It’s common knowledge that to keep your hair looking great, it’s necessary to spend some time and effort on it. The good news is that doing this need not necessarily involve great expense.
No one gets out of bed with perfect hair, and celebrities look so fabulous simply because they have a whole team of dedicated hair technicians working on them before they even leave the house. Although the majority of us can probably live without stylists, the occasional trim and cut can make a significant difference to our appearance.
Don’t repeat-wash in one session
A double shampoo will simply strip your hair of its natural oils, and “squeaky clean” is actually synonymous with “super-dry”, which is something you definitely don’t want. The advice from experts is not to use shampoo twice in the same wash, but after every other wash, and to use a small amount of conditioner when you’re not shampooing. When you do use shampoo, use just half the amount recommended on the bottle. The result will be healthier hair that has a lot more body, and you’ll also reduce your shampoo expenditure by half.
Careful with the timing
If you’ve coloured your hair, using clarifying shampoo is a definite no-no, whether it’s homemade or been bought in a store. It will drain out the colour and leave your hair looking less evenly toned. Instead, use clarifying shampoo just before you actually apply the colour. The effect of removing traces of build-up in this way will be hair that can hold the colour better for longer.
Use baking soda
Every six weeks or so, remove all the traces of conditioner and styling products using a box of common baking soda from the kitchen cabinet. Mix a spoonful of this with two white vinegar and rub it into your scalp right along the hair strands, and then rinse it all out.
Use the right pillowcases
If you sleep on satin pillowcases, you’ll find that your hair crumples far less than it does on cotton. The hair cuticles become roughened by cotton whereas satin will allow your hair to slip gently over the surface as you turn and roll during sleep.
Visit the local hairdressing academy
Getting your hair done at the local college by trainee hairdressers will work out cheaper and often a lot better than visiting a high street salon. Students are usually keener to try out a lot of new styles, whilst at the same time ensuring that they’re doing their work properly. Tell them what they want and their supervisor will keep a check on things.
The myths of the simple-and-easy hairdo and the wash-and-go cut have pretty much exploded by now, and most people appreciate that only the starlets leave their houses with perfect hairdos. There are, however, numerous ways in which you can keep your hair not only under control but also looking great by taking a few shortcuts and applying half a bottle of common sense.
