Washing, Brushing, and Styling
Proper hair care is part of your daily ritual and just as important as brushing your teeth or getting dressed in the morning. Your hair should be regularly washed, brushed, and styled in order to help it look and feel its best. Here is what you need to know to get through the basics.
Getting Serious About Shampoo
The sebaceous glands at the base of each hair shaft secrete oil. This
oil, known as sebum, coats hair with a greasy layer that lubricates and soft-
ens but also attracts dirt and pollutants. Shampooing cleans both your hair
and scalp by lifting dirt and oil. Sounds simple, right? Not so if you've
stopped by a local drugstore lately and scanned the shelves in search of the
right formula for you. Before you buy, decide what benefits you're looking
for in a shampoo and it will be easier to narrow down the options and make
your choice.
Obviously, the primary purpose of a shampoo is to cleanse our hair,
but there are secondary benefits, like conditioning hair. "Two-in-one shampoos are conditioning shampoos designed to moisturize dry, damaged, or
colored hair," explains Joanne Crudele, development manager for Unilever
the manufacturers of Salon Selectives, Finesse, Thermasilk, and Suave,
among other brands. "For example, Salon Selectives is a hipper, trendier
brand for more experimental women, Finesse is for women who want
soft, beautiful hair, Thermasilk is a heat-activated shampoo that targets
special styling needs, and Suave offers somewhat on your lifestyle. Women with
dry, thick hair can tolerate shampooing even twice. It's important, however, not
to overshampoo your hair. For example,curly hair tends to be on the dry side because it takes longer for oil to make its way down a curly hair shaft. If you shampoo curly hair more than two or three times a week, you run the risk of stripping hair of its natural oil, which
seals and smooths the cuticles so that they reflect light and make hair look
shiny. In addition, you will dry out the ends, which never get me benefit of
the sebum. Most experts agree that shampoos with high levels of plant
extracts buffer moisture loss and prevent hair from drying out.
Other Pages
Washing, Brushing and Styling
Washing, Brushing and Styling 2
Washing, Brushing and Styling 3
