"My hair feels dull. How do I get it shiny ?" If I had a dime for how many times I have heard this question. It sounds so simple, right? Well you may be surprised to find out that this is actually a very loaded question. So let's take it one step at a time.
1. Nutrition
The first factor is nutrition. I know your shocked that what you eat effects how shiny your hair is. Who knew? A few of the most beneficial hair foods are Chia seeds, green tea, lemons, walnuts, spinach, tomatoes, and coconut oil.
2. Hair texture
The more dry your hair is the less shiny it will look. If your hair has been over processed or not trimmed often this can lead to dryness, making your hair appear dull. Curly hair tends to look more dry so hydration is super important for this texture.
3. Hair Color
A popular trend currently is bright blonde. The whiter or silver the better! Not so much.
Here is a little chemistry lesson. Did you know that gold makes the hair look shiny?
I know I just blew your mind. You are probably thinking "But the white hair I see looks so shiny." Or " I hate to see gold in my hair." So here is how this works.
When the light hits grey does it look shiny? No it doesn't.
When light hits gold it reflects making it appear shiny. When the lightest color or blonde is achieved all gold has been removed from the hair. That means all the reflection has been removed. This is also true for darker colors like medium brown hair with "ashy" tones.
4. Hair Products
This may be the easiest way to add shine back to the hair.
First I would start with hydration. Conditioning Treatments will be your best friend! Keratin Treatments are also a common method to adding shine to the hair. This is how they work.
The keratin coats the hair and then fades off over time.
Second product I would recommend is a smoothing or oil. Choosing a heavy oil can weigh down the hair and make it appear greasy. I would choose a light oil that is clear in color. I love the Loma Nourishing Oil.
Every day shampoo and conditioner make a huge difference in the shine of your hair.
Drug store shampoos are often filled with sulfates and parabens. Sulfates strip any natural shine that you may have and parabens leave a coating on the hair that cover up natural shine.
The chances are if you are experiencing dull hair, you may be missing one or more of these steps.
Let me know which ones you struggle with.
Comments