5 Useful Tips for Your Hair Care Routine

It Starts with the Hair

A study by Tresemme reports that the average woman will spend over $50,000 on hair care over her lifetime. That is a truly stunning number. It is even more amazing when you realize that the industry of hair care is a new phenomenon.

Until the 1800s, women were very limited in hair care alternatives. The first effective shampoos came to market in that century. The very name of shampoo, a Hindi word meaning massage, was unknown until then. Of course, women through the centuries make efforts to control and manage their hair. The simple fact is that the knowledge, products and equipment for hair care did not exist until the last century.

Hair is the starting point of personal appearance. Clean, well-groomed hair makes or breaks the impression an individual makes. Even the current trends of hairstyles that have that "just rolled out of bed" look show an intense investment in grooming.

The reason we can take such good care of hair today is due to the insights gained by science. Hundreds of millions of dollars of research allow us to understand the most detailed facts about hair.

The Science of Hair

The field of personal care products exists because of science. Products as varied as an invisible solid deodorant and a heat protection hair spray come from millions of dollars of scientific research. Hair and its care has been a primary focus of these efforts.

It is somewhat ironic the focus of so much attention is actually a dead byproduct. Scientists discovered that keratin is the primary element of visible hair. The strands of hair we see are the product of the follicles that produce keratin fibers. As these fibers bind together, they leave the follicles and become the strands we see and groom.

The keratin cells have a moisture content of 12% to 15%. That provides flexibility of the hair, and explains why sun and heat do so much damage to hair. Many of the products for hair care focus on replenishing moisture for increased manageability.

What science has learned about hair fills many volumes of scientific detail. The fact that those details allow for better hair care is what is important to women. When they read or hear information such as professional Suave hair care tips, it is usually backed up by solid science.

Tips from Science

Here are 5 quick tips that come from the science of hair.

1. Sun and wind are the biggest enemies because of the moisture taken from the hair strands. Replace that moisture with the right shampoo.

2. A clean scalp is essential to healthy hair. The follicles will die or they will become clogged if the scalp is not pristine.

3. Avoid the use of regular soap on the head and scalp. The cause a buildup that is avoided by using the right shampoos

4. Let your conditioner stay on for the recommended times. Quality conditioners really do improve manageability.

5. Only apply shampoos and conditioners to wet hair. The ingredients need moisture to avoid damage to the hair.

The more you know about your hair, the better care you can give it.