Shampooing and conditioning hair are not the only means to beautiful locks. Add in a combination of non-irritating hair care products, simple washing, conditioning, and styling routines, as well as eating a healthy diet, and watch a healthy mane emerge.
Healthy Hair Care Products
One of the most important steps in maintaining healthy hair is to read hair care product ingredients. Many hair care products contain chemicals that may harm hair follicles. For example, one ingredient to avoid is Sodium Laurel Sulfate, a harsh detergent found not only in some shampoos, but also in laundry soap, dishwashing liquid, and car washes. Daryl Glinn-Tanner, Hair Care Expert and Creator of Divine Response, explains, “Besides damaging skin and hair cuticles, SLS leaves a film on the scalp and the hair's follicle, leading to weaker hair growth.”
Some other ingredients to avoid are ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben, which “have been found in biopsies from breast tumors (ii) at concentrations similar to those found in consumer products (iii).”
Furthermore, Tanner cautions, “Be mindful of any ingredients that contain the acronyms PEG-, DEA or MEA. Not only are these harmful to you, but are harmful pollutants of water and soil environments.”
In place of these damaging elements, look for products that use gentle soap made from coconut and sugars, cold pressed oils/ butters (such as Jojoba, Avocado & Shea), and essential oils for fragrance.
Hair Care Tips
In addition to hair care products, the following hair care tips provided by Tanner may also help to maintain healthful tresses.
- Be careful not to over wash your hair. Wash every other day instead of daily.
- Massage the scalp to bring up natural oils, followed by brushing hair well to distribute oils.
- Cold water rinses help to close the cuticle and add shine to the hair, as well as closing the pores, aiding in circulation of the scalp (bringing better blood flow and nutrients to the follicle).
- Rinse hair well before adding shampoo to aid in removing dirt and oils.
- Use a toner between washing and conditioning to eliminate unwanted residues, including product buildup, soap scum, chlorine and other “heavy metals.” Also use toner as a final rinse to close hairs' cuticle.
- When blow drying, never over dry the delicate ends of hair.
Ideal Foods for Healthy Hair
Certain vital nutrients in the diet are an essential element to healthy hair maintenance. For instance, a lack of fatty acids or an iron deficiency may cause dry, brittle hair while a vitamin B deficiency may cause oily hair. From the article Diet for Healthy Hair, additional diet recommendations are divulged: “Hair is mostly protein, so nutritionists advise those wanting healthy hair to eat well balanced diets that include healthy proteins, along with foods high in vitamin B, C, E, A and K.”
To conclude, remember that a healthy head of hair comes not only from washing and conditioning. Following these style tips, using products free from harsh irritants, and eating a nutritious diet are also imperative in keeping hair lush and shiny.
Linda Hatton - Linda Hatton has a BFA in Acting from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her work has appeared in Rainy Days, The Writing on the Wall, on ...
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