Is there anything more stunning than long, luscious locks? Throughout history, the world’s most beautiful women have been portrayed in art and fashion with flowing manes of long straight hair.
But, as most of us know, that can be a hard look to achieve. While some are blessed with naturally healthy hair, most people need to put a bit of effort into getting the best results.
Helpful Tips For Long Straight Hair
Keeping long straight hair healthy and shiny does take a certain commitment. It takes longer to wash and dry, and can be prone to problems if left unkempt.
The good news is that there are some easy tips you can follow to bring back health and shine. This helpful information will also be helpful if you are only just starting to grow your hair out.
1. Avoid Over-Washing Your Hair
One of the most important things to learn about long hair is that you shouldn’t over wash it. If you’ve been used to short hair, the temptation is to shampoo it every time you get in the shower.
If you do that with long hair, you risk drying it out, which will lead to breakage and split ends. If your hair feels brittle, and breaks easily when you brush it, that’s probably the cause.
2. Choose The Right Hair Brush
Talking about brushing your hair, the type of brush you choose will also make a big difference to the look and feel of your hair. Your best choice is a brush specifically designed for long hair, made from wood and bristles.
Your brush should be quite soft and you should always brush your hair slowly and gently. Long hair can be prone to knots and tangles but being rough isn’t the answer. The best way to detangle your hair when wet, is with a wide toothed comb.
3. Keeping Your Cool
Long straight hair can also be damaged by excessive hairdryer use. Understandably you will need to blow-dry your hair sometimes, to keep it straight and shiny, but here’s some helpful advice.
Before you start blow-drying your hair, it’s best to apply a heat-protectant product. And try and avoid using the highest heat setting. The ‘cool’ setting will dry your hair just as well, without causing as much damage.
The same rules apply to any hair styling appliance that uses heat. Always protect your hair first and choose products recommended for long hair.
4. Avoiding Breakage
You might not know it, but drying your hair with a normal towel can also cause damage. A rough dry towel can damage the hair shaft, causing breakage.
The experts recommend using a microfiber towel and just blot and squeeze the hair dry, rather than rubbing it.
For much the same reason, many people swear by using only satin or silk pillowcases, as they believe cotton is too dry for both your hair and your skin.
Whenever possible, allow your hair to dry naturally. And if you’re not going out, set aside a few hours to apply a hair treatment. The longer you can leave it on, the better.
5. Natural Oils For Shine And Growth
Some of the best hair treatments are made from natural oils – and different oils suit different purposes. For example, olive hair is excellent for hair growth. You’ve probably seen pictures of those ancient Egyptians, with their shiny, long straight hair? Well, their secret was olive oil.
Another natural oil that comes highly recommended for hair growth is coconut oil. This will also protect and moisturize your hair and scalp. It is also antibacterial, making it great for dandruff.
As with any natural oil treatment, the best way to use it for long straight hair is to apply it before shampooing. Take time to massage it into your scalp and hair, and then leave it for at least 30 minutes. Two to four hours is better.
6. Choose Your Shampoo Carefully
Then simply shampoo and condition your hair as normal. Remember, the type of shampoo and conditioner you choose will also make a big difference to the health of your hair.
There are certain ingredients you really don’t want to see on your shampoo bottle, such as sulfates, formaldehyde, parabens and propylene glycol. These chemical-based products can cause dryness and damage to your hair and certainly won’t do any good.
Instead, choose shampoos that contain natural ingredients, like nut and seed oil. Acidic ingredients are good, too, to give you the right pH balance. That’s why rinsing your hair in apple cider vinegar will leave it super shiny!
7. Essential Herbs And Vitamins
In fact, there are quite a few home remedies you can use to improve the condition of your long straight hair. Silica is a very important ingredient for hair growth and that can be found nettles. If you can’t find the real thing, try taking silica capsules.
The herb ginkgo biloba is also excellent for hair growth, as it boosts blood circulation to the head and scalp.
Now, we’ve talked a lot regarding what to use ON your hair, but there is another really important aspect to achieving those luscious locks. And that’s what we put inside our bodies.
Just as it affects our general health, what we eat also has a big impact on the health of our hair. We’ve already talked about silica, which is excellent for hair and nails, but there are some other vitamins you need, too.
8. Avoiding And Treating Hair Loss
The best four vitamins for hair growth are biotin, folic acid, vitamin D and the B Complex vitamins. Vitamin D is one of the most under-rated vitamins. For example, if you’ve been experiencing hair loss, that could be due to a vitamin D deficiency.
Hair loss can also be caused by stress, grief, illness or by eating the wrong diet. Pregnancy, too, can cause your hair to fall out. But before you panic, hair loss can often be short-term and can be treated with the right vitamins and products.
Grow Your Best Hair Ever
If you do have long straight hair and you want to keep it looking good all year round, it will require a little work. But nobody ever said beauty came easily, right?
The good news is that whatever you do to improve your hair, will most likely be beneficial to your general health and wellbeing, too. So for your best hair ever, take those first steps today.
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