Dry hair don’t care!

hair

Now that the summer is coming to an end, it’s time to switch up your hair care routine. The cooler fall weather brings dry, cold air, which can make your tresses frizzy, brittle, and totally unmanageable. Luckily, Karachi-based hair and makeup expert Zayn Uppal, of Zayn Uppal Spa & Make-up Lounge, shares a few home remedies and tips to maintain healthy hair throughout the season...

While summer may be known for frizz, sun-damaged strands, and greasy roots, the crisp fall months are equally synonymous with bringing about dry, brittle strands, static frizz, and itchy flakes - problems that all require their own unique set of solutions. Rather than tossing out your entire hair care collection, why not just swap out some of your fall-appropriate natural remedies? Not sure where to start? Some points to take care before you jump into a plethora of hair care hacks, “Shampoo your hair properly. But even before that, it is extremely important to understand your scalp type and choose the right product. After you find the right shampoo, you need to wash your hair depending upon your scalp. Overwashing with dry scalp can lead to hair fall, or not washing oily locks thrice a week can lead to the same. A good conditioner can work wonders for your tresses. It contains amino acids that help to repair damaged hair, and also helps keeping them smooth,” suggests Zayn.

Zayn Uppal believes in traditional ways of taking care of your hair during a tough weather condition such as fall. “There is no gain saying the fact that oiling improves blood circulation and nourishes the roots. Make sure to massage your hair once a week with oil that suits your scalp. For more nourishment, cover your head with a shower cap and keep it for one hour at least,” she shares. The hair stylist also recommends a list of her favourite home remedies.

Green tea extracts: It is rich in antioxidants which help boost hair growth and prevent hair loss in the fall season. Soak 2-3 teabags in 1-2 cups of hot water depending on the length of your hair. When it cools, pour this over your scalp and hair while gently massaging your head. Rinse with cool water after an hour.

Beetroot mask: We often have vegetables available at home but sadly we are too lazy to eat them. Vegetables like beetroot nourish your hair. Try to make beetroot mask which is rich in vitamin C, B6, folate, manganese, betaine and potassium, all of which are essential for a healthy hair growth. Besides, it acts as a detoxifying agent by keeping the scalp clean. Boil 7-8 beetroot leaves and grind along with 5-6 henna leaves. Apply this paste on your scalp and leave it for 15-20 minutes before rinsing with warm water.

Fenugreek (methi) seeds: As the temperature falls, our hair becomes weak and brittle hence the hair fall. In order to prevent it, use fenugreek seeds. It is among the most effective home remedies to stop hair loss. It repairs the hair follicles and helps in re-growth of the hair. To do the trick, soak the fenugreek seeds overnight in water. Grind it to a fine paste and apply it to your hair and scalp. Leave the paste on your head for about 30 minutes. You can cover your scalp using a shower cap to keep it moist. After 30 to 40 minutes, rinse it with normal water. Please don’t use any shampoo and do it twice a week for a month to control hair fall. Apart from this, you can also add methi seeds into the oil you use.

Zayn also talks about the artificial hair treatments which are also very useful in their own way and are being offered everywhere. She suggests that at times, there is no harm in going for such treatments and differentiates between a good and bad hair product. “Research has been done and innovative products have been launched to offer people a great deal of hair solutions. Keratin, Nano Keratin, Brazilian Keratin and Blowouts are a few safe treatments for everybody who have a desire to make their tresses look healthy and gorgeous. Many brands have used acidic hair masks so that the hair cuticle remains intact. The more acidic the mask is, the more it is good for your locks. However, there are some products which are very bad for the hair cuticle as they either make it non-porous or break the bond of the hair. Such is the example of direct hair colours and temporary sprays which may enter the cuticles and coat them. Last but not least, there are women who use intense henna which coats the cuticle so bad that it results in non-porous hair rather than nourishing them.”

The stylist informs that our hair is made up of Keratin (a protein) which we lose over time through various chemical procedures, shampoos, pollution etcetera. She advises that there are a number of things to keep in mind to preserve our natural Keratin and save our hair during the fall season as the weather often makes hair brittle, static, dry, itchy and have splits...

Avoid hair tools: Hair becomes dry with the drop in temperature which results in static and brittle hair strands. Curly hair may bear it more since it is drier by nature. Avoid using heating tools and use hydrating serums instead. Also, as mentioned earlier, keep use of good shampoos and conditioners.

Moisturise & repeat: With a cooling effect in the atmosphere, your hair picks up an electrical charge from the dry air, causing it to stand up. It is important to moisturise your hair as much as you can. Use anti-static hair brush and avoid unnecessary combing. If using a hair tool, try to use the tourmaline hair dryer only as it emits infrared heat and negative ions, making the heat much gentler on the hair during styling for a shinier and less frizzy finish. It also enables the hair to endure much higher levels of heat without damaging them.

Oiling: Just like the skin on your body, your scalp also gets dry in the fall season. And when it becomes dry, it’s likely to itch and even flake off. Use coconut oil and don’t over use anti-dandruff shampoos.

Chop your hair often: The only way to get rid of split ends is to get a haircut more often. Also, there are other things to keep in mind. Stop rubbing your hair with a towel and gently dab or pat them dry. Avoid over shampooing or using too much masks which may also result in split ends.