It is tempting after a long tired day to just lay down on bed and go straight to sleep. However, most of us use cotton pillowcases, which create a lot of friction between your pillow and your hair, resulting in tangled, frizzy hair, especially for those who toss and turn a lot in their sleep.
To ensure you wake up with beautiful hair, and to save yourself the pain of having to carefully take out knots, here are some steps you can take:
1. Change your pillowcase to a satin or silk one. These smooth materials will allow your hair to glide over it throughout the night, preventing it from catching and knotting.
2. Put your hair into a bun or braid before sleeping. I always sleep with my hair loosely braided and secured with a hair-safe ponytail holder as I toss in my sleep and thus find that my bun tends to come loose during the night. If you do however choose to bun your hair, a bun high on the top of your head would probably feel the most comfortable.
3. Wear a satin/silk nightcap or bonnet instead of putting hair into a braid or bun. Alternatively, further protect your hair by wearing it over your updo. Do take care to choose a nightcap that is not tight as it will probably feel uncomfortable wearing it for hours. You can even wrap your hair in a satin/silk scarf if you have one.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Labels: Prevent tangles, Protect hair when sleeping, Satin pillowcase, Silk pillowcase0 comments
Swimming is great for a full body workout but chlorine in swimming pools can be a killer for your hair. So how should we protect our hair when swimming? Well, before heading into the water, cover your hair with a layer of hair conditioner or oil. Oil might be a better option as it doesn't get washed off easily while conditioner will get washed off as you swim. I personally use coconut oil for my hair but you can use olive oil or baby oil too if you find the smell of coconut oil too strong.
Also, it is best to invest in a swimming cap for added protection. Though the cap doesn't totally prevent water from entering, conditioner or oil on your hair will stay on longer with the cap. However if you have longer hair and find it hard to fit all your hair into a swimming cap, you can always braid it instead. Or else, swimming caps specially catered to those with long hair are available too, though they might be a little hard to find.
After your swim, head to the shower immediately! Don't let the chlorine water sit in your hair. Be sure to shampoo well to get all the oil/conditioner out of your hair. After toweling your hair till it's damp and not dripping wet, spread a leave-in conditioner evenly throughout to repair damages. Run your fingers through your hair or use a wide-toothed comb to ensure the conditioner is applied to the inner layers of hair too. Be sure to always condition hair after swimming to prevent hair from turning into hay!
Also, it is best to invest in a swimming cap for added protection. Though the cap doesn't totally prevent water from entering, conditioner or oil on your hair will stay on longer with the cap. However if you have longer hair and find it hard to fit all your hair into a swimming cap, you can always braid it instead. Or else, swimming caps specially catered to those with long hair are available too, though they might be a little hard to find.
After your swim, head to the shower immediately! Don't let the chlorine water sit in your hair. Be sure to shampoo well to get all the oil/conditioner out of your hair. After toweling your hair till it's damp and not dripping wet, spread a leave-in conditioner evenly throughout to repair damages. Run your fingers through your hair or use a wide-toothed comb to ensure the conditioner is applied to the inner layers of hair too. Be sure to always condition hair after swimming to prevent hair from turning into hay!
It is understandable that those of us who have long hair will find it hard to part with any of it, regardless of how little. However, it is important to note that regular trimming is needed if you are to keep your hair healthy. Dry and split ends are very common in long hair as sebum produced at the scalp seldom reaches the ends of the hair. Also, most of us lack enough nutrients in our diet to nourish both our body and hair. Thus, these split ends must be cut away to prevent further splitting along the hair.
I would recommend a visit to the hair salon every 3 months or so. If your hair is rather healthy, you could probably drag that to 5 months instead. Trimming your hair can also make it appear neater and have a more defined shape, thus causing you to look more well groomed.
Many of us have heard horror stories where a lady enters a salon with knee-length hair and leaves with a bob. To prevent such scenarios, here are some pointers:
1. Specify your desire to only TRIM and not CUT (better yet specify the length you want to trim, e.g. 1 inch)
2. Bring a friend with you so that she can help you monitor the trimming process (stylists usually cut shorter than you want because they think they know what's best and you can't see what they are doing anyway. Your friend will be able to pressurize the stylist into not over-cutting)
3. State clearly that if too much of your precious hair is lost, you will refuse to pay and never come back again (maybe use this as a last resort as you might get thrown out of the salon)
4. Periodically remind your stylist not to cut off too much
5. Observe the length of hair falling to the ground. If it looks scarily long, remind your stylist that you only want a trim.
I would recommend a visit to the hair salon every 3 months or so. If your hair is rather healthy, you could probably drag that to 5 months instead. Trimming your hair can also make it appear neater and have a more defined shape, thus causing you to look more well groomed.
Many of us have heard horror stories where a lady enters a salon with knee-length hair and leaves with a bob. To prevent such scenarios, here are some pointers:
1. Specify your desire to only TRIM and not CUT (better yet specify the length you want to trim, e.g. 1 inch)
2. Bring a friend with you so that she can help you monitor the trimming process (stylists usually cut shorter than you want because they think they know what's best and you can't see what they are doing anyway. Your friend will be able to pressurize the stylist into not over-cutting)
3. State clearly that if too much of your precious hair is lost, you will refuse to pay and never come back again (maybe use this as a last resort as you might get thrown out of the salon)
4. Periodically remind your stylist not to cut off too much
5. Observe the length of hair falling to the ground. If it looks scarily long, remind your stylist that you only want a trim.
Is your hair brittle and dry, never seeming to grow any longer no matter how you wait and hope? Well this just might help you grow a luscious lock of hair.
What you need to start is 100% pure coconut oil, a tablespoon, a large bowl to contain hot water, a smaller bowl to contain the oil and a small towel to wrap around your head. I personally use Parachute brand coconut oil, it's cheap and great, but you are free to use anything you can find easily. For shoulder length hair, slightly less than 2 tablespoons of coconut oil should suffice. Measure the amount of coconut oil required and pour this into the smaller bowl. Then place it into the bigger bowl, which should have been filled with hot water. Use the spoon to stir the oil around a bit to let it heat up.
When the oil is warm, carefully spoon some up and drip along your parting, massaging your scalp as you do so. Sweep your hair over to expose a different part of the scalp and repeat. Do this until your whole scalp is covered in the oil. You don't really have to apply a lot, just a few drop for each part should do. Massage your scalp for at least a minute before moving on to the rest of your hair.
Using the spoon, pour some of the remaining oil in your palm and briefly rub your hands to spread it on both palms. Then run your hands down the length of your hair, coating it with oil. Repeat this until your whole head of hair, including the inner layers, is oiled. By now, the hot water would have cooled down a little. Soak your small towel in the warm water and wring it out till it's damp. Then pile your hair on top of your head and wrap the towel firmly in place. This gives your hair a sort of spa or steaming effect, promoting blood circulation to the head.
After 1 hour, remove the towel and proceed to wash and shampoo your hair. Be sure to shampoo properly after this treatment or you'll end up with an oily scalp. I do this about twice a week and it provides such a good environment for hair growth that I have to trim my fringe about once every 3 weeks to maintain it. Before I could even go months without trimming!
What you need to start is 100% pure coconut oil, a tablespoon, a large bowl to contain hot water, a smaller bowl to contain the oil and a small towel to wrap around your head. I personally use Parachute brand coconut oil, it's cheap and great, but you are free to use anything you can find easily. For shoulder length hair, slightly less than 2 tablespoons of coconut oil should suffice. Measure the amount of coconut oil required and pour this into the smaller bowl. Then place it into the bigger bowl, which should have been filled with hot water. Use the spoon to stir the oil around a bit to let it heat up.
When the oil is warm, carefully spoon some up and drip along your parting, massaging your scalp as you do so. Sweep your hair over to expose a different part of the scalp and repeat. Do this until your whole scalp is covered in the oil. You don't really have to apply a lot, just a few drop for each part should do. Massage your scalp for at least a minute before moving on to the rest of your hair.
Using the spoon, pour some of the remaining oil in your palm and briefly rub your hands to spread it on both palms. Then run your hands down the length of your hair, coating it with oil. Repeat this until your whole head of hair, including the inner layers, is oiled. By now, the hot water would have cooled down a little. Soak your small towel in the warm water and wring it out till it's damp. Then pile your hair on top of your head and wrap the towel firmly in place. This gives your hair a sort of spa or steaming effect, promoting blood circulation to the head.
After 1 hour, remove the towel and proceed to wash and shampoo your hair. Be sure to shampoo properly after this treatment or you'll end up with an oily scalp. I do this about twice a week and it provides such a good environment for hair growth that I have to trim my fringe about once every 3 weeks to maintain it. Before I could even go months without trimming!
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