JOIN USSoak up some safe shampooing skills
The first step in hair care is shampoo. Select a mild, herbal shampoo according to your hair type. Rinse the hair very well with water in order to get rid of all soapy residues. The way you wash and dry your hair are also important.
How often should I wash my hair?
In hot, humid weather, oily hair should be washed often. Three or four times a week for oily hair and twice a week for dry hair suits most people. The important aspect to bear in mind is that washing does not harm the hair. What harms the hair is the product you use and quantity of shampoo that is used for each wash. Oily hair in hot, humid weather, can even be washed daily.
First, wet your hair thoroughly. Apply the shampoo and use your fingertips to rub it lightly into the scalp and hair. Work up a lather. Start at the scalp and go downwards. Be gentle with your hair. While washing, run plenty of water through the hair, so that you can get rid of all the soap, along with dirt, dead skin cells and other impurities. After washing, avoid rubbing with a towel. Wrap your towel around the head for a few minutes to soak up moisture. Avoid brushing wet hair. It can cause the hair to stretch and break. Use a wide toothed comb, to comb out the tangles, starting from the ends and going upwards towards the scalp.
How do I blow-dry my hair?
With a few professional tips, you can use a blow-dryer to set short hair into a style quite easily. It can also give the hair more body and bounce.
For very short hair, the fingers can be used to push the hair into the style in which it has been cut. For longer hair, you will need a styling brush. Use a brush with soft, natural or plastic bristles.
The hair should be slightly damp for setting. Divide the hair in sections and hold them back with clips or hair pins. This allows you to work on each section at a time. The hair on the top of the head should be lifted upwards with a brush, so that it gets more body and bounce.
For layered cuts, heat should be applied across the hair, on either side. If you like tight curls, wind sections of hair around small rollers, before using a dryer. To add fullness, bend forward and brush the hair from the nape of the neck to the ends. To add fullness on top of the head, divide the hair on the crown into four sections. Wind them around four large rollers before drying the hair.
When the hair is completely dry, brush it into the style, so that all sections blend together into one.
How do I straighten hair with a blow dryer?
A temporary method of straightening hair is with the use of a hand-held hair dryer. When the hair is damp, divide it into sections. Hold each section with a brush, holding it straight and slightly downwards. Dry it with the blow dryer. Do this with each section. The effect lasts till the next shampoo. Hold the dryer at least six inches away from the hair, so that it doesn’t dry out or burn hair.
How do I use a comb to brush hair?
Use a firm regular stroke and pull the brush through the hair gently, close to the scalp, in a smooth motion. Long hair should not be brushed in one stroke. Hold the hair with one hand and brush the hair in lengthwise sections.
Avoid using a brush when the hair is wet. Use a wide-toothed comb made from tortoise shell, horn or wood. These are better than plastic combs. The teeth should be smooth and well-rounded. For styling, brushes with wide-spaced plastic teeth and a full round brush are used. For your handbag, get a comb with even, closely-spaced narrow teeth. If you are suffering from hair loss, hair breakage or split-ends, avoid brushing the hair. Use a wide-toothed comb.