Hair Care Rules and How Bad is it To Break Them?

Last weekend I had gone to the salon to get a hair spa done.The stylist who was working on my hair asked me how many times I shampoo in a week? I replied that I shampoo every day, else my hair becomes limp and I hate that. She looked alarmed and told me no no don't do that. You are stripping your hair of all natural oils and only making it drier and rougher. Just shampoo every alternate day. 

Now I had read somewhere that its perfectly fine to wash hair everyday, there is no damage. Got confused on what to follow therefore turned to my trusted google to give me some information on hair care rules. I looked up the most common hair rules that we have been subjected to for ages and whether they hold any value or not. The below post is a compilation of the information that I found on the net. I'm no stylist or trichologist but think that they make a lot of sense.

Wash your hair everyday? - In one of the articles I read, Emmy award winning stylist, Curt Darling compares over washing hair to over washing a favorite piece of clothing; if you were to wash your favorite shirt every day, it would fade and become threadbare. "The fabric of your hair is the same in that it gets worked out and dry from over cleansing," he says. The tone of your hair can also fade, causing your strands to look dull and drab.
Bottom Line: Horrible

Not get Regular Haircuts? Most stylists recommend getting a haircut after every six weeks to keep hair healthy and free of split ends. Besides  "A great haircut is the foundation of everyday style," Darling says. Cuts can usually last about six weeks, but it depends on the style and texture of hair, along with other influences. If hair is subjected to chemical treatments and heat pretty often, it's important to trim the ends regularly. If not, a gap of 8-9 weeks is good enough. 

Bottom Line: Pretty Bad

Use hot tools (like blow-dryers and straighteners) every day? Like washing hair too often, using hot tools on hair will wear it out and drastically drain its moisture. If you absolutely can't let go of the hot tools, just use them every alternate day to prevent waking up to "jharu hair" At least you are cutting down your need to use hot tools in half. 

Bottom Line: Terrible

Color your hair? It may seem like the worst possible thing to do your hair, but Darling maintains that hair color isn't the monster it's made out to be. "When hair is colored by a highly skilled stylist, great results can be had with minimal damage to the hair," he says. Make sure that the color is done by a professional and that you use the right products afterwards to properly care for your locks. 

Bottom Line: Not too bad

I'm definitely not shampooing every day now. What about you? Any hair care rules you are guilty of breaking? 

Images sourced from the net

Essential Oils in Beauty Products - What Do These Do?

Check out any beauty product and you are sure to find the name of at least one essential oil in the ingredients. Its very easy to get attracted by the fancy names and pick up the product but not everyone will reap the benefits of every type of oil out there. So how do you figure out which essential oil is for you? Simple. Just read the post below where I've listed the uses and benefits of eight commonly used essential oils in beauty products.




1. Tea Tree oil - Extracted from the leaves of tea trees, this oil is used in the treatment of acne because of its anti-bacterial properties. Tea tree oil also helps reduce inflammation caused by acne, and diminish dandruff as well.

2. Coconut oil - A natural antioxidant, meaning it helps shield skin from environmental aggressors. Coconut oil gives a healthy shine to the hair and protects it from the elements. It is also great for combatting dry skin woes.

3. Olive oil - Beneficial in toning and firming the skin. It improves the strength and elasticity of hair and also great for dry skin. Extra Virgin Olive oil is also an extremely good makeup remover...specially for that stubborn waterproof mascara!

4. Argan oil - The beauty world is now buzzing about the benefits of argan oil but this has been used in Morocco for centuries. Besides removing frizz and adding shine to hair, argan oil is also a wonderful moisturizer for the skin. It helps skin fight aging, UV exposure and cell degeneration. (Moroccan oil is not the name of an oil but of a product sold by the company Moroccanoil (R) and is made with Argan oil)

5. Jojoba oil - Penetrates the roots of the hair to clear out buildup from products or dead skin cells, while softening the scalp. Jojoba oil is also used in a number of beauty products because of its minuscule rate of causing allergic reactions.

6. Rosemary oil - Can be typically found in hair care products.Helps stimulate hair follicles, promoting hair growth and strength. Like tea tree oil, which it is sometimes mixed with, helps to remove dandruff and cure dry scalp.

7. Peppermint oil - Used in balms, glosses and lipsticks because of its ability to nourish lips while curing cracked skin. It also has a natural cooling effect which helps in curing sunburn and easing inflammation.

8. Rose oil - Fights dryness and gives moist, dewy and soft skin. It also boosts skin’s elasticity keeping it youthful and vibrant.  This unique oil can also be used to calm and soothe irritated skin making it an incredibly gentle age fighter.

For skincare, I usually gravitate towards products with tea tree oil. Coconut and Olive oil has been keeping my tresses happy till date but I'm looking to try something from Moroccan oil. The only problem is that it's so darn expensive!

Which essential oils do you use in your beauty regime? Do share in the comments below. 

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