Hair and Other Musings

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Benefits of hair conditioner

[1] Hair conditioner, for most people, is simply a product they use straight after shampooing their hair. Other people may not even use a conditioner at all. Conditioners have a multitude of benefits for your hair though, and it's good to understand why you should use one, as well as which hair conditioner you should use. Hair conditioner benefits Hair conditioner has more uses than you may realize. If you're not using one, or you're not using the right conditioner, you're missing out on more than just detangled hair. Some of the many benefits of hair conditioners include: Softer hair Less tangling Less color fading Less frizz Better moisture retention Protection from the environment Protection from breakages Hair cuticles and conditioner The cuticles of your hair are like tiny scales that seal the hair's interior against the exterior environment. When the cuticles are closed, your hair feels smooth and soft, and it retains moistur

How to fix a hair color that is too dark

[1] If you've dyed your hair and your new hair color has turned out too dark, there are ways to correct the problem with minimal damage and lighten colored hair to the shade you actually want. The technique you use will depend on how dark your hair is, as well as how quickly you want to correct it, and whether your hair is in good condition or not. Why does hair color end up too dark? There are a few major reasons why hair color can end up darker than expected, and these relate to the condition of your hair and how the dye was applied: Porosity Shade selection Brand differences Development time The porosity of your hair is the most common cause of hair dye that turns out too dark. When hair is porous, it soaks up dye more readily and this can lead to it becoming much darker than it should. Sometimes, this high porosity will be natural, whilst most of the time it is caused by damage to the surface of the hair shaft. When hair is damaged, the cuticles on the s

How to fix yellow hair

[1] Blonde hair looks beautiful, but the original shade can fade after dyeing, leaving you with yellow hair instead. When your hair turns yellow, it needs to be toned to neutralize this unwanted result. With the proper toner and a little time, you can fix yellow hair and return your tresses back to the shade you love. Why does blonde hair turn yellow? Hair lightening exposes the underlying pigment in your hair. Depending on how dark your natural color is, this pigment can be anything from a deep red color to a pale yellow color, and it is this underlying base tone that allows your natural shade to look rich and dark. Generally, whenever you expose the base tone of your hair, the final color is achieved with a toner. This toner adds cool pigment back into your hair to neutralize the appearance of the warm base tone and transform its color into the shade of hair color you actually want. With time, the toner fades, allowing the underlying warmth to become visible again. In blonde

Hair breakage repair and prevention

If your hair is damaged, you've likely noticed it snapping. Often, damaged hair is very dry, brittle, and fragile, causing it to break with styling or washing. It won't grow quickly because of this breakage, which can be extremely frustrating, meaning that the use of hair breakage repair treatments are crucial in restoring it to a better condition. [1] What causes hair breakage? Hair breakage occurs when hair has been weakened through heat, chemical, or physical damage. Bleaching is often a significant cause, and people with dyed blonde hair tend to be more susceptible to the problem due to the amount of lightening that is required to achieve and maintain a pale hair colour. Other processes that can lead to hair breakage include the way you style it, how much sun exposure you get, and even how you handle it when it is wet. Heated styling tools damage your hair much more readily if you're not using a protection spray or serum, and exposure to the sun's radi

How to fix heat damaged hair

[1] Heat damaged hair is common with the use of heated styling tools like straighteners and curling rods. When your hair is damaged like this, it doesn't look its best. Hair that is damaged by heat is prone to frizz, dryness, and split ends. As such, it's important that you correct the damage in order to restore your hair to its former glory and keep it looking its absolute best. What is heat damaged hair? If your hair is heat damaged, this means that it has been exposed to high temperatures during styling. These temperatures cause the protein in your hair to be denatured and break down, weakening the structure of your hair. This is why it's important to adequately protect your hair whenever you style it with a heating tool, and even when you blow dry it. Correcting heat damage Like any damage to your hair, heat damage can be corrected with the right products and a care regime. The key to this is to target treatment to the components of your hair that are damag

Best hair colors for blue eyes

[1] If you have blue eyes, you've probably wondered which hair colors are the best match for your eyes. Matching your hair color to the rest of your features is absolutely necessary if you want to be sure it looks great, and the best hair color for blue eyes is one that emphasizes and enhances the blue tone. Matching hair colors and features There are a few simple rules you can follow to match most hair colors to your other features in order to determine which shades are the best hair colors for you. Your features consist of your: Skin tone Eye color Hair color Your skin tone and eye color are mostly unchangeable and set from a young age, whereas your hair color can be changed at whim to any shade you desire. As such, the features that you can't change determine how your hair looks in comparison. Each feature affects the other features on your body, making it important for everything to work together for the best results and for natural looking hair. Skin

Hair care: What shampoo should I use?

Have you been asking yourself, "what shampoo should I use"? Shampoos vary greatly in terms of what hair type they are best suited towards, as well as any special properties they may have. If you're not using the right shampoo for your hair, you may not be experiencing the range of benefits that a properly chosen shampoo can give you. Types of shampoo There are a few different types of shampoos, and the shampoo you use should be based around choosing not only the correct product type for your hair, but also choosing a good brand. The main types of shampoos include: Normal hair shampoo Dry hair shampoo Oily hair shampoo Coloured hair shampoo Medicated shampoo Toning shampoo Repair shampoo Dryness vs oiliness One of the most important factors involved in choosing the right shampoo to use is whether you suffer from dry or oily hair. Dry hair needs a milder shampoo that also contains moisturising ingredients. Oily hair, however, requires the use of a stronger