Golden rules to keep your hair healthy
Your hair has a number of natural enemies. Protecting it against them is pretty easy once you know who these enemies are. Here, we introduce you to the major ones and teach you a few defence strategies.
Protect it from heat
Your hair doesn’t have any nerve endings, so it can’t send a distress signal when things get too hot. But make no mistake: excessive heat does hurt your hair. Fine, coloured, dry and porous hair is far more sensitive to heat damage than thick and healthy hair. As independent research* has shown, temperatures above 200°C can produce visible changes to your hair, accelerate colour loss and even destroy your hair's structure. At 230°C, your hair's strength and elasticity are reduced by up to 50% - permanently! So be sure to use gentle, high quality styling appliances that do not expose your hair to damaging temperatures - like those from Braun Satin Hair™ which were developed according to scientific advice of DWI, an independent German Fibre Research Institute. Satin Hair™ styling appliances operate with temperatures that are proven to protect the health of your hair.
*DWI Institute, Germany, 2006
Protect it from the sun
Natural, sun-kissed highlights look gorgeous and are the perfect complement to sun-tanned skin. But your hair, just like your skin, may suffer from overexposure to UV rays. So don’t let the sun ruin your perfect colour! A leave-in conditioner with UV filter will settle down on the outer hair layer, protecting your hair for an extended period of time. Headgear, from wide rimmed straw hats and fedoras to headscarves and caps, is also a great way to guard your hair against damaging sunbeams.
Protect it from humidity
Humidity is enemy number one for all of us who have frizzy hair. To protect your hair, you should build up a humidity barrier. Use deep-conditioning and anti-frizz products that will lock the moisture in your hair while keeping any outside humidity at bay. A top appliance like one of Satin Hair™ will enhance this effect, leave your hair sleek and shiny, and protect your gorgeous colour, even in humid conditions.
Protect it from stress
It’s unfair but true – just when a bad hair day is the last thing you need, your hair is just as stressed as you are. Continually high stress levels may even cause hair loss. So instead of pulling out your hair in despair, try tuning things down a little. Give your hair and yourself a rest, don’t schedule any too elaborate and demanding treatments in times of stress and use only high-quality styling tools that don’t damage your hair with excessive heat.
Protect it from the sea or chlorine water
It may be the best time of the year for you, but your summer holiday can be the worst for your hair. Chlorine and seawater damage the hair, fade out your colour, and may leave it dry and straw-like – or even tint it green (horror of horrors!). Unless, that is, you take the proper precautions: wearing a swimming cap may make you look like a 1950s movie star, but it also offers the best protection!
The protective runner-up is conditioning. Use a good leave-in conditioner when you come out of the water – you may even take a spray bottle filled with a water-conditioner mixture and rinse the chlorine or seawater right out when you’re back on solid ground. As soon as you're home, you can finish the job with a good and gentle shampoo and even better, maybe even a moisture-enhancing deep conditioner.
