Straight, curled, up, or down-your mane may just be your best accessory. Keep frizz and flatness at bay with this hair care and styling guide to smooth, silky, voluminous locks.
Tip #1: Dry, Don't Damage
When your hair is wet, don't shake the dryer like you would a diffuser to get sleek tresses. Instead, use a round brush and angle the blow-dryer perpendicular to the brush (blowing hot air directly onto your locks fries them
Tip #2: Back to Your Roots
Your scalp's health is the key to stronger, luscious hair. Use a shampoo and conditioner that contains eucalyptus, peppermint oil, and menthol to stimulate blood flow to your roots. That, combined with massaging your scalp, reduces excessive buildup of sebum that strips away natural shine and leads to irritations and dryness.
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Tip #3: Bye, Bye, Backcombing
Combat thinning hair by ditching the maximum-hold hairsprays you typically use to set styles like teased poufs or curls in rollers. They can cause a fracture at the hair shaft when you brush them out because they leave hair so stiff.
Tip #4: Healthy Habit
Taking your vitamins helps keep hair strong from the inside out. Look for daily vitamins that contain biotin (vitamin B7) which not only promotes hair growth, but nail strength as well.
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Tip #5: Fight the Frizz
Get sleek, frizz-free hair without using an iron by wearing a tight-fitting knit hat over damp hair before heading out. Hair will dry molded to the flat, face-framing shape the hat lends
Tip #6: Build More Body
Hot rollers are the best solution to lifting limp locks. Wrap one-inch pieces around them and leave until the curlers cool. Use your fingers to break up the curls so you're left with natural looking waves.
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Tip #7: Beware of Bad Bristles
Alert: your brush might be damaging your hair. Avoid brushes with the little plastic balls at the bristles and opt for soft, spaced out bristles to avoid breakage. Boar bristles are great for fine strands; a boar-plastic mix is best for medium to thick. Try not to brush hair right out of the shower, as it is most fragile when wet.
Tip # 8: Smooth Sleeping
Keep both natural and styled waves bouncy by sleeping on a satin pillowcase. Cotton cases are coarser in texture and can lead to frizzy, tangled, and matted hair when you toss and turn at night.
Tip # 9: Pile it On
For all you Lazy Girls, the best way to hide unwashed hair is to pile it in an updo. Updos actually work better with dirty hair because the oils hold a style better than newly washed strands, especially if they're curled. If you have straight locks, use a barrel iron to make some waves to style with
Tip # 10: Lift Limp Locks
Voluminous hair can be yours when you coat your hair with products infused with collagen, which plumps up your locks. Apply mousse to your roots, and lift them up with your hands while blow-drying section by section. Bring your head upside down while drying to get more body.
For more from Real Beauty:
• 101 Tips For Your Best Skin Ever
• The Best Overnight Skin Treatments
• 7 Top Model Beauty Secrets
• 10 Beauty Looks Men Find Sexy
• 34 Ways to Get Bombshell Hair
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
