Tips for shiny hair. There are a few tried-and-tested ways to help your hair be it’s shiny best. From the right way to wash your hair to the many uses of coconut oil for hair, read on for five top tips on how to achieve your shiniest hair yet.
Condition
Shiny hair is healthy hair, so you want to pack as many nutrients as you can into your strands. And that’s what you get with everyday conditioners and weekly deep-conditioning treatments. After shampooing your roots and rinsing with warm water, apply conditioner from the mid-lengths to the ends of your hair. Let it really sink in for a couple of minutes.
Cold rinse
When you shampoo and condition your hair, it’s a good idea to use warm water first. That’s because it will open up the outer layer of the hair shaft – the cuticle – by separating the overlapping cells. And that lets your products penetrate your strands more deeply.
After conditioning, though, you want to do the opposite – you want to seal those cuticles, to lock in all that lovely moisture you’ve added. So that’s when the cold rinse comes in. Otherwise, you’ll be removing most of the conditioner. By closing the cells with cool water, they’ll lay more smoothly. This helps light reflect off your hair, which means more shine.
Protect from heat
Hair can become dull and frazzled when exposed to heat from hairdryers and styling tools. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid using them if you can’t give them up – it just means you need to give your hair an extra layer of protection first.
Heat protectant sprays have two benefits for shiny hair. They can help shield your strands from the damaging effects of heat, and they can also help smooth out frizzy fibers in your hair. That helps the cuticles lay flat and reflect light better.
Add some oil
Hair oils can help your strands in so many ways. Go for coconut oil, and it can help tame frizz, protect your strands from saltwater and chlorine, and treat dry and damaged hair. It’s full of vitamins and essential fatty acids, helps reduce protein loss and adds shine by locking in moisture. Use it as a daily conditioner or a post-wash smoothing treatment.
Another way to use coconut oil for hair is to massage it from your roots to your ends at bedtime and use it as an overnight mask. Pull your hair into a ponytail or braid, and remember to put a towel over your pillowcase! When you wake up, simply shampoo your strands – you won’t need to condition, thanks to all that amazing moisture.
Eat your way to shiny hair.
What you put in your body is just as important for your hair as what you put on it. Specific vitamins and minerals play a big part in hair health and shine, so look for foods that are rich in vitamin E, biotin and omega-3 fatty acids, such as nuts, seeds, green leafy veg, oily fish like salmon, and egg yolks.
Following these tips will help you achieve that shiny hair we all want.
What is your top tip for getting shiny hair?
