6 Hair-Care Myths You Need to Stop Believing

 

Think you know all about hair care? Okay, you might know a lot. But there is a ton of fake news out there about what makes your hair the healthiest and looking its best. Don't fall for 'em. Below, we've rounded up some of the six most common misconceptions about your crown of glory. You may be surprised by what you find!

Cutting your hair makes it grow faster.

"This is a myth and there is no science behind this theory," states hair surgeon Ken L. Williams Jr., founder of Orange County Hair Restoration in Irvine, California, and author of Hair Transplant 360: Follicular Unit Extraction. It comes down to the physiology of the hair growth cycle. "Cutting the hair shaft itself has nothing to do with the hair follicle that is located within the skin or the dermis," he explains. While trimming your strands will make unhealthy ends disappear, it won't encourage your hair to grow at a faster rate.

Washing your hair with cold water makes it shinier.

Well, the good news is you can stop torturing yourself with cold showers. "The temperature of the water has nothing to do with whether the scalp or hair is clean, or the appearance of the hair," says Williams. "You're getting a stimulatory effect [with the cold water — it certainly wakes you up — but that's all it's going to do." However, he states that conditioning the hair can affect its luster and help pump up the shine. Try Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Conditioner to keep your hair shiny and moisturized.

Coloring your hair will only damage it.

"There's a half-truth behind this one," says Williams. It has been recorded in medical journals that people who have used strong dyes have actually burned their scalp. "So it totally depends on the chemical, the dye, and the manufacturer you're using," continues Williams. In other words, every scalp is unique, so results will vary.

Split ends can be repaired.

New York City dermatologist Francesca J. Fusco, who consults for Unilever, notes that split ends are equal opportunity offenders, and when left untreated, hair becomes dull, dry, and tangled. "Split ends cannot be repaired once a split occurs and cannot be resealed or closed," she states. The reason: A split end is caused when the protective outer layer of your hair, the cuticle, is damaged. "The best treatment is to get regular haircuts trimming the ends,"' adds Fusco. They can't be resealed, but if you want to give them some extra TLC, use the Oribe Split End Seal which helps restore your hair.

Dry shampoo is better than washing your hair with regular shampoo.

Dry shampoo can be misleading since it doesn't actually clean your hair. Fusco explains that the scalp needs to be hydrated and washed with shampoo. It also needs to be rinsed. "It is fine to use dry shampoo in a pinch, but nothing replaces...water and wet shampoo," she concludes. Try using the Best of Beauty-winning L'Oreal Paris Extraordinary Clay Rebalancing Shampoo for purified and hydrated roots.

Fine hair shouldn't be conditioned.

"This is false — both hair and scalp need to be conditioned!" states Fusco. "Proper shampooing and conditioning nourish the scalp, allowing healthy beautiful hair to grow and also helps to condition the hair." She advises people of all hair types to look for a shampoo and conditioner that is formulated specifically for both hair and scalp, such as Dove DermaCare Scalp Pure Daily Care.

Hair care tips after Balayage

BALAYAGE, a hair coloring technique, has been a craze these days among women who want to experiment on a new look. And I am, actually, one of those.

For someone who has piano black hair, I wanted to find out how I would look if I finally opt for a lighter shade for my mane. So, I visited High Definition Salon along Quimpo Boulevard (just in front on Pan de Pugon). With the magic hands and expertise of Ariel Isod, I was able to have the hair color I have been dreaming of.

After four hours of treatment, my extra black mane is gone. It was already replaced with graduated, natural-looking blonde; the way I have always wanted it to be.

However, such process of highlighting the hair may pose a threat to the so-called crowning glory of the descendants of Eve. In fact, beauty hubs do not suggest hair rebonding after someone had a Balayage treatment.

Below are some hair care tips I have gathered to maintain the healthy glow of our blonde or brunette looks following a Balayage:

Limit washing the hair. Of the many sites I visited for tips, this is the most common recommendation. Accordingly, frequent washing (or use of shampoo) may damage the dyed hair, no matter what color we have. And if we had our hair bleached, the more we need to follow this advice.

Turn to dry shampoo, instead. Since it is not good to keep on washing our hair, dry shampoo is the answer for us to continuously look fresh. When applying dry shampoo, we have to ensure, though, that we are able to remove all the residue, or else, anyone might think that we are rich in dandruff. Haha! By the way, Etude House and Watsons are selling dry shampoo.

Make deep conditioning treatment a weekly habit. Bleaching can make the hair "ugly" if we do not know how to take care of our hair. Considering that it can make our hair dry and brittle, it is important that we use deep conditioner once or twice a week. In the local market, Pantene, Loreal and Neutrogena have one. We can also scour for other brands.

Avoid applying heat. Honestly, I am a fan of electric hair curler and iron. Since we just had Balayage, using these "beautification weapons" may greatly damage our crowning glory.

Heat protectant spray can be an armor. If we think that we cannot really avoid heat, then, we should use heat protectant spray before letting those electric appliances touch our hair.

Leave-on conditioner is another trick to follow. Once we had our hair bleached and dyed, there is a huge chance it will get super dry and brittle. To fight this, we need to apply leave-on conditioner when we come out of a shower and before running a comb through it.

Did I say heat? Well, that includes the sun. If it is unavoidable to go out, we can spray something that protects our hair from the UV rays. We can also use a hat to cover our entire head to help keep the natural moisture of our hair.

These are only few of the many ways we can protect our bleached and dyed hair. If you have some more there, please share them with me.

An Afro styling authority shares her best hair care tips

This 15 September marks World Afro Day, a celebration of the unique position of Afro hair, and who better to celebrate with then award-winning stylist and industry authority Charlotte Mensah.

Between running her own salon, Hair Lounge on London's Portobello Road, and an eponymous product line – plus styling stars such as Janelle Monae and Eve - Mensah is also a fierce advocate for education.

The native Ghanaian founded the Charlotte Mensah Academy which offers less fortunate, young Ghanaians an opportunity to learn a vocational skill, while her charity, L.O.V.E (Ladies of Visionary Empowerment) is aimed at furthering the education and empowerment of young women in Africa.

She spared some rare free time to talk curly hair care, with top tips for transitioning to natural and the conditioning treatments that actually work.

"The biggest mistakes I see women making with their hair include not having regular enough treatments, not getting their hair frequently trimmed, having too many chemical treatments and not adding enough moisture.

"When transitioning from chemically treated to natural hair, moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. Don't forget – because most natural, transitional hair soaks up moisture like a sponge. Have regular trims every four-to-six weeks to maintain your style and keep the ends healthy. And don't forget to take five minutes to pamper your hair before bedtime. That means moisturising if necessary, securing the ends and covering overnight with a silk scarf.

"I recommend investing in certain products and brands: moisturising shampoos that contain humectants which attract moisture, or conditioning shampoos to treat dry, brittle hair. Also a hair oil that will seal in moisture. Try the Aveda Dry Remedy range, Mizani True Textures range and my Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil range. For a hair treatment, try the Manketti Oil Conditioner – a multi-tasking product that can be used as a deep penetrating conditioning mask. This is applied to the hair, combed through with a wide tooth-comb and left on for 15-20 minutes.

"I'm always asked the same question 'Why isn't my hair growing? I always explain that there are a number of factors that equate to this issue. Your diet and lifestyle as well as genetics, all play an important role in hair growth.

"My top tip is quite simple; if you don't make your personal health top priority your hair will show it."