Tell Your Hair What to Do

Have you ever hit the brake of your car instead of the gas and the car abruptly stops even though you really wanted it to go? So you told your car to do exactly what it did. But in your mind you were telling it to do the exact opposite. Startled and frustrated you recognize your mistake. You are not mad at the car, just feeling a little startled and frustrated with yourself. This happens so much. Not just with cars but with life. We think we are asking, telling, trying to do one thing, but in reality we are really saying something else.

This is the biggest problem I have with my hair clients. They are not telling the hair what they really want it to do. Knowing about the products you buy really will save you time and headaches. It might even make you feel a little better about yourself, too.

I will address the most common mistakes, hoping to help you be a little less stressed and a lot more beautiful. The first and big secret to great hair is simple: let it heat up and cool down in the same position. So if you curl your hair, let your curls cool down in same position. So many of us will curl our hair then right away run our fingers through it, making the curl soften or fall out. The same goes for straightening your hair. Once you straighten, it let it cool. The more you play with it, the less likely it is to do what you want it to do.

Next, shampoo and conditioner seem to be the biggest problem. You should always get a recommendation from your stylist. They know your hair and will help you create exactly what you need. But if this isn't a reality right now, here are some simple laws.

Moisture products will weigh the hair down. It will add the needed or excess moisture. If you have fine, thin, or light wavy hair, this is not the product for you. It will make you look scraggly and weighed down. Moisturizing products are for thick to medium hair that is dry and damaged.

Volume products are meant to remove moisture and plump up the cuticle to make hair look fuller. If you have thick, coarse, dry hair, volumizing shampoos and conditioners will just add to your problem. Volumizing shampoos and conditioners are made for thin hair clients that need fullness.

Strengthening products add protein to the hair and will make it dry. If you have never damaged your hair before this is not for you. If you have colored, permed, or overly-styled processed hair, this is what you need. Strengthening products will feed your hair what it needs. But be careful, and read the package. Most strengthening products have specific instructions on how long the product should be on the hair. Leaving it on too long will make you hair dry and break off. (Too much of a good thing!)

Make sure you are telling your hair what you really want it to do.

(This content is part of our Tami's Tips Collection)