Your hair is your most amazing accessory. If treated right you can wear your hair beautifully as you transform it the way you do your wardrobe season to season, one complimenting the other. During the summer even the most diligent of protective efforts cannot prevent all of the damage threats brought on by the environment of the summer months. So a refresh of moisture and possibly a repair treatment are good ways to move from the days of pool water and sun to the days of  holiday parties and pictures. As a matter of fact the first step in richening your hair should be ensuring that it is properly moisturized. To be rich is to be supple to be supple is to not be parched and frayed.

Deepening your color is an excellent decision during this seasonal shift. I become ecstatic every year as this time approaches and the deep romantic colors begin to whisper to women influencing hair color changes. This doesn’t mean that blondes need to become brunettes and brunettes need to go black.  A full head of high lighted hair can be deepened by adding more low lights or lowering the level of the toner for a richer finish. Whatever you choose to do make the decision with confidence and enjoy our connection with the world we live in as you enjoy your new fall look!

When we shampoo we are attempting to break up dirt and excess oils and then rinse them away. Shampoo does this through the effects of surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, or the ammonium based ammonium lauryl sulfate. Surfactants conduct an amazing process of penetrating oils, emulsifying these oils, suspending them in water, and then finally rinsing these oils down the drain as you rinse the shampoo from your hair. This being the desired effect of you stepping into your shower and grabbing that shampoo bottle we can definitely say that these surfactants do the job. The problem arises when this process of stripping oils is done too often. The body produces sebum(oil) to protect the skin and hair. Sebum keeps the hair from becoming dry, brittle, and cracked from dehydration. To remove sebum daily threatens the integrity of the hair.

I often recommend that a safer alternative to daily shampooing would be to skip at least one day between shampoos. On this day, if it is felt necessary, rather than using shampoo just use conditioner. Start by thoroughly rinsing your hair. Then use a conditioner to emulsify the dirt and oils in your hair by massaging it in as you would a shampoo. Again thoroughly rinse your hair, this time ending with a cool rinse. For my clients who were stuck on a regimen of daily shampooing this alternative proved to be very effective. Many said that even after a workout, when their hair is screaming for a shower, using the conditioner does the job.

As with any change  there may be a period of adjustment. At first it may feel wrong to not shampoo your hair everyday if that is what you are used to. It may feel wrong to put conditioner on your hair when you haven’t shampooed it yet. It is easier to build patterns than it is to change them. There may be a period of adjustment physiologically as well. Your body is a system that reacts to its environment and conditions. The production of sebum is a normal balanced bodily function. When you remove the sebum the sebaceous glands release more to ensure the protection of the hair and skin. A balanced body will maintain a balanced sebum production. When an immediate change is made in the removal of the sebum the body may continue producing and releasing at the same rate until balance to the new conditions is achieved. I have heard from many of my clients that at first their hair felt weighed down but within a few days as they got used to not shampooing daily their hair got its bounce back and was much shinier and healthier looking than before.

To maintain healthy beautiful hair it is important to be aware of what your putting on it and how that will affect the integrity of the hairs structure. How strong it is coming out of your scalp depends on how you treat your body. How strong it is after that is not only based on how you treat your body but a direct result of how you treat your hair. Be nice to your hair.

Strengthening

Preventing the breakdown without putting any effort into building up is just using one leg when you have two. I wont say that measures to strengthen your hair are the most important in preventing split ends because it is important to follow a balanced regimen in order to attain balanced results. But it is very important to grow and maintain strength in the structure of  the hair to prevent it from reaching a point of splitting. As it is said, you are what you eat. Healthy balanced eating leads to healthy balanced growth. There are foods that you can eat that will help you to grow healthy powerful beautiful hair. You can read more about that in the previous article Eating for Healthy Hair. I have seen the difference in the hair when someone is not taking care of themselves. Drinking plenty of water is more important then many people may believe. A dehydrated body wears dehydrated hair. So remember what goes in our bodies determines what grows out. In maintaining this strengthening, hydrating and fortifying treatments are essential.

Hydrate and Fortify

Weakened hair is a result of many factors one of the main being dryness. In the winter months we begin to feel our hair and skin dry out due to the weather change. This is when I see a lot of brittle hair screaming for moisture. This is not the only time however when your hair needs to be hydrated and fortified. Hydrating treatments and masques applied regularly result in the hair maintaining a balanced level of moisture. Some of these treatments have additives in them such as keratin or other proteins to fortify the hair in a way that reestablishes a stronger structure in the hair shaft. There are many products that you can purchase to maintain a regimen at home. The masques and treatments for at home use are great for using on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. The concentrated in salon treatments should be performed by your stylist every other haircut when on a 6-8 week appointment schedule.

Minimize Shampooing

Telling some women to skip a day between shampoos is like I’m telling them to skip a day eating. I never hear more groans and “but what about”-s as when I recommend shampooing a little less. Besides the knowledge of what is assumed to be dirty hair the most common fear in not shampooing everyday is greasy oily hair. Your body produces oils, known as sebum. A healthy body produces healthy oils that assist in moisture balance in the scalp and hair. When you shampoo you remove these oils. That is not a bad thing because you do need to freshen up, remove the build up of oils and the dirt trapped in them, and start the cycle again. When you remove them obsessively however the body may react and make more to compensate. So in the long run the goal of removing the oils can result in an over abundance of oil production. So if you are shampooing everyday, or in some cases I’ve heard more than once a day, at first you may experience an over accumulation of oils in the first days-weeks of  minimizing your shampooing. Most likely this will balance out. When an over production of sebum doesn’t occur the other result of over shampooing can be the dryness and weakening that leads to split ends -Shampoo Addiction and the People it Hurts

Minimize Heat Usage

I love to go out and see women dressed up. Stunning shoes, amazing outfits, flashes of color on eyes and lips, and hair styled like they know that hair they have is their most amazing accessory. Just writing these words I am caught in my own imagination of these breathtaking images. But I know what goes in to step out looking so awe inspiring, time and sacrifice. Eye lashes dont curl themselves, 6 inch heels aren’t made of  clouds and your hair doesn’t look “just stepped out of the salon” when you’ve just crawled out of bed. It takes time and sacrifice. We all want to look our “best” all of the time, but we have to be conscious of the strain we put on ourselves to look our “best.” A constant barrage of hot air and hot metal on the hair results in dryness, weakening, split ends and sometimes eventually substantial breakage. The worst culprit of this kind of damage comes from overuse of  the flat iron. Two smooth surfaced frying pans smashing hair strands into submission.*chills* I know how amazing the transformation is from the hair you wake up with to the hair you walk out with by using hot tools. Overuse however is dangerous to the health and integrity of your hair. So just try to minimize your usage of heat on your hair. Not abstinence, just moderation.

Thermal Protectors

This step in preventing split ends is so important it deserves its own article all together. Oh Look!

Chlorine Saltwater and the Sun

oh my. When we are approaching summer months  we begin to hear the call of pools, beaches, parks and parties. In a very short time chlorine, saltwater and the sun can wreak havoc on perfectly maintained hair. No need to ignore invitations and hide indoors all summer, as with many kinds of fun that have their inherent risks, protection is the key to enjoyment and satisfaction. First of all we’ll talk about chlorine and saltwater. The risks: Dry weakened hair and horrible discoloration whether your color is natural or processed. This is totally preventable with minimal effort. There are some great products to block chlorine and saltwater absorption. Some of these products also have sun blocking capabilities as well as concentrations and consistency’s that ensure longer periods of protection than homemade formulas. Home made formula: 1.Spray bottle 2.deep conditioner 3.little bit of water. Protection from chlorine and saltwater is achieved when the hair shaft is filled with a protectant, home made or otherwise, therein preventing chlorine or saltwater from penetrating the hair shaft. Damage from the sun can be prevented with products designed specifically to do as such. I have also heard of many women using regular sunscreen on their hair. Poolside hats and umbrellas work great as well.

Towel Drying

Some women have hair so thick and strong that you could do anything short of lighting it on fire and it will maintain its integrity. But not everyone is indian so for most women it is important to be gentle with your hair. Aside from the attack that occurs with a brush or a comb the situation that takes place when a woman towel dries her own hair is the most horrific site for me to witness. All the care that goes into washing and conditioning, all the time and money spent on care and styling, the joy this all brings with a beautiful head of hair, all of this right out the window when it is time to remove water from the hair. It is as if there is a battle over the water taking place and your weapon is that towel. The hair holds on for dear life as you twist, mash, and wring with all your efforts. And in the end your hair relents, it is then towel dried. Over time your hair displays its battle wounds. Cuticle wear, bends breaks and even lost hairs are all signs of this kind of abuse. Don’t attack your hair. Just ask nicely, it’ll let you have the water.

Use the Right Tool for the Job

I’ve seen every girlfriend I’ve ever had reach for one of my combs, most likely because she cant find my brush, and commence to hate brushing her tangles out with a fine tooth comb. It gives me chills to witness. I’ve stood behind women in line and seen a frazzled ball of hair wrapped up in an actual rubber rubber band. Stop it! Stop using paper clips to clip your bangs back. Some of the clips made specifically for hair are even worse so choose wisely. As a matter of fact stop over using bobby pins to pin back bangs. Try to keep the bang area properly shaped and use a bit of product to control. Bobby pins easily bend and break hair strands. The point is, to maintain healthy beautiful hair consistency is important. always use the right tool for the job. Which leads to…

No Wet Brushing

This is such a huge key to avoiding split ends. Huge! When the hair is wet a chemical change takes place in which the result is the hair being much more fragile. The structure of the hair shaft is vulnerable so when the hair is wet it is extremely important that care is taken to not stretch the hair the way in which brushing it while wet can do. When a hair strand is wet its weaker structure allows for a bit of an elastic like stretching. However, in this weakened state, said hair strand is much more likely to snap within that stretching. No wet brushing. The best way to comb out wet hair is a wide tooth comb.

Trim It!

So you’ve decided that you want to sit on your hair. I am a long hair specialist, I love long hair. If it looks good that long I’m all for it. As much as it seems that not cutting your hair for the next five years is the sure way to get there its definitely not the way to grow strong, healthy, beautiful, long hair. Regular trims are important. A little more time can be taken between trims when you’re reaching for length as long as you’re taking all the proper precautions and care necessary to maintain healthy hair. Beyond just the maintenance of a flattering shape regular trimming of your ends is important to ensure that the hair shaft stays healthy in its structure as well as the appearance. We’ve all seen long hair on a girl who is way too proud of the dust and spiderwebs swinging between her shoulders. Unhealthy long hair is like currency that isn’t used anymore. Congratulations on saving all that up, it’s useless. Get regular trims. When a client expresses to me a desire to grow longer hair we begin to make plans for future care and maintenance with longer hair the ultimate goal. Within those plans there are regular trims that are determined by the health and integrity of the hair at the time of the appointment. Sometimes very little is removed sometimes more. Sometimes the hair looks great and the shape can afford to skip the trim so we just do a good treatment, a blow dry and we look forth to the next appointment with even longer hair. Grow long hair, wear long hair, then grow longer hair Just keep it strong and beautiful. Get regular trims.

Unfortunately split ends cannot be completely avoided. And considering what that would take, who would want that anyways. The fact is that you’re going to get split ends, everyone does. But to avoid or, at the least minimize, what causes split ends is to give yourself the opportunity to grow Healthy Powerful Beautiful Hair.

Firstly It is important to understand what silicones are and how they perform so as to better understand why they are used in the formulation of many hair products. Silicones are man made polymer compounds with quite a few interesting properties and uses. They can be heat resistant which is the reason for the use of silicones in many modern cooking utensils. They also have a high electrical resistance which, along with their heat resistant properties, is why they are used in electrical products for insulation purposes. Used as sealants  and caulks, as lubricants and coatings it is their properties of resistance that has made silicones so widely used in a large variety of products in many industries.

It is the hydrophobic property(water resistance) that has made them such a staple in many hair care products. When you smooth your hair out in the morning walk out your door with shiny bouncy locks and see limp frizzy hair by the time you are leaving work this is due to the absorption of moisture from the humidity in the air around you. Which is the reason why women in drier climates get away with doing so much less to their hair to maintain style. Silicones in hair care products assist in preventing this limp frizzy disaster by creating a seal around the hair shaft; A seal that blocks the absorption of moisture thereby preventing the swelling of the hair shaft that is frizzy limp hair. It is also said that the silicones smooth and soften the hair. What I have found is that the silicones themselves are smooth and soft so it is not so much that the hair is becoming smoother and softer but rather that the seal formed around the hair shaft is soft and smooth.

Now this all sounds great. Frizz is caused by the absorption of moisture, silicones prevent the absorption of moisture. I agree, honestly I have used some of these products and been very pleased with their immediate results. However, it is the long term effects of excessive use that I intend to caution here. I liken the regular use of silicones on your hair to deciding that the air around you is not the best air you could be breathing so you tie a bag around your head. To sustain your own life you at some point will need to breathe again and a bag tied tightly around your head would make that quite difficult. Your lungs need oxygen as do your skin and hair need moisture. Winter rolls around and we all see the benefits of the moisture our humid climate provides. The cold dry air of winter brings with it chapped dry skin and dry brittle hair.

Through much hair analysis I have seen that excessive use of  silicone based products lead to the hair under the seal becoming dry and weakened. I have also observed that silicone based products can and often do become difficult to wash out with a simple shampoo which leads to a further inability to absorb the necessary moisture from conditioners and natural secretions of the body. This can be taken care of with a good clarifying treatment. I recommend seeing your stylist to do this and getting a conditioning treatment at the same time. Excessive clarifying can extremely deplete the hairs moisture balance.

So I’m not screaming “Here comes Silicones! RUN!” All I am really saying is be conscientious with what you put both in and on your body. Eat your vegetables but also enjoy your wine. Just maintain a balance and take care of your body from hair to toes. Chase health and beauty will chase you -Clemente

A good thermal protector is what stands between you and, dried up, broken, dull, lifeless locks. Thermal protectors can be found in cream or spray forms. To apply, towel dry clean hair and work the cream forms from the mid length and ends up to the root area. Then comb the hair in all directions to ensure even coverage. With the spray forms it can be helpful to flip your head forward so that you can move the hair more freely in all directions. Again, comb the hair in all directions to ensure complete and even coverage. Be sure not to miss the hairs at the front hairline as this tends to be the area where the hair is more fragile and therefore more vulnerable to heat damage.

There are many many thermal protectors out there. I personally like Kerastase’s Nectar Thermique for its combination of moisturizing complexes as well as thermal protective agents. What is most important is that you practice safe styling. Styling your hair is loving your hair. Loving without wearing protection is not just a bad idea, its wrong. Practice safe styling, get a good thermal protector and use it!

One thought to consider is this: unshaped hair is not enjoyable to wear and can be difficult to manage. If you have a heap of medium length hair with a problematic shape, for styling, or  keeping a put together look, that road to long and glamorous hair is going to be frustrating and most of the time feel like it’s not worth it. Then come the ideas every morning, as you struggle to get some bounce in your mass of  weighted down hair, of how easy it would be to just cut it all off and give up. NO, It is worth it. It is SO worth it and growing your hair longer can be easier.

Shaping and style aside, manageability has other factors involved namely health and integrity of your hair. The condition of your hair obviously determines how well it will look styled or not(why wouldn’t you? Ever!? Okay, the gym. fine.) That being said consider this: the hair closest to your scalp right now will be, at the least, months old by the time it plays with your earrings. When growing your hair long the hair at the very ends is being expected to fight aging and the likelihood of this depends on both the texture of your hair and the care you put into protecting it. If you grow your hair out expecting that which is at the top to at some point still be around when it constitutes the bottom, chances are the ends of your hair will look like very old people standing at the bar in a club. They’re old and tired and should have been gone a long time ago. In many cases you can see discoloration at the tired old ends of long hair, a sign that it is ready to retire.

I know that the desire for longer stronger locks leads to a fear of the shears. I am also aware that many, not all, but many hair stylists can tend to be a bit scissor happy. Cutting large amounts of hair is usually not necessary when growing your hair longer. Proper shaping and then trimming, however, is absolutely necessary. I like to get my clients on a system where we trim and then see each other again when its time to trim and sometimes skip it for a conditioning treatment, but we still see each other every 6 weeks. If you really want beautiful healthy longer hair there is only one way, communicate and commit to someone who cares enough to help get you there.