Styling Your Hair

With heat

When you are trying to grow your hair, it is advisable to use heat as sparingly as possible. If you have to heat style your hair, then rather air dry first.

The best way to air dry hair if you plan to style it with heat, is to comb your hair around your head, this is called wrapping, and then putting a stocking or cling wrap over your hair. Allow to air dry to as dry as possible before using heat.

Some people’s hair unfortunately cannot straighten from low or no heat settings, so if you must use heat, wait until your hair is as naturally dried as possible to minimize the amount of heat used on the hair.

Using curling or hot irons is never recommended. However if you must use a styling iron, do so only once a week and only on dry hair with a heat protection serum. Do not use styling irons if you have hair oil or silicone on your hair. You are literally frying your hair. The silicone will mask the damage until your next wash.

The best time to style your hair with heat, is after a moisturizing treatment when your hair is amply protected.

Without heat for curly or wavy hair

No heat is always the best option if you can get away with it. Some options to style your hair with no heat are the following:

·      Plopping - for curly or wavy textures

·      Apply a leave in conditioner, hair serum or light hair oil such as Coconut, Jojoba, Olive oil or Almond oil to your hair. You can also mix in a drop of pure honey for additional softness and shine.

·      Comb through with a wide toothcomb or preferably your fingers.

·      Spread an old t-shirt or micro-fiber towel onto a flat surface (such as the toilet with seat down).

·      Bend over at the waist and position your hair in the middle of the cloth.

·      Pile your hair to the top of your hair.

·      With your head touching the cloth, drape the back section of cloth over your head.

·      Twist the sides until they form "sausage rolls" and clip or tie them at the base of your neck.

·      After 15-30 minutes remove the cloth. If your hair is frizzy after plopping lightly graze the hair with gel.

·      Then remove the T shirt and shake your head gently

·      Your hair will now have beautiful waves or curls depending on the texture of your hair

·      After this - do not touch your hair at all. Any hair manipulation will cause your hair to frizz

Bunning or braiding - for any hair texture

Bunning is an easy style where you tie your hair up into a low or high ponytail, and then twist your hair around the base of the ponytail and clip it in place until it looks like a bun.

You may also braid your hair and tie only the end with a hair band.

Never use elastic bands with metal connectors or rubber bands on your hair. Always use soft material bands or soft grip clips. The less pressure on your hair the better.

When Bunning, don’t tie the hair too tightly to minimize pressure on the hair.

While you are sleeping

Bunning or braiding can also be used as protective styles when you are sleeping. It’s important to protect your hair as much as you can as tossing and turning causes friction which results in breakage, frizz and damage.

If you are comfortable with sleeping with something on your head, then wearing a satin scarf or hair net will also help.

If you, like myself can’t bear to have anything on your head while you are sleeping and prefer to sleep with it loose, then invest in a satin pillowcase. This is one of the biggest luxuries a woman can indulge in. Not only does it keep your hair smooth while you sleep, it also protects the skin on your face. With no friction as you sleep, your skin is smooth without those morning wrinkles and lines that come from squashing your face while you sleep.

To preserve curly hair, make a very high ponytail and tie with a material covered hair scrunchie.

Refreshing natural dried hair

When you wake up, no matter how protected your hair, you might have to refresh the style.

The simplest way to do this is to wet your hands with water an a little conditioner or oil and smooth it over your hair shaft. Follow this up with either conditioner or light hair oil. This will instantly refresh the style and you are good to go without using heat.

If you have used heat and need to refresh the style, do not use the blow dryer again; rather wrap your hair with cling wrap as before.  The best way to get the flat iron effect without the flat iron is to apply a good hair serum any one will do, and then brush your hair around your head as before. Apply the cling wrap or a stocking. Sit under a dryer for 15 minutes on medium heat. Then gently comb your hair out. Your hair will be extremely soft and have the straightened look without all the damage of a flat iron.

While you are exercising/sweating

It is important to tie hair up either in a high ponytail or hair bun whilst exercising. Wear a sweatband if you can stand it to absorb the moisture from your head. It is important to refresh the hair after exercising by combing it through with a wide toothcomb if your hair is straight or wavy, or with wet hand and a little conditioner if your hair is curly.

Don’t touch your hair immediately after, allow the sweat to dry before manipulating hair so that it does not spread down the shaft of your hair.

While you are in the sun

Always wear a protective hat if you are outside in the sun. This is not only important for your skin but for your hair as well. It protects the hair from drying out.

If you are going swimming and do not want to wear a swimming cap, then ensure that you slather your hair with a rich leave in conditioner and apply more after swimming.

It’s important to follow a wash routine following swimming. If you have a choice, choose to swim in a salt pool versus a chlorinated pool.

With heat

When you are trying to grow your hair, it is advisable to use heat as sparingly as possible. If you have to heat style your hair, then rather air dry first.

The best way to air dry hair if you plan to style it with heat, is to comb your hair around your head, this is called wrapping, and then putting a stocking or cling wrap over your hair. Allow to air dry to as dry as possible before using heat.

Some people’s hair unfortunately cannot straighten from low or no heat settings, so if you must use heat, wait until your hair is as naturally dried as possible to minimize the amount of heat used on the hair.

Using curling or hot irons is never recommended. However if you must use a styling iron, do so only once a week and only on dry hair with a heat protection serum. Do not use styling irons if you have hair oil or silicone on your hair. You are literally frying your hair. The silicone will mask the damage until your next wash.

The best time to style your hair with heat, is after a moisturizing treatment when your hair is amply protected.

Without heat for curly or wavy hair

No heat is always the best option if you can get away with it. Some options to style your hair with no heat are the following:

·      Plopping - for curly or wavy textures

·      Apply a leave in conditioner, hair serum or light hair oil such as Coconut, Jojoba, Olive oil or Almond oil to your hair. You can also mix in a drop of pure honey for additional softness and shine.

·      Comb through with a wide toothcomb or preferably your fingers.

·      Spread an old t-shirt or micro-fiber towel onto a flat surface (such as the toilet with seat down).

·      Bend over at the waist and position your hair in the middle of the cloth.

·      Pile your hair to the top of your hair.

·      With your head touching the cloth, drape the back section of cloth over your head.

·      Twist the sides until they form "sausage rolls" and clip or tie them at the base of your neck.

·      After 15-30 minutes remove the cloth. If your hair is frizzy after plopping lightly graze the hair with gel.

·      Then remove the T shirt and shake your head gently

·      Your hair will now have beautiful waves or curls depending on the texture of your hair

·      After this - do not touch your hair at all. Any hair manipulation will cause your hair to frizz

Bunning or braiding - for any hair texture

Bunning is an easy style where you tie your hair up into a low or high ponytail, and then twist your hair around the base of the ponytail and clip it in place until it looks like a bun.

You may also braid your hair and tie only the end with a hair band.

Never use elastic bands with metal connectors or rubber bands on your hair. Always use soft material bands or soft grip clips. The less pressure on your hair the better.

When Bunning, don’t tie the hair too tightly to minimize pressure on the hair.

While you are sleeping

Bunning or braiding can also be used as protective styles when you are sleeping. It’s important to protect your hair as much as you can as tossing and turning causes friction which results in breakage, frizz and damage.

If you are comfortable with sleeping with something on your head, then wearing a satin scarf or hair net will also help.

If you, like myself can’t bear to have anything on your head while you are sleeping and prefer to sleep with it loose, then invest in a satin pillowcase. This is one of the biggest luxuries a woman can indulge in. Not only does it keep your hair smooth while you sleep, it also protects the skin on your face. With no friction as you sleep, your skin is smooth without those morning wrinkles and lines that come from squashing your face while you sleep.

To preserve curly hair, make a very high ponytail and tie with a material covered hair scrunchie.

Refreshing natural dried hair

When you wake up, no matter how protected your hair, you might have to refresh the style.

The simplest way to do this is to wet your hands with water an a little conditioner or oil and smooth it over your hair shaft. Follow this up with either conditioner or light hair oil. This will instantly refresh the style and you are good to go without using heat.

If you have used heat and need to refresh the style, do not use the blow dryer again; rather wrap your hair with cling wrap as before.  The best way to get the flat iron effect without the flat iron is to apply a good hair serum any one will do, and then brush your hair around your head as before. Apply the cling wrap or a stocking. Sit under a dryer for 15 minutes on medium heat. Then gently comb your hair out. Your hair will be extremely soft and have the straightened look without all the damage of a flat iron.

While you are exercising/sweating

It is important to tie hair up either in a high ponytail or hair bun whilst exercising. Wear a sweatband if you can stand it to absorb the moisture from your head. It is important to refresh the hair after exercising by combing it through with a wide toothcomb if your hair is straight or wavy, or with wet hand and a little conditioner if your hair is curly.

Don’t touch your hair immediately after, allow the sweat to dry before manipulating hair so that it does not spread down the shaft of your hair.

While you are in the sun

Always wear a protective hat if you are outside in the sun. This is not only important for your skin but for your hair as well. It protects the hair from drying out.

If you are going swimming and do not want to wear a swimming cap, then ensure that you slather your hair with a rich leave in conditioner and apply more after swimming.

It’s important to follow a wash routine following swimming. If you have a choice, choose to swim in a salt pool versus a chlorinated pool.