If you have trouble with oily hair and skin, this can be a problem for turning your ideal shiny healthy hair into a big grease ball. So, if we talk about boosting your shine, you probably have some reservations and maybe even some anxiety about it if you struggle with oily hair. But there is a difference between shiny hair and greasy hair. Beauty ‘N Fashion is here to help you achieve healthy shiny hair that doesn’t look greasy without having to go to a salon to do it! Follow our beauty tips to get the shiny, healthy, and beautiful hair you have always wanted!
Figure Out What Your Hair Type Is
If you have the time, you should be able to book a free consultation at your local salon in order to determine what kind of hair you have, how you should take care of it, and what products are best for you. This consultation will tell you if you have coarse, fine, curly, thin, or combination hair. One this is established, then they can recommend the appropriate products in order to boost your shine.
But, if you don’t have time to go to the salon, we have a home test you can do yourself.
Texture
Hair texture should not be confused with hair density (which we will discuss below). Your hair texture can be fine, medium, or coarse. This is in reference to the actual diameter of each individual strand of hair. How you can test for texture is by taking a single strand of hair that is still attached to your head, take your thumb and index finger, pinch the hair, and run them up towards your scalp. This is when you will be able to notice if there are ridges or if it is smooth.
Density
This is referring to the number of hairs you have on your head per square inch. As a reference, a normal hair density on the average person is roughly 2,200 hairs/Sq. inch. We do not expect you to take the time and tediously count the hairs. All you have to do is look at your hair from different angles and take note if you can see your scalp easily or not. This is to determine if you have thin, average, or thick hair.
Elasticity
In order to test your hair elasticity, remove a hair strand from your hairbrush right after your shower, take it by each end and slowly pull it. If it is healthy, it will stretch up to 50% of its original length without breaking when wet. If it is not healthy, it will snap easily, even when wet.
Product Quality Not Quantity (Less Is More)
When you spend the money on good quality hair products, you won’t need to use a lot each time. A little goes a long way and you will be able to see the results when you find the right products for your hair. Usually, you will only need a dime size of product for your hair. Take argan oil, for instance, if you use too much product, this will negatively affect your hair and make it look greasy instead of nice and shiny. You will also notice that if you use too much conditioner or cream that it will leave your hair feeling sticky. If you do notice that you used too much product, dry shampoo is here to rescue you! It will absorb the excess product and help make your hair look less greasy and sticky.
Avoid Washing Your Hair Daily
You might believe that this is counteractive to what we are trying to accomplish if you have greasy hair. However, it is not good for your hair to have shampoo and conditioner on it every day. As a fun little experiment, we want you to try skipping a day of washing your hair. You can still have a shower, of course, but just avoid either getting your hair wet or using products. Daily washing actually has a negative effect on your hair and scalp. You might unintentionally be sabotaging yourself and giving yourself greasy hair by washing it every day. You see, your roots are attached to your scalp and there are sebaceous glands there that are meant to lubricate your scalp and hair. Washing your hair actually strips away your natural oils and triggers your glands to produce more oils to replace the ones it lost. So, when you skip a hair wash day (or perhaps two or three days), your scalp isn’t being told it needs to produce more oils. However, we do want to mention that it takes time to train your scalp to not produce oils. It could take a couple weeks before you notice it looking less greasy after not washing it for a few days. In the meantime, as you train your scalp, get a good dry shampoo for the in-between wash days.
Use Hair Protection When Going Outside
Just like your skin needs protection from the sun when you go outside, your hair also needs protection. Your skin and hair are actually made of the same material, keratin. When you have healthy hair, it will be able to protect itself against artificial and natural elements. You can use products to help assist your hair. The biggest natural offenders that work against your hair are humidity and the sun. The humidity will make your hair less shiny and frizzy, while the sun just plain damages it when exposed. One thing you can do to combat this is to add more moisture to your hair. This will help fight against frizzy hair.
If you want to go to the hair salon, get them to give you a deep condition, use heat styling products such as argan oil, then use a cream. This will adequately give your hair the moisture it needs to combat the heat from the sun and the humidity.
Protect Your Hair Cuticle
When we refer to the cuticle, we are talking about the outermost layer of your hair. When trying to absorb moisture out of the air, the cuticle will become raised. When this happens, it makes your hair dry and porous. This causes your hair to become frizzy and less shiny. One way you can avoid this is by rinsing your hair with cold water and properly blow drying it. There are specific hair dryers that are designed to be gentle on cuticles. To limit cuticle damage and get a smoother look, buy a tourmaline or a ceramic hair dryer.
Eat Enough Protein
If you’re looking for long-term healthy and shiny hair, you need to think about what you are eating. Protein is the key to healthy looking hair. For your body to make a protein, it will take 20 amino acids. there is only so much amino acid in your body that it can produce. If you want to help it along, you need to be cognoscente of having a well-balanced diet. In order to grow hair, your body needs iron and protein. If you have been having problems with your hair with things like long growing cycles or breakage, we suggest you talk to a nutritionist. They will be able to help you effectively add more protein into your diet in a healthy way. Only trying to use products in your hair is only a temporary fix. Diet is a good way to help your hair in the long run.
