Get To Know Your Hair Type!

Understanding your hair needs and what products address those needs begins with knowing what kind of hair you have.

Here are six main categories:

• All hair types, otherwise known as normal hair, combines the best of both worlds—not too oily and not too dry. There isn’t a golden rule when it comes to caring for normal hair, but shampooing every few days is a good idea, while conditioning three to four times weekly is also advised. Use a frequent-use shampoo.
• Dry hair is signalled by split ends, easy breakage and a general lack of moisture. Don’t skimp on your haircare products—dry hair needs to be regularly moisturized and conditioned. Choose a shampoo formulated for dry, brittle hair and use a conditioner every time you shampoo. A mask or intensive moisturizing treatment is also a must, especially if you apply a lot of styling products and/or regularly blow-dry your hair.
• Color-treated or permed hair is more fragile than other hair types, and demands extra care and more visits to the salon. For colored hair, choose products that can prolong and intensify your shade, while permed hair needs products that provide intense hydrating properties. Permed hair also necessitates a cut or trim every month or so.
• Stressed hair has taken a beating either from the elements (sun, sea…) or from chemical processing. This exposure often results in brittle, straw-like locks that are in dire need of conditioning and care. Always use a gentle shampoo geared to revitalizing overworked hair. (Beauty-id’s Vitality Shampoo with ginseng and mandarin extracts will do wonders!) Condition your hair every time you wash, and don’t forget to put on a hair mask either weekly or bi-weekly, depending on how dry your hair is.
• Combination hair means an oily scalp and dry shaft. This hair type is often attributed to over-processing. Once again, favor gentler shampoos and wash every other day. Don’t apply products that are too harsh, or “attack” the sebum—your glands will only produce more oil in protest! Towel-dry your hair rather than blow-drying. Regularly apply a mask to the dry parts of your hair.
• Fine and Fragile hair hair needs a lot of loving care. Fine hair means that the strands have a smaller diameter than normal hair, but you can have lots of it. Fragile hair more often than not comes from overprocessing and/or excessive exposure to the sun or chlorine. Don’t go overboard on perms and coloring as fine hair is more susceptible to damage and has a harder time "bouncing back". Go easy on styling products as these will weigh down your hair and give you even less volume than you may naturally have.

No matter what your type, brushing daily with a natural-bristle brush does a head of hair good!