HAIR MYTHS

Trimming Makes Hair Grow Faster

One of the most common hair care myths is the persistent belief that trimming causes hair to grow faster and thicker. In short, there is no truth in this practice. Trimming, cutting, or shaving your hair may appear to make hair grow faster, but the effect is merely an illusion. Trimming bangs, spit ends, or shaggy locks often cause hair to appear healthier; which is likely the reason people mistakenly believe their hair is growing faster.

The rate at which your hair grows is determined largely by genetics, but there are things you can do to help your hair grow at its best. Your best bet is to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and to make sure you eat plenty of protein. Good sources of protein include eggs, fish, and other lean meats.

Interested in a Career in Hair Design?

Find out all you need to know. Sign up for the FREE Career Report: "Working in Hair Design." All the insights on how to get a fabulous career in beauty will be delivered to your inbox immediately.

News Release

SLEEK AND SHINY

April 5, 2007

SLEEK AND SHINY

Your guide to gorgeous, smooth hair year-round.

If your hair is naturally straight...
...the trend is for a blunt cut but, better yet, ask your stylist to give your locks some bounce by framing your face with long layers and layering the ends. Bonus: this do du jour is ideal for fine hair. A one-length cut is going to maximize thickness. Your hair will automatically look fuller.
...get a supersmooth finish with a lightweight silicone-based lotion before styling. Apply just a touch at a time and work it into your locks evenly from ends to roots so as not to overdose at the hairline and risk looking greasy.
...don't overdo it with parched hair, a precursor to pesky flyaways.

If your hair is naturally wavy...
...choose a long, layered do with the shortest layer grazing the bottom of your cheek or chin. The extra weight of long layers is needed to pull your curls down. Any shorter and your waves will spring up and your locks will look poufy.
...don't thin your hair out with a razor. You'll make frizz worse by shattering the hair shaft.
...and you feel like showing off the smoothest-looking curls, mix a leave-in conditioner with a curl enhancing moussing gel. This is a very important step: comb it through from roots to ends. Often people don't apply their product properly, so when their hair dries, it's frizzy. To finish, scrunch and let air-dry.

If your hair is naturally coarse...
...maximize slow-growing black hair with a graduated bob. You'll get the look and feel of long hair without the wait. Long bangs offer versatility, part them to the side or down the middle.
...quit overly oily hair products. They only make your hair look greasy and weighed down. Instead, use a smoothing hiar-care regime for curly hair. Lighter formulas help your hair move.
...and you want your natural texture to shine, comb a heavy-duty serum through damp hair. For natural curls sans frizz, massage it in (in sections, to be thorough) and allow it to air-dry.

TIPS...

...MOISTURIZE It's the number one rule for skin and it's the number one rule for hair, too. Lack of mooisture is one of the main causes of flyaways and frizz. Once a week do a deep moisturizer treatment and apply it to camp hair, working from roots to ends, then wrap your head in a clean plastic bag and relax for 20 minutes before rinsing it out. Your scalp will heat up the cuticle and allow for more and better product penetration.
KEEP MOISTURIZING All hair types should use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner.

...PICK THE PERFECT BRUSH Try a double-sided paddle brush with natural bristles on one side and plastic bristles with rounded ends on the other. Use the plastic side in a circular motion to stimulate and exfoliate your scalp before you shampoo. After you've washed and conditioned, use the natural bristles to brush your hair while it's damp. Use a leave-in conditioning or detangling spray to avoid tugging and pulling.

...TREAT BEFORE YOUR HEAT Apply a protective spray before curling or straightening with a hot iron (some of which can reach up to 200 C!) Your hair will slip across the heated surface really quickly. At the same time, some of the water from the conditioner will evaporte adn take away some of the heat, so you lessen the damage to your hair. When choosing a flatiron, choose one with ceramic plates - they snag less than metal plates.

...SMOOTH IT ON RIGHT Using an anti-frizz serum? Put it on damp hair. The wetter your hair is, the more evenly the product will distribute. Too much serum in one place looks greasy instead of smooth.

...WORK FROM THE TOP DOWN Start blow-drying the top section and the hairline first, then underneath. The benefit? If your're in a hurry, your top layers will look perfectly appointed and smooth, and you can let the hair underneath (which no one ever sees) dry naturally.

...LEARN THE TIPPING POINT It doesn't really matter so much what's happening at the wet stage. What matters most is the point just before your hair dries. Whatever your're doing at that point gets locked in. For example, lock in a smooth do by blow-frying until all the moisture is gone and your hair has just turned completely dry (signalled by your hair suddenly feeling hot). Don't quit before then or you won't lock in frizz-free tresses.

...TREAT THE DAMAGE If you are chemically treating your hair in any way, such as colouring, highlights, relaxing, perming - those processes get inside your hair and tear up the protein bonds. The result? Weak, damaged hair. The solution: put back the protein to toughen up your tresses again with a protein treatment. Use this kind of treatment every day for a week, then reducing to once a week until your hair has gotten back its X-factor.

...SEAL IN SHEEN Clear gloss treatments add and lock in shine for at least six weeks. It's great for chemically treated or frizzy hair that needs a boost of glimmer.

News Index