5 Easy Steps To Beautiful Shiny Hair

When your hair is healthy, it shines. You've seen the gorgeous, flowing shiny hair in the commercials - what woman doesn't dream of beautiful hair like that? Here are 5 things you can do with your hair to help keep it healthy and make it shine! 1. Cold Water Rinses After you wash your hair with hot water, rinse with cool water. This will cause the cuticle (outer layer) of the hair to close so it reflects light, making it look much shinier. Can't stand the thought of turning off the hot water in the shower? Just keep a pitcher in the bathroom; after your shower, pour a pitcher of cold water over your hair before drying. That will be enough to do the trick! 2. Keep Your Hair Trimmed As your hair grows longer, it makes sense that the ends of the strands farthest from your scalp are quite old, especially for the ladies with long hair. If your hair is more than 6 inches long, the ends are at least one year old! By keeping the ends trimmed of older hair and split ends, you get rid of the frizz and 'roughness' that prevents light from reflecting off your hair. You should get the ends trimmed every 6-8 weeks to keep your hair looking its healthiest, shiniest best. 3. Eat A Healthy Diet The best way to nourish your hair is from the inside, so eating a well balanced diet does much to provide for healthy hair. Essential oils in our food are important for shiny hair, so make sure you diet contains sufficient amounts of Vitamin E. You can find it in avocados and green leafy vegetables like spinach. Nuts and olives are another great source of this important vitamin. It's also important that you drink plenty of water every day to keep you body and your hair hydrated. Two liters (eight cups) of water every day is all it takes! 4. Brush Your Hair Brushing your hair correctly is important for keeping it shiny, but be careful: over brushing can lead to hair that is broken, dull and dry. First of all, never brush your hair while it's wet. The reason is because it loses elasticity when it's damp and breaks quite easily. Instead, use a wide toothed plastic or wooden comb to detangle them while it's still wet. When you do brush your hair, begin by brushing tangles out of the ends, then slowly work your way up the length of your hair, always brushing in the direction of growth. If you start at the roots and brush straight out, you run the risk of making any tangles worse and breaking hair mid-shaft. 5. Drying Your Hair Gentle is the key word when it comes to drying your hair. Many people throw a towel over their head and brusquely rub to dry; this is a mistake as it only encourages breakage. Instead, use the towel to squeeze water from your hair, and then blot to absorb the excess moisture. Letting your hair dry naturally is best, but if you use a blow dryer, point the nozzle down the shaft of the hair and keep it at least 15 cm from your hair. Use cool air if you can, that will help keep it smooth and shiny.