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Quick Fixes for Common Hair Problems
Quick Fixes for Common Hair Problems
We’ve all got things we’d like to change about our hair. This is why the hair and beauty
industry makes hundreds of billions of dollars a year creating and marketing products to help us get the hair we want. But even with
all the advances in cosmetology, there are still those day-to-day hair issues we deal with that can frustrate us and make us want to
give in and cut it all off. Here are some quick-fixes for some of the most common hair issues faced by women:
Dull and dry-looking:
You spend an hour in the morning getting your hair to look just right and all is right with
the world as you head out to work. But by 5 o’clock your hair’s shimmer and glow has faded and it looks dull and listless – not exactly
what you want for meeting your boyfriend for drinks. The solution is simple. Keep a small bottle of spray laminator or shine serum on
hand and give your hair a shine boost. Spray laminators are essentially light fruit oils that can be misted onto the hair to add shine
and gloss. Shine serums serve the same purpose but are generally made from silicone and are applied using the fingers.
Static and Fly-Aways:
This is especially a problem in winter, when the air is heated and dry, and we stroll along
on carpeted floors, generating our own electrical charges. This can result in statically charged, fly-away hair. Fortunately, the
quick-fix for this is to simply spray your hairbrush with hairspray and run the brush through your hair, or lightly mist the hair
with spray and use your fingers to brush the hair down. The polymers in the hairspray act as a coating to insulate the hair and
remove the static charge.
Damaged and Frizzy Hair:
Sometimes when our hair is damaged and frizzy, we can shampoo, condition and style it in the
morning and find after a couple of hours that it looks dry and frizzy again. This is because damaged hair is more porous and loses
moisture much more quickly than healthy hair. The trick to handling this type of hair problem is to keep a small sprayer bottle of
leave-in conditioner on hand in your purse. When the hair gets dried out and frizzed, simply spray it with the conditioner and comb
it through.
Now since most of us wouldn’t want to run around with wet hair, be sure to be sparing with
the conditioner, and for medium to long hair, try wearing the hair in a more controlled style - perhaps a ponytail, a twist, or a bun.
Oily Hair and Scalp:
Sometimes we wish we had the problem of drier hair, especially when we deal with an
over-oily scalp and hair. We can shampoo, and blow dry in the morning, walking out the door with full, voluminous hair, but by
mid-afternoon the hair has become oily-looking and flattened out. Sometimes shampooing more often helps, but if you’re already
shampooing every day and still have oily hair problems, it’s time to try another tack.
Shampooing the hair too often can leave the hair dry and ill-conditioned, so for those with
oily scalp here’s a trick to help control that oily scalp without over-shampooing. Take a few tablespoons of cornstarch and a
soft-bristled brush and apply the cornstarch to the scalp at a part in the hair. Move the parting a half inch at a time to one side
and continue applying the cornstarch to the scalp area. Work from center parting to one side, then from center to the other side until
you’ve treated the whole scalp. Leave the cornstarch in place for about 10-15 minutes to absorb the oils, then use a clean, dry bristle
brush to brush out the cornstarch and with it the excess oil.
Odors:
Sometimes our work environment or even our social environment exposes our hair to lingering
scents that can be unpleasant. This can also be a problem for people who cannot shampoo their hair everyday, but are exposed to
odorous environments. Fortunately, there are a number of products newly available on the market for deodorizing the hair.
But if you are allergic to fragrances, or just prefer a natural alternative, try baking soda.
Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda and one cup of distilled water in a sprayer bottle and shake well. Use this to lightly mist the hair at
the scalp area and allow the hair to dry, or blow dry the hair using a diffuser and cool setting. Baking soda naturally absorbs odors
but requires moisture to be active. Once dry, be sure to brush the hair thoroughly to remove any powdery residue.
Falling Styles:
Many women complain that they would love to wear their hair up in a simple twist or a bun,
but that their hair is so heavy it falls down halfway through the day. However, there are a couple of simple tricks for adding stability
to a simple up-style
The first trick is to start with a ponytail. For a bun, you can simply wind the loose hair
below the gather around the base and secure it with pins. Be sure to cross the pins through the ponytail holder so that all the tools
rely on each other for strength and stability. For a twist, simply pull the ponytail elastic out from the scalp along the length of the
hair to about 1/3rd of the way from the scalp. Then, take the ponytail just above the elastic band and wrap it inward into the twist.
Anchor the twist by using bob pins criss-crossed over one another to form a series of “X” shapes. Be sure to include the ponytail
elastic in the pins as you secure the hair.
Stacy - Stylist ©Hairfinder.com
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