Try not
to neglect your hair; it accounts for a large proportion of your good looks. Yet, all too
often, we think only of style and not enough about condition.
To keep the
hair looking its best, natural oil must be retained, stimulated and replaced. Brushing and
scalp massage are the answers. These rules apply, even if you have oily hair. Though
brushing may appear to aggravate the condition to begin with, the oil glands, when
regularly stimulated, will gradually secrete less oil. Start by combing the hair to free
it from tangles. Now brush the hair from the hair lines. To hasten the flow of the blood
to the head, bend low as you brush; or, sitting down, brush with the head upon the knees.
If you have long hair, use two brushes.
The
foolproof way to protect hair from the vagaries of the weather and changes in temperature
is thorough, conscientious conditioning. Skin moisturizers seal moisture in the skin and
protect it against evaporation; hair conditioners do a similar job. Most conditioners have
an acid pH rating which helps close down the hair cuticles and makes for maximum gloss and
shine. Cream rinses, which are conditioners in diluted form, and herbal rinses are ideal
for regular use after shampooing. But to get maximum benefit from the concentrated
conditioners, it is advisable to set aside a specific time for treatment, ideally once a
month. Copy the professionals and start by applying conditioner all round the hairline,
edging in at least 2.5 cm (1 in) from roots. Then section off the rest of the hair and
very lightly massage the scalp : do one area at a time, all the way over the head. Gently
comb the conditioner through the rest of the length, adding a little more where necessary.
Hair
Wash
You should
shampoo your hair as often as is necessary for the condition of your particular type of
scalp and hair. Once a week is the minimum but once a day is not necessarily too often. If
you have chosen the right shampoo, it will not stimulate a greasy scalp or cause drying of
the skin. If you are shampooing frequently it is a sensible precaution to lather your hair
only once, no matter what the instructions say. A single sudsing leaves undisturbed
anything from 60 to 80 per cent of the scalp’s natural oils. A further precaution is
to dilute your shampoo with water before applying to the hair. Before of washing too hard.
Use light pressure to massage the scalp all over, with small circling movements of the
fingertips and hands. Use your thumbs as ‘markers’ and streth your fingers out
with the cushions of each fingertip against the scalp. Rotate your hands, exerting gentle
pressure on the scalp. Be certain that your scalp moves and not just your hands –
your scalp should move like a loose cap over the structure underneath. Gradually move over
the whole head, working firmly but gently into the hairline and surrounding area, where
traces of dirt and make-up tend to be trapped. Take the ends of hair betweedn your palms
to rub in the suds.
Rinse the
head thoroughly all over. If you have a dandruff-prone scalp, it is vital to make sure you
rinse off every speck of shampoo. In any case, shampoo traces left in the hair tend to
give it a dull look. A cold water rinse is good treatment to produce a healthy gloss.
Squeeze out the water carefully. This is the time to put on an after-shampoo rinse, if you
use one.
Your
shampoo routine should include regular washing of combs and brushes. Dunk them in a bowl
of soapy hot water. Choose the best you can afford. Natural bristle or a bristle or nylon
mixture are used for the best quality brushes. When buying a comb, look for one made of
bone; vulcanite or good nylon should be your second choices. If combs have any rough
edges, take an emery board and file them down. Your hair can soon be damaged by spiky
combs and brushes.
Hair
Brushing
Hair
texture can be divided into three types – fine, average or coarse – and you
should choose the brush shape which suits its best. A semi-radial, with a half-circle of
bristles, is good for coarse hair’ a full radial, with bristles all round, better for
average hair; and for fine hair a flat paddle shape or a radial are most suitable. Bristle
consistency should be chosen according to your hair’s thickness. Thick hair is happy
with a nylon and bristle mixture, thin with all-bristle.
There’s nothing quite
like pure henna for colouring and conditioning the hair. It’s a natural vegetable dye
from the dried leaves of an Egyptian privet. The powder is mixed with boiling water to a
paste resembling brownish-green mud, then applied with a brush or with the fingers
(glove-clad, of course, to avoid staning). Work the henna in to the roots first, then
along the hair shaft, gradually covering the whole head section by section and coiling
each mesh out of the way once it has been treated. The end result will differ, according
to the exact shade of your hair. It is always advisable to do a patch test, trying out the
henna dye on a small strand of hair. Time exactly how many minutes it was left on, so that
you’ll be sure of ending up with the right shade when you dye the whole head. Henna
should not be used on hair that has just undergone some form of chemical treatment, such
as colouring, tinting, dyeing or perming, all of which effect the colouring process
