10 tips for at-home hair care

June 17, 12:22 PMWomen of the Web ExaminerBrit Horvat

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Bowen
 

Did you know that honey and baking soda are great for your hair? Local hairstylist Penny Bowen dishes out some creative tips for low fare at-home hair care. Although Bowen, 27, has been styling hair almost her entire life, she’s been a legal stylist for seven years, after attending Antoine Du Chez Academy. You can find her at Pacesetters Salon, 615 Garrison St., Lakewood, where she’s been dolling gals and guys up since 2004.

So get ready to take some notes and start digging through those kitchen cupboards. It’s time to start caring for that hair without busting your wallet.

 

1. Baking soda is a natural hair clarifier. It strips out all the impurities and build up that get stuck on hair and make it dull and limp. Use while shampooing in the shower and leave in for a few minutes, then rinse and condition. Do once every few weeks.
2. Conditioner is good and very necessary after ever every shampoo!  Your ends need it the most and a little goes a long way.  If you have limp or hard to style hair, you might be using too much. ONLY condition the ends. Your roots are much healthier. Believe it or not a lot of people don't condition at all and this can lead to hard to style, dry, lifeless and fly a way hair. Conditioner is your friend.
3. Honey is a very hydrating, natural conditioner.  Mix it with your favorite deep conditioner to intensify it. Leave on your head for 15 to 30 minutes with a bag or shower cap. Sundays are my deep conditioning days. But remember -- don't waste water while you wait to rinse. Clean the bathroom while you condition and rinse out with cool water when you’re done. When you mix honey with conditioner, it isn't sticky at all and simply absorbs into the hair and scalp.
4. Not washing your hair every day is a very good thing. If you must do something while in the shower, rinse the product out and condition the ends and style as usual. Shampooing can be very damaging if used every day.
5. Even if you’re growing your hair out, still get mini trims. They keep your hair in shape and your stylist can help you do an in between style.
6. Eat healthy. Anything you put in your body totally affects your hair -- especially medication. If you’re having hair issues, it could be what you’re putting in your mouth.
7. For men, bar soap is not the same as shampoo. Bar soap can make your hair greasy and dull. There are plenty of male products out there these days that aren't foo foo smelling, and it doesn't take that much longer to shampoo. 
8. Just because shampoo smells good, it doesn't mean it's good for your hair. Perfumes all tend to lead to a waxy build up. If you buy grocery store products, don't go as cheap as you can.  
9. A little shampoo goes a long way. Use a dime size of shampoo and a quarter size of conditioner at the most. Just because you may have longer, thicker hair, it doesn't mean anything. You get build up if you use too much.  
10. Don't add more shampoo just because you don't have a lot of suds. They add the suds for us to feel like we are really cleaning our hair. Trust me -- you are cleaning your hair with or without suds. Too much shampoo can break your hair down and make it fade.