BEAUTY: How healthy is your hair?

Do you have bad hair days? I do, and they are a real pain. No matter what you wear, nothing seems right if your hair isn’t right, at least for me anyway. Weird!
A bad hair day can be due to anything from a bad cut to unhealthy locks. You can’t do much about the former, except let it grow out, and have a chat with your hairdresser – or change hairdresser, which is not an easy thing to do. However, you can certainly treat the latter.
Healthy hair tends to be shiny and frizz free. There shouldn’t be any broken ends. Now, it won’t look and feel perfect all the time, but with the right care and attention you can ensure you hair is looking its best more often.
Processed, coloured hair will be naturally drier than the virgin variety. Most of use colour or have used colour in the past. Add to that the numerous products we use for styling and you will quickly see how damage is caused. I stopped colouring my hair in lockdown and haven’t regretted it for one moment. Not everyone is ready to take that particular plunge, and that’s fine too.

In the wash
Try to wash your hair less often. I will always remember my mother telling us we’d dry the natural oils out of our hair from over washing. (Mind you, she was also forever telling us we’d have ourselves washed away from showering too often!)
How often should we wash hair? Three times a week is considered good enough, and it helps to maintain balance. If you’re a daily washer, try to use a sulphate-free shampoo that is fragrance free. The OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo (€5.99) is sulphate free and great for nourishing hair, while also strengthening it. Sulphate free.
Use a hair mask weekly if you’re bleaching or colouring the hair. Olaplex No 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask (€24.45) is an intensive restorative treatment and good for all hair types. The Kevin Murphy Angel Mask (€39) is another good one.

Heat protection
It’s a good idea to use a heat protector before styling. This reduces the risk of breakage. (It won’t prevent it long term though.) It could be a leave-in serum or spray. Or, you can simply massage oil into your head and leave it in for a few hours. Try argon, almond or even sunflower oil.
Voduz is a hugely successful Irish-owned company founded by Brendan McDowell and Denise Phillips in 2019. Their styling tools use infrared technology which allows you to use less heat and so minimise heat damage. Their products suit all hair types. Whether a straightener or curling tong is your ‘go to’ product you will be sure to find something suitable in their vastly growing range of hair tools.
Voduz also do a lovely R’Oil hydrating oil (€20.95) and Defender Heat Protection Spray /(250ml, €15.95), available in selected chemists or at voduzhair.com.
Bumble and Bumble do a great range of cruelty free professional hair-care products. The company is affectionately named after the queen bee, as founder Whitney Wolfe loved the idea of the queen bee, or woman, being in charge. The Bumble and Bumble Heat Shield Protection mist costs €22 for 60ml.

Frizz factor
Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase. I mean it! It definitely helps hair from tangling when you sleep, and you won’t waken up with ‘bed hair’ in the morning. Most chemists stock them. They make great gifts too!
Finally, get your hair trimmed every four to six weeks, if you can afford it. Not alone will this keep hair in shape, it also keeps it healthy and deals with those frizz-forming split ends.

Maggie Gibbons is an Image/Style Consultant based in Louisburgh. She can be contacted at living@mayonews.ie.