TIPS FOR ADDING SHINE TO YOUR HAIR

Beautiful shiny hair begins on the inside. Begin by treating your whole body to a healthy diet. Make sure you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables for vitamins and minerals. Particularly important for hair are the B group vitamins and vitamin E. Important minerals include silica and magnesium.

Be sure that your diet includes plenty of fiber, as constipation can make your hair dull (as well as making you feel dull all over.) For the same reason, drink plenty of fluids - preferably plain water. Cut down on the coffee, cola and pop.

Omega 3 acids, such as are found in flax-seed oil, are very helpful for shiny hair as well as for general health. Yogurt is also good.

Hair is made almost entirely of protein, so be sure that you have adequate protein in your diet.

Coconut water (the juice inside a coconut) is good for your skin, digestion and hair. However, be careful as too much can act as a laxative.

If you smoke, take drugs or abuse alcohol, all these things will reflect in the condition of your hair. Yet another reason to rethink your behavior.

General exercise will also help the condition of your hair by improving your overall health and aiding your circulation.

Once you have worked on producing healthy hair from the inside, you can begin to work on shiny hair from the outside.

Brush your hair using a natural bristle brush. This helps distribute the natural oils. If you can hang your head upside down whilst brushing, it is even better. However, grandma's 100 strokes is probably excessive, and is more likely to damage your hair than to help it.

Try not to brush or comb your hair while it is wet, as this stretches and damages the hair shaft.

Find a shampoo that is suitable to your hair type. This may take a little experimenting, and it may not be the most expensive brand (it may even be the cheapest.) If your hair is oily, you may not want to use conditioner at all. Otherwise, experiment till you find one that works for you.

Avoid using overly hot water to wash your hair, and always try to finish your last rinse with a burst of cold. Likewise, try to avoid using hair dryers or heated rollers, but if you absolutely must use them give your hair a blast of cold air before you finish. This helps to close the cuticle and make the hair smooth, which in turn makes it shiny.

If you live in a hard water area (i.e., an area where mineral deposits in the water make it difficult for soap to lather) try adding a water softener before washing your hair. Alternatively, add a small amount of baking soda to the shampoo.

There are various natural rinses you can use to add shine to your hair. For blonds, a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice in the rinse water will do the trick. For brunettes, make it a couple of spoons of apple cider vinegar. Or, whatever your hair color, you could rinse with flat beer or with chamomile tea, or with a couple of spoons of honey dissolved in a cup of warm water.

You can also give your hair a mask! Mashed strawberries, avocado, or mayonnaise are all said to produce a lovely shine - just make sure you rinse well afterward!

Once a week, try to get a friend to give you a head massage - you can offer to reciprocate. If you can't find anyone to do it for you, you can do it yourself - it's just as effective, but not nearly as luxurious!

Once a month, gently warm half a cup of olive oil by sitting it in a bowl of hot water. Massage it through your hair, leave a couple of minutes, then rinse well.

Start on the inside, work to the outside, and before you know it you will have beautiful, shiny hair.

Learn more about this author, Lynn Fowler.
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