Secrets to Healthy Hair

When it comes to getting a haircut, most people would agree that their hair never feels healthier than right after an appointment at the salon. However, after we leave the hairdresser it is our own responsibility to keep our hair healthy between trims by using the right products, tools, and maintenance techniques.

Strong, shiny hair starts with the basics: shampoo and conditioner. Next time you’re in the market for a shampoo, look for brands that use naturally derived cleansers instead of chemicals because these won’t deprive your scalp of its natural oils. Salon brands like Ojon and Aveda use natural cleansers, but also check out organic brands at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. Graduate student Victoria Hamilton swears by the Kinky-Curly brand sold at Whole Foods, claiming it keeps her African-American locks softer than any “chemically-ridden brand” she has tried in the past.

In addition to what you use to wash your hair, how often you shampoo is equally important for healthy hair. According to Real Simple magazine’s feature, “The Guide to Healthy Hair,” normal hair should be washed up to five times a week, curly and dry hair only twice a week, oily hair daily, and chemically treated hair three times a week. If you can’t stand not washing your hair daily, a great tip to keep your hair oil and dirt-free between washes is dry shampoo. Try Batiste’s Dry Shampoo, $6, at beauty supply stores.

The tools you use to style your hair can literally make or break its healthy condition. Almost all hair stylists will tell you, stick to natural boar bristles for brushes, as these help to evenly distribute your scalp’s oils and keep it from dehydrating. When it comes to styling, don’t be afraid to invest in high end products. Styling tools that use ceramic plates are best, as they seal the cuticles of the hair and actually retain the follicles’ natural moisture instead of drying them out. CHI, GHD and FHI make the best ceramic flat irons and can usually be found online with special offers that often include free products!

No matter what styling tool you use, applying heat to your hair means you have to prevent damage by using a spray beforehand. CHI makes a large range of products devoted to protecting your hair against heat, especially their CHI “44 Iron Guard,” $14. For a cheaper alternative, try Tresemme’s “Heat Tamer” spray, only $5 at CVS.

Another process essential to healthy hair, but one that most ignore, is deep conditioning. Especially if you use heat on your hair regularly, once-a-week deep conditioning is absolutely necessary in keeping your hair from drying out and breaking. Celebrity hair stylist, Nelson Chan, recommends protein-based treatments, like Neutrogena’s “Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask ,” $7, or Garnier Fructis’ “Sleek & Shine Fortifying Deep Conditioner,” $5.50. If you have time for spa treatment, local Bubbles salons offer deep conditioning, clarifying, reconstructive, or color savor treatments ranging from $10-20.

Last but not least, if you’re looking to keep your hair healthy and help it grow the best advice is to keep up with your hair trims. Salon hair stylist Jennifer Ellison recommends getting a trim “every ten weeks for healthy hair, every eight weeks if you have split ends, and every six weeks for short hair.”