Real Life Rapunzel. Review on Overall Hair Maintenance

My obsession with good hair closely follows my obsessions with food, movies, and dogs. Thankfully, I've got good hair genes, but with the pollution and stress most of us live with, it's important to look after your hair. What I'm always surprised by, though, is when people think long hair needs a lot of work and maintenance. The truth is long hair is no different than short hair; there's just more to wash, condition, and brush. So this is for all those women (and men?) out there who want to grow their hair longer but think it's a hassle, I promise, it's not!

Regular trimming! Even if you're trying to grow your hair, it's essential to get a trim at least once every month and a half or two months. This ensures that your hair is free of split ends and is always in good shape, not looking scraggly and sad. Go to a good, clean place, preferably find a stylist you're comfortable with, and tell him or her exactly what you want done to your hair and make sure they listen. A lot of stylists like to experiment with hair, but unless you have something in mind or something the stylist says appeals to you, be firm about what you want done. You really don't want to be anyone's guinea pig.

Regular washing! This is the most important and most basic step to healthy hair. You should wash your hair at least once a week. If it's greasy, wash at least twice a week or on alternate days. The more frequently you wash, the milder your shampoo should be. I recommend using a gentle shampoo like The Body Shop's olive shampoo or Biotique's green apple shampoo (I have to suppress my urge to sip from the bottle, the smell is so amazing). Avoid chemically harsh shampoos, because even though they'll make your hair feel awesome right after a wash, they'll slowly damage your hair beyond repair.

Regular conditioning! After every wash, you must condition. Whoever tells you that you don't need to condition if you have greasy hair is wrong. Just remember, don't apply conditioner to your scalp, just go crazy with it on the tips and on the length of your hair. Conditioner reduces hair damage and tangles, it makes hair easy to manage, shiny, and smooth. Some good conditioners are The Body Shop's brazil nut conditioner and TIGI's honey and oatmeal conditioner (another hair product that smells good enough to eat). You can also opt for a leave-in conditioner if you swim in chlorine-treated pools or are out in the sun a lot.

Besides the shampooing and conditioning, regular oiling or using some sort of natural hair pack, like beer or yogurt is good for your hair. It would also help to get a head massage regularly, which improves the blood circulation in your scalp and promotes hair growth. You can always opt for an oil-less massage if oil freaks you out, like it does me. If you don't have the time or patience for all this, a good conditioner is even more important for you. With work being the way it is and with me being as lazy as I am, I choose to just religiously shampoo and condition my hair twice a week, and so far that's doing the trick.

I'm guilty of a complete hair no-no: never brush your hair when it's wet. Some mornings when I'm getting late for work, I give up on gently detangling my hair with a wide-tooth comb (which is what you're supposed to do) and go at it savagely with my hairbrush... it breaks my heart and my hair to do this, but some days I just don't have a choice. I could use a hairdryer, but even that's known to damage hair. If you must use a hairdryer regularly, get one with a normal blower setting, the kind that doesn't blow out only hot air.

A healthy diet, make sure you get plenty of fruit and veggies everyday, preferably raw, not overcooked. If you're a veggie like me, get plenty of lentils and mushrooms to meet your iron and protein needs. Green veggies, like spinach and broccoli, are the best for your hair. Dairy products are good for your hair too, as are whole-grain products like multi-grain bread. And omega-3 loaded flaxseed won't just do wonders for your hair, it'll do wonders for your skin and overall health too. Nuts like walnuts, almonds, and cashews are great too, since they're loaded with zinc, which prevents hair fall. And if you're a non-veggie, fish (particularly salmon), poultry, and eggs are excellent for your hair.

Finally, avoid chemically treating your hair. I know it's easy to say when you have naturally straight or naturally curly hair, but when you don't like how your hair is naturally, you're tempted to experiment with it. I know lots of people who spend a bomb on either a straightening or a perm, only to realize they've done permanent damage. Also, it's ok for a few gray hairs to show, don't be in a hurry to grab that bottle of color when your first strands of gray show up. Hair color companies can claim their hair color is gentle and safe, but in the end it's just loaded with chemicals. The best thing you can do for your hair is be a hair virgin: a person whose hair has never been chemically treated. I'm a proud hair virgin and hope to stay one for many years yet :)

And sorry about the formatting, MS is acting up (again)!