Addicted to...Healthy Hair

It takes some serious effort to be the woman with the "effortlessly" gorgeous hair by Courtney Dunlop


 

 

 

 
Our hair is exposed to the same evil stuff that wreaks havoc on our skin—sun, pollution, flat irons (oh, wait). Since good hair days are more likely when you’ve nixed raggedy ends and broken pieces sticking up like antennae, check out our tips for undoing some of that inevitable damage.

 

 

 

 
Buy it at: www.zitomer.com

 

 

Go easy on the color (and perms and chemical straighteners)
Over-processing is a killer. Adrian Wallace, colorist at Rita Hazan Salon reminds us, “Only highlight new growth. When you highlight the whole strand every time it’s really damaging.” Same goes for permanent allover color. So keep an eye on your colorist. If you DIY at home, Adrian says, “No need to color the whole head for the entire time. Do roots only, then run the color through the rest of the hair for the last five minutes.”


 

 

 Buy it at: www.kerastase-usa.com



 

 

But if it’s too late…
If you’re fried from chemical overload, Nikki Ferrara, colorist at Sally Hershberger Downtown salon, says, “If you want to continue with color, you need to do conditioning treatments in the salon.” Salon treatments are more effective than at-home versions, but not everyone wants to pay for that. If that’s you, the hair mask below works wonders.

 

 

 

Buy it at: www.drugstore.com


 

 

 

Beware the heat
“Heat styling is so damaging,” explains Allison Woodruff, stylist at Sally Hershberger Downtown. “But if you take care of your hair it can better withstand it.” That means using pre-heat products with thermal protection—if you use a flat iron or other hot tools frequently, this is a must.


 

 

Buy it at: www.aveda.com


 

 

 
Ditch flyaways
Fuzziness is no good. Stylist and salon-owner Ouidad says, “Keep hair hydrated in the wintertime. The climate and artificial heat deplete natural moisture.”


 

 

 

Buy it at: www.ouidad.com


 

 


 

 

Cut if off
Get rid of straggly, brittle hair ASAP. Maybe you just need a trim, but if your hair is past the point of no return, your only option is cutting it off. Allison suggests getting a sleek bob with some volume on top. “Getting hair off your neck seems to lift everything up,” she says. “Long hair just drags everything down.”

 

 

 

Buy it at: www.walgreens.com

 

 

 

 

 

Cook up some fish
Omega-3s are super important for keeping hair healthy and shiny. If you don’t eat fish—wild salmon is an ideal source—try sprinkling ground flaxseed over cereal or in yogurt. PS: Omega-3s are great anti-agers for your skin, too.

 



 

Buy it at your local Whole Foods or health food store. 

 

 


 
 


Courtney Dunlop is a freelance beauty editor/writer who thinks that, as far as jobs go, hers is a pretty sweet one.


 
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