Have you ever been walking down the road, or strolling around in a shopping mall, and then suddenly you spot someone with hair so gorgeous and shiny that it made you look twice? I certainly have, and in fact, it’s probably the biggest reason why I developed such a big interest in beauty tips for hair. I guess you could say that I eventually got envious. I mean, how do some people get to have beautifully shiny and healthy looking hair, while others struggle with their hair all the time?
Have you ever seen a painting before and after it was framed? Of course frames can’t turn every painting into a masterpiece, but a frame can do wonders for a painting or a sketch. Frames enhance the appearance of paintings, sketches, and even prints or photos. Forgive me for going on about picture frames when I should be discussing ways for improving your hair. You see, I am a bit of an art enthusiast myself, so I can’t help seeing some sort of similarity between picture frames and hair.
While frames enhance the beauty and appearance of pictures and paintings, hair can enhance one’s personal beauty. It’s like your face is the picture and your hair is the frame. Your hair can make a huge difference to the way you look. Naturally, much of it has to do with hairstyles. However, your hair itself also plays a huge role, which is even more noticeable if you have long hair. Okay, before we look at some tips for improving hair health, let us first take a look at some of the things which can and do ruin people’s hair.
Understanding Hair and Hairstyling
Before I launch my attack against hair destroying habits, I just want to point out that each hair on your head contains three components:
- Medulla
- Cortex
- Cuticle
Right in the very center of each strand of hair, is the medulla. This is encased and protected by the cortex, which in turn is encased and protected by the cuticle. If any of these three components sustain damage, your hair will begin to lose its natural beauty. More often than not, dull, dry and brittle looking hair is a result of cuticle damage.
A poor diet and poor lifestyle choices can wreak havoc on your hair. As is the case with all other part of your body, hair also requires sufficient nutrition in order to stay healthy. In most cases, however, visible damage to your hair is a result of external factors. You can eat the healthiest diet in the world and still not have beautifully shiny and healthy hair if you are continually abusing your hair on the outside.
If you are a big fan of hairstyling, then I am afraid that I have some bad news for you. There are 8 main styling options, and they all have the potential to seriously damage your hair. Of course, everyone has their own personal hair styling favorites, and this can make matters even worse if you are the sort of person who likes to have your hair styled on a regular basis.
Right, before we look at how various forms of styling can and almost always does damage one’s hair, I would like to share with you, one of the most valuable beauty tips for hair I have ever come across…
Less Is Always Best!
The less you do to your hair, the less chance there is of your hair being damaged. If you really want your hair to look beautiful and as healthy, leave it alone. If you really cannot go without styling your hair, then choose one of the more gentle forms of styling, and make sure that you choose a stylist that actually does understand the vulnerabilities of hair. A good stylist will know what products to use and when to use them in order to minimize the risk of damaging your hair. Okay, let’s examine some popular hairstyling methods under a spotlight:
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Highlights and Hair Dyes
Highlights and the use of semi-permanent hair dyes are certainly not as damaging as some other forms of styling, but that does not necessarily mean that they are harmless either. Highlights and hair dyes can in fact alter the actual structure of hair, and when this happens, your hair can lose its luster.
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Blow Drying and Flat Ironing
I am sure hundreds of millions of people blow dry their hair on an almost daily basis. Nobody wants to jump into bed at night with damp hair, or leave for work in the morning with damp hair, so we rely on blow drying. Ideally, if you have to blow dry your hair, you would be doing your hair a favor if you set your blow dryer to cold, but of course we all know that setting to warm gets the job done a lot quicker.
Flat irons seem to have become really common household commodities, with many people using them daily to straighten their hair. These tend to transfer even more heat to your hair than hair dryers do. The problem is that heat causes temporary structural changes to your hair. I won’t go into that right now, so you will just have to take my word for it, or check it out online. Anyway, such temporary changes are not really serious, but the changes can actually become permanent if you are subjecting your hair to this sort of treatment every day or every other day.
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Hair Bleaching
If you really do not want beautifully shiny and healthy hair, start bleaching it. Okay, I’m being sarcastic, I know. Seriously people, if you value hair that is healthy, shiny and full of bounce, do NOT bleach it. Bleaching has a direct impact on your hair, and I am not referring to a change in color. Bleaching weakens your hair, and the damage is permanent. Add blow drying or flat ironing to your hair regime and the damage will be even worse.
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Over-Washing Your Hair
Right from the day we learned how to wash ourselves in the bath or shower, we have been told to wash our hair. Not only that, but we have also been told to wash our hair every day. I am not saying that you shouldn’t wash your hair every day, but it is not something which everyone needs to do. Some people might need to wash their hair every day or every other day, while some people might only need to wash their hair once every few days, or maybe only once a week.
When it comes to washing your hair, you need to find out what works best for you. Washing your hair too frequently can strip away the natural oils which are there to protect your hair. For this reason, you should be careful about what shampoos you use, and also what conditioners you use. Your best bet would be to use a very gentle shampoo and a good quality conditioner. Of course, it would be even better to use a shampoo and conditioner made from natural ingredients.
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Chemical Perming
A “Perm” is the term used for a particular hairstyle technique that involves the use of chemicals to either curl or straighten hair. I really hate using any technical jargon in the posts I write, but right now, I feel as though I don’t have much choice. I will keep this as simple as possible, I promise.
Hair is essentially made up of a protein called keratin. With unprocessed hair, keratin molecules are arranged in bundles. Disulphide bonds hold all these bundles together. Very straight hair has a greater number of disulphide bonds compared to curly hair. When you go for a perm, a chemical is applied to your hair. It causes the keratin in your hair to swell and soften.
The keratin bundles break apart, and then your hair stylist can change the shape of your hair strands. Once the desired shape/style has been achieved, another chemical is applied. This chemical allows disulphide bonds form again. When they do, the process strengthens the hair enough to ensure that the changes made remain permanent.
Because the repaired keratin bonds never regain their original strength, hair that has been permed is substantially weaker than hair which has not been permed. Once you have been for a perm you will have to be very careful with your hair. There is no way to restore the original strength!
Remember, Less Is Always Best!
I know I have already mentioned that “less is best” but it won’t do any harm mentioning it again because it really is one of the best beauty tips for hair you will ever come across. It even applies to brushing your hair. I can’t even recall how many people I have spoken to who thought that they could improve the condition of their hair by brushing it at every opportunity they got.
In reality, excessing brushing does not improve your hair. Instead, it can seriously damage your hair, particularly if you use cheap poor quality hairbrushes. Even good quality brush can cause split ends in your hair if you brush your hair excessively.
Natural Hair Treatments You Can Do At Home
So far, the tips I have suggested for keeping your hair healthy and beautiful have all revolved around preventative measures; precautions you can take in order to avoid damaging your hair. Let’s move on to other beauty tips for hair, such as natural hair treatments you can easily do at home. There are tons of home remedies on the internet, but I’m only going to discuss a few home remedies which I personally really like. You won’t need to buy any expensive ingredients to these, and you should be able to notice immediate results.
Revitalizing Coconut Milk Treatment
Using a little bit of coconut milk on your hair is one of my all-time favorite beauty tips for hair. Not only can it do wonders for your hair, but it can also do wonders for your scalp. Coconut milk is loaded with countless nutrients and minerals but I won’t go into that now. All I will say is that you really need to try this DIY hair treatment in order to appreciate just how effective it is.
Some people make ludicrous claims about coconut milk being able to restore hair growth, but if that were the case, there would be very few bald men going about. What it can do, however, is it can most certainly improve your hair. You will need to use enough of it to completely coat your hair. If you have been suffering from an itchy or flaking scalp be sure to massage the milk into your scalp as well
Leave the milk on your hair for at least 30 minutes to an hour, and then rinse and shampoo as usual. If you only want to give your hair a wonderful shine, shampoo your hair first, and then apply the coconut milk as a leave-on conditioner. Wait until your hair is almost dry, and then comb or brush as you normally will. Now you will have the sort of shine you have been dreaming about.
Conditioning Aloe Vera Gel Remedy
Aloe Vera Gel has been used in natural remedies for centuries already, but most people tend to associate with skin related issues, such as dry or flaking skin, burns, and etc. Well, I have news for you. Aloe Vera gel is an excellent hair conditioner. Depending on what sort of climate you live in, Aloe Vera is also incredibly easy to grow.
If you have any growing in your garden, or if you know anybody does, then you can easily make your own gel. Alternatively, you can just go ahead and purchase some. It generally does not cost very much, and the results you will get will make the expense well worth your while.
You can mix some essential oil with your Aloe Vera gel before you apply it, but personally, I don’t believe it is necessary. It is best to use the gel undiluted, but if you want to, you can dilute it a bit. Keep in mind though, the more you dilute it, the more diluted the results will be. I suggest using it as is, and using it liberally. Try to ensure that all your hair is thoroughly coated, and then leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes before shampooing your hair as usual.
Aloe Vera gel not only nourishes your hair, but it also leaves your hair feeling wonderfully soft. Did I forget to mention that it gives your hair a good shine as well?
Yogurt Deep Moisturizing Treatment
Yogurt is, in my opinion an essential requirement for a healthy lifestyle. It seriously promotes good gut health; it can be used to successfully treat yeast infections, and yes, it is super good for your hair as well. Now, before you rush off to grab a tub of yogurt out of your refrigerator, I need to stress that you can use just any yogurt.
You need to use normal plain yogurt with no added sugar. No added flavors, no fruit, no sugar, no nothing. Just good, old fashioned plain yogurt, or Greek Yogurt. Yogurt is rich in protein which will help to strengthen hair shafts. It also helps to prevent split ends, and if used regularly, it can also help to prevent other types of hair damage.
Simply take about a quarter of a cup and give it a good stir to loosen it up nicely. If your hair is very long, you may of course need slightly more. For best results, I recommend washing your hair first. Use a towel to get rid of excess water, and then massage the yogurt into both your hair and your scalp.
To prevent the yogurt from dripping off and causing a mess, I suggest using a shower cap. Leave the yogurt on for 15 to 30 minutes, and then rinse, shampoo and condition as usual.
Promoting Heathy Hair from the Inside
So many beauty tips for hair focus different types of treatments that can be applied directly to your hair. In truth, however, if you are really serious about having beautiful hair, you also need to nourish your hair from the inside by eating a healthy diet. Of course, these days, eating a perfectly balanced diet is often easier said than done.
When schedules are busy and time is scarce, our diets are often the first to suffer. Fortunately, there are plenty of delicious foods that can boost hair health. Good quality dietary supplements can also do wonders for your hair, providing you know what sort of supplements you need to take. I am not going to get onto the topic of hair healthy supplements now, but hopefully I will find time soon to write a post about supplements.
In the meantime, I highly recommend following or at the very least trying some of the tips for beautiful hair which I have shared here. Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to check in every once in a while for more tried and tested natural remedies. Oh, and don’t forget, when it comes to hair styling…
Less Is Always Best!
Take care and stay well. Are you confronted with fine lines, wrinkles or an aging skin? Then, read how to get beautifully glowing skin naturally.
