Beautiful hair doesn’t happen overnight. It is essential to maintain a care routine to get the desired results. Stylist Leonardo Rocco provided a series of tips to achieve the best version of your hair.
Having soft, shiny and beautiful hair is the desire of all people, but for this you have to permanently provide different care, as there are many factors that will influence your hair to punish, weaken and dull it.
Washing it alone is not enough. I share with you my ten-step guide to transform any type of hair into a soft, shiny and healthy mane.
Step 1 – Choose the right shampoo
Shampoo should be used according to each hair type.
Choosing the right shampoo for your hair type is essential to keep it healthy, shiny and full of life. Here is a simple guide:
1- Oily hair: choose a clarifying or oil balancing shampoo. These products are designed to remove excess oil without stripping the hair of its natural oils.
2- Dry hair: a moisturizing shampoo is your best option. These types of products are enriched with oils and emollients that moisturize and nourish dry and damaged hair.
3- Fine hair: to give volume and body to this type of hair, opt for a volumizing shampoo. These shampoos are designed to give a boost to the roots and make hair appear thicker.
4- Curly Hair: Sulfate-free shampoos are ideal for curly hair, as they gently cleanse without stripping away the natural oils that curls need to stay hydrated and defined.
5- Color-treated hair: to keep your color vibrant, choose a shampoo specifically for color-treated hair. These products are formulated to gently cleanse without bleaching the hair.
6- Damaged hair: if your hair is damaged or chemically processed, look for a repairing or strengthening shampoo. These shampoos contain proteins that help rebuild and strengthen damaged hair.
Step 2 – Conditioner properly
Conditioner plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy, soft and shiny hair. Here are the main benefits it offers:
1- Moisturizing: Conditioners are designed to hydrate the hair, restoring moisture that may have been lost during washing. This helps keep hair soft and manageable.
2- Cuticle sealing: When you wash your hair, the hair cuticles (the outer layer that protects each strand) can open up, which can make hair look dull and feel coarse. Conditioner helps close these cuticles, resulting in softer, shinier-looking hair.
3- Damage prevention By detangling and smoothing hair, conditioners also help prevent physical damage, such as breakage and split ends.
4- Protection: Many conditioners also contain ingredients that protect hair from environmental damage, such as sun exposure and pollution.
5- Nourishment: Some conditioners are enriched with proteins, vitamins and other essential nutrients that help strengthen and nourish hair from within.
To maximize these benefits, it is important to choose a conditioner that suits your hair type and specific needs. For example, if you have dry hair, look for a moisturizing conditioner. If your hair is damaged, opt for a repairing conditioner. Also remember to apply it correctly, concentrating on the ends and avoiding the scalp for best results.
Step 3 – Rinse with cold water
Cold water stimulates and seals hair cuticles
Rinsing your hair with cold water has several benefits that can help keep your hair healthy and shiny:
1- Seals hair cuticles: Cold water helps close the hair cuticles, which are the tiny protective scales on the surface of each strand. When cuticles are sealed, they reflect more light, which gives hair a shinier, healthier look.
2- Prevents frizz: By sealing the cuticles, cold water also helps prevent frizz by minimizing the absorption of moisture into the air that can cause hair to frizz.
3- Maintains hair color: If you have color-treated hair, rinsing with cold water can help preserve color longer, as it reduces fading by minimizing the opening of hair cuticles.
4- Stimulates circulation: In addition, cold water can stimulate circulation to the scalp, which in turn can promote hair growth.
Of course, cold water can be a bit uncomfortable for some people. If it’s too cold for you, even a final rinse with warm water instead of hot can have some of these benefits.
Step 4 – Beware of heat
Heat is harmful to the scalp, so it is best to avoid it.
Frequent use of heat styling tools such as hair dryers, straighteners and curling irons can have damaging effects on the hair. This is due to several factors:
1- Heat damage: These tools work by applying direct heat to the hair, which can cause thermal damage. This can lead to dryness, breakage and frizz, and can make hair look dull and lifeless.
2- Moisture loss: Heat can also strip moisture from the hair, which can cause it to become dry and brittle.
3- Damage to the cuticle: Excessive use of heat tools can damage the hair cuticle, the outer protective layer of each strand. When the cuticle is damaged, hair can become dull, rough to the touch, and more susceptible to further damage.
If you need to use heat tools, there are several ways to minimize damage. For example, you should always use a heat protectant before heat styling. These products form a barrier that helps protect the hair from heat damage. Also, try to keep the temperature as low as possible to achieve the style you want, and limit the use of these tools to a couple of times a week at most.
Step 5 – Moisturize
Masks protect hair and prevent damage
Nourishing hair masks can provide a number of benefits that contribute to healthier, more beautiful and shinier hair. Here are some of the highlights:
1- Deep hydration: Hair masks are denser and more potent than regular conditioners, which allows them to deeply moisturize the hair. This is especially beneficial for dry or damaged hair.
2- Damage repair: Many masks contain repairing ingredients such as proteins and amino acids that can help repair damage caused by heat, chemical treatments and environmental aggressions.
3- Shine and softness: By sealing hair cuticles and providing moisture, masks can leave your hair with a healthy shine and silky softness.
4- Improved manageability: By smoothing and detangling hair, masks can make hair easier to style and manage.
5- Protection: Some masks contain ingredients such as antioxidants and UV filters that can help protect hair against future damage.
To maximize these benefits, it is important to choose a mask that suits your hair type and specific needs. You should also apply it correctly and leave it on for the right amount of time to allow the nourishing ingredients to soak into your hair.
Step 6 – Eat right
As for other health care, in the case of hair, a good diet is essential to keep it protected and shiny (iStock)
Your diet also affects the health of your hair. Foods rich in protein, vitamin E and omega 3 can help improve the texture and shine of your hair. Diet plays a crucial role in the health of your hair. That’s because your hair needs specific nutrients to grow and stay healthy. Here are a few reasons why good nutrition is essential for beautiful hair.
1- Hair growth: Your hair needs protein to grow. In fact, hair is mainly composed of a protein called keratin. A diet rich in protein can help promote healthy hair growth.
2- Hair strength: Certain nutrients, such as biotin and vitamins A, C and E, are essential to keep hair strong and prevent breakage.
3- Hair shine: Omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods such as fish and nuts, can help keep hair moisturized and shiny.
4- Healthy scalp: A balanced diet is also important for maintaining a healthy scalp. Nutrients such as zinc and B vitamins can help prevent scalp problems such as dandruff.
5- Preventing hair loss: Some nutrients, such as iron and vitamin D, can help prevent hair loss.
A good diet can help keep your hair in its best condition. Try to include a variety of nutrient-rich foods in your diet, including protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, to keep your hair beautiful from the inside out.
Step 7 – Drink water
Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day prevents damage and makes hair soft (iStock)
Drinking enough water is vital to the overall health of your body, including your hair. Here are a few reasons why hydration is so important for maintaining healthy hair:
1- Moisturize your scalp: Just like any other part of your body, your scalp needs to be well hydrated to function properly. Proper hydration can help prevent dry scalp and dandruff.
2- Hair growth: Water is essential for hair growth. Hair follicles, which are the part of the scalp from which hair grows, require an adequate amount of water to function efficiently. Chronic dehydration can slow hair growth.
3- Hair shine and softness: Drinking enough water can also help keep your hair hydrated from the inside out, which can result in shinier, softer hair.
4- Preventing hair breakage: A well-hydrated scalp can keep your hair strong and supple, which can help prevent hair breakage.
Remember, the amount of water each person needs can vary depending on factors such as age, gender, weight, level of physical activity and climate. However, a general guideline is to try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. If you have difficulty drinking enough water, you can also get hydration from water-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Step 8 – Brush your hair properly
Regular hair brushing has several important benefits for the health of your hair:
1- It distributes natural oils: Brushing your hair helps distribute the natural oils from your scalp throughout your hair strands. This not only gives your hair a healthy shine, but also helps keep it hydrated and protected.
2- Stimulates the scalp: When you brush your hair, you are also gently massaging your scalp. This can help increase blood flow to the hair follicles, which can promote hair growth.
3- Remove dust and debris: Brushing also helps remove dust, hair product residue and dead skin cells that can build up on your scalp and hair.
4- Detangle hair: Of course, brushing your hair also helps detangle it, which can prevent hair breakage and make it easier to style.
While brushing is beneficial, it’s important to do it carefully. Brushing too hard or too often can damage the hair cuticle, which can lead to dryness and breakage. To avoid this, always use a brush with soft bristles and avoid brushing when wet, as this is when it is most prone to breakage.
Step 9 – Visit your stylist regularly
Regular trimming of the ends is a fundamental aspect of maintaining beautiful, healthy hair for several reasons:
1- Prevention of split ends: Over time, hair can become damaged by a variety of factors, including heat, styling, chemical treatments and environmental exposure, which can lead to split ends. Once you have split ends, they can’t really be repaired and the only solution is to cut them off. If left uncut, split ends can continue to work their way up the hair strand, causing more damage and breakage.
2- Promoting healthy hair growth: While trimming the ends doesn’t make your hair grow faster (growth occurs at the scalp, not the ends), it can help maintain healthy growth by preventing breakage and damage to the ends.
3- Improved hair appearance: Dry, damaged ends can make your hair look dull and lackluster. By trimming the ends regularly, you can keep your hair looking fresh, shiny and healthy.
4- Makes it easier to style: Hair with damaged ends can be more difficult to manage and style. By keeping your ends neatly trimmed, you can make it easier to style your hair.
How often you should trim the ends depends on how fast your hair grows and how much you damage it with heat tools, chemical treatments and styling. However, a general rule of thumb is to trim your ends every 6-8 weeks to keep your hair looking its best.
Step 10 – Be patient
Remember, beautiful hair doesn’t happen overnight. Keep a consistent routine and you will see results over time. Remember, these tips are to help you achieve the best version of your hair.
As always, it’s important to find what works best for you. I hope you will follow my 10 steps to healthy, soft and shiny hair. Finally, I leave you with this thought: your hair is an extension of yourself. Treat it with love and respect, and it will reward you with its beauty.