Find a Hairbrush that’s Right for You

Ask any hairdresser and they’ll tell you that one of the most important aspects of your hair care regimen is getting the right brush for your hair type and style. To help you choose the right hairbrush for you, we’ve put together some handy tips.

Choosing the Right Hairbrush

Oval hairbrush – This hairbrush is used primarily for smoothening the hair. If you have a fringe, use this hairbrush to style it.

Cushioned hairbrush – Oval and rectangular hairbrushes often come with cushioned bases. These are great for people with long hair as the cushioning helps prevent the hair from being stretched or broken.

Ceramic round hairbrush – Ever wondered how beauty salons manage to give your hair volume and bounce that’s nearly impossible to replicate at home? The secret is the ceramic round brush that can works wonderfully well for styling and volumising hair.

Wooden round hairbrush – This hairbrush is pretty multi-functional and can work on multiple hair textures. Avoid using it while your hair is dropping wet though, and allow it to be nearly dry before you style it with this brush. In general, round hairbrushes are the best for styling straight hair.

Nylon hairbrush – Nylon hairbrushes come in many types and their efficacy depends mostly on their bristles. Stiffer bristles that are closed placed together give you better control over your hair. Bristles that are set far apart are better for detangling and light brushing.

Wide-toothed comb – If you’ve got curly hair, one way to make the best of your curls and avoid frizz is to use a wide-toothed comb to untangle it while it’s wet and then just let it dry. Many curly haired women prefer to not even use the wide-tooth comb and only use their fingers to comb through their hair.

Hairbrushes with metal bristles – These are best avoided as they are too inflexible to use on human hair.

Five Amazing Hair Care Tips for Winter

Rough and dry hair is a very common problem in winter. Here are some ways to keep your hair looking healthy and beautiful, even as the mercury drops.

The cool winter wind might calm your soul but it’s going to leave your hair dry, frizzy and unmanageable. As the season changes, you need to revamp your hair care regime too. So here is a guide to amazing, healthy and manageable hair.

Hair care tips for winter

Oil your hair: In winter, it is chilly outside and dry and warm inside the house; this changing temperature harms your hair.  Oil your hair regularly, use warm oil if you are comfortable. It will help to restore the moisture and give life to your lifeless tresses.

It is not necessary to keep the oil on for long hours; one to two hours is enough to do the trick.  Do not over use shampoo while you are washing the oil off because it will nullify the conditioning effect.

Wash them right: Even though it is cold do not use very hot water to wash your hair. The heat will steal your moisture. Use lukewarm water. Do not over use the shampoo and use mild shampoo if you wash your hair very frequently.

Never miss conditioning: Rich conditioning can be your shield against the harsh cold. Condition your hair everytime you wash them, it strengthens them and increases the elasticity. If you are opting for readymade conditioner make sure it suits your hair and is right for your hair type. You can also use coconut milk or curd for conditioning your hair. If you have curly hair it is best to use leave-in conditioner in the end.

Let them dry naturally: It is advisable not to use heat to dry your hair in winter. With blow drying you can end up having flyways and static effect. Let them air dry. Your lovely tresses will thank you for letting them be.

Take care if you cover: If you wear woollen cap or scarf to protect yourself against cold, you will experience hair breakage in certain areas on your head. This is because the caps and scarves rub against the delicate hair and pull them out. It is advisable to use satin scarves and to use caps which have cotton or satin lining.

Tame your flyaways

    Apply some hair serum and move your fingers instead of using a comb. You can also use a clean new toothbrush with soft bristles to tame the flyaways.

    Apply shampoo to your scalp and not your hair. You need to clean your scalp and flow of shampoo will automatically clean your hair.

    Flyaway hair is the dry hair so apply a little leave-in conditioner specifically to that layer of hair.

    It is great to stay away from alcohol. This means alcohol in your hair care products of course. Check the ingredients of the product you buy.

Mask for healthy hair in winter

Mix an egg yolk with two table spoons of olive oil and a glass of lukewarm water. Apply it all over your hair and wash off in an hour. Use lukewarm or cold water to wash it off.

*Do not use heena mask in winters as it dries your hair and can also cause cold.

Love of shampoo, warmth of oil and care of conditioning will give you beautiful hair this winter. So just treat your hair with love, warmth and care and shine on!

How to Take Care of Frizzy Hair?

Hair is porous, so your cuticles suck up every bit of moisture they get. During the hot months, when humidity hits the roof, cuticles absorb moisture and expand. This causes hair to frizz up. The scorching summer sun combined with heat styling procedures like blow-drying or straightening can result in frayed and brittle ends.  An easy way to tame your mane is by using a hydrating, nourishing shampoo and conditioner. Refrain from excessive styling with blow-dryers, curling irons or flat-irons, as too much heat damages the cuticle and leads to more frizz. Dr Aparna Santhanam, consulting dermatologist, Hindustan Unilever, says, “It’s important to use hats, scarves or umbrellas each time you step out to protect your hair from damage. Tie long hair back gently while travelling to minimise breakage.” 

SHOW SOME LOVE

Hair-care or pampering needn’t always be an expensive salon affair. Dr Santhanam lists out a few tricks to help turn your grooming routine into a full-blown pampering session:

Hot oil massage: 

Dr Santhanam suggests beginning your home hair spa with a deep oil massage to the scalp and hair, using oil enriched with different herbs and natural ingredients. “Warm a little coconut oil slightly and add a few curry leaves, hibiscus and jasmine flowers. Decant it and massage deeply for about 20 minutes,” she says.

Deep-conditioning hair pack: 

Step two is a heavy-duty conditioning mask. You can either go for readily available protein/wax hair masks, or whip up a natural pack with a mix of egg whites and natural products like hibiscus and aloe vera.

Get the hot towel:

After the pack has worked its magic on your hair for 20 minutes, wrap your hair with a steamed hot towel. This will make sure that your hair and scalp absorb all the proteins and nutrients from the pack.

Wash up: 

Rinse with a deep cleansing clarifying shampoo and conditioner.

Post-wash conditioning: 

The final step involves applying a serum or leave-in conditioner for shine. It’s best to let the hair dry naturally. If you’re stepping out, blow-dry to a sleek, desired finish.

8 Different Ways To Part Your Hair

Love to style your hair differently? Well, giving your hair the desired partition, either the side or centre, can do wonders in styling your hair. You will see that there are ways to part your hair. It is one of the most interesting styles for any kind of hair. It adds volume and also puts in some amazing curves to your hair making it look gorgeous. You can have any kind of hair, short, long or wavy, but having a partition will suit your hair and enhance your overall look.

HOW TO PUT A FRENCH BRAID

Sometimes, your hand plays games, and while you are sitting in a meeting or something, you part your hair with the hand. It may appear like a habit, but it gives some different look to the hair. There’s no need to visit a stylist in case you are looking for ways to part your hair. There are some instant tricks to part your hair that you can try out.

This would help you get a new hairstyle and also make sure your hair looks voluminous. Here are some tricks to part your hair. Try them out before hitting out for a party or something.

Side Ways PartThis is one of the usual and most significant ways to part your hair. The trick is to keep one side heavily filled with hair, while not having much hair along the other side of your head. It gives your hair and your face a good appeal. Overall, your hair begins to look and feel good. You should definitely try this whenever you are bored with your current hairstyle.

Middle Part This is yet another way to give your hair a part. This definitely works well when you got to tie a ponytail or something similar. You may want to make sure both sides have equal hair. When you have long hair, middle part makes it look and feel good. You can possibly try it out.

Zig Zag PartingsThey are the best way to give your hair the desired look. You would find your hair looking adorable in the zig zag pattern that you have just created with your brush. Zig zag is one of the best tricks to part your hair. Make sure the zig zag looks good enough though.

Middle to Zig ZagThis is yet another flattering hairstyle that you may want to try. This suits best when you have fringes in the middle. They work perfectly with the fringes. You would have to part with the fringes, and then you can have a zig zag formed by layers.

Extreme Side PartYou could use this style to part your hair. In this case, your one side of the hair is extremely parted, while the other side is thinned down in terms of partition. You will definitely feel good when you try out this hairstyle.

Side Part with Thin LineYou will see that this kind of side parting is quite popular. You will need a thin line clinging along the side that would create this parting. It is famous for the eyeliner look.

Deep Side PartingOne of the best tricks to part your hair would be giving it a deep side part. Along with the plain lines, it makes your features look distinct and you will appear to have a pretty face.

Undone Zig ZagWhen perfectly done, you would feel a good zig zag in order, but just in case you have not done it up perfectly you know how it is. The zig zag is pretty unusual and layered in format giving your hair a different style.

10 Ways To Have Soft Hair

Healthy hair means beautiful hair. But not all of us are blessed with healthy, beautiful hair that shines and bounces with joy. Moreover the present day lifestyle of running from pillar to post, erratic eating schedules and lack of rest deprives our hair of the much required nutrition. To top it all is the amount of pollution that strips every strand off its oils and leaves it dry and lifeless. What does one do in such conditions?

Hair care tips are numerous but which one to follow? If we go by the luring television commercials and glossy magazine ads a hefty amount will be spent on hair care products. In the form of tips for soft hair there will be a host of products displayed. We have products ranging from quick action hair oils, shampoos repairing years of damage in a couple of washes, conditioners, serums, softeners and a host of other products.

The range of products available should make our hair feel so special but so we really need all of them? Our older generation never had so many hair care products and yet they had lovely, long tresses. The basic requirement is to keep hair and scalp clean. Massage oil once or twice a week and keep away from unnatural treatment. Keep your minimum requirement to an oil and shampoo. For other hair care tips look towards your kitchen.

Hair care in the Kitchen

Given here are some items that we all find in our kitchen and pantry. Make use of them for your hair and see your hair thank you in a real bouncy manner.

Egg

This has been my all favorite all along. It not only provides the much needed protein to the scalp and hair but also acts as an excellent conditioner. Mix with other items like honey, lemon or even milk. If your hair is oiled then no problem or else you can add the oil to the egg hair mask. Apply on every strand and scalp. Allow to dry for at least half an hour and then shampoo as always.

Honey 

Mix it with egg or milk and apply to strands and scalp. If you do not wish to mix it apply as it is. However, do not leave it for too long a time as honey can lighten the shade of your hair. A natural conditioner and moisturizer for your hair that gives natural care.

Milk

This is a source of protein for the hair. Time and again research has said that protein is important for good hair and what could be better than milk. Apart from that it also helps condition the hair strands.

Oil

Hair care tips can never be complete without oil. If you regularly wash your hair without pre-oiling you will so see your hair texture taking a dip. Hair will start looking dry and dull and may develop a frizz as well.

Banana

The fruity smell of banana comes with the goodness of giving us gorgeously beautiful hair. Puree bananas as per your hair length, mix with beaten egg and apply. Let it soak it in a little and wash as always.

Yoghurt

This is yet another great source of protein, a good moisturizer and conditioner for the hair. Apply it on its own or mix with gram flour, soaked and ground fenugreek seeds or even with egg.

Beer

Have we not heard of beer shampoo? Chuck the shampoo and get real beer. No do not drink it but use it as a conditioner. After you have shampooed your hair give your hair a beer rinse. They will dance with joy.

Apple cider vinegar

Of the many benefiters of apple cider vinegar the hair is also one to benefit. A post wash rinse with apple cider vinegar helps get rid of all residue and hair shines with all its might and also has a smooth texture.

Lemon

A close cousin of vinegar this too is an excellent cleanser when mixed with hair packs. The juice of one lemon for long hair and half a lemon for shorter hair. Apply with egg, oil, milk or honey and treat your hair.

Gram flour

Rich in protein mix it with yoghurt and apply as a hair mask. Allow the hair and scalp to absorb the benefits for a minimum of half an hour and wash as usual. Hair will be soft, smooth and silky.

The Perfect Straight Hair Experience

In January, beauty bloggers around the country responded to Sunsilk’s question ‘What is the craziest experiment you’ve tried to get straight hair?’. The responses were indeed crazy, wacky and lots of fun! Sunsilk responded personally to every blogger, reassuring them that they need not experiment with their hair anymore and offered them a solution to get straight hair every day – thus, was launched Sunsilk Perfect Straight shampoo and conditioner!

Every blogger received a sample of Sunsilk Perfect Straight and got an opportunity to try and test the product for themselves. To create some more buzz, Sunsilk asked bloggers to write about their product experience, thus getting credible reviews from real girls and lots of feedback about the brand’s latest product. 

With an exciting grand prize (an iPad) and 15 Kindles, the entries were super creative. From picture stories, to stop motion videos to hilarious real life accounts, bloggers testified to Sunsilk Perfect Straight being the perfect solution to straight hair days.

Pooja, who blogs at My Lips Don't Lie, has been chosen as the GRAND PRIZE WINNER, for her witty account of how she is wary about losing hair with straightening irons.

Shruthi Chaturvedhi’s entry ‘Lock Kar Diya Jaye’ was a creative spin on the Sunsilk brand communication ‘Lock Karo, Rock Karo’ on her blog Chaai, Paani, Biskut etc

Bushra too says ‘I locked, I rocked’ in her blog Stillettomaniac and who can’t agree that straight hair rocks!

Modonika gave rated the product 4/5 at Modonika

Pooja Kopargaonkar who says she had frizzy hair, says Sunsilk really helped control the frizz in her blog Born with Heels.

Ganga Bharani’s stop motion video was impressive and we think the amount of effort she put in is truly commendable – a real Sunsilk girl, this one! Do check out her video at Scribbled by GB.

So….if you have not yet tried Sunsilk Perfect Straight, what are you waiting for? Go ahead….LOCK KARO, ROCK KARO!

10 Things No One Ever Tells You About Cutting Your Hair

The big chop seems all the rage during the warmer months, but whether you’re thibking about a pixie or you’re just trying to take a few inches off your locks, there’s a thing or 1o you should know about cutting your hair. Below are 10 little known facts about cutting your hair, and some tips to help you get the best out of your cut.

1. Cutting your hair more often doesn’t make it grow faster: Getting rid of the ends of your hair doesn’t directly effect hair growth. The ends of your hair don’t effect the follicles in your scalp, which determine how fast and how much your hair grows. Trimming simply keeps hair more healthy as it grows.

2. Skip the trim: Give yourself some time in between each trim instead of going with the typical 6-8 weeks. Hair begins to split around the 3-4 month mark, which is when you’ll actually need a trim.

3. Layer accordingly: When cutting your hair, you should layer it according to your hair texture. Tighter curls work best with layers that aren’t perfectly even, while straighter hair works best with more even layers.

4. Skip the shampoo: Before cutting hair, skip the shampoo. You’ll be having your hair washed anyway, so there’s no need to dry out the cuticle twice.

5. It’s best to trim natural hair when dry: For girls with natural hair, it’s important to know that hair should be cut when dry. Head to a salon that specializes in natural tresses so you know you’re getting the best cut possible.

6. Search salon apprentice websites first: Looking to get your hair cut for less money? Try SalonApprentice.com, where you can volunteer to be a hair model for already licensed stylists who need to clock a certain amount of hours cutting hair. You’ll be in good hands for half (or less!) the cost.

7. All bangs aren’t cut equally: If you’re thinking about getting bangs, know what works best for your face and for your hair texture. Long, wispy bangs usually work best for a square face, while softer, shorter bangs work best to frame a round face.

8. Short hair takes work: Cutting off your hair doesn’t make hair care any easier. To keep them maintained, shorter cuts usually require more frequent trips to the salon to keep the shape and style fresh, which ends up costing more money (and time).

9. If you don’t trim, split ends will travel: Split ends will continue to split up the length of the hair if you don’t trim them, making your hair brittle and weak. When you start seeing split ends more often than non-split ends, it’s time to get a cut.

10. Bring options: Sure, we’ve all got our Pinterest boards full of haircut inspiration, but make sure you bring multiple options. When you get to the salon, your stylist may explain that a certain cut won’t work with your texture, or that it will actually require much more maintenance than you originally thought. Bringing options will leave you multiple routes for a happy cut.