Sunday, February 17, 2008

StandoutandShine!

Who doesn't want a shiny hair? Whether your hair is long or short, straight or wavy, blonde or brunette, there is nothing like a healthy shine to ensure that you get noticed. Did you know that there are a few secrets to shiny hair that you can try from the comfort of your own home? Healthy, shiny hair results from a combination of healthy living and choosing the right products for your hair type. Whether it comes to cleansing, styling or rinsing, you can do much to give your tresses that shiny edge that you are dreaming about.

1. Keepitclean. If your hair tends toward the dry end of the scale, make sure that you look for a moisturizing shampoo. If you usually use a lot of heat to style your hair, in the form of blow dryers and curling irons, look for a formula that is heat activated. And if your hair runs on the oily side, don’t forget to use a clarifying shampoo regularly to strip your tresses of the excess oil that can wear hair down and dull the shine.

2. Rinseitout. It is very important to thoroughly rinse your hair after shampooing, but a mere water rinse may not be enough. First, a cool water rinse will go a long way in smoothing the cuticles – a sure shine enhancer. You can even take your rinse a step further by adding a shot of lemon juice if you are a blonde, or a dash of apple cider vinegar if your hair is brunette or red. Beer is another good shine enhancing rinse for any hair color.

3. Stylewithcare. Putting heat on your hair regularly is one of the fastest ways to suck the shine right out of it. If you simply cannot live without your blow dryer or hot rollers, make sure that you are using shampoos, conditioners and styling products that are specifically designed to be heat activated. This way that shot of warm air from your blow dryer will actually shine your hair up instead of drying it out and dulling it down.

4. Pickyourstylingproducts with care. Hairspray is a great way to keep your do in place, but a hairspray with shine enhancers is even better. Look for leave in conditioners and styling gels that are specially formulated to bring out the shine. Even some hair colors are designed today to make the most of your natural glow. Let your products pick up where Mother Nature left off to step up your shine factor!

5. Give your tresses the royal treatment. Once a week, give your hair a complete pampering, using a commercial hot oil treatment or one that you whip up in your own kitchen. For shine power, select ingredients like strawberries that are pureed or olive oil that has been warmed up. A drop or two of rosemary will give a boost to darker hair, while chamomile oil will do wonders for lighter hair colors.

Shineon!