A Stylist's Guide to Beautiful Healthy Hair
Looking for fabulous, hydrated, full and smooth locks? Well, you have come to the right place to learn about how to repair and rejuvenate any hair type. Most mornings, we are all faced with the decision of what to do with our hair. The answer to this lifelong question depends on how well or not you have been treating your hair. To understand why we have so many bad hair days we need to understand the mechanics behind what we are doing to our hair and learn the safest way to bring your hair back to life!
I have been a professional hair stylist in some of the most upscale salons in Orange County, California. Throughout the years, I have had the pleasure of taking care of the most treasured locks. One of my best friends of 19 years, who at the time came into the salon as a walk-in because another salon had just ruined her hair, was knocking at our salon front door after closing asking if I could help her - literally in tears and in a baseball cap! Two hours later with a corrective treatment, she was in tears, happy ones this time! For overall hair health, it is crucial to see a professional stylist that you can trust for regular hair trims, especially if you have chemically treated hair or even if you are just trying to grow it longer.
Color treated, chemically straightened, curly, and fine hair to name a few hair types, all face similar challenges when it comes to achieving your desired look - any hair type needs to be in healthy condition first and foremost. Healthy hair is a mandatory must for any hair type if you are looking to achieve your hair goals as it sets the foundation and directly affects the integrity of the hair; thus, this plays a huge role in our “good” and “bad” hair days.
Virgin hair, (non- chemically treated hair), has a completely closed hair shaft and is naturally shinier and more manageable. This is because the cuticle layer has not been opened. Think of your hair strands as fish scales, they need to be closed, tight and in one direction for optimum hair manageability. Chemically treated hair’s shaft is constantly opened due to regular salon trips and tends to be in a damaging alkaline and or acidic state. The PH scale for hair ranges from 0-17 and an ideal number for hair is in the 4-5 range.
If you are one of the few who has natural, non-chemically treated hair into adulthood, that is amazing! For most of us, dabbling into seasonal hair color changes, repeated daily thermal damage and bad genes (sorry mom and dad!), we are probably trying to bring our hair back to its best. For starters, a regular, consistent healthy hair routine is essential to helping you obtain your goal of beautiful, healthy hair. My healthy hair to-do list will help you get your hair back on track, fast!
5 Healthy Hair Tips:
Always use cool or tepid water when rinsing conditioner
This helps to keep the cuticles closed — remember fish scales!
Deep condition at least once a week for 20-30 minutes
Apply your favorite conditioner and wrap your hair in a microfiber towel.
Never use curling irons, flat irons, or any styling appliance unless your hair is 100% dry
This will prevent breakage and split ends, especially for lighter hair colors that are already distressed because of lightening chemicals.
Switch to an all-natural Boar’s head brush
The natural bristles will keep your hair shiny and hydrated and promote healthy scalp circulation.
Regular hair masks are essential to healthy hair
Choosing one that has all-natural and plant-based ingredients is recommended for effective optimum results. I recommend using Isabella’s Clearly LONG, which is packed with Argan, Castor and Jojoba oils that are proven to restore and regenerate the most fragile hair.
Incorporating these tips into your daily routine will set your hair on the road to recovery safely and with the best results. Be patient and good to your hair! In some cases, it can take weeks for the regeneration to happen but take heart in knowing you can always achieve healthy hair no matter where you are in your process.
