deposit vibrant and lasting color.

• A good deep conditioner is needed at least once a month. Whether you use a protein-rich or moisture-rich treatment, at a minimum, one should be used once a month to repair or fill in the gaps of our hair's needs.

• If you blow dry, a good ionic dryer is recommended to avoid the pitfalls of over drying. The benefit of ionic heat is that it causes the cuticle to lie flat, which can help the hair hold in moisture. The T3 Featherweight Professional hair dryer is a good ionic dryer to try.

• If you flat iron your hair, a good silicone emitting iron is best. A flat iron with a ceramic coating that emits silicone's, causes the hair to feel silkier sooner and avoids the need for too many passes through the hair. Also the use of silicone's helps to eliminate frizz so you flat iron less frequently. The Remington Style Therapy Frizz-Therapy flat iron is a good silicone emitting iron to try.

• Split ends plague us all at one point and cutting is not always preferred. A good camouflage creme might be the answer to buy yourself some time to allow the hair to grow out before cutting off the pesky split ends. White Sands The Cure 24/7 is a good split end camo creme to temporarily seal frayed ends, and help to prevent future breakage while preserving the cuticle. 

• Glossing seems to be the trend to add instant shine, yet not all glossers are created equal. If you're going to gloss, then gloss well using John Frieda's Luminous Color Glaze for a clear and month lasting shine. I have noticed no damage to my natural curls and see a big difference in how my ringlets pop, especially in the sun!

• To Brush or not to brush? Having the right bristles makes all the difference. When the bristles are coarse, and unaligned properly, we risk losing healthy strands at a slow rate, particularly around the already fragile edges. Invest in a good brush or risk doing more damage than good. Boar bristles seem to be the most flexible and safest for all hair types.

What items or products have contributed to healthier hair for you? 

What products made your holy grail (HG) list?

Until next time, keep it growing!

Demi

XOXO