Adding Shine to Your Hair

Have you ever looked on enviously at those hair commercials where the woman\’s hair is shiny, straight, manageable and fully of body? Ever thought that couldn\’t be you? Well, with a bit of understanding about your own specific hair type and the products available to help, you are well on your way!

Any product you use on your hair will be determined by the thickness of the hair shaft and whether your hair is curly or straight. However, you can also significantly impact how your hair looks on the outside by giving it the nutrients it needs from the inside. Taking a multivitamin and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will go a long way toward helping any hair care product produce the results you desire.

Another excellent way of producing hair that is manageable and shiny is to visit your stylist to get the best possible haircut that keeps your hair healthy. Speak with your hairdresser about the type of hair you have and the type of products that you can use to naturally enhance your shine. Your stylist should also give you a haircut that works best with your particular type of hair and shape of your face and that eliminates any damaged and split ends.

Another option is to get a demi- or semi-permanent hair color over the shaft. The hair color will place a protective coating over the shaft and automatically reflect light that gives the hair a shiny glow. This color doesn\’t have to change to actual color of the hair but will only add reflection and protection to the hair shaft.

Hair that is naturally straight will automatically be conditioned daily because the sebum, or natural hair oil, easily slides down the shaft of the hair to the ends. This is why people with straight hair will have hair that appears oilier than people who have curly hair. People with curly hair will find that this natural conditioner doesn\’t get to the ends of the hair as easily and it can take days for the hair to appear oily.

Hair that is naturally thin works well with products and shampoo that contains pantothenol. This chemical helps to plump the hair shaft and make the thin hair look and feel thicker. However, this same chemical on curly hair leaves the hair too thickened, ruins the curl and makes it drier.

Curly hair requires hydration to keep it healthy and shiny. The extra hydration in the shampoo and conditioner will help to make up for the lack of natural conditioner from the scalp.

The point is to determine your particular hair type and use the best products for it. Cream based products for fine hair and oil based for thicker hair will help. Steer clear of heavy products that leave a thick coat on the hair that makes it look dull. Keep finishing products away from the scalp. This is the area of the hair on all people that receives the most natural conditioning and adding more product near the scalp just make the hair look oily.

Your final rinse of the conditioner should be water and as cold as possible. When using a blow dryer point the nozzle down the hair shaft and finish with the coolest setting on the dryer to close the cuticles on the hair shaft and give it more light reflection and shine. Use a round brush when blow drying but if you aren\’t blow drying then don\’t comb or brush until the hair has air dried.

Shine intensifying hair masks can be used once weekly to condition and add gloss to dull ends. Hair that is full of static and fly-aways can be tamed by adding a spritz of hairspray to the brush before running through the hair to control the static and hold the hair in place.

And the last tip for adding shine to your hair also helps to close the cuticles on the hair shaft. Raid your kitchen cabinet for apple cider vinegar that closes the cuticles and helps to reflect the light.