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Between dying, drying, and styling – our hair goes through it. Constant exposure to hot tools, chemical processes, and even brushing can negatively impact hair elasticity. And if you don’t protect your hair, its elasticity will diminish leading to breakage and an overall unhealthy appearance.
So in order to protect your hair and to ensure it stays healthy, thick, and strong, these are the hair lifesavers you need in your life.
We asked beauty expert and trichologist, Kerry E Yates, to share her favorite hair-thickening (and protecting!) products.
Olaplex Hair Perfector No 3: "At-home consumer treatment protects and maintains hair’s elasticity. Rinse-off therapy is used weekly."
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer: "Hero product rehydrates and conditions hair ensures proper moisture balance, maintains a healthy cortex, and supports cuticle health. It is formulated using a conditioning blend of Castor oil, olive oil, and glycerin."
Innersense Harmonic Healing Oil: "Pioneers in the world of clean beauty. Tamanu oil is the hero in this proprietary blend of healing oils to protect and enhance hair’s beauty."
Bumble and Bumble bond-building repair shampoo: "Formulated with a blend of honey, castor oil, plus vitamins protect and repair damaged hair."
Yates added her tried and true haircare tips as well – because how you care for your hair is as important as the haircare products you use.
Gently please: "Did you know that when your hair is most fragile when wet! Since that is the case, be very gentle when combing/brushing your hair directly after your shampoo routine."
All about balance: "To maintain healthy tresses, you need to maintain a balance of moisture within the hair. Without this balance, your hair can become brittle and break, leading to frayed ends and an overall look of dryness."
Be cool vs. hot: "Try to limit your use of hot tools, which can destroy your cuticles with long-term use. Embrace your cool styles like your natural waves or curls vs. straightening to submission. Your cuticles support your cortex which ensures your hair stays strong and pliable."
Use sparingly: "Silicone can be a fabulous ingredient to achieve instant smooth locks or enhance shine. However, too much silicone can prevent your hair from achieving optimal moisture balance. Hair will initially look shiny, but hair’s suppleness and long-term appearance will be impacted."
Get on a schedule: "The ends of your hair are the oldest part of your hair which means they have received the highest level of abuse. Frayed and split ends are unsightly but can also cause the hair to split lengthwise, impacting the cortex and overall hair health. Regular cuts, scheduled bi-yearly but ultimately scheduled quarterly, are ideal for maintaining overall hair health and beauty."
Hair artist, Holly Dear, added her hair wisdom giving us even more tips and tricks to incorporate into our hair strengthening routine.
It all starts with the scalp: "Stronger hair depends on a stronger and heathier scalp. The stronger our scalp is the stronger our hair is especially as we age. The scalp is more sensitive than even our face, so we need to use products that will help and nourish it.
It’s very important to use a quality clean shampoo and conditioner: "Using a quality shampoo and conditioner is one of the most important factors in scalp and hair health. Formula’s that are paraben-free, and or free of hormone-disrupting products like phthalates is very important to your scalp and hair health."
Eat a well-balanced diet: "Incorporating more omega-3 fish oils can also help with dry scalp. Also protein (such as eggs, that contain biotin are essential) as well as avocados (that contain vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids are essential as well.)"
