This story was updated in January 2019.
Shiny, silky hair needs no introduction. You either have it or you don’t. I used to have soft locks until I started experimenting with different hair products and styling tools. Oh, boy! Everything about my hair started going downhill from there. Every morning I’d wake up to dull, frizzy hair. My locks lost their shine and softness. I had to go on a ‘hair detox’ to fix the damage. If you relate to this, then we’re sailing in the same boat. The good news, however, is that there’s still a way to bring your hair back to life! Wondering how? Well, let’s start with these 7 easy-peasy tricks to make your hair super silky.
7 Easy Tricks To Make Hair Super Silky
5 Hair Products For Smooth And Shiny Hair
Hair Tips To Keep In Mind For Shiny And Smooth Hair
7 easy-peasy tricks to make your hair super silky
Start At The Ends!
Did you know that your hair is most vulnerable when it’s wet? That’s why you need to be gentle and extra careful while washing your mane. You can either use your fingers or a comb to detangle your locks. Instead of working your way from the roots to your ends, start at the ends and move to the middle and then, the roots.
POPxo Recommends: Filone Pocket Comb – W01 (Rs 72)
Also Read: Best Shampoo Bars For Long And Glossy Hair
Use An Old Tee To Dry Your Hair
You know what makes your hair frizzy and dry? Friction. Your towel at home could be one of the reasons why your hair feels and looks dull. When your hair cuticles open up, your hair can get knotty. The key is to make sure that the cuticle stays tight and closed. Instead of a towel, use an old cotton tee to dry your hair. It’ll be kinder to your locks than a towel for sure.
Silk Over Cotton Anyday!
What if I told you that cotton pillowcases are capable of absorbing all the moisture from your strands? Don’t freak out, it’s true. Silk and satin sheets, on the contrary, don’t strip your hair from its natural oils.
POPxo Recommends: Soft Satin Standard Pillow Cushion Cover Pillowcase (Rs 610)
Also Read About Homemade Hair Serum
Champi Sessions Are The Best
Twice a week, I massage my scalp with hot oil. It’s believed that oil helps stimulate hair follicles and promotes hair growth. All you’ve got to do is massage your hair with oil for 15-20 minutes and cover your hair with a warm towel. After 30 minutes, wash your hair using a mild shampoo.
POPxo Recommends: Himalaya Herbals Anti Hair Fall Hair Oil (Rs 610)
Dahi, Hai?
It’s not just your taste buds that fancy dahi, your hair does too. Packed with vitamin B5 and D, curd makes your hair strong, shiny and smooth. In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of curd and sprinkle some amla powder over it. Use the spoon to mix both ingredients well. Use your fingers to apply this hair mask. After 45 minutes, wash your hair with lukewarm water.
Rinse Your Hair With… Beer!
During my hair detox phase, I washed my hair with flat beer and I was thrilled with the results. Not only did my hair look shiny post the wash, but it also became bouncy and glossy. The best DIY fix ever!
Also Read About Hair products for women
Humectants Are Friends
The next time you go out shopping, keep an eye out for humectants. What are they, you ask? They’re special ingredients that absorb moisture from the air and environment around you and pump it into your strands. Before adding a product to your cart, look out for ingredients like honey, glycerin, agave nectar, propylene glycol and hexanediol. Good luck!
You Can Also Try These Lovely Home Remedies For Silky Hair
Eggs Are Amazeballs
Packed with nutrients, proteins and fatty acids, eggs make the best hair masks. They boost hair growth and make hair silky, shiny and smooth. Once a week for a month you must apply this mask.
Step 1: In a bowl, crack two eggs.
Step 2: Add a tablespoon of honey and olive oil.
Step 3: Blend all the ingredients with a spoon.
Step 4: Apply the mask to your hair and massage your scalp in circular motions.
Step 5: Put on a shower cap and don’t touch your mane for an hour.
Step 6: Wash hair with cold water.
Onion Juice To The Rescue
Drench your locks with onion juice and you’ll never have to deal with hair fall and damage ever again. Loaded with vitamin C, folic acid manganese, your mane is going to get a nutrition boost.
Step 1: Chop one onion and toss the chunks into a mixer.
Step 2: Pour the juice into a container.
Step 3: Add 2-3 drops of essential oil.
Step 4: Pour the mix over your strands and scalp.
Step 5: Massage well and leave the mask on for 45 minutes.
Step 6: Massage with lukewarm water.
Happiness Is Yoghurt
When in doubt, pick yoghurt! It’s yum and contains a hell lot of vitamins in it. Use it on your hair to give it shine and bring back lustre. It also keeps hair moist and smooth. You’ve got to try it and believe it.
Step 1: In a bowl, add one tablespoon of yoghurt.
Step 2: Sprinkle some amla powder over it.
Step 3: Use a spoon to blend all the ingredients.
Step 4: Apply the mask to your hair and leave the mask on for a good 20 minutes.
Step 5: Wash it off with lukewarm water.
Good Old Coconut Oil
When your hair lacks nourishment, it starts to look dull and dry. You need to apply coconut oil to your roots in order to keep your roots nourished and follicles.
Step 1: Apply warm coconut oil on the scalp.
Step 2: Keep the oil on for an hour or two.
Step 3: Wash it hair using a mild shampoo and rinse well with chilled water.
Avocado Pulp Is The Best!
Not just to make hair shiny, avocado pulp helps to keep locks soft and smooth. Packed with amino acids, vitamins and protein, avocado can be your hair’s best friend.
Step 1: Scoop out the pulp of one avocado.
Step 2: Mash it up using the back end of your spoon.
Step 3: Now, drizzle olive oil all over the pulp.
Step 4: Massage your strands and scalp.
Step 5: Leave it on for a good 30 minutes.
Step 7: Wash with chilled water.
No Honey, No Shine
For those who didn’t know, honey is a humectant. It retains moisture and is responsible for giving hair that sheen and softness. It can feel a bit sticky, but you’ve got to try it to believe in.
Step 1: In a warm glass of water, add 2 spoons of honey.
Step 2: Use a spoon to stir and don’t stop till the honey gets dissolved.
Step 3: Pour the mix into a spray bottle.
Step 4: Spray it on your roots and hair.
Step 5: After 15 minutes cleanse scalp and hair with lukewarm water.
Mayonnaise Gets The Job Done
Having mayonnaise on your hair can feel a bit weird, but it’s the benefits that you’re here for. It not only makes a yum dip for your snacks but is a treat for your hair too. It moisturises your locks from root to tip and reduces hair damage as well.
Step 1: In a bowl, add 3 spoons of mayonnaise.
Step 2: 2 large scoops of avocado pulp.
Step 3: Mix well and continue to do so till you’re left with a fluffy paste.
Step 4: Apply that paste all over your hair and massage your scalp in circular motions.
Step 5: Wash your hair with cold water after.
5 Hair Products For Smooth And Shiny Hair
Greenviv Natural Hair Rinse Conditioner
This conditioner contains apple cider vinegar and that ingredient is responsible for giving you shiny, dreamy locks. While it helps balance the pH levels of your hair, it improves the texture of it as well. If you want glossy and fab hair, you must rinse your hair with this conditioner. Good luck.
Price: Rs 299. Buy it here.
Streax Hair Serum
Believe it or not, but this serum helps to cut down on the frizz and makes your hair smooth and manageable. It smoothens rough stands, and the walnut oil in the serum locks in the moisture into the cuticles and makes hair super soft. Remember to always use this baby on damp hair.
Price: Rs 179. Buy it here.
TRESemme Smooth and Shine Shampoo
Those dreamy of playing with smooth hair must try this shampoo ASAP. It tames your frizz and keeps the flyaways at bay. Plus for the price, it’s very affordable. You’ll be happy to know that this shampoo can make all your haircare dreams come true.
Price: Rs 105. Buy it here
Parachute Pure Coconut Oil
This one you’ve probably grown up with and you’re familiar with using the product. It’s important to oil your hair twice a week and offers nourishment to your scalp. Remember to always massage in circular motions post application.
Price: Rs 200. Buy it here.
Toni & Guy Glamour Moisturising Shine Spray
Ready to make heads turn tonight? Well, this shine spray will make that wish of yours come true. While it moisturising your hair, it leaves a subtle shine back as well. After styling your hair, spray a bit of this product and you’ll never have to complain of having dull and meh hair ever again.
Price: Rs 1,646. Buy it here.
A Few Other Hair Tips To Keep In Mind For Shiny, Smooth Hair.
1. Eat well, live healthily! Make sure to eat lots of greens, fruits and citrus fruits. That way, you have your proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates all taken care of. Eating lots of wheat grain and avocado pulp too will get you the best hair ever.
2. Post shampooing, always condition your hair. You know, shampoo strips hair from its natural oils and can make hair dull. The job of a conditioner is to bring back the shine and moisturise the cleansed locks. For that extra shine, rinse your hair with water and good old lemon juice.
3. Before investing in a hair shampoo, you must know what your hair type is. For adding shine and lustre to your hair, you must pick a shampoo that focuses on shine and softness. It’ll usually be mentioned on the package. Feel free to read up on reviews, blogs and watch product reviews online before settling for a product.
4. Sometimes, a plain old cold water rinse should do the risk. Even though this may sound risky to try during the winter, you can flip your hair and just wash that portion of it. There’s no need to actually take a shower. Cold water is better than hot water as it does not open the cuticles up and damage the natural texture of your hair. You have to try this tip out at least once in your life.
5. When it comes to drying your drenched mane, instead of wrapping your towel and rubbing your hair dry, just blot. This action prevents hair from breaking and falling. Plus, healthy hair equals shiny hair, anyway?
6. You must go for regular trims as it keeps the split ends and frizz at bay. Depending on how fast your hair grows, every 4-6 weeks, you must go for a trim. Your hair will look polished and neat at the same time.
7. If you’ve been washing your hair every day, now is the time to cut that number into once a week. You see, for hair to shine is must have natural sebum. Washing your hair every day can strip hair from its natural oil. If your hair starts to get too oily, you’re free to use dry shampoo as well.
8. Don’t brush hair immediately after a shower. It’s wet, it’s fragile. You have to be careful or else you will break your hair. Use a wide tooth comb and detangle your way through your damp hair.
9. Straighten your hair at home instead of getting it done at a salon. Salons use many chemicals and that could damage your hair and ruin its texture in the long run. Make sure to use a heat protectant first before burning your hair with a hair straightener.
10. Celebrities do it and it’s something even you can get done at any salon. A glossy hair treatment delivers semi-permanent results. These effects last for four to six weeks.
11. Sleep on satin pillowcases! Fabric plays a huge role in determining the texture of your hair. Rough fabric can encourage a frizz and cause hair breakage. Satin, on the other hand, is a lighter and smoother fabric. It’ll keep your mane glossy and looking oh-so-sexy at all times.
12. Instead of using a blow dry, you should allow your hair to air-dry naturally. Less health, less fluff, your hair is going to reward you by looking like it’s shiniest best.
13. Stress less, Breathe more. Your hair will fall and start to look dull if you’re always stressing out. You need to calm down and look after your health from time to time. You can brush your hair, eat the right foodstuffs and get regular champi sessions.
14. In spite of following all these tips, home remedies, hacks and products, if your hair still lacks shine and appears to be dull, you might want to consult a Trichologist. They will probably be able to prescribe medicine and advice so that you start looking after your hair in the best way possible. All the best and if you have any more questions with regard to your diet, hair’s health and food, you must direct those questions to both, a nutritionist and trichologist. Good luck.
FAQs
Question 1: What should I do to get rid of frizzy hair?
Some people are of the view that that leaving their regular conditioner in the hair instead of rinsing it out will help prevent frizz, but that actually dries your hair out. You should instead use a frizz-fighting cream and work your way from the bottom layers and up.
Question 2: I’ve oily hair at the roots, but dry at the ends. The more I style it, the drier the ends get, but the more I condition, the roots get oilier. What should I do?
You’re probably shampooing your hair too much which is stripping away the natural oils from consecutive day instead, and follow up with a conditioner on just the middle to the ends of your hair.
Question 3: Why is it important to use hair conditioner?
Shampoo works to clean the scalp, but at the same time, it leaves your hair dry. Conditioners work by smoothing down the dry hair to make them look smoother and shinier. It also locks all the nutrients and seals it within the hair follicles.
Question 4: How to get rid of dry hair?
You can get rid of your dry hair by following some home remedies. You can prepare and apply deep conditioning avocado hair mask or use onion juice or even apply yogurt with amla powder on your hair and massage thoroughly. Cover your hair with a shower cap and rinse with lukewarm water.
Images: Shutterstock
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