Have you got damaged and brittle hair? You’ve tried everything to get more shine to your hair as seen on commercials yet nothing seems to work. I had very dry and damaged hair when I started my hair journey. I thought I was doomed with extremely thin hair that was missing shine completely. Learning to take care of your hair, and doing research on products you’re using has been very important. Not only products but how you are treating your hair during the day and night. I’m sharing the best tips that I started to follow that made an immense change to my hair. With these tips, I have achieved beautiful soft and shiny hair that I thought I never could have.
Scalp massage
When talking about haircare, people usually consider just the hair. However, the most crucial part of haircare is actually scalp care. If you have a healthy scalp your hair is growing better overall. The very first step I added to my haircare is scalp massages. I massage my scalp approximately for 5 minutes every day. I do this often in the evening time, usually while I’m watching tv or listening to a podcast.
Scalp massage can be done with your fingers or you can purchase a small scalp massager. I prefer to use a mix of these methods and it has been working for me. There has not been extensive research made on whether scalp massages are actually helping with hair growth. However, there has been a small-scale case study made in Japan. Which showed signs of improved hair thickness over 24 weeks period when scalp massage was done daily for 4 minutes. ( Koyma, Kobayashi, Hama, Murakami, Ogawa. 2016)
Apple Cider Vinegar rinse for glossy hair
This is another habit that has helped my hair tremendously over the past year. Its increased acidity which leads to lowering the pH level of your scalp helps potentially to strengthen and give more shine to your hair. With my own hair, I have noticed significant help for product build-up. I have no more flaky scalp than I was having before starting to use AVC on my scalp.
Because it’s helping with the product buildup this means that my hair stays clean for longer. I always keep AVC in a spray bottle and before getting into the shower I spray my scalp with the rinse. I let is sit few minutes and after that, I follow normal shampooing.
Get the right Shampoo to achieve shiny hair
This has been one of the most complicated part for me personally. To find the right shampoo that is great for your scalp but also right for your hair type. I’ve been trying many different shampoos, but unfortunately, some have gone to the bin straight away. Some shampoos leave so much residue on my scalp and irritate it so much that I haven’t been able to use them.
When I’m looking for shampoos, I’m always reading the labels. Trying to find shampoos that don’t have silicones that are not water-soluble. Another factor I’m trying to look at is that shampoos don’t contain any sulfates and parabens. While maintaining its natural oils, the hair will stay softer and shinier
Scalp and hair oiling
Hair oiling will help with the shine. It helps to keep your ends moisturised and that way look less brittle and healthier. The same way goes for scalp oiling, it helps the hair nourish from the hair follicle. At the same time when applying the oil to the scalp, you will also massage the scalp.
I oil my scalp 1-2 times a week using jojoba oil mainly and sometimes castor oil. There are many other oils you can use for oiling, but these are my favourite ones.
Consistency
To achieve shiny hair you need to be committed to your haircare routine. There is no such thing as “a fast fix”. If you’re taking the time and giving TLC to your hair, you will see results. Also depending how often you are using heat tools and damaging hairstyles. But with these tips, you can start your haircare journey and get closer to that shiny hair you’ve always dreamed of.
References
Koyama, T. Kobayasi, K. Hama, T. Murakami, K. Ogawa, R. (2016) “Standardized Scalp Massage Results in Increased Hair Thickness by Inducing Stretching Forces to Dermal Papilla Cells in the Subcutaneous Tissue” in National libary of medicine. Available here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4740347/ (accessed on 4th of March 2023)
