Love Affair With Beauty: Hair Tips (Part 1)

For the introduction to this little series, click here.

My love affair with beauty started as a young child sitting in my mother's salon all those afternoons. I wanted to share the best tips/tricks I have learned from my mom and her salon co-workers over the course of many years. Some you might have heard these before and others might be new to you*. (I'm sure most of them can be found on Pinterest or in a beauty magazine - nonetheless, I still wanted to share them!)

My sweet mom washing my hair - what little I had of it as a baby!

  Today we will start with general hair care - these are the top tips and tricks that have worked time and time again to have healthy and strong hair:

• Healthy hair starts at the scalp! Wash your hair using your fingertips and rub the shampoo into your scalp vigorously to help stimulate blood flow and loosen dirt and product. (See here for an example).
• Apply conditioner only to the part of your hair you can put in a ponytail - your scalp produces enough oil on its own and the ends are the place that need moisture. Rinse the conditioner out of your hair with cool water - this helps seal the cuticle and make hair shiny.
• If your hair is color treated, don't wash it in very hot water. Hot water will strip the hair of the color (just like you don't wash colored laundry in hot water).  
• Rubbing wet hair with a towel roughs up the cuticle and makes it frizzy, so wring out excess water with your hands first, then pat your hair dry with the towel. 
• When you comb or brush wet hair, start at the bottom and work your way up through the tangles so you don't break the strands. A wide tooth comb or paddle brush is easiest on hair.
• To help remove product buildup and improve shine, do an apple cider vinegar rinse. Take a cap full of apple cider vinegar and dilute it in 16 oz of water. Wash your hair as normal, then pour this mixture over your scalp and hair. Leave in for a few minutes then rinse with lukewarm water. (Beer also works for shine - 1 cup for long hair, 1/2 cup for short hair.)
• If your hair is dried out or fried from using heat styling tools, do an oil mask once a week (cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is the best, but virgin olive oil works too). For long hair use 1/2 cup. For short hair use 1/8 - 1/4 cup. Comb the oil through your dry hair starting at the ends, then wrap it up in a towel and leave it on for 30 minutes. Shampoo and condition as usual. 
• If you are prone to frizz, sleep on a silk pillowcase - it helps keep the hair follicles smooth.

Hair styling tips/tricks are the next post in the series. Have a great weekend!

*Disclaimer: I will only share the tips/tricks that I have actually tried and deem successful.