Repair your damaged winter hair for spring!
Published on Bridal Hair Academy News
Cold weather plays havoc with even the most carefully maintained hair. The low temperatures over the long winter months causes all sorts of problems from dandruff to split ends due to roughened cuticles from those whipping winds; whilst excessive use of heaters to keep ourselves warm sucks out every last inch of moisture, leaving us with dull, lifeless locks subject to breakages. Sound familiar? I thought so. But this is definitely not the look we want with the summer months fast approaching! So how do we fix it?
- First and foremost – get a trim! There is absolutely no point trying to save hair that is beyond repair, so get rid of those dry ends and start afresh. Not only will this instantly make you look and feel better, but it will also enable the hair to absorb moisture more easily for our up-coming treatments.
- Next, invest in top notch, moisturising shampoo and conditioner. Your hair is going to be in a pretty fragile state, so you’ll want to avoid anything too harsh with added chemicals. If you’ve ever had the inclination to swap your everyday high street brands for something a little more special, then now is the time. I suggest that you opt for natural alternatives, skipping anything containing SLS, Parabens, too much fragrance or anything that you wouldn’t be happy to put INTO your body. Your scalp is one of the most permeable surfaces you have and so everything that goes on will go IN. Just something to bear in mind. Try something almost entirely natural: the Green People range is absolutely lovely.
- Invest in an excellent quality hair brush. Boar bristle brushes are best for healthy hair as they distribute natural oils evenly down the shaft leaving you with glossy, manageable hair; not greasy roots and dry ends! They work so well in fact, that many people who use them stop washing their hair more than once in a blue moon (the less you wash, the less oils you strips which equals…gorgeous, healthy shine). Mason Pearson is THE crème de la crème of brushes, mixing nylon and boar bristles (taken without harming any boars!) for optimum tangle teasing and smoothing action. They will, however, set you back a whopping £100 for a large size (or down to £30 for a ‘pocket size’)! Ouch. Amazingly, they are worth every penny due to the precise bristle spacing giving you a perfect, flyaway-free mane, without the spiky bristle pain you may get from cheaper alternatives; but if that is a bit over budget for you right now then try the Denman alternative for a more palatable £11-£18, or better yet (if you can get your hands on it) a Sonia Kashuk version which recently received rave reviews in Teen Vogue.
- Make sure that you have an excellent quality heat protectant to apply to your hair before drying or styling (although, really any extreme temperature are best avoided entirely when trying to heal your hair). Shield your tresses with a gentle but effective product, like Aveda Brilliant Damage Control – an all-natural product, made from black tea, chamomile and aloe to keep your hair strong and avoid breakages whilst remaining lightweight and without stickiness. It is also fantastic for using in the summer (or if you have any holidays planned!) to help protect your locks from the sun. For added shine and to smooth any rough cuticles left over, apply a small amount of serum (focusing on the ends of the hair). My favourite at the moment is Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Diamante serum. When tying up/back, always opt for fabric hairbands free from any metal, especially if you are trying to grow your hair, as this will prevent unnecessary snagging.
And now your should be all set for having radiant, frizz free, magazine worthy hair just in time for summer. Let us know how it goes and if you have any more tips, please feel free to comment!
