HOW TO TAKE CARE (PROPERLY) OF HAIR TO HAVE IT HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL

The key to beautiful hair (and a good hair day) is in proper hair care. In fact, healthy hair is the starting point for everything else. The French hairdresser Christophe Robin said, "Having healthy hair is the French woman's secret to spending less time combing her hair." Because how to take care of your hair is not only limited to the use of shampoo (and conditioner from time to time), here is the definitive bible of the steps that encompass proper hair care (and scalp):

Prewash (it is fair and necessary)

It is just as important to do a good hair wash as it is to take care of the steps prior to that wash. And that pre-wash protocol may be one of the great unknown to most mortals. These would be the fundamental points of the pre-wash ritual:

1. Brushing before each wash. It is fair and necessary to always do it before washing your hair. By doing it dry (which is when you have to brush the hair), our hair is in its strongest and most resistant state. And by doing so before washing, we remove traces of lacquers, gels, or foams and facilitate subsequent wet detangling (which should be done with a comb).

2. Pre-wash treatments. The basis of healthy hair is a healthy scalp and therein lies the importance of using pre-wash treatments adapted to the needs of our scalp, to which we must pay the same attention as the skin of our face. There are purifying masks, scalp scrubs, pre-shampoos, and even pre-wash oils. The key is to choose one adapted to the needs of our scalp - if it is sensitive, if it has excess fat or if it is dehydrated and itchy - and use it according to the way of use of each one of them. Although generally these pre-wash rituals are usually done once a week.

Wash hair well

Washing your hair correctly is another of the great beauty obsessions that concern us all. This correct washing implies taking into account all these aspects:

1. Adolfo Remartínez, creator of the mythical onion shampoo from Nuggela & Sulé, advises moistening the hair and not applying the shampoo directly to the hair, but first to the hands and then to the hair. It is important to massage the roots and contours and insist on an area that we tend to forget: the nape and behind the ears, two areas that get dirty easily because they do not perspire.

2. Two applications of shampoo are usually recommended, putting into practice the rule of 2/5, that is, a first quick application and a second in which the shampoo is left to act for between 2 and 5 minutes.

3. The temperature of the water is also important. The best is a middle ground: warm water. If the water is very hot, it can stimulate the production of the sebaceous glands. And if it's cold, it doesn't carry dirt.

4. It is important to dedicate time to lightening so that the hair is beautiful and with volume. And regarding the trick of doing the last rinse with a jet of cold water, the stylist Christophe Robin has it clear: “There is nothing more effective for a natural shine”.

5. The importance of the conditioner. Although not everyone uses conditioner after every wash - mistake -, it is fair and necessary to do so to prevent the ends from becoming weak when detangling hair, as well as helping to reduce frizz and dryness. And do not be afraid to use it even if you have straight and fine hair because if you use a small amount and only on the ends, NOTHING will happen.

How to dry your hair well

Although some stylists say that letting our hair air dry is the best treatment we can give to our hair, the reality is that we always use the dryer, at least to remove moisture. Before using the dryer, it is important to take into account that you have to remove the moisture from the hair with a towel (preferably cotton) and use it gently, without rubbing the hair. "With your hands, press the towel against your head so that it absorbs the water. It is better to avoid that mania that we all have of rubbing our hair against the towel to remove the water. It is a habit that not only tangles the hair, but also it breaks it, ”says stylist Mónica Roldán. You can also opt for a turban towel to speed up the drying process.

And as for the use of a dryer: preferably with a nozzle, since when the air is directed, the hairstyle is more polished and the hair has more shine, and always at a distance of about 15 centimeters and at medium temperature.

The keys to correct brushing

The health and beauty of our hair will also depend on doing a correct brushing because it will help us, both to keep the hair detangled and free of impurities. The usual thing is to do it in the morning and at night, although if the hair is very fine and it is needed it can be done up to 3 or 4 times a day. In fact, stylist Philip B - whom Madonna asked for help with her oxygenated hair - has spoken about night brushing on more than one occasion, who advises brushing hair with between 10 and 20 strokes of the brush.

And a fundamental maxim that all the experts insist on: "Brushing always has to be started by means and ends and only when you have this part brushed, you can brush the root. If you start at the root, there will be more pulling because the hair is entangled in the middle and ends and is more likely to break, damage, and fall more, "explained Pilar Santiago, a specialist in Cheska treatments, some time ago.

Of course, when you have to detangle the hair in the wet, since the hair is in its weakest state, it is preferable to use a wide-bristle comb and reserve the brush to be used only with dry hair.

Hair treatments

In addition to the use of conditioner after each wash - and anti-frizz oils and creams if necessary - it is convenient to carry out specific treatments periodically. Once a week it is convenient to apply a specific mask for your hair type (dry, damaged, colored…). Caroline Greyl, president of Leonor Greyl, advises to enhance the effects of this weekly mask by wrapping the hair in plastic wrap while the mask acts. This facilitates the penetration of the product but without dragging it. It is also a good idea to put into practice that tradition of Indian women of smearing their hair in oil and letting it act overnight before washing it.

In addition, if you need it, you can resort to a specific treatment at the hairdresser every eight weeks. From purifying rituals with natural masks to treatments such as hyaluronic acid to hydrate, hair botox to nourish and seal, bioplasty to give volume to fine hair ...

The importance of caring for the scalp

We have said it before when talking about pre-wash treatments and we say it again now. The scalp is the skin on which hair grows. To have healthy hair it is necessary that the base be healthy and clean. Hence, it is essential to pay special attention and take care of it. In addition to specific pre-wash treatments for the scalp and exfoliants that cleanse the hair follicle and oxygenate the scalp, there are specific post-wash serums and lotions for each type of scalp. Only if we have a healthy scalp, we can have less fall, stronger hair, and a more beautiful mane.

Hair is also protected from the sun (and from pollution)

Protecting your hair during sun exposure is not only a matter of convenience for your highlights - you know, the sun can discolor them excessively and chlorine in the pool can turn them green - but also of hair health. Although the sun, taken in moderation and protection, can have benefits for our skin such as enhancing the synthesis of vitamin D, it has no benefits for the hair, since the hair is not capable of synthesizing any vitamins. Therefore, it is essential to use a sunscreen on the hair, protect the scalp with a scarf or hat during direct sun exposure and, also, protect the hair throughout the year from the effects of pollution. Hence, it is convenient to use specific anti-pollution balms or sprays for the hair.

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