Halloween is here! Everybody’s favorite frightfest is full of scares, but that doesn’t mean you need to petrify your hair. From October 31 to Christmas Eve and beyond, these tips will help your hair survive longer and avoid a slasher scenario at the salon.
Hot and Bothered
Your morning shower doesn’t have to be a scene from “Final Destination.” To avoid horrific consequences, don’t keep your shower temperature stuck on scalding hot, although you may want to during the chillier months. Intense heat can open up your hair cuticles, which allows moisture to escape. Even though your hair is getting wet, you’re actually drying it out in the long run. Reducing the heat, like they do at the salon, closes up cuticles and retains moisture. You can also use Lu's Control Collection, featuring murumuru butter, which helps lock in moisture and soften your mane.
Wash Out, Behind You!
Like a car that doesn’t start in a horror movie, shampooing your hair isn’t an easy way out. In fact, too much shampoo is one of the scariest things you can do to your hair, if you’re using the wrong haircare product. Washing your hair is important to remove grime, unwanted smells, and sweat, but doing it every day can remove too much hair oil, or sebum, and can leave hair looking dry and more prone to frizz. Everybody’s hair and hair care routine is different, so there’s no steadfast rule as to how often you should wash your hair, but the average person can go three days without a wash or even longer if it isn’t dirty.
Sham-BOO!
From harsh cleaning agents like sulfates to emulsifiers that could be carcinogenic, the ingredients found in certain shampoos can be pretty frightening. Shampoo that doesn’t contain sulfates still cleans the hair and scalp, but it won’t strip it of natural oils and leave it crying out for another wash. Instead of harmful products, Lu uses naturally-derived ingredients like Impossible Keratin™, a plant-based keratin formulation that aids damaged hair recover quickly, adds shine, and helps protect against further hair damage.
Look Out, You’re Going to Dry!
Scrubbing your hair with a rough towel is like Freddy Krueger attacking a group of innocent teenagers on prom night - totally not cool! Hair is weakest when wet, so when you dry your head vigorously after a shower, you might be damaging cuticles and causing it to lose shine and go dull. The only thing worse than drying wet hair with a rough towel is using a hairdryer, which can lead to cuticle damage and hair loss. The healthiest thing for your hair is to leave it to air dry, which retains moisture and keeps hair looking great for longer. If you haven’t got time to wait for hair to dry without a towel, use a bamboo or microfiber towel and wrap your head instead of rubbing it. Then, apply a leave-in styling cream like Lus’ Free To Be Styling Cream to set your captive hair free.
I’ll Help You On One Condition…
Every time you condition your hair, you’re offering it a lifeline, but it’s not as simple as squeezing it out of a bottle and rubbing it into the roots. In fact, this should be avoided at all costs. Conditioners are a lot thicker than shampoos, so when applied deep into the hair, they can cause pores to block up and create a product buildup on the scalp. This can lead to ingrown hairs, follicle damage, and oily hair. Keep your conditioning further away from your scalp, the part that needs it most anyway. If you need to add body and vitality to flat hair, the Freedom Conditioner with Moringa Seed Oil for bouncy, shiny, voluminous curls can help you end your hair nightmares.
A Brush With the Enemy
Brushing curly hair when it’s dry is a one way ticket to Frizz Town, where no strand gets out alive. This frightening practice will lead to a lack of definition, breakage, and damage. But, it’s not good news for those who brush straight after the shower, either. Soaking wet hair can add tension to certain strands, which can also lead to breakage. If you have curly hair, you should avoid brushing when you can. Instead, run your fingers through conditioned hair in the shower to maintain your curl pattern.
I’m a Little Tied Up Right Now
Your hair isn’t going to escape into the woods behind your house, so don’t tie it up too tightly! Tight hairstyles that pull your hair can lead to a phenomenon known as traction alopecia, or repeated trauma of hair follicles. Ponytails aren’t a complete no-no, but keep them loose and let your hair flow nicely. It’s a simple, effective, and timeless look that is also a great hack on hot days to beat humidity and keep curls looking great. For the best looking ponytail, use a hair bungee instead of a traditional hairband. These wrap around your hair instead of dragging through it, which can make curls turn frizzy.
Sleep Soundly
Switching your pillowcase could be the final jigsaw piece in your journey toward a healthier head of hair and escaping the dreaded bed hair. Traditional cotton pillowcases can cause friction if you toss and turn while having a nightmare, which is likely to cause frizz and split ends. When used in conjunction with Lu Intense Therapy Leave-In Cream, a silk pillowcase will be something to scream to your friends about (in a good way). Silk pillowcases help retain moisture from leave-in cream and other products, whereas cotton is known to absorb oils from your hair and leave it dry and damaged in the morning.
What’s your personal hair nightmare? Let us know in the comments!
