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The importance of a healthy and shiny hair

Caring and nourishing our hair everyday is a fundamental issue, as important as following good habits of makeup and body care: is part of our personal beauty signature. To look beautiful, your hair needs all your attention and care daily. Because in Perfume's Club our main goal is to provide you the best tools for you to look perfect, we will give you in detail those essential points that you must know about your hair.

For this, you will have to go first to the root of your problem and begin by detecting what is your hair type and how you can treat your scalp. Following our own advices you will know of firsthand which are the products that benefit you more, what is the best time to apply your mask, restorative product or serum, how you can use your hair straightener in the most efficient manner, etc.

Get to know your type of scalp and hair better to achieve your best look

The most important thing when proceeding with your daily hair care routine is to know well the characteristics that presents your scalp, and how to treat it. The sebaceous gland (responsible for secreting the natural lubrication of your hair) plays an important role in determining the type of hair and scalp. Not everyone has the same segregation of sebum and there are several factors such as nutrition or stress that may influence in it. Therefore, the general types of scalp we can find are:

• Oily scalp: presents overactive sebaceous glands that produce an excess of sebum while giving your hair a straight and dull appearance. This may be due to hormonal changes (often frequent during puberty or menopause) or to stress. People who have an oily scalp, also has an oily hair. The usual type of hair with these characteristics is the light hair, which is much thinner than the dark and therefore more susceptible to excess of sebum. Oily hair will need frequent but not daily cleaning, because if we wash it too much we would end up causing an increased production of sebum as a natural response of the body. You will need shampoos that don’t contain oils, that may have astringent properties and that its detergent is smooth. Dry cleaning will be your best choice, and it is better not use the masks too much. If necessary, apply it at the ends only.
• Dry scalp: this type of hair presents a dull and lifeless appearance and it is also more susceptible to breakage. The most evident cause of this dryness is dehydration of the scalp; water retention is low and also the production of sebum. You will need shampoos with moisturizing properties and if it contains vegetable oils that help your scalp's natural moisture, better. You mustn't wash it frequently, but it is good to moisturize it regularly, applying the mask or the appropriate serum and moistening it a little bit but without rinsing.
• Mixed scalp: this type of scalp is between a dry and an oily, and it occurs when the sebaceous glands are overactive in the root but not so enough to imbue all the hair, so that the ends are dry and brittle. In this case you will need the same type of shampoo than for an oily hair, focusing only on the scalp and avoiding washing the ends. Then try the tips dry with a moisturizing or repairing serum.
• Normal scalp: is the most balanced type. It is bright and docile, and is the result of a balanced and healthy way of life in combination with the use of specific products for each of the conditions the hair may need.

Once you know to which of these types of scalps belong, it is important that you know better the types of hair to know how to take care of yours. The different hair types are:

• Thick hair: what defines to this type of hair is that it is of thick strand. It's the kind of hair more resilient and supports better the chemical processes, hairstyles or dyes. However, it is scientifically proven that this type of hair has more trouble assimilating moisture than other types, and therefore can lead to excessive volume and frizz.
• Fine hair: this one is the complete opposite to the thick hair, the strand is thin and lacks of volume and strength. You will need specific products for this type of hair, which usually contain softer and less aggressive ingredients. Every time you wash it, is good to use a good conditioner that nourishes your hair and apply, as well as applying a mask on the ends once a week.
• Straight hair: the strand of this type of hair is between the thick and fine type, therefore is balanced. However presents several common problems: lack of volume, brightness, open ends and tendency to frizz. For this reason, we should care of our hair in the following way: wash it every day if it is oily, and every two or three days if it is normal or dry. Our shampoo must be soft, with low content of detergent and moisturizer. Use a little bit of conditioner and masks that help to keep your hair smooth, without weighing it down and frizz-free.
• Curly hair: It is a type of dry hair with lots of volume. It is also dense and flattened. The strands take very undulating forms and are thin and delicate. When we wash it, we must do it gently and nourish it intensely. The frequency with which you wash your hair should be as little as possible and always use a specific nutrient-rich conditioner. Using masks, serums or dry-vegetable oils every day to keep it hydrated, it will be the best option than a frequent washing.
• Wavy hair: presents less curled strands than the type of curly hair and with wider strokes. For this reason they are usually somewhat thicker and less dense. Likewise, it may also present characteristics of both oily as mixed hair. You must also use the right shampoo for your type of scalp and not washing it too often.
• Afro hair: the strands of the afro hair are the most curled among all the types of curly hair. It is very dense, fine and has a lot of volume. It has a visual effect like a thin cloud floating around our own face. For this type of hair you should use the most appropriate products for the type of hair dry, and follow a special care regarding its nutrition and treatment. You must be consistent with its hydration, wash it as little as possible and not exposing it too much to the hair dryer (and if you use it, apply good thermal protectors before). This type of hair is the one that needs more care, because it breaks easily and if you don't take care of it consciously, it may end up falling.

Do you know all the types of products that can benefit your hair?

There are many types of products that can benefit your hair, and precisely for this reason you must make the best decision for your care. In this sense, we want to help you by showing in general lines what products you must have to treat your hair and what are their best utility:

• There are different types of shampoos:
  • pH balanced shampoo: it is suitable for all hair types, it doesn't treat any particular problem, it simply removes dirt from the hair without major modifications, respecting the natural pH of your scalp. This type of shampoo is good for normal scalp that doesn't need to be treated of any specific problem.
  • Balancing shampoo: it evens the pH level of the scalp when the hair is severely damaged. It is ideal for smooth or wavy hair that has spent too many hours exposed to the sun or under heavy gusts of wind.
  • Moisturizing shampoo: helps the dry hair to retain the moisture, making it more flexible and soft to the touch. It is recommended for curly or frizzy hair, thin and prone to dryness.
  • Shampoo for dyed hair: it seeks to maintain longer the color of dyed hair, respecting the pigmentation. It is a very specific type of shampoo for colored hair. You must take into account its characteristics and the ones of your dye to choose the shampoo that respects the most your color and your hair type.
  • Shampoo to add volume: provides volume to fine, dry and dull hair.
  • Straight effect shampoo: it is for hair with a lot of frizz, curly and rebel. It serves to hydrate the scalp, close the cuticles and reduce the static. It can also be used on straight hair that wants to preserve its natural state and prevent caking or habitual frizz, which often suffer this type of hair from external aggressions.
  • Anti-dandruff shampoo: the shampoo by excellence for those with an oily scalp and with excess of sebum. It should be used as a specific treatment if you have this problem and must be treated gently. In these cases it is better to ask advice from your dermatologist as soon as possible.
• Conditioners: it serves to complement the shampoo and presents softer and emollient properties. The types of conditioners are the same as the detailed for the shampoo and they complement it. In some cases, as for oily or mixed hair, or normal hair with risk of excess of sebum, is not advisable to always use the conditioner when we wash our hair.
• Masks can be grouped into three different types:
  • Nourishing and moisturizing mask: are treatments for dry hair that needs retain moisture. These products contain also vitamins, silk protein, flax, oats, etc.
  • Hair structure mask: are progressive treatments that gradually nourish the hair, seals the cuticle and protects from external aggressions.
  • Anti-Stress mask: are for hair damaged by the abuse of thermal and chemical treatments, this product smoothes the hair cuticle, revitalizes and protects it.
• We also have various types of fixatives that we can use in function of our objective:
  • Hair gels: are used to maintain the cohesion between the strands of hair. They give a wet shine and are not sticky to the touch. It can be applied on dry or oily hair. You can choose the type of gel that suits your hair type, since there are different types, such as moisturizers, astringents, neutral, etc.
  • Foams: they present a very similar effect to the gels, they form a very thin cover, transparent, soft and flexible around the hair.
  • Hairsprays: are used to set and shape your hairstyle. When applying you have to take into account that is must suit your type of hair and the hairstyle you want to achieve with it. There are light, strong or extra-strong hold. Its use varies depending on the look you want to achieve.
• Dryers and hair straighteners: these have to be used sparingly and if you have dry or sensitive hair is advisable to use it as little as possible. In all cases, it is advisable to use a thermal protector to protect us from the temperature at which the hair is exposed.
• Thermal protectors: they must be used before using the hair straightener or the dryer. They create a protective film around your hair to protect it from the heat and external aggressions. There is one for every hair type: with alcohol and light enough for oily and fine hair, with a moisturizing treatment and extra protection for dry or very damaged hair, etc.

How to apply your hair care products

Sometimes it doesn't matter how good a product is, if it is not applied or distributed correctly the results will not be good, since this step is the most important when we want to maintain our daily care routine.

The general steps to follow are the following:

• First of all, the shampoo: we have to keep in mind that washing should not be too vigorous, since when our hair is wet, it loses elasticity and is more vulnerable to the aggressive washes.
  • Wash your hair to the extent that it is suitable for your hair, for example, for dry, frizzy, curly or delicate hair it is recommended to do it once every three days. Of course, you should use the shampoo that suits your capillary characteristics.
  • Apply the shampoo by placing a small amount in your hands, rub and then expand the entire product by the hair evenly.
  • Proceed to wash your hair by massaging the scalp in circular motions.
  • Rinse with warm water.

If you apply the product daily, is enough to apply it once. If you do it less often because of your type of hair, you can rinse it and repeat the process to enhance cleansing.

• The conditioner: the conditioner helps smooth the hair cuticles and counteracts the excessive negative charge of the hair, leaving it looking good and soft to the touch.
  • After washing the hair, is better if you dry it a little bit or wait until is not so wet.
  • Apply the recommended conditioner for your hair type and never on the scalp, distributing the product from the contour line to the nape.
  • Leave in for 1 minute to allow the product to act. Rinse well and dry gently. Then, you can style your hair as usual if it is the case.
• Application of treatments on the scalp:
  • Split the hair along using a fine comb.
  • Work from the center outward, applying the product directly to the scalp.
  • Massage gently in circular motions.
  • Leave in for the recommended time, apply heat if necessary.
  • Rinse or leave the product in depending on its characteristics and the needs of our hair.
• The treatment based on serums or a specific treatment:
  • To apply it previously you must have washed your hair with the product recommended for your hair type.
  • Distribute the treatment throughout the hair as evenly as possible. If you have long hair, apply on the intermediate portions and on the ends of your hair, avoiding always the roots. If instead you have short hair, the best is applying the treatment only where necessary.
  • Leave in long enough, and if necessary we may also have to apply heat (the product will indicate this).
  • Finally, depending on your product, rinse well or just let your hair absorb it.

With this you have the general guidelines for applying your styling products within a daily routine care and hair care. It is possible that you may need other specific care if you have more specific problems such as seborrhea or hair loss. In these cases it is better that you go to your dermatologist as soon as possible and follow the necessary recommendations to address the issue.