Banish bad hair days with this awesome rescue plan
A good hair day puts a spring in your step while a bad one can have you listless as your locks. Here, we decode why you have 'bad hair days' and offers you the ultimate rescue plan!
The Clinical Reality: There's enough medical research to rate stress as one of the biggest causes of urban health concerns, ranging from cardiovascular disease to obesity--but what you may not know is that doctors rate it as the leading cause of 'bad' hair, too. Combined with our lifestyle--pollution, chemicals, synthetic products--and dull, limp, lifeless hair seems almost inevitable. A recent report by P&G from their Beauty Innovation segment shows that when new hair grows, the cuticle consists of up to 10 layers of long 'scales' that give hair its volume and shine. However, as the hair grows, the layers get worn down little by little--this also explains why, if you have long hair, the cuticle is almost worn out at the tips. Of course, this wearing out is a natural process; however, add the urban cocktail of poor lifestyle habits and stress, and it hastens this stripping of layers.
End result? Weak, dull strands. Says Dr Punit Saraogi, clinical and cosmetic dermatologist and trichologist, and an hair expert for Clear Shampoos (HUL): 'Vitamins, minerals and protein-rich foods are vital for healthy hair. Regular oiling and conditioning, a good night's sleep and managing stress are the next steps to nourished hair. One of the most important things you can do is pick products suited to your hair type, and also, use them right.' Here's a quick look at the most common causes of 'bad hair days'--and what you can do to tackle them.
Know your scalp and hair type: While most of us identify our hair as dry or greasy, few know that the scalp also has a 'type'. Says Dr Rashmi Shetty, cosmetic dermatologist, Ra's Clinic Mumbai, and a hair expert with Parachute (Marico), 'For many women, the condition of hair and scalp is dissimilar--you can have dry scalp and greasy strands or vice-versa.'
To know your hair and scalp type, do the following test: Shampoo at night, and don't condition your hair. Observe your scalp and hair the next day and the day after. If you have an oily scalp and hair, both will feel greasy by the end of the first day.
If you have a normal scalp and hair, it will just look shiny, and if you have dry hair then the scalp will remain dry, while your hair could start looking dull and even feel rough by day two. If your hair and scalp fall into the same category, choosing hair-care products is easier. If they're don't, however--which is especially common if you have had chemical treatments such as rebonding or perming--you may have more of a challenge at hand. The trick is to pick a shampoo to tackle your scalp type, and use a conditioner to de-stress your hair strands. Dr Shetty advises, 'For a greasy scalp, pick a shampoo to remove excess oil, and to treat dry hair, look for a softening and smoothing conditioner or hair masks, and vice-a-versa.'
Enhance your natural hair texture: As with skin tone or body-type, the trick is to enhance what you have rather than try and make it what you envy. Have curly or wavy hair? One of the reasons many of us with curls want straight hair is that the soft, silky texture of straight hair appeals to us. Rather than investing in chemical treatments such as rebonding to get straight hair, put your money in products and treatments that will give you softer, silkier hair while celebrating your curls. No matter what your hair type, sign up for hair spa treatments to nourish and set your hair on the path to good health, then follow up with these at-home techniques:
Medium-to-thick flat hair
Aim for: Sleekness and shine
How to: Wash your hair at night and style it in the morning. This way your hair's natural oils get time to travel down to the strands, making them look healthier. Natural oils smoothen the cuticles, so the hair reflects light better. Avoid rigorously lathering your hair--it strips off the natural sebum and makes it look coarse, dry and dull. Look for products with ceramides and panthenol in them that replace oils that get washed off during shampooing (conditioning shampoos often have a pearly or metallic finish and are white or off-white in colour).
Must-do: Says Najeeb Ur Rehman, national trainer, Schwarzkopf, India: 'Rinse off the conditioner with warm water, then use cold water for a final rinse to seal moisture into the cuticles and lay them flat, which helps reflect light and gives it shine.'
Try: TRESemme Smooth & Shine Shampoo and Conditioner, `68 each. Finish off by using a couple of drops of serum on towel-dried hair from mid-length to the tips to smoothen and moisturise. We like L'Oreal Professionnel Liss Ultime Thermo Relaxium Serum, Rs 580 or Tony & Guy Classic Shine Serum, Rs 550.
Fine, flyaway hair:
Aim for: Volume!
How-to: Start with a volumising shampoo. Follow it up with a volume-enhancing conditioner or mask.
Must-do: To condition, hold wet hair high up as if in a ponytail. Apply conditioner only to the 'tail'. Rinse with tepid water. Don't apply the conditioner or mask at the roots since it weighs the hair down.
Try: Pantene ProV Nature Fusion Fullness & Life Shampoo and Conditioner, Rs 64 each.
To style: Use a volumising spray such as Schwarzkopf Osis Upload Lifting Volume Cream, Rs 659. Apply to damp hair and blow-dry on low for extra volume. You can also use this product on dry hair to style on the go.
