6 Tips That Can Make or Break Your Hair Life

Have you ever wondered why your hair isn't cooperating despite all your effort, here are six surprising behind the chair truths you have probably never heard.

1. The 90 Second Water Soak
   

   Most people splash water on their hair for five seconds and immediately apply shampoo. Hair tends to act like a dry sponge, if it isn't fully saturated with water first. The shampoo cannot distribute or foam correctly. Thoroughly wetting both the hair and scalp for a full 90 seconds before introducing any product completely changes how clean your hair gets.

2. The Hot Water Trap (And Why a Cool Rinse Changes Everything)

   
   Some of us love a piping hot shower, but high water temperature forces your hairs cuticle wide open. While that's great for cleansing, keeping the water hot all the way through your conditioner prevents moisture from locking in. Giving your hair a quick blast of cool water at the very end of your shower snaps the cuticle shut, locking in smoothness and creating natural shine.

3. Shine Isn’t a Product, It’s Physics

   
   It's easy to think a serum or a gloss is what gives your hair shine. In reality, a product can only do so much smoothing. True mirror like shine happens purely through physics. When the hair cuticle lies completely flat, light hits it and bounces back out in a unified direction. If the cuticle is rough, frayed or coated in old residue light scatters everywhere making your hair look dull.

4. The Dry Shampoo Scalp Suffocation

   
   Dry shampoo can be an absolute lifesaver for stretching out wash days, but many people don't realize what it does to the scalp overtime. Powders and aerosol starches mix with natural sebum and sweat to create a microscopic paste right at the follicle opening. If you don't use a deep cleansing or clarifying wash every couple of weeks to break that down, it can literally suffocate the follicle. This will lead to an itchy, tender scalp, and can result in sluggish hair growth.

5. What’s That “ Burnt Smell?”

   
   During a blowout or while using any hot tools , have you ever caught a faint metallic or strange, burning odor? It's typically hard water mineral buildup, burning off the strand. Your showers water contains minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron which cling to the hairs cortex. The intense heat of hot tools bakes those minerals off. So regular clarifying shampoos and keeping your hot tools at a reasonable temperature will help mitigate this scenario.

6. You’re Probably Using Way To Much Product

   
   The coin size rule exists for a reason, but people routinely use triple the amount of product they actually need. Professional formulas are hyper concentrated and over applying doesn't give you a better result. It will just create a film that traps dirt and weighs your hair down.