Split ends: BE GONE! Dry hair: DENIED! What if you could make your haircuts last longer and still keep those smooth, healthy tresses? It is totally do-able, in many cases with things you have around your house already. In an economy that is struggling you CAN still manage to be your glamorous self.
Here are a few tips that can help your haircut last longer:
TIP #1: Washing your hair every day makes it dry. We know this. We’ve been advised to go a day or so without washes for as long as Joan Rivers has been getting plastic surgery. So consider this: when you do wash your hair, try washing it in reverse. Yes, I said reverse. We usually shampoo and then condition, but in doing that you could be damaging your hair further: pushing you to the hairdresser more quickly. It is the shampoo, after all, that contributes to dry ends. The key here is to condition first, but ONLY the ends. Conditioner wasn't meant for the scalp, ladies. It builds up and makes your hair look oily and (sorry to say) unflattering. Condition the ends, and it will help close off the cuticle so that when you do wash your scalp, the rinse off from the shampoo will be enough to clean out any dirt that remains there. This keeps your mane from drying out more quickly.
TIP #2: Step away from the flat iron! Or at least for the weekend. Do you really need to flat iron your hair when you’re home alone in your pajamas watching When Harry Met Sally? More than likely the answer is no. Heat kills the hair. Allowing your hair a day or two’s rest from heat products will mean there is less damage. Less damage means that you won't need to shell out extra money for a cut. If you do use a heat product, try to get a hair product that is specifically designed to help better protect those precious strands.
TIP #3: Treat it with oil. Okay, so maybe this sounds ridiculous, especially since your hair can get as greasy as the grill at McDonald's. But oil helps replace your natural hair oil. When you wash it, you say bye-bye to natural hair oils. VO5 makes a great heat oil that will definitely help keeps split ends at bay. However, you can make your own budget-friendly heat oil using ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Break out that bottle of olive oil and heat it ever so slightly (think warm, not hot) and coat your hair. Once you have done the oil dance, then take a shower cap and let it sit for 30 minutes. Ideally you want to let it sit for as long as you can, but 30 minutes will do the trick. Once enough time passes, rinse it out using a mild shampoo. Do this once a week, and you are on the way to being a hair diva.
Remember there is no coupon for making haircuts last longer. But spending a little extra time saving your hair will save your wallet too. These tips may only prolong a haircut by a few weeks, but a few weeks every few months will add up quickly. Pretty soon you will have a pocketful of money and hair that outshines the best celebrity. You have the power, and really isn't that how it should be?
This has been a guest post by Christina from Lakewood, CO
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