How To Care For Long Hair
So we all know that short, cropped, choppy hair has been the trend of the moment. Cool, right up there with this seasons Yeezy’s and Gucci Fur Loafers, and luckily for most, it’s easy to wear well and suits most face shapes. But like all trends, they end. The pendulum quickly swings in the opposite direction and before you know it, long hair is back baby. Along with the feeling of complete fucking dread about the time and effort, it’s going to take to grow it.
And yes, it’s warranted because the thing is, growing your hair long is a process. It requires a bit of care, a lot of love, some patience and time (to be frank, something we don’t have a lot of). But ultimately it got us thinking; why don’t we care for our hair like we care for our skin?
So we did what all good editors do, and asked someone else (ding!). And this time, we speed dialled Diane Gorgievski, editorial stylist for the likes of Vogue, BAZAAR and RUSSH and Founder of our favourite Sydney salon, KODA, to ask about hair maintenance. “Women totally neglect their hair. Because there’s no feeling in the hair shaft, no nerve endings and we can’t feel the damage we’re doing to it so we feel it can cope with anything.”
True That.
So we wanted to get down to business and learn the basics; how we properly care for our hair and what we need to do daily to help us keep our hair long. Here’s Diane’s insider tips, and you’re most welcome.
The deal with why it's so hard to grow it long?
Tip one
Women find it really hard to grow their hair long because most hair has a length that it will grow to before the ends break or split. Most women feel they need to cut it and keep it a certain condition to grow it long…really to grown the hair you’ve just got to leave it and let it grown and really treat it well (ie. no color, no heat). Treasure it, be kind to it.
When to brush, how often, and with what?
Tip two
Depending on your hair texture, this one can vary.
Long fine hair: You’ll need to brush hair daily with a good brush. I recommend a Mason Pearson or a Boar Bristle Brush and adding in a product like Oribe Supershine Light and the Wella Luxeoil Keratin Restore Mask.
Thick hair: Thick hair is such a luxury because it doesn’t get knotty and requires the least maintenance of all the hair types. Better to put it into plaits at night or during the day to keep the hair from getting too unruly. At times the real maintenance for thick hair is to have the weight taken out so you can get movement back. I recommend using cream based products, dry shampoos for texture and especially, Kiehls Grooming Creme.
Curly hair: Curly hair is another ball game altogether…The hair is generally going to be porous and dry. Less brushing more afro combing, and we need to use the Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner for moisture and control to help de-frizz the hair and allow the curls to have texture without being frizzy.
How do we wake up with awesome hair?
Tip three
Put it in a bun, preferably two at night. Brush put in product and really tightly fasten two little buns at the nape of your neck with bobby pins. The best brand is 999 – the two-inch bobby pin.
How often should you wash your hair?
Tip four
It’s really dependent on the individual. The general rule is 2 -3 times per week. People that wash their hair every day are stripping the oils from their scalp and your hair will generally be oiler as you’re making the scalp sebum produce at a higher rate.
People who shampoo every day have less shine and less body. Because they’re constantly washing their hair it creates a matte look. If you want shinier, healthier hair, use a dry shampoo every second day instead and start to regulate the sebum in the hair. You’ll see the state of your hair improve immediately.
How do you avoid the fuzzys?
Tip five
Frizzy and fuzzy hair is a result of chemical damage to the hair. If your hair is curly and you’re getting frizzy hair the best way to avoid is to give the hair the moisture it needs and select products that are going to add moisture and tame the hair again.
To style frizzy or fuzzy hair, use Oribe Gold Lust Heat Shield Balm and blow dry the ends or straighten with an iron. Hair needs to be cherished if you want ends to survive the elements – the weather and chemical damage. It almost has to be cleansed, toned and moisturised and give it a mask once a week.
What are the 3 best treatments for different kinds of hair?
Tip six
Olaplex is the first treatment on the market that’s been proven to re-bond broken hair. It can be used whilst colouring in salon or just on damaged hair that you can’t grow. Use it once a week between salon treatments. If you have coloured hair this is a non-negotiable.
The Oribe Gold Lust Mask has UV protectant’s and is safe to use on keratin treated or coloured hair. It has this bio restorative complex, that repairs damage by penetrating the root to fortify, deeply nourish and strength the cuticle from the inside, while also stimulating scalp circulation and rejuvenating hair follicles. This is the facial mask for hair.
Liquid Hair by Wella works on a molecular level. There has been intense research into what to do with fragile broken hair, and this is what Liquid Hair is designed for. Not only will it help to re-surface your hair, but over time it will help to add back in what has been stripped by colour, mechanical or environmental damage.
The best 3 hair brushes?
Tip seven
Mason Pearson boar and nylon bristle are the best for fine hair. It’s designed to be gentle on the hair shaft, and drag down your natural oils. For thick hair you want the total nylon brush to help tame the mane and reduce frizz and fuzz. Even though these brushes are around $150 a brush, they can last up to a decade so it’s a worthy investment.
YS Park Bristle Brush is designed for thicker hair, and also great to blow dry and style as it’s got heat resistant polyamide pins so it will glide through your hair whilst drying.
The Tangle Teezer is the only brush to be used on wet hair. The bristles are designed for no snap when working the brush through even the knottiest hair.
**Side note, here at THE FILE HQ we have been using the Lady Jane Tangle Pro detangle brush every day and pre-shower. It gets 5 gold stars from us and is up there with the Tangle Teezer. Highly recommend.
