Give Your Hair Some TLC

Is your hair in need of some love?   Is your hair dry, dull or damaged?   To keep you locks looking gorgeous, follow these pro tips and give your hair some much needed TLC.

Your hair may be suffering from over styling, damage and build up from shampoos and conditioners that contain sulfates and other chemicals.
 

Here are 5 things you can do to bring new life to your hair:

1. Deep Cleanse and Exfoliation
Try a hair exfoliation and clarifying treatment once a week to rid your hair of all the product build up.  My favorite product for color treated hair is 'Colure' Daily Purify Shampoo.  You wash your hair with this once a week and really massage it in to your scalp before rinsing.  Then while your hair is wet comb from scalp to tips several time to make sure and give your scalp the exfoliation it needs for healthy hair.

You can also do some DIY remedies like putting some olive oil in your hair and gently massage your scalp - comb through your hair from root to tip.  Leave the oil on for at least an hour.  Then rinse your hair in the shower and rinse thoroughly with apple cider vinegar.   This can be a bit messier, and smell a little bit funky compared with store bought exfoliators - but the re

This is another great hair exfoliant to try from Caudalie - you can get it for about $35 from Sephora
www.sephora.com

2. Switch up Your Products
It's a good idea to switch your shampoo and conditioners after a month or two of using the same product.  It helps in getting rid of residue built up from using the same product continuously.  Try switching to a 'Sulfate Free' product line for an extra dose of healthy hair change up.  I recommend finding a product specially formulated for your hair type.  My favorite line is the 'Caviar' line of products from Alterna hair care.  Unlike a lot of 'Sulfate Free' options on the market these products leave your hair feeling really clean and smell so refreshing!  Using their 'Bodybuilding Volume Shampoo' has done wonders for my hair.

You can buy it at most beauty retailers or online at places like www.DermStore.com 
 

3. Hair Spa
Consider doing an intensive hair treatment mask like...

DIY - I make my own home made masks sometimes and they work just as well as store bought masks.  Every couple of months or so I mix together 2 eggs and some olive oil and put the mixture on my hair for an hour before rinsing.  Then I rinse my hair with a mixture of chamomile tea and apple cider vinegar.  This treatment will make your hair shiny (from the eggs) soft (from the olive oil) and super clean from rinsing with chamomile and vinegar.  This may not be for everyone because it is messy and smells a little funky with the vinegar, but I swear by the results.

BEST ON THE MARKET - The best commercial intensive conditioning treatments I have found are the Kerastase Masque Intense and Loreal Absolut Repair - they will cost you about $35 a piece but they last for 3 months if you use them about twice a week.

You can also ask your stylist to give you a conditioning treatment next time you go in for a hair cut - I love the Kerastase salon professional treatments. 
 
www.DrugStore.com
http://www.kerastase-usa.com/hair-masque

4.  Get a haircut!  
This advice may seem obvious, but sometimes the best way to bring new life to limp hair and do away with split ends, is a good refreshing haircut.  You will be amazed at how lifting dead weight from your ends and around your face can give your hair volume and body.  A new hair cut from a great stylist will do wonders for your self esteem, and the health of your hair!  Not to mention your stylist will likely give you a lovely head massage when they wash your hair which helps get rid of product build up and also perks up the roots of your hair.

5. Hair Vacation
Give your hair a little extra love by putting away the styling products and hair curlers for a week or two. Stick with a basic regime of washing your hair every few days (don't wash too often!), use conditioning treatments and let your hair dry naturally.

You may be pleasantly surprised by the way your hair will look if you give it a little time to recover from damage that may occur from over use of products and heat.  To keep yourself looking your best while you give your hair a break - try washing it less so you don't have it to dry it as often.  Get creative with messy updo's and braids for a while - you may love your new look!