Hair is one of the most important features for attractiveness. Already in ancient Egypt, healthy and full hair has been a symbol for youth, strength and dignity. However, hair is always different: Be it straight or curly, normal or dry, stressed or quickly greasing: As every hair type needs its individual grooming routine, here are some ways to prevent future bad hair days.

Normal hair

Characteristics:
The hair is resilient, flexible, smooth and shiny. Those who have normal hair, usually have a sound scalp.

Care:
Normal hair is fuss-free: Clean the hair two or three times a week, using a mild shampoo. This way, hair and scalp get enough time to steady its acid-base balance. Despite its healthy condition, the hair can be pampered with a conditioner or tonic once a week to make sure it keeps being soft and easy to brush. Styling that involves hair straighteners or curling irons should only be used very sparsely.

Curly, unruly hair

Characteristics:
As it doesn’t lie flat on the scalp as normal hair and hence doesn’t get in contact with that much sebum, curly hair tends to be dry. Due to its natural flexion, curly hair has a less smooth cuticle layer, making it more brittle than normal hair. In addition to that, it reacts very sensitive to environmental influences, which makes it prone to split ends and hair breakage.

Care:
Curly hair requires a rich grooming routine. Lipid replenishing and moisturizing ingredient such as Avocado oil or provitamin B5 intensively nourish the hair and lay a protective film around it that prevents it from drying. Due to its sensitive hair structure, the hair is only pat dried after washing and detangled with a coarse comb. A leave-in treatment that is aligned to the special needs of curly hair, gives shine and sleekness, and it improves elasticity.

Damaged and stressed hair

Characteristics:
The hair is weakened and looks dull. It gets split ends and starts to break. Chemical treatments or mechanic strains have damaged the hair structure so much that the lipid-rich binder between the fibers, that is responsible for having soft hair, has released from it. The hair is hard to detangle and brush after washing.

Care:
More is more: An intensively nourishing routine is necessary when having damaged hair. Shampoo, conditioner and hair masks provide the hair with essential nutrients that, thanks to their moisturizing effect, help smoothing the outer cuticle layer and repairing the damaged hair structure. Apply some special serum to the ends; it is also recommended to apply a hazelnut-sized amount of hair oil to the dry or wet hair. Hair dyeing and permanent waves should only be done by a professional, and in large time intervals. To prevent further damage, hair straightener and curling iron should only be used for special occasions.

Dry hair

Characteristics:
The hair is dry, unruly and feels straw and brittle. When having dry hair, the cuticle layer sticks out like bristles. Hence, light cannot be reflected, the hair appears matte and dull. The scalp tends to be dry, itchy and flaky. This originates from a sub function of the sebaceous glands; however, environmental influences, too, can cause dry hair.

Care:
A mild shampoo as well as a moisturizing conditioner round out every hair washing routine. Make sure that the products don’t contain irritating agents and only little or no sodium lauryl sulfates (they make our shampoos foamy) as they additionally dry out our hair. Dry ends can be nourished with a hair oil or a serum.

Fine and thin hair

Characteristics:
This hair type often struggles with static and flyaway hair. Whereas normal hair has a diameter of 0.05 to 0.07 mm, the hair thickness of thin hair is usually between 0.02 and 0.04 mm.

Care:
Pump it up: A volume shampoo adds fullness to fine hair. Ingredients and volume forming properties are combined with nourishing components, making the hair light and fluffy. For those who still want to get some big hair, a volumizing styling mousse that is applied to the damp hair will do a good job. Finally blow dry hair overhead using a diffuser. Some hairspray will help getting rid of static hair.

Greasy hair

Characteristics:
Greasy hair looks lank, flabby and unkempt: The reason behind this hair condition is mostly traceable to an inherited excess production of sebum. Environmental factors can lead to greasy hair as well.

Care:
Contrary to the common belief that daily hair washing leads to even more greasy hair, indeed, it can be washed daily. It is important to use a shampoo that only contains mild substances, and not massaging the scalp too much as this would only encourage the sebaceous glands to produce even more sebum. Essential oils and herbal essences balance the sebum production and calm the scalp. Lipid replenishing products such as hair masks and oils should be avoided since they weigh down the hair, making it appear even greasier. Some hair tonic instead refreshes the scalp after washing the hair and also in between. Hairspray, setting lotion and lacquer can be used for styling, whereas gel and wax promote the effect of greasy hair.

General hair care tips:

Do‘s:

• Regularly cut ends of the hair
• Use mild shampoos
• Use coarse wooden combs
• Use brushes made out of wood or wild hog bristles
• Brush hair beginning with the ends

Don’ts

• Brush hair extremly often
• Frequent blonde hair dyeing or other chemical treatments
• Hot blow-drying
• Daily use of hair straightener
• Rubbing hair dry
• Brushing wet hair
• Using hair ties with metal