The Beauty Diet (27 page)

Olive oil
has conditioning benefits, particularly for very dry, coarse hair.

Plant proteins
(wheat proteins) have conditioning and hairstrengthening benefits.

Vitamin B
3
(niacin): when applied topically, niacin-based products, such as nicotinic acid, have been shown to improve hair growth in a small study for women when compared to a control group.

Vitamin B
5
(panthenol) helps provide moisture to the hair shaft.

Vitamin E
(tocopherol acetate), a natural antioxidant, has UV protection properties.

Like your skin, your hair is exposed to the elements every day. Following are some simple hair care tips that will keep your locks lovely and luxuriant.

Shampoo Your Hair Properly.
Combination shampoo/conditioners are less effective than separate products. Shampoo with warm water to open the pores in your scalp and rinse with cool water. A cool rinse (with either water or vinegar and water combined) will close down the cuticle and add shine. Keep in mind that excessive shampooing can strip minerals and natural oils from the hair.

Use Leave-In Conditioner.
This helps reduce frizz by rehydrating your hair during the day. Some conditioners, such as Kiehl's, contain UV filters to protect hair from sun damage.

Don't Twist Your Hair to Wring out the Water.
Towel-dry your hair and resist rubbing it or creating any sort of friction. Use
a hand towel and squeeze your hair dry, working your way up from the ends to the roots.

Use the Blow Dryer in Moderation.
Blow-drying more than three times a week will damage hair. Try to avoid very hot blow dryers and avoid very hot settings on heated flat irons and curling irons. Air-dry your hair when possible.

Wear Your Hair in a Loose, Easy Style.
Avoid tight braids or heavy ponytails—these can create bald spots or wide part lines on scalp. Every time you pull your hair back into a tight ponytail or bun, the pressure breaks hair shafts all along your hairline. The short remnants of broken hair pop up as frizz.

Have Your Hair Trimmed Every Six to Eight Weeks.
It won't make your hair grow faster, but it will stop split ends from splitting up the hair shaft.

Use Chemicals on Your Hair in Moderation.
Lightening your hair color may make your hair drier and frizzier. The chemicals used for curling or relaxing hair chemically alter the shafts, and long-term use of these chemicals can do irreversible damage to the hair or cause hair loss. Combining processes—for example, getting your hair colored and relaxed at the same time—means double the stress for your hair. Limit hair treatments as much as possible and avoid mixing chemical processes.