Score gorgeous, healthy hair all year long with these easy steps
Shine is the last word in glamour when styling your hair, but it doesn’t hinge solely on products or treatments. “You want to get the best out of your hair,” says Marcy Cona, global creative director of colour and style for Clairol. Contrary to popular belief, it starts in the shower and ends with an abbreviated product list. Read on for her top tips to achieve shiny hair naturally.
TIP #1: Start with a clean canvas:
“There’s been a trend in North America to shampoo less often, and this allows oils, styling products and pollution to dull hair,” Cona says. The fact is, shine reflects in clean hair, and shampoo is designed to not only cleanse but also improve the hair fibre. She advises women to step up the shampoo game, especially blondes, because the lighter the hair shade, the more difficult it is to reflect shine. Flaxen-haired beauties like Kirsten Dunst should consider shampooing every day, while brunettes can opt for alternating days, depending on their hair thickness.
TIP #2: Less is more
Cona says to ease up on the conditioner as it “weighs down hair and minimizes shine.” Longhaired gals should use no more than a quarter-sized amount, while Carey Mulligan types can do with just a dime. A good trick is to use your hands as tools by working the conditioner through them and then applying it underneath your hair and to the ends. By applying it underneath it will ensure proper absorption in the hair and scalp, whereas applying it on top will allow it only to penetrate the top layers, especially if your hair is porous. For DIY colour enthusiasts, Cona strongly advises using the in-box conditioner once a week to help close the hair cuticle and prevent colour fading.
TIP #3: Rinse and repeat
Make sure your hair is well rinsed. Low-intensity showerheads mean a lot of the time hair isn’t properly rinsed in the shower, and the result is a film that sits on the surface of hair and works against shine. Cona says to spend time rinsing your hair and to use the touch method to make sure it’s clean. By running your fingers through your hair as you rinse, you’ll have a better chance of getting all the product out and wind up with healthy shiny hair like Kristen Stewart
TIP #4: Style sparingly
“Women often feel they need to use a sequence of multiple products to style their hair, but most times all it takes is one product to support and add shine,” Cona says. For a Kim Kardashian shine, look for a product that also offers anti-frizz and smoothing benefits. Cona suggests applying the product first to your hands and then gently rolling them down the surface of your hair. That way the shine will sit on top of hair without weighing it down.
TIP #5: Colour yourself happy
“As a colourist this is my favourite tip: enjoy colour more often!” Cona says to avoid waiting too long between colourings because this is sure to make hair seem dull and lifeless. If Nicole Kidman’s recent return to her strawberry roots is any indication, colouring your hair in a timely fashion will give you a boost of shine that will last for weeks.
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