Some changes are much easier to make than others. Here's an easy one.
Most of us take it for granted that our hair is getting clean. We wash our hair regularly, maybe daily, and figure that's enough, but it probably is not. Salon professionals know better, partly because we get a really close look our clients' hair -- sure, it smells great and, maybe, the overall shape is nice but close inspection tells a different story. We see it all the time. The great news: we can get noticeable, even striking, results with just a small change in how we clean our hair.
A problem with buildup on hair is that it can be cumulative and insidious. We gradually 'accept' our hair for what it has become, including the chemical buildup that we didn't know about.
You need to periodically use a clarifying shampoo that will wash out all the oils and chemical buildup, some of which comes from those hair products on the shelf at home. Those products aren't bad. We love those products, the sprays, gels and even shampoos that give our hair body, shape and shine. But some of that benefit can leave a residue.
In addition, chemicals in the tap water, particularly hard water, and whatever is in our diet, including medications, can also add to buildup on hair, which can leave locks looking dull, limp and greasy, even stiff and crusty feeling. That residue can also have a profound effect on how new treatments, including hair coloring, take hold.
So, reach for a clarifying shampoo and follow directions. You can also create a clarifying shampoo with baking soda and water. Mix it into a heavy liquid, rub it into your hair and let it rest for a couple minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Then use a favorite shampoo or conditioner, and don't do this right after coloring.
So much of hair care is about behavior. We grow accustomed to certain products, a style of cut or curl. Meanwhile, change alone can be challenging, especially with so much else going on in our lives. We become comfortable doing things a certain way, seeing the same person in the mirror, reaching for the same shampoo and conditioner on the shelf. It doesn't occur to us that our hair could be cleaner and better looking.
Using a clarifying shampoo or baking soda mix, though, is a low-risk 'change' in behavior, and the outcome can be remarkable. Really clean hair is such a beautiful thing and it feels so wonderful and suddenly the products we've been using work better, too.
As always, be open to change!