Do you leave conditioner in your hair for as long as the instructions on the bottle recommends?

I used to, but not anymore. I used to think that my conditioner needed time to work its magic and that, the longer I left it on, the softer, prettier and more moisturized my hair would become. Then, a few years ago, I started researching cosmetic ingredients and the way products work, and realised that there really is no need to leave conditioner on hair for a few minutes. Why?

How Conditioners Work

You see, there are very few ingredients that can actually penetrate hair. What conditioners really do is form a protective layer around the hair, which protects the cuticles. To be more specific, conditioners smooth cuticles by filling in gaps, make them lie flat so that they reflect light and look shiny, and just generally improve the feeling and appearance of hair. Because of this, it doesn’t really matter how long they remain in the hair. What’s really important is that you take your time to distribute it evenly throughout your hair. Once you’d done that, you can rinse it off straight away. You could leave it on for a few minutes, if you prefer. It won’t damage your hair but it won’t provide any additional benefits either.

The exception to the rule

Leave-in conditioners are an obvious exception to this rule. As the name says, they are supposed to remain on the hair. But there also is another exception and that is conditioners that contain ingredients that can actually penetrate into the hair shaft. What are these ingredients? Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Argan Oil and Panthenol can all penetrate hair, providing great conditioning and making hair more flexible, softer and stronger. So, if your conditioner contains a high concentration of one or more of these ingredients, then you should leave it on for several minutes as that will allow them time to penetrate hair and make the product work its best.

How long do you leave conditioner in your hair before rinsing it off?

As we age, everyone’s hair turns grey. Although parents like to blame their children for their grey hair (I know my mum blames me and my sister for hers lol!), this theory has been discounted by scientists. But of course that doesn’t mean that you’re allowed to drive your parents crazy now. Well, maybe just a little, lol! If it’s isn’t the kids, what is it that makes hair lose its pigment, until it has none at all and becomes white? Well, in 2005, a group of scientists researching into skin cancer has stumbled on the answer:

What gives hair its color?

The hair has two parts: the follicle, which is the point, situated under the skin, from which hair grows, and the shaft, which is the part of the hair that grows above the skin and we can actually see. Now, each hair follicle contains a certain number of pigment cells which produce a substance called melanin (yes the same pigment that also gives skin its color and makes it tan to protect it from the sun’s rays). It is melanin that gives hair its color, whether brown, red, black, blonde and anything in between (your shade actually depends on how much melanin each strand has).

What makes hair turn grey?

As we age, the pigment cells in the follicle gradually die. That strands of hair will contain less melanin and thus become grey. Eventually, all the pigment cells die, no melanin is produced anymore, and your hair will look completely grey. But there are other factors. In 2009, another group of scientists has found that as we get older, the amount of hydrogen peroxide, a chemical naturally produced by the body, increases, while the amount of catalase, the enzyme that breaks down HP, decreases. This leads to an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide on hair, which gradually causes a loss of hair color. Finally, age and genetics play a part too. It seems that the age at which you start getting grey hair is determined by your genes and thus differs for each person. You can observe at what age your relatives’ hair went grey for a likely estimate of when yours will turn silver too.

Women in my family tend to start getting grey hair quite soon and I already have my fair share. But hopefully these studies will lead the way to new treatments to hide and even prevent and reverse the greying process. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

What about you? Do you already have grey hair? Do you worry about it?

Should you blow dry your hair or is it best to let it air dry? Most people prefer to use a blow dryer because it is more convenient, but fans of air drying avoid that as much as possible, saying it is not healthy for hair. So, what should you do? Well, both methods have their pros and cons and it’s up to you to choose the one that best suits your lifestyle and needs. Here are some facts to help you choose:

Air Drying

Air drying doesn’t subject hair to heat and the damage that causes. Thus, hair that dries this way is less prone to damage and breakage. This method is usually preferred by those with short hair. The reason is obvious. The longer your hair is, the longer it’ll take to dry and in our fast-paced society, not everyone can wait hours for their locks to air dry. And going out with wet hair in winter is not really a good idea. If you have the time to let your hair air dry, remember that your locks are in a very fragile state when wet.

Because of it, you have to be very careful and gentle with it. Gently blot the water away with a towel (it will help speed up drying time) and use a wide-tooth comb to comb it. Also, avoid any pulling and tugging. And don’t let it air dry in the wind as that will cause your hair to knot. Air drying is my favourite method of drying hair. I always let it hair dry in summer and, whenever possible, in winter too. I notice that, this way, my hair is softer, less damaged and more shiny too.

Blow Drying

Blow drying is the most common, convenient and fastest way to dry hair, and gives it some volume too. Unfortunately, it can also cause a lot of damage to your locks. The heat from the blow dryer can break down the cuticle (the outermost protective layers of the hair shaft), making hair weak and prone to split ends and breakage. It also robs hair of moisture, leaving it dry and brittle.

If you choose to dry hair this way, always set the blow dryer on the lowest heat setting available and don’t keep it too close to your head to limit the damage. I personally dislike using a blow dryer so I try to use it only when absolutely necessary. I use it mostly in winter and even then, I just blow dry my hair till it is damp and then let it to air dry.

Although blow drying is more convenient, air drying is less damaging to hair. In the end, though, what method you chose comes down to your personal preference and needs. So, how do you dry your hair?

We all know that trimming our hair regularly helps to keep it healthy and prevent split ends, but if you want to grow your hair longer that can seem counterproductive. But did you know that trimming hair can actually help it grow longer? I know, I know, that sounds crazy. After all, you’re cutting a few inches of your hair off, and that surely makes your locks shorter, not longer, right? Well, yes, but by doing so you’re also helping hair to attain a longer length. Here’s how:

Why trimming hair helps it grow longer

According to the Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (pg 155-75, 1978), hair can sometimes appear to grow very slowly or even not at all. Now, hair can grow only to its terminal length and, once reached that, nothing will make it grow longer. Even if you trim it, it will only grow back to that same length again. But there are times when hair appears to stop growing before it reaches its terminal length. In reality, your hair keeps growing but because it keeps breaking, it just doesn’t seem to get any longer. In other words, your hair breaks faster than it grows and so gains no length.

As your hair gets farther and farther away from the scalp, the cuticle (the outermost, protective, part of the hair that’s made up of several layers) starts to thin down. That’s because as the hair grows, it is more and more subject to damage from heat, styling tools, environment, combing etc.. And all this damage strips away the protective layers until only one is left. The inner cortex now has almost no protection and so the hair breaks and split ends occur. Because of it, cutting off the tip of the hair (ie the part that’s so thinned down it doesn’t offer much protection anymore) reduces or even stops breakage so that your hair goes back to growing faster than it breaks.

How much and how often should you trim your hair?

That depends on the damage. If you trim your hair regularly, then cutting off only one or two inches should be enough. If you haven’t had a trim in a while, though, you may have to cut off more. In any case, if you see split ends occurring shortly after a trim, then you just didn’t trim your hair enough. But how often should you trim your hair if you plan to let it grow longer? The trick is, obviously, to trim less than your hair grows. I’d say to trim your hair every 3 or 4 months so you can cut off only half a inch or so. If instead, you are lucky not to have thinning or split ends, then trimming isn’t necessary. You may wanna do it to prevent split ends but it’s not as important so you can wait longer between trims.

Do you trim your hair regularly?

While I was brushing my hair the other day, I realized that I haven’t had a fringe in years and I missed it. Bangs are really cute and stylish and I could do with changing my hairstyle. And then, I remembered why I stopped wearing bangs so long ago: because when you get tired of them, it is no fun to grow them out! It can actually take six months to a year to grow out a fringe and what can you do in the meantime? Here are three ideas:

1. Accessorize it
Is your fringe too long? Then push it back with a headband. My favourites are those with adjustable elastics or gripping teeth that allow you to place the headband wherever you want on your head (near the hairline, somewhere in the middle etc). If headbands give you a headache, you can use bobby pins, clips, grips, combs and even head scarves. They are available in all colors, shapes and sizes and will give you a stylish look while concealing your bangs as they are growing out and keeping them out of your eyes.

2. Sweep it to the side
If your fringe is quite long, you can part it in the center and then blowdry the two parts in the opposite sides. That way the fringe will blend in with your hairstyle. You can also ask your hairstylist to cut your bangs into a side-fringe so that you’ll look chic while you are waiting for them to grow out.

3. Lift it
If your bangs are getting a bit too long and start to drape over the eyes, you can give it a little lift. How? There are two ways to do it. You can either use a round curling brush while blowdrying it, or you can backcomb it at the roots. This way you’ll like stylish and the fringe won’t impair your vision.

Do you have any more tips on how to grow out your bangs?

There are a lot of hair stylists out there who are extremely good at their job, know how to put you at ease and make a visit to the salon a wonderful experience. But let’s face it, there are also those who aren’t as gentle as they should be with our hair or, when they’re in a rush, don’t pay as much attention to details as they should. We’ve all met at least one hair stylist we thought wasn’t doing the job properly but were too afraid to mention it.

We don’t wanna be branded as rude or too demanding (and sadly hair stylists have to deal with lots of clients like that in their career), but as paying clients, we shouldn’t be really afraid of making a polite and reasonable request. If your hair stylist makes any of the mistakes listed below, then ask them kindly to stop. If you’re polite and well-intentioned, your hairdresser won’t get offended and your hair will thank you too. So, what are some common mistakes hairdressers make?

1. Holding the blow dryer too close to the scalp

Most of the hairdressers I’ve met have held the blowdryer way too close to my head, which just drives me insane! All that heat (and blowdryers can heat up to almost 204°C!) is not good for hair and will just cause it to become dry and brittle! Sometimes, it can also burn our scalp. And all this damage can be very easily avoided simply by keeping the blowdryer somewhat distant from our hair. That’ll get the job done anyway, and without side effects.

2. Not treating hair gently

Hair should be treated gently and that means no pulling and tugging. I remember that when I was about 8, I went to a hairdresser who, while styling my hair, would pull and tug so hard on it, it actually made me cry! And my head hurt for hours afterwards. Needless to say, I never went there again. Another no-no is rubbing a towel all over hair after washing it. Hair should be dabbed and squeezed gently, otherwise it will get damaged, becoming prone to split ends and breakage. All damage the hairdresser will later have to fix!

3. Not listening

Don’t you just hate it when you go to the salon to get a certain cut or treatment and the hairdresser refuses to do it because he/she doesn’t think that’ll suit you or something? And then he/she tries to cut or style your hair the way he/she thinks you’d look best even if you don’t agree? This is really annoying. We’re the customers. It’s our hair and our money we are talking about and we should be able to get what we ask without having to fight for it. Admittedly, there are some treatments that may not work for everyone and in that case, a good hair stylist will warn that what you want to do may damage your hair or have side effects. After all, they know what they are talking about. But it is one thing to refuse to do a treatment because it may actually damage a client’s hair, quite another to refuse a certain cut or something simply because the hairdresser doesn’t like it! That’s just unacceptable.

4. Pushing “miraculous” hair products

It always irks me when a hairstylist tries to sell me a product that promises to repair or “feed” my hair or something. And they always seem to contain some rare or little-known extract that promises to drastically improve hair overnight. Well, that’s nonsense. Hair is dead. It cannot be repaired, it cannot be fed and there are very few ingredients (coconut oil is one of them) that can actually penetrate it. What most hair products do is coat the hair shaft and make your locks look good, but only temporarily. Pretty much any conditioner will do that so why would I spend lots of money on expensive products that make promises they can’t keep and have “miraculous” ingredients that just don’t work?! It really surprises me how little hairdressers know about how the products they use work and what they contain. I don’t expect them to have a degree in cosmetic chemistry but they shouldn’t fall for what the brand representatives tell them either and then repeat that nonsense to their trusting clients!

Do you know any other mistakes hairdressers make? Have you ever had any bad experiences? Share them in the comments!

The heat from styling tools, hair dyes, sun exposure and hair treatments such as perms are just a few of the things that can damage hair. They all harm the protective outer layer of hair, called cuticle, which over months, sometimes years, of this abuse, might become seriously worn down or even be completely stripped away. That’s when split ends occur. Unfortunately, once the damage is done, there’s nothing you can do to repair it. What you can do, instead, is improve the appearance of hair and prevent split ends from occurring again in the future. Here’s how:

How to prevent split ends

To prevent split ends, you just have to reduce the amount of damage done to your hair. Try to limit the use of your styling tools to special occasions only and, whenever you can, let your hair air dry. If you really have to use flat irons, a blow dryer and other styling tools, then use the lowest possible setting. Also, don’t hold the blowdryer too close to your hair. To prevent sun damage to your locks, always wear a hat, or even a scarf, whenever you go out in the sun. In addition, dying hair, getting perms and other harsh treatments should be done as infrequently as possible.

How to treat split ends

But what can you do when the damage has already been done? Well, since you can’t repair split ends, the best thing to do would simply be to cut them off. It is also a good idea to have your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks. This will remove new split ends, keep your hair healthy and looking beautiful. In the meantime, if you need a quick fix to hide split ends, you can apply a leave-in conditioner with silicones on your locks. The silicones will temporarily seal split ends together so, although they are still there, they won’t be noticeable.

Do you have split ends? How do you deal with them?

Developing a few good habits can greatly improve the appearance of your hair and prevent a lot of damage. Here are a few good ones that will help you keep your hair healthy:

1. Protect your hair from the sun: the sun’s UV rays cause a lot of damage not just to our skin, but to our hair as well. It causes it to become dry, frizzy and brittle. And if you’ve dyed your hair, it’ll make the color fade faster too. And the worst part is that, once hair is damaged, there’s nothing you can do to repair it. So, it’s important to prevent damage from happening in the first place. How? By covering up your hair with a hat or a scarf whenever you go out in the sun. And don’t waste money on hair care products with SPF. Sadly, they just don’t work.

2. Minimize heat: heat can seriously dry out your hair so try not to use styling tools too often and, when possible, avoid using a blowdryer but let your hair air dry naturally. If you really have to use a blowdryer, use the lowest setting and don’t keep it too close to your hair. In addition, make sure you apply a heat protective product on your locks before using any styling tools as this will help protect them from the heat.

3. Trim hair regularly: even if you are growing out your hair, it is still important to get a trim at least every six to eight weeks to keep the split ends at bay.

4. Clean your combs and brushes: combs and brushes get dirty too when used often and so they need a good cleaning every now and then. After all, you don’t wanna use a dirty comb on your just washed and clean hair, do you? Cleaning your tools is easy: you just need water and shampoo. You can also use an old toothbrush if they need a more throughout cleaning.

5. Eat healthily: there is only so much hair care products can do for you hair if you don’t eat healthily. A healthy and balanced diet rich in Vitamins such as Biotin and Vitamins A, B and C, Omega 3 fatty acids, calcium and protein will keep it healthy and improve its appearance.

What other habits good for hair do you have?