HAIR CARE RULES
Eight ultra-pampering techniques for your healthiest, strongest hair ever. By Sam Neibart
THE IDEA OF “QUARANTINE HAIR” conjures up images of botched haircuts and self-applied highlights, but to many it’s been a welcome break from chemical processes, heat styling, and overwashing, plus a chance to get the healthiest hair ever. Take advantage of the downtime, says New York–based stylist Naeemah LaFond. Ease off the hot tools and styling products, and focus on nourishing treatments. “They’re not only a great way to improve the condition of your hair, but they also give you a moment to take care of yourself,” she says.
1 DON’T STRESS OVER HAIRCUTS
A trim every eight to 10 weeks isn’t always necessary. If you have long, healthy hair, you can get away with two haircuts a year, says hairstylist Sally Hershberger. Just look out for those extra-delicate split ends. They’ll keep splitting upward, fraying the healthier lengths. Also, that deadweight can sabotage styling because the flimsy ends behave differently from those of healthy hair. Need an at-home fix? For straighter-hair types, part your hair in the middle to the nape of your neck, then comb it straight down, and bring the sections in front of your shoulders. “You want to cut up into the hair, not straight across,” says Hershberger. Curly hair is a bigger challenge to DIY. Kevin Hughes, a New York– and L.A.-based hairstylist, suggests trimming each tendril individually: “Pull out the curl, then snip off an eighth of an inch.”
2 CLEANSE YOUR SCALP
It may not sound glamorous, but scalp care is essential for beautiful hair. Even if you don’t have issues, “every product works better when you’re starting with a clean canvas,” says LaFond. If you wear your hair in braids or go extended periods of time between shampoos, it’s even more important to balance and soothe your scalp regularly. Malin+Goetz Detox Scalp Mask exfoliates without using a grainy scrub, and Virtue Refresh Topical Scalp Supplement nourishes the scalp with vitamins, peptides, and prebiotics.
3 UPGRADE YOUR HAIR MASK
Experts agree that using a hydrating hair mask once a week is crucial. It restores moisture to your hair, giving it elasticity and bounce that make it look lustrous and also easier to style. If your hair is very damaged, power up with a bond rebuilder, a booming category in hair care. These products reconnect broken bonds in hair, helping to repair damage from colour treatments, heat styling, and even brushing. Stylists are big on KhairPep K18Peptide Masque, which is packed with peptides, molecules that effectively penetrate the hair’s cortex to deliver amino acids and rebuild keratin chains. But because bond builders work by strengthening rather than hydrating hair, always follow with a conditioner, advises Hughes.
4 BRUSH BETTER
Hair is more fragile when it’s wet, but making sure your hair doesn’t dry in tangles is critical to styling. Hughes recommends spritzing towel-dried strands liberally with a leave-in conditioner beforehand. Doing so protects the hair by providing extra slip for your brush or comb so that it easily glides through any knots. When brushing or combing, start at the bottom of your hair, then work your way up as you detangle. “This way, you don’t create a denser knot from the hairs catching onto each other,” says Hughes. And to refresh (and detangle) curly hair that’s already dry, LaFond says that it’s best to rub a little moisturising cream between your fingertips and gently detangle curls by hand to avoid producing frizz.
5 REFRESH YOUR COLOR AT HOME
Whether you colour your hair at home or at the salon, don’t jump to do your roots at the first sign of regrowth. The longer the root, the less likely it is that you’ll overlap new colour over old dye, which can lead to premature breakage. Instead try a colour-depositing mask, which camouflages greys or fading, and restores shine. “It’s a great way to add richness back to faded hair colour,” says Hughes. The tint will wash out seamlessly over time.
6 LEARN TO AIR-DRY
If you still haven’t mastered the air-dry, let this be your foolproof guide. But it does require both product and patience. “I always put some mousse in the hair to give your style a bit of guts,” says Hershberger. She suggests that straight and wavy hair types rake product throughout hair, then twist it into a braid or a low bun to create or encourage relaxed waves as hair dries. If you have curly hair, the trick is to find your optimal ratio of gel to cream. “Cocktailing the two is the perfect formula for an air-dry look,” LaFond says. She explains that gel gives definition to curls, while leave-in creams provide hydration. If you don’t have enough time to air-dry naturally, using your blow-dryer’s diffuser attachment will speed up the process of coaxing natural texture with minimal heat damage.
7 AVOID DIRECT HEAT
We all know that hot tools are big culprits contributing to breakage, but they can be hard to quit entirely if your hair doesn’t dry like a dream. There are alternatives, though, to blow-dryers and styling irons: Heated brushes are not only easy to maneuver, but they also put less stress on the hair by polishing strands via a hot plate on the base of the brush. The flat variety smooths and straightens, while the round versions give volume and bend. You might even prefer the look. “Hair will feel thicker once you stop overworking and overheating it,” says Yusef, a New York–based hairstylist.
8 RESIST TANGLES
“Everybody should sleep on a silk pillowcase,” offers Yusef. Many people don’t realise that a cotton pillowcase can do damage, but it can tangle and break your strands, especially if you sleep on your back with your hair loose. Another option? Before bed, toss your hair up in a silky scrunchie. On straight or blown-out hair, twist hair into a bun to preserve softness and encourage waves. A pineapple (a high, loose ponytail at the center of your head) is better for curly hair. That way, you don’t flatten your curls overnight.