The Essentials of Hair Conditioning

Claudie Jasper — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:01:52 +0000

Conditioner has become a regular part of most women’s hair care routine, but what exactly does it do? For one thing, conditioner brings much-needed moisture, volume and shine to hair that is regularly assaulted by the elements (sea, sun) and over-processing—coloring, blow-drying, perms and styling products overdose. It can also give softer locks as a good conditioner smoothes the hair’s cuticle.
Conditioner has evolved from the “cream rinse” of the 1970s, and shoppers are now spoiled for choice—from products that are left in for a few minutes (detanglers, light conditioners), to deep conditioners which have a similar, but less intensive action than a hair mask, and leave-in conditioner which isn’t rinsed out at all.

The type of conditioner you need depends, of course, on your hair type.

Normal hair calls for a light moisturizing product—Beauty-id’s Vitamin and Kiwi conditioner, for example, combines moisturizing and anti-oxidant ingredients to give hair that extra kick.
Dry, over-processed, chlorine-stricken and bleached hair cries out for heavier moisturizing and repairing properties, which is where masks come in.
Fine hair that tangles easily requires a basic cream rinse/detangler.

Conditioner should be applied to wet hair that has been squeezed—you don’t want it to be sopping wet. For normal to dry hair, apply your favorite conditioner to the ends, massage and then rinse. Don’t put any on the roots if you have oily hair, this will only aggravate sebum production in your scalp.
Last, but not least, rinse thoroughly—nothing is worse than the residue of a good conditioner to reverse the desired effect!

Essential Recipes for Sun-Drenched Hair

Rino Jasper — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:24:51 +0000

After-sun recipes for your hair
Tis the season when your hair is regularly exposed to sun, sea and pool, which means it’s also time to give it a bit more tender loving care. If you don’t want to run to the store every time your hair needs a fix, here are some recipes for dry and sun-drenched hair that you can whip up in your very own kitchen.

After-Sun Hair Oil
3.5oz olive oil
2 teaspoons rosemary essential oil
2 teaspoons ylang-ylang essential oil
2 teaspoons geranium essential oil
Blend ingredients and apply to dry hair. Cover in saran wrap for 15-30 minutes.
Wash with a gentle shampoo and rinse well with lukewarm water.

Sensitive Scalp Mask
2.5oz olive oil
8 tablespoons shea butter
1.5 tablespoons cypress essential oil
Melt the shea butter and olive oil in a double-boiler. Once the mixture is blended, take the pan away from the heat and add the cypress essential oil. Wait for the mask to cool down and then apply to your hair, concentrating mostly on your scalp. Cover with saran wrap or a towel and leave on for an hour. Shampoo and rinse well.

Nourishing Olive Oil and Honey Mask
4 tablespoons liquid honey
6 tablespoons olive oil
Blend honey and olive oil together or melt in a double-boiler if needed to obtain a uniform mixture. Apply mixture to hair and cover with saran wrap. Leave on for 15-30 minutes, then shampoo and rinse thoroughly.

Beauty Ideas» How to nourish/repair my hair

The Essentials of Hair Conditioning

Essential Recipes for Sun-Drenched Hair