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To acquire luxurious hair, it is not enough to grow curls below the shoulders, you must be able to properly care for all this wealth. Our article is devoted to this topic – care for long hair.
Why long hair needs special care
Needless to say, long hair is beautiful. What could be more feminine than luxurious curls scattered over the shoulders or smooth flowing silks?
Mermaids with experience know that caring for long hair requires following certain rules, from preparing for washing your hair, ending with drying and styling. This does not mean at all that long hair is a problem, they just have certain features that need to be taken into account when choosing tactics and care products.
Dryness – there is not enough sebum to spread from the crown to the tip and protect the hair along the entire length. And if the scalp is dry, then brittleness and deterioration in the quality of the hair can be observed even from the middle of the length.
Split Ends – For the reason stated above, and if the hair is dyed and regularly in contact with hot styling tools, the ends of the hair can split.
Entanglement – long thick and thin hair can be tangled, tied into knots and even fall into tangles.
Breakage – The longer the hair, the more likely it is to become brittle. The risk of such a problem is especially high for colored, damaged curls.
With proper care for long hair at home, these troubles and problems can be avoided.
Find out what extra care your hair needs.
Care for long hair at home: an overview of the means
To make long hair beautiful – lively, shiny, you need to find a special approach to it. Not everyone knows how to care for long hair correctly and what conditions must be observed at each stage of care. We will try to fill in the gaps. The general rule is delicate handling and the use of emollient and nourishing products on a regular basis. Details are below.
Washing head
Hair care starts with cleansing. If you listen to the advice of professionals, shampoo should be chosen based on the type of scalp, and not the characteristics of the hair. However, long hair, especially loose, tend to get dirty faster, as city dust settles and accumulates on them. It is natural that you may need to wash more frequently. It makes sense to use shampoos with a mild detergent base, and if necessary, use sulfate-free formulas.
Shampoo-transformation Elseve “Dream Length” for long damaged hair, L’Oréal Paris
Shampoo line, specially created for long hair, cleanses the scalp. The formula is enriched with a nourishing cocktail that prevents split ends and dry hair.
Balancing shampoo “3 precious clays” for hair oily at the roots and dry at the ends, L’Oréal Paris
If you have oily scalp, check out this shampoo, which has a balancing effect – rids the skin of excess sebum, while making sure that the ends of the hair remain hydrated.
Revitalizing shampoo for split ends and damaged hair Dercos Nutrients Nutri Protein, Vichy
Shampoo with praxis oil and quinoa bran, rich in protein, gently cleanses the scalp and prevents hair breakage.
After the shampoo, it is imperative to use a hair conditioner (conditioner) to close the cuticle, moisturize the strands, then they will be shiny and smooth along the entire length, and will not be injured during combing.
Balm conditioner for smoothness and radiance Botanic Therapy “Argan oil and camellia extract”, Garnier
Under the influence of this balm conditioner with nourishing oils, the hair will become obedient, smooth, elastic. One has only to apply it for a couple of minutes on clean hair after shampooing.
Superbalm Elseve “Dream Length” for long damaged hair, L’Oréal Paris
Another hero of the Dream Length line, which will help prevent brittleness and dryness of long hair, as well as make it easier to comb it. It is no coincidence that the remedy is called superbalm!
Conditioner for intensive restoration of fragile and damaged hair Damage Repairing & Rehydrating Conditioner, Kiehl’s
Long hair that has suffered from constant coloring and exposure to flat irons will be grateful for this moisturizing and strengthening formula with hyaluronic acid, moringa oil and ceramide – no silicones.
Spread the composition with your fingers, gently detangling the strands (if the hair is thick, you can do this with a soft silicone brush or comb with sparse teeth). Pay special attention to the ends – the most “dry” areas of long hair.
Elseve Rescue Mask “Dream Length”, L’Oréal Paris
A rescue mask with vegetable keratin, castor oil and vitamin B5 takes care of the hair along the entire length, restoring the fifth.
Revitalizing hair mask Fructis “SOS Recovery”, Garnier
This formula for split ends and very damaged hair with carafil and amla oil helps to give hair strength and smoothness. Result? Strong, restored hair.
Drying
It is best to dry your hair naturally: pat dry with a towel, preferably microfiber and smooth cotton, loosen over your shoulders without combing.
If you can’t do without a hair dryer, then dry your hair on warm air, keep it at a distance of 15-20 centimeters, do not linger for a long time in one area.
“If you are blow-drying your hair, then you should not aim the bell directly at the head: this can provoke overheating of the skin and, as a result, increased sebum production and sensitivity. The air jet is distributed diagonally, parallel to hair growth (so as not to lift the cuticle scales). At the end, the strands are blown with cold air: this will fix the styling, ”advises Altana Bazyleva, Vichy expert
And, of course, before styling, you must use a product with a thermal protection function. Choose your product format: rinse-off or leave-on, in the form of a cream, spray or oil. Follow the rule: the thinner the hair, the lighter the texture.
Leave-in care cream Elseve “Length of a dream. No scissors” for long damaged hair, L’Oréal Paris
This care cream with vegetable keratin and castor oil not only protects the hair from overheating, but also “solders” the damaged ends of the hair.
Botanic Therapy “Royal Jelly and Propolis” Revitalizing Cream-Oil, Garnier
Cream with honey, royal jelly and propolis has a smoothing and protective effect, which is why the hair after drying / styling looks, according to the editors, at 100. Provides protection at temperatures up to 230 degrees.
Complex leave-in cream “SOS Rescuer hair 10-in-1” Fructis, Garnier
Another protector of hair from thermal damage works at a temperature of up to 230 ° C, it is addressed to very damaged hair.
Oil for smoothness and radiance Botanic Therapy “Argan oil and camellia extract”, Garnier
In the care of long hair, oil is indispensable, because it perfectly protects the tips from drying out, and also gives the strands smoothness and shine. This product, designed for dull long hair, also has a thermal protection function.
Combing
Combing long hair from root to tip is no longer an easy task. To do this without pain, without injuring the hair, can be quite difficult. One sharp movement – and the hair simply breaks or breaks, not to mention the painful sensations that can occur if long hair is combed incorrectly.
Incorrect and untimely combing of hair can provoke hair loss.
Here are some tips Vichy judge Altana Bazyleva:
Long strands need to start unraveling from the ends. At the same time, the hair cannot be torn apart with a comb: if a tangle is nevertheless formed, it can be treated with indelible oil or balm and carefully disassembled.
Comb your hair before and after washing.
You can’t go to bed with a wet head: at night we toss and turn on the pillow, the cuticle still rubs against the fabric, and the crow’s nest that forms on the top of the head in the morning is sometimes easier to cut off than comb (the scales hold on to each other like a Velcro tape).
It is better to use a modern plastic comb.
Dream
No need to sleep with a tight ponytail: this disrupts the blood supply to the follicles and can even cause hair loss.
If your hair gets tangled while you sleep, it is better to do a loose bun or a loose braid at night.
Get silk pillowcases – your hair will be less tangled and dry.
Salon procedures
We figured out how to care for long hair at home, but a woman always wants more – there is never too much beauty. Today, the range of salon services allows you not to limit yourself to the use of shampoo-conditioner-mask. For long hair, procedures aimed at restoring hair, smoothing their surface and adding shine are suitable. A few examples:
lamination covers each hair with a shiny film;
Botox – intensive hair care without straightening;
nanoplasty – hair straightening by sealing keratin and amino acids inside the hair;
keratin restoration – a procedure for restoring damaged porous hair using preparations with keratin;
glazing gives shine to the hair due to the tight smoothing of the scales, helps prevent split ends.
And, of course, do not forget about the haircut, or rather cutting the ends of the hair – this must be done every 2-3 months so that they are healthy and do not split.
Are homemade hair masks effective?
Someone prefers to take care of their hair professionally, but some girls love (and know how) to prepare cosmetics themselves. Here are a few recipes for hair masks that seem to us the most successful.
Mask “Nutrition Plus”
This mask promises to make hair smooth, soft and shiny.
1 tsp coconut oil;
1 tsp glycerin;
2 Art. l olive oil.
Mix the ingredients and heat in a water bath. Wash your hair with a cleansing shampoo and dry. Apply the mask to your hair and hide under a cap. Wash off with shampoo after an hour.
Laminating mask with gelatin
Hair becomes smooth and shiny after this mask. It cannot be compared with salon lamination, but there is some effect.
2 Art. l gelatin;
6 Art. l water;
1 st. l. hair balm or mask.
Soak the gelatin in water, after 30 minutes warm the mixture, bringing it to a liquid consistency (do not boil!), add the balm.
The mask is applied to clean, damp hair (do not use balm), cover your head with a cap or film, wrap with a towel, leave for an hour. It is advisable to warm your head with a hairdryer every 15 minutes without removing the towel.
Honey mask on sour cream
The mask is suitable for very dry hair, it has a softening effect, gives shine and silkiness.
2-3 tbsp. l. fat sour cream;
1 st. l. honey;
1 yolk;
1 Art. l olive oil.
Mix everything until a homogeneous consistency, apply to dry hair before shampooing for 45-60 minutes.
Oil wrap
For this recipe, any virgin vegetable oil or a mixture of oils will do: coconut, olive, and even sunflower.
The oil is heated to a comfortable temperature and applied to the entire length of dry hair. Leave for two hours, and ideally overnight. In the morning, wash your hair as usual – the hair will be like silk.
Summary results
Why does long hair need special care?
For long hair, there is a high risk of dryness and brittleness, especially at the ends, so when caring for your hair, you need to follow a certain technique. This is written here.
How to wash long hair?
Use shampoo with softening ingredients and do not apply it to the entire length of the hair. Details are here.
What is better for long hair, balm or mask?
Proper hair care (and not only long hair) involves the use of both products: a balm (conditioner) is applied after each shampoo, a mask once or twice a week. Read about it here.
What salon treatments are suitable for long hair?
Of the salon procedures for long hair, those that are aimed at smoothing the cuticle and restoring the hair structure are suitable. Details here.