Hair is so interesting. We all want it looking amazing, and it's not always easy! As you'll find out by reading through our blogs, there are many different types of hair and they all require slightly different care. The first step to beautiful hair, is knowing which type you have.
It's true, hair is dead. Now don't be sad, this doesn't mean there's nothing you can do to fix problem hair. There are ways to hydrate and moisture hair, and there are some things you can do to improve the look and feel of your hair – regardless of whether you've chemically treated it, styled it with heating contraptions, or just ignored it through the years.
First off, here are some interesting facts to learn about hair:
Red is the rarest hair colour, found only in 1% of the population, while blondes make up only 2% of the population.
Scotland has the highest percentage of red-heads.
Hair is one of the most common types of forensic evidence, yet it cannot reveal someone’s gender.
The core structure of the human hair can reveal information about everything that has ever been in the bloodstream – including drugs.
A person’s hair follicles are completely formed by the time a fetus is five months old.
Hair can stretch up to 30 % of its original length when wet.
When a hair falls out, it can regrow up to 20 times from the same hair follicle
On average, a man will spend five months of his life shaving his beard. If he never shaved his beard, it would grow to be about 30 feet in length.
The average person loses around 50-150 strands of hair a day.
A strand of hair is stronger than a copper wire with the same diameter.
By the time she is 65, the average woman will have spent 7 months of her life doing her hair.
According to recent studies, 90% of Japanese people wash their hair twice a day. Washing your hair daily creates more sebum (or natural hair oil).
In Ancient Rome, women used to dye their hair blonde with pigeon poop (yum!).
Using shampoos with silicones and sulfates is like pouring a layer of plastic film on your hair: It may look shinier and feel softer, but over time this suffocates hair follicles which can lead to thinning hair as we age – sometimes by the time you're 40.
My hair's a mess... How do I fix it so I don't have to cut it off?
If you're wanting better quality hair, you will have to cut some of it off – especially the parts that are very dry, brittle, and split. This is usually the hair on the bottom inch or two. A good trim can immediately make your hair feel and look healthier.
The next thing you'll have to adjust to, is using less tools to "make it look pretty". Less dryers, curling irons, straighteners. These tools run at such high temperature that they are overheating the delicate strands of hair and opening up the cuticles, making hair more susceptible to damage. Your may look nicer, but over time it will be damaged. Sorry, no way to get around this one.
There's something to be said about learning to love your hair type. If you want straight hair but naturally have wavy or curly hair, you need to learn to wash and style your hair so that it will look its best - there's nothing nicer than healthy hair! Sure, on occasion you may style it differently, but for the most part you need to leave it be.
The hairdryer is your worst enemy, because wet or damp hair is delicate hair. If you must style it using a curling iron or straightener, wait until it's dry ON ITS OWN. So maybe wash it at night and style it in the morning! Whether you spend $20 or $200 on a hair dryer, the high heat they emit is causing damage to your scalp and hair. Consider hairdryer use as occasional treats.
Sun damage is another issue. There are ways to protect your hair and scalp, like hey, using a hat! UV rays can damage hair in the long run, and especially the delicate follicles where your hair grows out from. You can use a light leave-in conditioner to protect your hair length as well, but you're better off using a hat to protect your scalp.
Skip the synthetic silicones! As we previously mentioned, silicones in hair products (those which typically end in -cones, 'conols, 'silanes, and 'siloxanes') can seal your hair so nothing gets in, even moisture. Over time, they will give your hair a dull look and dry feel. Hair may be dead, but it can still draw in moisture, essentially it can "breathe"! Leave it be, or choose more natural-derivatives like beautiful natural oils that can either be penetrating or coating. Some examples we at OBLOOM like include broccoli seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, and Marula oil.
Go ahead and try our OBLOOM natural haircare products. They are excellent and will help you grow gorgeous hair, naturally, while protecting your scalp.
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