Ten Best Tips to Liven Up Long Hair

If you're worried about dull, frazzled over the frizzies, lifeless-looking locks, or frustrated about how to get your hair in shape, then you're not alone. These concerns share many women, who wear shoulder-length or longer hair.

Unless you were born perfectly beautiful, great looking hair doesn't just happen. Getting it into shiny and healthy condition takes a commitment to continuing care. More over, professional cutting or trimming every two months to remove split ends and promote natural bounce, giving long hair special attention at home each day will help in making it the best it can possibly be. Even if you 've neglected your hair in the past, it's never too late to get to the root of the problems that are associated with it.

One reason long hair requires extra care is because it becomes more fragile with age. The most widely-cited problems are oil at the scalp, hair that tangles when wet, dry split ends (the number one problem), loss of healthy sheen, and hair that won't stay where you want it to.

To achieve today's beautiful longer-hair look, beauty experts recommend that you let these tips go straight to your head:

• FINGER RAKING - Upon waking, run fingers through hair to remove snarls and tangles.
• BRUSHING - Bend forward allowing hair to fall. Use a large oval brush to bring hair from the nape of the neck over the head and down to the ends. Then, stand straight again with hair falling normally and brush from the underside of the hairline down the strands to the ends. Now, brush the top layers into place with long, even strokes. After each stroke, smooth hair with hands to reduce static. Increase the number of strokes daily until you find a comfortable routine. (Note: because wet hair is the weakest, brush hair only when dry. Don't brush or comb hair against the grain of the growth pattern, an action that can injure hair.)
• COMBING - Separate hair into small sections. With a wide-tooth comb, carefully work from the ends in a downward direction only. Never pull or yank hair.
• DRYING HAIR - Air dry hair whenever possible. If blow drying is necessary, blow in downward strokes only on cool setting.
• CURLING - Use regular hair rollers, winding hair loosely around them. Avoid electric rollers, hot combs and curling irons or use on cool setting.
• SHAMPOOING - Choose shampoos containing only natural ingredients with conditioning properties. First, remove surface dirt through gentle sudsing. Rinse and lather again, massaging your head to increase the blood supply to the scalp and roots.
• DETANGLING - Work a detangler into well-rinsed hair. Flush with tepid, then cold water, until hair clean. Twist gently and wrap hair in a towel for a few minutes. Unwrap hair and let it fall naturally into place. To protect ends, use a pomade to keep ends from frizzing and splitting.
• CHEMICALS - Seek professional advice about coloring or perming hair.
• ENVIRONMENT - Protect hair from over-exposure to sun, salt or chlorinated water, wind and pollution. Wear a hat, cap or scarf if you can. Seek out hair products with sunscreens.
• UP, UP & AWAY - To keep cool and look stylish, sweep hair upward. Use natural materials (i.e., tortoise shell combs, clips and fasteners) instead of rubber bands, plastic and metal which snag and pull hair. Try to avoid all products containing alcohol as it dries hair.

Whether you are young or old, male or female, your hair is a reflection of who you are. Healthy hair is not just about looking good - it also can make you feel good.

Healthy Products
Beauty Products