5 Ways to Fake Healthy Hair
The motto "fake it till you make it" may have a questionable success rate when it comes to a job, but it can work wonders on unwashed, untrimmed, unruly hair. Beyond what we've told you at least a zillion times before-to use a rich conditioner regularly-these are the Allure beauty department's top tips for faking healthy hair till you make it truly healthy again.
1. Split ends are a dead giveaway of damage. To mend them temporarily, rub a dab of non-liquidy styling cream between your fingers and pinch it over frayed pieces. Hand cream also does the trick; if you've got nothing else, conditioner will work, but only use the teeniest-tiniest dab or your ends will look stringy.
Check out the best hair products of the year.
2. When your roots are oily and there's no time to shower, nothing sops up the sebum as well as dry shampoo. Powders are less sticky and a bit easier to apply than sprays, but they can result in white patches on your scalp. To ensure an even application, sprinkle the powder onto a fine-tooth comb, then rake it through your roots. (We like Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo and Fekkai Au Naturel Dry Shampoo.)
3. If you have broken hairs around your hairline, get bangs. They also make fine hair look fuller. Just be sure to ask your stylist for a thick, not wispy, set. See: How to trim your own bangs.
4. Flatten out flyaways: Mist a little hair spray between your palms or onto a clean toothbrush, then smooth over. The result won't be as greasy as with a cream or serum, especially if your hair is fine. For really stubborn strands, add a second layer of spray and blow-dry flat on low speed.
5. An at-home glossing treatment leaves hair with the kind of luster you see in shampoo ads-and lasts longer than ordinary shine spray (through several shampoos versus several hours). Bonus: It also helps camouflage gray roots and fading highlights. (Try John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze.)
Related: How to Avoid a Bad Haircut
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