Luxuryparlor’s 2011 Healthy Hair Goals

2011 is sure to be a great year. You’ve probably already made a list of resolutions. Better business marketing maybe, healthy eating, and more physical activity are likely at the top of your list. We want you to also make a resolution to adopt a healthy hair care regimen.

Finding a stylist is important for maintaining healthy hair.

You need an expert to help you reach your healthy hair goals. You need a colorist to give you a new, sassy hue. And you really need a hair professional to tell you the truth about the state of your hair, even when you don’t want to hear it. So, get yourself a professional fashion stylist.

Practice home hair maintenance.

Yes, you can keep your hair salon-fresh at home with professional hair products. Wrapping, pin-curling, and sleeping on satin pillowcases are a few of our favorite suggestions. However, talk to your hair stylist about specific tips for your hair type, texture, and style. They’ll be glad to offer their expertise and in case of hair loss problem, recommends a solution. After all, your hair represents their work.

Last but not least: try something new.

Go for the inverted bob you’ve always wanted. Get that fiery red and make a statement. Or simply change the direction of your bangs. You might discover you have a new favorite hair style.

Is Your Hair Healthy?

– Check the Comb

Pluck out a strand of hair at the root and examine the base. Strong hair has a thick bulb. “If there’s no bulb, the hair follicle isn’t healthy,” says Michael Shaun Corby, global creative director for Alterna Hair Care. The cause? Damage from styling or, potentially, genetically linked hair loss in women and male pattern baldness.

Looking for hair loss treatment? First, you need to determine if you have a hair loss problem. The tips below will help you to do just that:

– Give It a Tug

Wrap a strand of hair around your index finger and thumb (like a piece of string), then use your other hand to tug on it. If it snaps immediately, your hair is lacking moisture; if it stretches “like bubble gum,” says Corby, it needs protein, which strengthens the hair’s keratin bonds.

Do the “Sink or Float” Test

Drop a strand of hair into a glass of water. A healthy strand will float. If it sinks, the shaft is porous. This can happen to color-treated hair, but it can also occur with a protein deficiency.

To get a fair picture of your hair’s overall health, repeat tests on at least four strands from different parts of your head, suggests Donna Maggi, education manager of Nioxin, a hair-and scalp-care company.

Stop a Bad-Hair Day Before It Starts

If you go outside with wet hair

Outdoor elements (wind, cool temperatures) can be rough even for dry hair, explains Corby. But when hair is wet, it’s actually more fragile and susceptible to breakage.

Healthy-hair fix: Try styling products designed to cut drying time. The Paul Mitchell hair products, namely Paul Mitchell Express Style line, is formulated with technology to help hair dry faster.