Shine On!

Summer is coming. Does your hair reflect the light or absorb it?

Here are a few simple tricks to get the shine back in your hair.

• Don’t shampoo too often unless your hair gets super oily super fast. I shampoo my hair every 3-4 days because my hair is so overly dry it starts to smell bad long before it gets greasy. Oil on the hair shaft actually helps to create a smoother hair cuticle, which in turn reflects light. And yes, that means shinier hair!
• Don’t go overboard with your products. Too much is worse than not enough, so dose your shampoo and conditioner carefully. Usually a coin-sized amount of shampoo and conditioner each is plenty, especially if you wash your hair daily or every two days.
• Rinse, rinse, rinse. Residue from shampoo, conditioner and masks will dull your hair if not properly washed away. I knew some girls growing up that liked to leave "a little bit" of conditioner in their hair because it made their hair "softer." This is so not true! Rinse conditioner completely! If you feel like your hair is dry, you need a different conditioner, or you need to use a leave-in conditioner after.
• For the final rinse, use the coldest water bearable. If you just can’t bring yourself to pour cold water over your head, rinse with lukewarm water. The colder the water, the more “closed” the hair cuticle, which means smoother and therefore shinier hair.
• Use styling products moderately—too much gel or mousse can really cut down on the shine factor, and too much serum will just make your hair overly greasy and therefore force you to shampoo your hair again right away.
• Keep your hair hydrated. Moisturized hair contributes to shine, while brittle and broken strands mean the hair shaft isn’t reflecting light. Give you hair a nutritious mask or conditioning treatment to keep it smooth. Finding your right product is a process of elimination, and anytime your hair goes through a change, so should your haircare regimen.

And don't forget: Trimming those split ends regularly keeps hair healthy, and therefore shinier.