Grooming

Use a shampoo & conditioner that suits your hair type. Choose products that are gentle, preferably without any harsh detergent like sodium laurel sulfate. For daily washes, use a shampoo that is mild, gentle & moisturizing.

. Don't use too much conditioner or else it makes hair greasy.

. Ingredients such as coconut oil moisturizes dry hair, makes hair softer & soothes the scalp; tea conditions & softens hair; jojoba moisturizes premed or chemically treated hair & makes hair manageable; silicone makes hair silky; lemon gives hair a natural shine & conditions; honey conditions deeply; henna leaves are natural hair dyes; apple cider vinegar & rosemary oil encourage hair growth & control dandruff.

. Eggs contain lecithin which helps to moisturize dry hair. The next time before you shampoo, beat an egg & apply it on your dry hair & cover with a plastic bag for 15 minutes or so (body heat intensifies conditioning) then rinse off totally with cold water.

. Olive oil is a good conditioner too. Massage onto hair & leave it for 10 minutes before shampoo.

. Massaging your scalp with your fingertips helps the blood to circulate to the scalp.

. On average hair grows about 1.2 to 1.25 cm a month.

. Hair is most fragile when wet.

. To make hair soft & shiny after washing, blot hair gently with towel & then separate with a wide-toothed comb.

. Blow-drying damages hair, causing dryness & split-ends due to the close contact between the heat on the scalp & hair. The next time you blow dry your hair, face the dryer downwards, use a leave-on conditioner for protection & avoid long exposure of both scalp & hair to the strong heat.

. To avoid hair damage (e.g. green hair) while swimming in chlorinated water, wear a swimming cap or deep condition your hair before entering the pool. Also, wash & condition hair as soon as you've finished swimming. See articles below on how to treat green hair.

. Wear a hat if you're going to be outdoors for a long period & condition more often.

. The best hair brush to use is one with bristles made of animal hairs.

. Don't stress your hair with constant perms, dye, highlighting, blow-drying, curlers & strong hair styling products.

. Hair turns gray when melanocytes (cells found in the hair bulb) cease to produce color pigments.

Nourishment

Poor nutrition, hormonal changes, stress & shock play a major part in affecting the condition, appearance or disappearance of hair.

. Vitamin A - promotes healthy scalp.
Food sources: dark green, orange & yellow fruits & vegetables.

. Vitamin B complex - Regulates the secretion of oil, keeps hair healthy & moisturized.
Food sources: corals, tomatoes, lean meat, liver, kidney, Brewer's yeast, eggs & green vegetables.

A severe lack of biotin (one of the Vitamin Bs) can lead to hair loss. It works best with Vitamin B5, B12 & folic acid. Food sources: cauliflower, yogurt, whole meal bread, bran & bananas.

. Minerals such as zinc, iron & copper promote healthy hair.
Food sources: zinc - lean red meat, chicken, pumpkin seeds & green vegetables; iron - beef, dried apricots, lean red meat, parsley, eggs, wheat germ & sunflower seeds; copper - animal organs, seafood, egg yolk & whole grains.

A lack of iron is cited to be the cause of hair loss among women who have not reached menopause.

. Proteins - because hair is made up of 97% protein (keratin), consuming enough of it gives hair a natural shine.
Food sources: lean meat, grains & soy.

Winter hair care

Wash your hair less often so as to strip less of the hair's natural oil.

. Use a dry shampoo if you need to wash. One way to have a dry shampoo is to sprinkle some baby powder onto your hair & comb it off.

. One cheap way to moisturize hair - see point 4 @ Grooming.

. See Reduce static for tips on how to remove static.

. Deep condition once a week. Try massaging your scalp with 4 tablespoons of honey & cover with a plastic bag for 15 minutes or more then rinse off totally with hot water.

Reduce static

A leave-on conditioner or hair mousse can get rid of static. Hair static is caused by a lack of hair moisture.

. Brush with natural & not plastic bristles.

. Get a sheet of fabric softener & wipe across your hair. It helps control frizz too.

Reverse hair loss

Try drinking this - blend bananas with honey, yogurt & low-fat milk. A drink rich in biotin can help keep your crowning glory firmly rooted.

. Take dietary supplements such as Vitamin B6, zinc & saw palmetto. Supplements are useful when you can't get enough from natural food sources (see Nourishment).

. Invert your head while you shampoo & massage your scalp. This helps promote blood circulation to the head.

. Eliminate stress or else it can be disastrous to your precious hair!

. Get enough sleep.

Be careful from these common hair Mistakes:

Dark roots. If you color your hair, plan on maintenance. This means touching up your roots as they grow out. Pulling your hair back too tight. Leave some slack when pulling your hair back into a pony tail or bun. If it's too tight, it looks strict and may even give you a headache. Thinking the hair color sample on the box will give you the same results. Many factors play into the outcome of your hair color. Perms, other processing, and the amount of time you leave it in will all make a difference. If your hair doesn't match the box's sample color when you're done, it's probably because the model has a different natural hair color than your own.