Shining health curls, preserved elasticity and shine - one of the main advantages of the appearance of any woman. If they fade, it affects not only the appearance, but also the mood, because beauty largely depends on the condition of the hair. Despair overtakes when all measures taken to restore the health of the hair are fruitless.
Why does hair grow dull?
What is the cause of tarnishing hair, and can there be several? Studies show that the main factors causing this problem become:
- Exposure to ultraviolet rays - under his influence, keratin plates are stratified, disrupting the integrity of the hair structure. This leads to fading. Residents of the southern hot regions are subject to the destructive influence of ultraviolet radiation much more strongly;
- Exposure to low temperatures - cold affects the blood circulation of the skin of the scalp, which may cause the general condition of the hair to deteriorate. That is why in the cold season you should wear a hat;
- Incorrectly selected cosmetics - many shampoos contain substances that adversely affect the condition of the hair (parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, etc.). Such components wash the necessary fatty film from the hair structure, exposing keratin scales, as a result of which it is exposed to the external environment and is damaged faster;
- Errors in the care - the appearance of hair fluffiness due to split ends and noticeable tarnishing often causes improper care, namely, hot curling, ironing, excessive use of hair curlers, chemical curling, frequent dyeing, combing immediately after washing, etc.
Often the reason that the natural shine of the hair has disappeared turns out to be internal problems. These include:
- Lack of essential vitamins and minerals. Especially critical for the condition of the hair is the deficiency of such components as calcium, B vitamins and zinc. The latter microelement is responsible for the speed and quality of cell division reaction, and its deficiency directly affects the tarnishing of the curls;
- Lack of daily fluid intake - if, against the background of minimal water intake, the electrolyte balance in the body is disturbed, the hair quickly loses shine, its growth slows down, and pigmentation becomes less intense;
- Stressful situations - in conditions that provoke an increased arousal of the nervous system, hair not only grows dull, but also begins to fall out. The mechanism of the phenomenon is such that during stress the hair shaft is lifted as a result of an involuntary muscle response. Since this reaction takes place in a short time and rather sharply, the follicle is subjected to squeezing, due to which the hair root is damaged. This leads to a lack of nutrition, so the condition of the hair structure deteriorates rapidly;
- Genetic features;
- Addiction to alcohol and nicotine and, as a consequence, the deterioration of the general condition of the body, including a decrease in the rate of keratin synthesis;
- Viral, parasitic infections, severe systemic diseases of the body.
In understanding why the state of hair has deteriorated, you will help trichologist. Engaging in self-remediation may not only be useless, but also dangerous to health, if, due to delay, the existing disease of the body proceeds without appropriate treatment.
Causes of loss of hair smoothness
If, after washing your head, your smooth silky curls suddenly burst out, you should not worry: this is a normal phenomenon due to the temporary effect of moisture on the hair structure. Another thing, if the hair looks fluffy constantly, and the tips are broken off. Search for the reason why the hair stopped looking smooth and sleptshould be in such factors as:
- Using combs made of plastic and metal when combing. It leads to the fact that the hairs are electrified and attract dust particles, and this increases the pollution that worsens the condition of the hair;
- Rare washing of the head - sebum production with infrequent washing of the head causes faster salting of the hair. Oily hairs electrify more strongly and, again, dirt sticks to them, which clogs the space between keratin scales. As a result, the hair begins to break off and run faster;
- Washing your hair too often is the other side of the problem. If you constantly flush the protective fatty film from the hair structure, it becomes vulnerable to the aggressive effects of the external environment, which provokes the consequences described above;
- Too frequent use of devices for styling and curling hair, hot drying;
- Permanent staining (more often than once every 3 to 6 months);
- Improper shampooing technology - inadequate hydration of hair before applying shampoo, foaming detergent on the head and not in the hand, rubbing balms and conditioners into the skin of the scalp, washing with dry shampoo.
As for the rest, the reasons causing fluffiness and cross-section of hair are identical to those mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Ways to make your hair smooth at home
Luxurious long curls attract attention and make the woman look elegant. If the hair is electrified, faded, the ends look split, it’s impossible to create a beautiful haircut or just gently comb the strands into two halves - the effect will be equally sad. How to make your hair smooth, without resorting to the services of expensive beauty salons? There are several solutions to the problem at home. The most effective are:
- Keratin straightening - Also known as Brazilian hair straightening. The method is based on applying a special composition to the hair with keratin and aldehydes, due to which the waviness of the hair is reduced by 50-60%, and the effect of the procedure lasts about three months. It is worth mentioning that in EU countries and the USA keratin straightening is considered dangerous because of the high content of methylene glycol in the rectifier, which is a health hazard;
- The use of professional cosmetics - restoring shampoos, balms, conditioners and masks, as well as fluids, "liquid silk", oils, etc .;
- Lamination of hair - we will give a detailed description of the procedure further in the course of the article.
If you do not have time for salon care, you can try out express methods to restore the smoothness of the hair, which involve the preparation of masks from improvised means. Usually these are traditional medicine recipes based on the use of regular foods.
Recipes masks for shine and silkiness
It is possible to restore shine to hair after one procedure of applying a treatment mask, but this effect is unlikely to be long. To secure it, you need full therapeutic course consisting of at least five, and preferably 10 to 15 procedures.
It is important observe the correct application and preparation technology nutrient composition, as well as the phased implementation of the procedure itself:
- Masks for the return of shine are usually applied to clean wet hair. Applying them before washing the head does not make sense, since the composition of the product does not penetrate through the film of grease and dust formed on a hair;
- Formulation of some means involves applying a mask to the entire length of the hair, others are used only for the tip area or they are smeared with the hair to the middle, the third should be used strictly for the root zone. Before carrying out the procedure, carefully review the recommendations and follow them without fail;
- Washing the hair after keeping the mask is held with water of moderate temperature. It is impossible to use too high temperatures, so the sebaceous glands of the scalp will be stimulated for enhanced sebum production, and the hair will quickly become dirty;
- Some shine masks have an oily or oily texture, and they are washed off using a foamed shampoo. If the mask has a simple composition, it is not necessary to use shampoo;
- So that after the procedure, the hair retains its radiance and silkiness longer, having washed them out, be sure to rinse your head again with water and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
Below we give the most popular recipes for masks, suitable for eliminating hair dullness.
From egg and apple vinegar
The product with a high content of acetic acid, obtained as a result of microbiological synthesis using acetic acid bacteria from food alcohol-containing raw materials, has long been used as a natural hair rinse. Diluted vinegar water (it is better to take the apple, not grape) has an acid reaction and helps to wash off the remnants of dirt or alkaline components of the shampoo, lingering on the hair.
The egg contains lecithin, which feeds the structure of damaged strands and activates their regeneration.
For the preparation of a therapeutic composition, mix the raw yolk with olive oil (3 tbsp. L.) And add a teaspoon of vinegar. Pour warm honey (1 teaspoon) into the mixture and apply it on the hair. After 30 minutes, wash off the mask with warm water and shampoo. This procedure is repeated every 6 to 9 days for one and a half months.
Cognac mask
One of the most effective products used in home masks, which is able to return shine to curls, is brandy. The alcoholic drink maintained in an oak barrel is saturated tannins and tannins, strengthening the hair structure, due to which keratin scales return to normal, and the strands regain their shine.
To use brandy without additional ingredients is not rational, as alcohol will dry out hair. The best "lubricants" for making useful compositions will be mayonnaise or raw yolk. Mix a quarter glass of brandy with a mashed egg or a tablespoon of mayonnaise and rub into the hair roots, spreading the strands over the entire length. Hold the mask under the cap for 40 minutes, and then wash your head. It is possible to apply structure once a week.
Kefir Honey Mask
Any dairy product has a beneficial effect on the state of the hair structure, and the serum gently moisturizes and nourishes the scalp with beneficial substances. In combination with honey, kefir works even more efficiently, since bee nectar contains almost all the beneficial microelements necessary for a healthy shine of curls.
To make kefir-honey mask, mix half a cup of kefir with two tablespoons of honey, heated in a water bath. Apply the product to the hair (it should have a consistency so that the mask does not flow down) and wrap the head with the film, and put on a warm cap on top.
It is better that when applying the mask you rubbed it into the hair and skin with massage movements.
After half an hour, wash your hair and rinse it with water and lemon juice.
With aloe juice and oil
Agave juice contains mineral salts, amino acids, vitamins A, C, E and B, as well as tannins. But in order to unleash the benefits of aloe extract as much as possible, any vegetable oil is used to enrich the texture of the mask. We recommend the use of castor, as it is known for its high reducing effect.
The sap of the plant and the oil in a ratio of 1: 1 are mixed and heated for 3-5 minutes on the steam bath.
Make sure that the mixture does not overheat, and then apply it over the entire length of the strands. Cover your hair in plastic and a towel and wait 40 minutes. Head wash is carried out with cool water and a small amount of shampoo.
With coconut oil
The solid oil obtained from the pulp of the coconut perfectly moisturizes and nourishes the hair even in its most neglected condition. The fatty acids contained in it are a real booster for the regeneration of keratin plates.
It is possible to rub coconut oil in curls as a monocomponent, however cosmetologists advise to dilute it with 5-7 drops of essential oil intended for treating hair (orange, geranium, rosemary, lemon, etc.).
Take a small amount of coconut oil (1 - 2 tbsp. L.) And heat it in your palm until it melts. Drip the esterol there and spread the mixture along the length of the hair with stroking movements. The mask is held under the cap for about an hour, and then washed off with foamed warm water.
With banana and honey
The pulp of ripe peeled fruit is mashed with a fork so that there are no lumps, and pour into it a tablespoon of liquid honey, heated by steam. To improve the structure of the mask, you can add sour cream with a high percentage of fat (1 tablespoon) to it, and to have a pleasant smell in the mixture, drip a little lavender or lime essential oil into it. Rub the mass into the hair, paying attention to the tips, and put a warming cap on the head.
The mask with banana and honey is aged for about an hour. When washing hair, use herbal decoctions for rinsing on the basis of chamomile and lime and linden (for blond hair) or oak bark (for dark curls).
With burdock oil and lemon
Burdock oil - the best plant product for hair restoration. By the number of useful properties, it far exceeds other popular analogues, including olive oil or castor oil. The unique characteristics of the oil are explained by its chemical composition, in which are present:
- Vitamins of group B;
- A nicotinic acid;
- Vitamins "beauty" - retinol and tocopherol;
- Vitamin C;
- Minerals, trace elements and biologically active substances - iron, copper, chromium, inulin.
Burdock oil nourishes and restores the hair structure, eliminating stratification of keratin scales. The lemon juice used in the mask becomes a “finishing touch”, helping to return the silkiness and shine to the strands.
For mixing the composition, you will need 40 ml of oil and the juice of half a lemon (squeezing it, remove the bones from the pulp). Mix the ingredients and heat them in a water bath to a moderate temperature. Apply the liquid to the entire length of the hair, and then remove them under the cap. After 30 - 50 minutes, wash your hair with shampoo and rinse with cool water.
With gelatin
In order to make the dull hair smooth and shiny again, one of the most effective ways is the lamination procedure. Its essence is to apply a special composition to the strands, thanks to which a transparent film is created on their surface, which seals the layered keratin plates, as if placing them in a protective case. As a result, it is possible to eliminate such problems as fragility, increased dryness and cross-section of hair along the entire length.
Lamination can be done not only in the cabin, but also at home. There are at least two ways to carry out the procedure:
- Wash your hair with shampoo for oily hair. Even if your hair does not have this property, it is necessary to do this in order to remove the greasy film from the hair before lamination;
- Fat-free curls are carefully dried;
- Make a ponytail, wrap it with plastic wrap and blow hot air into the bag for 1 to 3 minutes;
- Apply a lamination compound to warmed hair (you can buy it in the shops of specialized professional cosmetics);
- The heating / cooling procedure is repeated at least five times;
- After about an hour, lamination at home is considered complete.
You can carry out the procedure without a special laminate. An alternative to it is regular food gelatin. Step by step the process looks like this:
- Soak a 15-gram bag of gelatin in water, leave it to swell, and then heat it in a water bath until the granules are completely dissolved;
- Add a tablespoon of balsam or hair conditioner to the warm mixture;
- Stir the composition thoroughly and distribute it over the entire length of the hair (it is better not to treat the roots);
- Shake the strands in polyethylene and heat the hair dryer for 5 to 7 minutes;
- After 10 minutes, repeat the warm-up.
The treated hairs are kept under the film and cap for about 30 minutes, then they are washed with warm water and dried in air without a hair dryer. It should be noted that lamination at home with improper or erroneous technology can have a negative impact on the condition of the hair.
Tips and tricks to keep hair smooth
Beautiful silky curls do not become dull overnight. Usually the process of degradation lasts a long time, and it is accompanied by various circumstances. Take a closer look at your diet and lifestyle: it is possible that stress and the habit of staying awake 7–8 hours a day are the very detrimental factor that has deprived your hair of a healthy shine.
To keep them smooth and fluffy, you should stick to certain recommendations:
- Drink plenty of pure water. Each person has his own rate, but we do not recommend drinking less than a liter a day (regardless of the rest of the liquid consumed, including soups, juices, broths, etc.);
- Потребляйте больше фруктов, овощей и орехов, богатых цинком и витаминами группы В. Если вы придерживаетесь вегетарианской или веганской диеты, следите, чтобы питание было сбалансированным. В крайнем случае, поддерживайте организм, принимая комплекс поливитаминов и минералов. Курение и злоупотребление спиртным должны остаться в прошлом;
- Осторожно обращайтесь с волосами при любом уходе, будь то мытье, расчесывание или сушка. Не дергайте пряди (это повреждает структуру фолликула), не вытягивайте их расческой, особенно, если голова еще влажная после мытья. Сушите волосы только прохладным воздухом.
Уход за волосами должен осуществляться круглый год, а не спонтанно и только потому, что шевелюра уже выглядит истощенной. Многие барышни ленятся использовать после мытья головы восстанавливающие средства (бальзамы, кондиционеры, масла), а это неизбежно ведет к ухудшению волос. Помните, что они требуют столько же ухода, как и кожа, поэтому не пренебрегайте простыми рекомендациями и старайтесь выполнять хотя бы необходимый минимум.
