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Why Hair Tangles – Reasons and How to Avoid? {Hair Care}

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hair tangles and how to avoid
photo credit: josstyk via photopin cc

Once upon a time I used to face this problem. That was the good time of my hair but then my hair was dry and rough and extremely curly so they used to get tangled!! Climate had a lot to do with, though. But, the hair care regime could have solved the issue, had I known it then. Though I do not have the hair I used to, any more, hopefully these tips will help you. So, lets us see what all could be the reason for hair tangles.

Climate and Clothes!

As I mentioned it above, this is the first reason why your hair might be tangled. The weather, especially when it is winters, can be extremely drying for hair. Also, the woollen clothes create a lot of static in the hair which ultimately leads to tangled hair and rough ends.
#Solution – Cover your hair in silk or satin scarf so that it does not get exposed to the cold and does not get tangled or dry!

Dry Rough Hair

So, as I said dry and rough hair are most prone to tangles, no matter the length of the hair. Dry Hair suffers from lack of protein and nourishment. And, because of that it appears lifeless and has no shine!! Dry Hair can be genetic or even happen due to lack of care.
#Solution – Find out a good shampoo for Dry Hair, apply loads of Conditioner every time you shampoo and weekly Deep Conditioning treatments go a long way towards restoring healthy hair.

Curly Hair

Well, curly hair and dry hair go hand in hand but even then this had to be a separate point. The follicle decides whether and how much your hair would be curly. Compared to straight hair, curly hair ranges from fine to thick and coarse textures and is more prone to dryness. Also, because of the curls, the hair gets tangled easily.
#Solution – Using the conditioning products and leave-in products to create well-defined curls which do not rub against each other causing friction and entangle with each other.

Using Harsh Products

Now, why does your hair dry up? First is diet but the second most often reason is using the wrong products!! We all make those mistakes. So, it is good to start with finding out which products might suit you. 
 
While I say this often that SLS/SLES products should be ditched, I would like to mention that this might not necessarily be the correct approach. Sometimes over the counter products suit us very well in which case it is always good to stick with the same product. Unnecessary experimentation of different products can also harm the hair. 
#Solution – Next time you are getting a hair product, try to use a trial version to make sure it is suiting you. Also, get the products according to your hair type as curly hair or damaged hair need more conditioning where as colored hair shampoos are gentler on hair.   

And, not following Good Hair Care Rules

Simplest answer to tangled hair can be not handling your hair properly. Too much flipping the hair, too much of combing or brushing or not combing at all, leaving the hair open all time, leaving hair open during bike rides or travelling, not covering hair in pollution, trying out intricate or unfriendly hair styles, using cheap and unfriendly hair accessories, all of them can lead to tangled hair. 
#Solution – So, next time you fiddle with your hair, do remember that it can be bad for your hair and avoid it. Also, using a silk or sating pillow cover can do a lot in avoiding your hair to get rough or tangled or frizzy in the morning so follow healthy hair tips and get beautiful hair! Also, condition a lot.

So, now it is your turn. Do you have a hair prone to tangles? If so, what is your reason for it? Is your hair dry or curly or you use the wrong hair products? Or, may be you just fiddle around a lot with your hair? Do you think there are other reasons why your hair is getting tangled? If so, do share in the comment below. And, yes, do not forget to join me on fb for the Weekly chat on 6th Jan at 12:00 noon to discuss on “Fitness Resolutions and Health Routines”.

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Hair Combs and Brushes {Reader’s Query}

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Hi Swati, I coundn’t find an appropriate post in which to ask this question, so I’m asking here. You’ve written a lot about hair care, but I couldn’t find any post about hair brushes/combs. I’ve been reading that boar bristle brushes are really good for hair. What are your thoughts on that? What brushes/ combs do you use? Do you find that good quality ones aid in maintaining good hair health or is it unnecessary? I’ve seriously been considering purchasing a boar bristle brush (regular brushes cause more hair fall for me compared to combs), but I couldn’t find a single Indian blog that had mentioned anything about it. 

So, first of all, thanks Poohkie for pointing such a pertinent topic. And, I am so sorry it has already been a month that I have not reverted back! Now, let me get back to the topic. Long back, I had discussed a bit of history on the combs and the ones I have used subsequently! I am really sorry about the missing pics in that post but I had deleted a pics folder in picasa because of which many of my posts have missing pics!

Wooden Combs

Apparently, the Indian artisans in history used to make wooden combs which had a sort of string of holes through the base of the teeth. One could pour a drop or two of oil through the first hole which used to travel down the comb and when used on the hair, the oil gets applied to the roots and hair strands evenly, nourishing the hair!

I have come across quite a number of wooden combs by now but still the TBS one remains my fav! I think its mainly to do with the finishing of the product. I recently got one for my friend as well and she has been finding a considerable difference in her hair. So, yes to wooden combs compared to the plastic ones! But, whatever you choose, make sure they are wide-teethed.

How to choose Hair Brushes?
Ok, the first rule with brushes is that if you have curly hair, its better to avoid one! Otherwise, I have heard natural brushes or boar-bristle brushes are really good. So, I did find out a long long time back that Denman and Mason Pearson are the two best brands when it comes to hair brushes but unfortunately I have no idea where they are available online. TBS carries wooden quilled brushes as well, one of which I had bought but use it very occasionally.

A flat brush or paddle brush is great to tame the hair and distribute the natural oils from the roots to the tips of the strands. The bristles of the brush can be nylon or wooden or natural hair like boar bristle or horsehair. Also, the base of the brushes should be rubber preferably because that allows the bristles to move more flexibly and damages the hair lesser comparatively!

How much brushing is good?
Hundred brush strokes a day is said to do amazing things to hair but I think that’s just overdoing it. Excess brushing can actually damage the hair. First, brush the hair only when it is dry and it is straight.

Brushing curly hair can harm its cuticles because the hair strand is uneven and the brush quills can rip it off! That is why natural hair is preferable on the brush.

Also, a few brush strokes a day does help distribute the natural oils evenly on the hair. So, make sure you do not brush your hair excessively as it flattens the hair. If you have fine hair, remember that it can look very weighed down if you brush it more often, especially when it is a day old.

How to clean the brush?
I have to say that this is the one part which stumps me completely and discourages me to use my TBS brush. But, you do not have to worry if your brush is not wooden.

After every brush stroke, make sure you remove the hair strands caught up in the bristles. Ignoring them too much can lead to lot of accumulation of hair strands.
Also, soaking them and washing them once in two weeks or a week depending on how frequently you use it or how dirty it has become is good. I use a discarded tooth brush to clean the base of the brush and even my comb and nails. 
Do you use a brush? How do you choose your hair brushes? How often do you use them and how do you clean your brush?
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5 FAQ’s on Conditioner and Hair Care {Five Series}

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I have been really taking care of my hair this year and I am so happy about it that I have been boring you time and again 😀 Anyways, this was requested by Pallavi and it has been a long time in coming. So, here it goes!
What is a Conditioner?
A treatment which follows the shampooing routine to restore the oils of the hair after washing it. Shikakai is the traditional conditioner which was used to compensate for the harshness of reetha or soapnuts.
Now a days, we have two classes of conditioners. One is a post-shampoo treatment and another is pre-shampoo treatment and one can go for either home remedies or get the commercially available products!

The home remedies are nourishing for hair and the commerical products have hair-friendly ingredients or ones which coat the hair strands to shield it from the external elements. You also get products which claim to restructure the hair collagen using chemical compounds like peptides and keratin.
How to apply the conditioner?
Well, this is something I have already discussed but it is still a huge doubt for me. So, the simplest thing I do is divide my hair into two sections and take a dollop of conditioner and smooth on one side and repeat the same for other. I do this very gently but still some hairs do fall so I gently remove them and wash them off.
I do not use comb in the shower as many people suggest. I think it is a bad idea because hair is most delicate when wet and howsoever gentle one might be, its totally impossible not to break the hair.
How often should conditioner be used?
Well, generally, the answer would be every time you wash your hair. But, honestly, I do not use it every time. Sometimes, I am just too lazy or sometimes I want to treat my hair to henna or something else so I simply skip. In those times, I make sure I do a leave-in treatment for the hair.
For oily hair as well, finding a conditioner which is not heavy for hair is very important! Or, they can make do with a leave-in treatment and some people do a pre-conditioning like applying egg or henna or curd or some other hair pack for an hour before wash it off.
I think how often you need to condition also depends on the quality of your shampoo. If it a drying type, you would obviously need the conditioner but if the shampoo simply cleanses the hair and doesn’t remove the natural oils, one can make do without conditioner.
I have been using SLS-free shampoos for long and yes I do think I can make do without conditioners if I want. But, a drop or two of some oil acts a leave-in agent in my hair otherwise my hairs do dry out a lot but then my hair is not oily but dry and curly/wavy as well.

Does skipping conditioner affect hair?
Yes, actually! I have seen that personally and have mentioned it already on the blog. But, this point applies only when you are missing the leave-in treatment as well. The hair is prone with split ends and thin hair especially on the ends which leads to breakage! For hair to remain beautiful, both internal and external nourishment are equally important.
Eat omega3 rich foods and foods rich in Vitamin B and E. They help in hair growth and keep hair moisturized and hydrated all the time. Eating protein-rich foods also helps in maintaining body of the hair strands. And, protect hair from the external damaging elements like pollution and dust and sun.
    
How to select a conditioner for my hair?
Now, this is the most difficult question to answer! There are no guidelines to select a product which will suit. So, I can just mention a few salient points! First, it is not necessary that the shampoo and conditioner should be from the same brand and range. If your hair reacts well to a particular shampoo and some other conditioner, go ahead with that as well.
Second, always buy the products depending on your hair type and issues. You can always rotate them one after another as well like using a volume boosting conditioner and then color protecting conditioner and then conditioner for curly hair if all those issues pertain to your hair condition.
And, lastly, in my opinion professional range products are always better investment if you are looking for some serious hair care. Yes, they are more expensive but then the companies spend quite a lot of amount in decent research. And, do not get involved into the good ingredients and bad ingredients debate because its just not worth it!
So, these were my few pennies on the topic and hope the post is clear enough. I have written it with a muddle-head! Drop down your comments and see ya tomorrow 🙂
Add your questions to the above-mentioned ones and let me know your answers as well for the questions above!
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