Use Protection
I don’t often straighten or curl my hair, but when I do, I make sure I am using protection.
I am going to take a guess and assume we all know that heat is the worst thing for our hair. Then, can someone please explain to me why we keep on putting it through so much damage? I understand it is fun to style it differently once in a while, but doing it more than twice a week is a huge risk for the future of our hair. I read somewhere: “with heat-styling comes gorgeous hair that behaves well all day long, and also, the inevitable damage”. Very true.
Some facts about the damage caused by heat.
- Heat causes the hair to dry out and, in most cases, it can burn away the follicle and cause severe trauma to the hair.
- After the effects of a perfectly styled hair wear off, it can become rough, fragile, more frizzy, chipped and damaged at the ends.
- To obtain desired results, heat styling devices must reach temperatures above the boiling point, causing rapid water loss and dehydration.
Now let’s face it, neither I or a bunch of scientific data will stop you, so instead of telling you “don’t do it”, I will advise you to be careful and #useprotection. Wow, major flashback to my teenage years.
Prevent damage by using heat protectants that maximize and seal moisture. Usually, a light spray or serum works better on fine hair and cream or lotion protectants on thicker hair types.
Look for these ingredients when choosing your products:
- Panthenol, and Phytantriol = humectants that add more water to the hair.
- Botanical oils such as grapeseed oil, olive oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, and avocado oil = these will seal the water inside the cortex.
In order for these ingredients to work as protectants, we recommend you use your tools at a lower temperature than 150ºC.
If you love “occasionally” straightening, curling or blow-drying your hair, heat protectors can make a real difference. Humectants and insulating ingredients help reduce damage, but they don’t work miracles either. The only way to 100% fix damage, is to not go crazy styling it every day and to treat your hair better. If you don’t want to go as far as cutting, I would personally recommend you to follow a Hair Routine that’s made just for you, this will help you prevent and restore from daily damage.