By Allure Magazine (My absolute favorite, this mag keeps you in the loop of everything that is hot from fashion to hair, to makeup and the top brands out there)
Pretty much all the tricks and tools we have for making hair look good temporarily are exactly what makes it look (and feel) like a dry, frazzled mess in the long run. No wonder 86 percent of women in a recent Unilever survey said that damage is the number one thing that they want to change about their hair. While the researchers didn’t ask those women if they were actually willing to do what it takes to prevent their strands from becoming frayed, our educated guess is that the percentage would be quite low. After all, just because you might know exactly what you’d need to do to get soft, glossy hair doesn’t mean you want to, say, go to work with a wet head every morning.
So what’s a girl with hair resembling a hay bale to do? First, don’t give up hope (or reach for the scissors quite yet). “With damaged hair, the shingles of the top cuticle layer that usually lie flat are disturbed, or even ripped off altogether,” explains Mary P. Lupo, clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. “The best thing to do is to stop disturbing them with heat, chemicals, and friction—but there are some ways to help smooth them down again.” To that end, it would be unrealistic to tell you to toss your SuperSolano in the trash or swear off shampooing your hair after a workout; instead, we’ve assembled advice—advice we believe you’ll be able to follow—to hide the damage you have and prevent future harm.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: LET YOUR HAIR AIR-DRY.
You know how the heat from the blow-dryer makes your hair more pliable? That’s because it’s softening the keratin in the hair’s core—and sucking out the moisture in the process.
WHAT’S MORE REALISTIC: MINIMIZE YOUR EXPOSURE TO HEAT.
The key is to get out as much water as you can before you pick up the dryer so hair is subjected to as little heat as possible. Wait until hair is two-thirds dry before you begin, or blot with a microfiber towel to speed up the process. “They pull out a significant amount of water,” says Ranella Hirsch, dermatologist at Boston University Medical Center. “Your hair will be much better off if you can start blow-drying when it isn’t dripping wet.” Don’t resort to the low-tech solution of wrapping your head in a giant terry-cloth turban, however. “All that twisting and torque puts a lot of strain on the hair, which is a source of damage people often forget,” says Lupo. And don’t skip the heat-protective spray or serum, which really can prevent hair from getting fried: “These products contain polymers that form a film on the surface of the hair that dissipates the heat,” says cosmetic chemist Joseph Cincotta. Two of our favorites: Tresemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray and John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum Thermal Protection Formula.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: SHAMPOO EVERY OTHER DAY—AT MOST.
As dermatologists love to point out, the natural oils of the scalp are what keeps hair looking shiny and healthy—and washing every day just sends those oils right down the drain. Shampooing every other day makes perfect sense…unless you’ve got fine hair, an oily scalp, or an impressive gym-attendance rate.
WHAT’S MORE REALISTIC: USE THE RIGHT SHAMPOO IN THE RIGHT WAY.
Those of us who start looking greasy when we skip even one day of shampooing need a different strategy. Lupo has three suggestions: “First, thoroughly drench your hair with water before you lather up,” she says. “The wetter the hair, the less shampoo you’ll need.” (A tablespoon should be plenty.) “Then concentrate on just the hair two inches closest to the scalp, since that’s where sebum collects. And rinse really, really well using the coldest water you can stand”—it helps smooth the cuticle down so roughness and frays are less obvious. As for finding a shampoo that’s ideal for damaged hair, you could squint at the ingredients list on the back of the bottle for “quaternium” or “cetrimonium chloride,” but it’s a lot easier to read the big print on the front. Look for product names and labels that include words such as “anti-breakage,” “strengthening,” “restorative,” and “renewal”—they’re the ones that are chock-full of ingredients that “create a layer around the hair shaft, helping to thicken the hair and seal split ends,” says cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer. We like Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Time Renewal Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverStrong Reconstruct Shampoo, on shelves next month.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: STOP COLORING YOUR HAIR.
“Bleaching is an extremely aggressive attack on the hair because it breaks down the waxy protective layer,” says Jeni Thomas, senior scientist for Pantene. “Once that layer is gone, it’s hard to make hair look shiny and healthy.” And if you assume that your hair won’t be harmed because your color of choice is a mellow auburn, not a white blonde, think again. “If you or your colorist is adding a developer to the dye to activate it, there’s almost always peroxide in some concentration,” says Cincotta.
WHAT’S MORE REALISTIC: STOP OVERPROCESSING YOUR ENDS.
In a perfect world, we would all use nice, gentle temporary dyes for a little boost, since they fill in gaps in damaged hair, leaving it more manageable and shiny. However, the color isn’t as vibrant, and it rinses out after four or five shampoos. With permanent and semipermanent color, the most important thing is not processing the same hair twice—namely, the ends, which are usually the most porous. “There’s a reason why a professional colorist—or the directions on the side of the box—will tell you to apply dye only to the roots of the hair and then comb it through just at the end for a few minutes,” says Cincotta. “Apply it to the whole head, and you are processing hair that was weakened the last time around; do it again in two months, and you are triple-processing the ends.” The pros also suggest that you use a shampoo and conditioner formulated for colored hair and wash as infrequently as possible. “The more you wash it, the sooner you’re going to need to go in for a touch-up,” Cincotta says. Try Kiehl’s Sunflower Color Preserving Shampoo and Conditioner or Garnier Fructis Color Shield Fortifying Shampoo and Cream Conditioner.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: SAY GOOD-BYE TO BLOWOUTS.
A blow-dryer plus a densely bristled brush plus tension is pretty much guaranteed to equal damage. “When hair is wet, you can stretch it even more and not realize that you are snapping off those shingles on the cuticle in the process,” says Lupo. “And putting the nozzle of the blow-dryer directly on hair just makes things worse. I would tell people to keep it six inches away, minimum, but who’s really going to do that?”
WHAT’S MORE REALISTIC: DRY SMARTER.
Change the parts of the above equation, and you can get a better result. Start with a good-quality blow-dryer. The Turbo Power Twin Turbo 3500 “dries so quickly that there really isn’t time for the hair to overheat,” says hairstylist Garren of the Garren New York salon, but his general guideline is to look for a dryer with at least 2,000 watts of power, preferably an ionic model; these have been shown to encourage the cuticle to lie flat. Then swap out your big, round brush (“Rough, wiry bristles are much more likely to cause tension and mechanical breakage because of the way they rub against the hair,” says Miami dermatologist Heather Woolery-Lloyd) for one with smooth, synthetic bristles. “I use a rubber paddle brush with bristles that have little balls at the ends, which is gentle on the hair and scalp,” Garren says. “If you need a round brush to give the hair shape, only use it during the last quarter of your blowout—and make sure it doesn’t have a metal core. They heat up to the point where your hair can actually burn.” Coat hair with a protective spray before drying, don’t yank too hard with your brush, and keep the nozzle as far away as you can stand. “Two inches would be an acceptable compromise,” Lupo says.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: ACCEPT YOUR GOD-GIVEN HAIR TEXTURE.
Some experts believe that the direct heat of flatirons may bring the natural moisture inside hair all the way to a boil, creating steam that erupts through the cuticle. And the pricey salon alternative isn’t much better. “Chemical straightening interferes with the disulfide bonds in the hair shaft, causing the hair structure to start to disintegrate over time,” says Neil Sadick, clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City
WHAT’S MORE REALISTIC: STRAIGHTEN WITH CARE.
You know the instructions that come with a new flatiron? If you threw them out long ago, it’s worth downloading them from the manufacturer’s website. According to dermatologists, not exceeding the maximum time the company suggests that the plates come in contact with hair is essential in minimizing damage. Lupo recommends using a flatiron no more than twice a week, and picking one with ceramic, rather than metal, plates: “They glide through the hair more easily, and the most important thing is to keep the flatiron moving.” (We like Salon Tech Silicone 450 Professional Hairstyling Iron.) Fans of chemical straightening should consider switching to a keratin treatment, which adds a smooth, uniform coating on top of each strand but doesn’t mess around with the cortex itself. According to Garren, “It won’t make curly hair straight, but it will make it soft and glossy—and the results can last up to two months if you use the shampoo that usually comes with it.” Just don’t go anywhere near the so-called “Brazilian” keratin treatment, which could contain dangerous levels of formaldehyde. If a stylist tells you his keratin product will actually straighten your hair for weeks at a time, not just improve the texture, a polite “No, thank you” is in order.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: GET A TRIM EVERY THREE WEEKS.
If, no matter how virtuous you’ve been, your hair still belies your remaining bad habits, “a trim every three to four weeks will get rid of frayed ends, but you won’t have to lose all your length,” says hairstylist Mark Townsend of the Sally Hershberger salons in New York and Los Angeles.
WHAT’S MORE REALISTIC: ONCE A WEEK, APPLY A DEEP CONDITIONER.
It’s cheaper and more convenient to simply camouflage the damage you have—and that’s where deep-conditioning comes in. “The ingredients aren’t that different from those in your daily conditioner, but because they are much more concentrated, they leave behind a smoothing film that won’t wash off for days,” explains Cincotta. Formulas with glycerin, panthenol, or amino acids can even penetrate the hair’s cuticle, filling in areas weakened by heat or chemicals. Townsend recommends that clients with distressed hair deep-condition once a week, and consider leaving it on overnight if damage is severe—just place a towel on the pillow to prevent a mess. We like Infusium 23 Repairologie Leave-In Treatment and Nexxus Emergencée Strengthening Polymeric Reconstructor.
WHAT’S YOUR DAMAGE?
Four simple ways to find out whether you should lay off the blow-dryers, curlers, straighteners, and dye:
1. TEST THE STRETCH. Pluck one hair from your head, pull it tightly from one end, and let go. If the hair doesn’t spring right back, that’s a sign that it has lost elasticity and could break if subjected to additional heat or chemicals.
2. CHECK YOUR BRUSH. Hair that breaks off at the root (you’ll see a white bulb at one end) is normal. Hair that cracks midway down the shaft, however, is not. “And if the damage is extensive, you’re going to lose much more than the average 50 to 100 hairs a day,” says Pantene senior scientist Jeni Thomas.
3. TIME YOURSELF. Damaged hair dries faster because it’s so porous. The rule of thumb: If your hair is medium to thick and it takes less than an hour to air-dry, then it’s in trouble.
4. CHECK YOUR ENDS. Are they lighter than the rest of your hair (and not because you dyed them that way)? If so, you’re seeing the medulla, the inner core of the hair—and the only solution is to trim those ends
Refresh, Rejuvenate, Exhale, Reprogram 