Products and healthy hair

With millions of products out there in the shops, salons and online what do you choose? what do you need?.

Like everything in life you pay for what you get. Now wait before you go and buy that designer label brand of hair product or the same name as your skin care. Or a highly expensive line. They aren't always the best either.

Less expensive products sitting on the store shelf normally drys the hair out, you need twice as much and in the long run you end up spending more than you save. Most of these products contain plastics which coat your hair giving you the look of healthy shiny hair when in fact they are doing more harm than good. Sometimes a lot of the very expensive or designer products use better ingredients. They still have plastics and artificial ingredients in them. Giving you great looking hair but doing it no real benefits. Thats why always try to buy professional products from a professional salon. Where people can advise you on what you need.

Now you say the products l buy at my salon l can buy at a large store too. The best products for your hair will be the harder to get products outside the a salon. Good suppliers only sell to salons who they know can offer knowledgeable advice to go with them.

Also you have to be careful. There are some well know product lines that sell to stores/online and salons. They have different formulas for the same product depending on where they are sold. The salon ones being the better quality.

So what products do you need to spend money on ?.

Most people think a really good conditioner or treatment is the most important.

Its the shampoo.

A good shampoo will not dry, strip, make it greasy or damage the scalp. The more you damage the hair with a shampoo the more you need to spend on after care down the road. Lots of people use a dandruff shampoo for just a little dry scalp. This isn't dandruff and will give you problems you never had to start with . Very few people have dandruff, but when you use a dandruff shampoo and you don't really need it. You will dry your scalp out. Sometimes they take the top layer of skin away and once you stop, your scalp is so dry and flaky you end up thinking the dandruff shampoo is working and go back to it.

Whats a good shampoo then?

First they need to be 100% sulfate, paraben and silicone free (remember those plastics l was talking about)

Some are organic or have one or 2 organic ingredients. It is a debate how organic or on what degree these actually are. Some products are vegan some are gluten free. The most important thing to look for are sulfate, paraben and silicone free.

Lather or no Lather

You don't need lather to clean the hair, no lather products work really well. Lather or should l say the ingredients to make the lather is added as a feel good factor only. A hand full of suds feels great and gives the feeling of clean hair. Depending on the lather ingredient used they can be slightly drying on the hair.

Shampoos are made for lots of different needs. Some even have uv filters and all good shampoos will be color safe unless its a swimming or clarifying shampoo. Just make it your most important product. You will use less and save money and have healthy hair from the start.

Everyone should use conditioners even you men with short hair. You can use the best shampoo and eat the best diet. Any heat will damage the hair, so a hair dryer, the sun and even heating in your homes and cars dry the hair out. Conditioners go from light spray ons to heavy for courser hair types. Conditioners act like a filler. It fills the holes in the top layer of hair (the cuticle), it helps stop further damage and gives the hair a flatter surface to reflex light and look glossy.

A treatment actually treats the hair further into the hair strand it doesn't wash out and will normally last a few weeks. Depending on the hair and product it helps rebuild the hair . Its not a filler . You can use a treatment once a month and after a while just maybe once or twice a year.

There are also many oils, repairs, split end preventers, curling aids ,straightening serums, waxes, mousse, spray, gels, pastes, clays amongst a ton of other products to help you and your individual needs. Stylists and their clients both have their favorites and what works best for that look.

l will say the other product that is very important to have if you use a curling iron or a straightener is a heat protector . Some of these tools heat up to 450 f . Now your hair is dead once it leaves your scalp so it doesn't hurt you. Have you any idea how much the heat dries, burns, splits and damages your hair. Use a protector . Don't do everything to have healthy hair just to singe it on heated styling tools. Buy one that gives a high heat protection. If it steams a little when you spray it on and then iron your hair don't panic some do this. As long as your hair is dry, and protected your oh your way to a beautiful look.