Beautiful hair has been one of humanity's most enduring obsessions. Having a “good hair day” or a “bad hair day” can effect the way we feel. Taking care of your hair is much more than just throwing in some shampoo, conditioner, then style it and run out the door. Knowing your hair and how to take care of it is essential for getting it in top condition.

Knowing the characteristics of dry hair can help you to determine if your hair falls into this category. Dry hair lacks moisture and tends to be frizzy. This leads to hair that breaks easily and has frayed ends. These frayed ends are what we call split ends. Split ends catch on other split ends, tangle easily, and then breaks off. Dry hair has insufficient oil and moisture, this can be caused by several factors including: perming, coloring, bleaching, hair drying, and flat ironing to name a few.

Dry and brittle hair is caused because the moisture is lost inside the cuticle. This causes the hair to dry out break. A hair strand is made up of three main layers. The outer protective layer called the cuticle, an inner layer called the cortex, and some people have the third center layer called the medulla. The cuticle is made up of tiny transparent cells that overlap like shingles on a roof. If the cuticle loses some of these “shingles” then the surface becomes rough and it no longer reflects light. The hair then becomes dull and lifeless. When the cuticle becomes damaged the hair strand loses moisture because the protective layer has holes.

We all have natural oils that are produced by glands in the skin. These natural oils help seal moisture into the hair shaft. When your hair is dry then it needs outside help. This is where conditioning becomes critical. An Intensive protein packed conditioning treatment is critical to help repair the damage. This conditioning treatment helps to restore moisture in the hair and can help with the shine, flexibility, and strength. Use an Intensive conditioner once a week and leave it on your hair for at least ten minutes or longer. Regularly conditioner your hair every time you wash to prevent tangling by smoothing down the cuticle.

When your hair is wet it is at its weakest state and should be combed out with the most care. Use a wide-tooth comb then, start at the ends of your strands and work your way up to the root. After all the tangles have been removed you may then brush your hair. If you feel any pulling from your comb or brush then it is time to replace them. Fine hair is weakest of all hair types and must be combed with caution.

Dry damaged hair needs extra care. Make sure to use the conditioning treatment weekly, carefully comb your hair, use a thermal protectant, and run a small drop of a smoothing serum through the hair after it is dry.