"Your daughter's curls are so beautiful!" And they are — downright gorgeous. Soft, blonde tendrils that, at 2 years old, now reach her shoulders and bounce when she walks. I adore each one. Of course, I also know the flip side of those dreamy ringlets, the one that involves me imploring her to just sit for two more minutes so I can run a comb through her hair. When it's wet, her hair is a matted mess that clings to her head and I know the whining is inevitable. But how can I manage my toddler's hair without tears?

Zaida Khaze, New Jersey-based mom of two and creator of Wiggletot Diaper Changer, tells Romper that her experience with her two daughters' curly hair has made her a pro at taming tresses. Her top tip? Comb hair in the bath while conditioner is still in the hair. She recommends using a wide tooth comb and then rinsing conditioner when finished. Khaze also sprays a bit of leave-in, frizz-taming treatment on her hands and smooths it through her girls' hair once they are out of the bath.

Of course, while it seems a given that a curly-haired kid might take issue with combing through tangled hair, little ones with straight hair also don't care for sitting through grooming sessions. No matter the type of hair your child has, Betty Ceus-Gillespy, founder of Natural Bunch Hair Care for Kids, says parents are surprised to learn that they should comb hair from tip to root (as opposed to the more standard root to tip). Like Khaze, use a wide tooth comb to "carefully loosen any knots or twists, then hold section of hair while combing from bottom upwards," Ceus-Gillespy tells Romper in an email interview.

Kate Orson, author of Tears Heal: How to listen to our children, says parents can also incorporate a few effective techniques to manage toddlers' hair in order to make it more playful. For example, Orson tells Romper, have your child's favorite stuffed animal "help" with hair brushing and you will find your child is more likely to cooperate. Orson also recommends what she calls "Giggle Parenting," or a method that uses "the power of giggles to melt away a toddler's grumpy mood."

Orson explains the method with the following scenario: When it's time to comb hair, a parent can act playfully serious and say "now it's time to brush your hair," but then proceed to pick up random objects instead of a hairbrush, like a book or pair of pajamas, and start brushing. "Then suddenly 'realize' your mistake, and act all confused and surprised, then try again." Continue making "mistakes" until you eventually transition to actually brushing your child's hair.

"When we invest a bit of time in play and fun, it can actually make our child cooperate in a much shorter time than if we try and nag and persuade them," Orson adds.

It's not always easy — sometimes you just want to brush their hair and be done with it — but these small changes do make a difference. One of my daughter Claire's favorite "giggle" moments after bath time is seeing how many times she can lap our dining room table while still naked. I coax her into hair brushing by saying, "first we comb your hair, then you run." She is usually too excited to get going to fight me on it.

Of course, a few helpful hair products help, too. Our favorites include the Mixed Chicks kids shampoos and hair products, especially the Tangle Tamer. We also adore the Honest Company's Conditioning Detangler, plus it smells so freaking good.

As for my girl's curls, I know there might come a day when she doesn't have them and I will miss each and every one. For that reason, I don't let the tears over combing her hair diminish my love for her ringlets. It doesn't hurt that she looks pretty darn cute with 'em too.
​
This article first appeared on Romper

European women like to wear their hair in natural styles; it’s a preference that is creating demand for natural hair care formulations and is also opening up the way for co-wash products that some consumers believe are gentler on their hair. Meanwhile, the crossover with skin care continues, with new micellar hair care products arriving on the market and treatment primers to help speed up drying time.

According to Kantar Worldpanel, most European women use shampoo, whereas men are more likely to use shower gel for all-over convenience. European men do, however, wash their hair on average more often than women, but very few use a conditioner.

While shampoo penetration is fairly uniform across Europe, there are large variations in conditioner usage, with only 29% of women using these formulas in France, compared to 48% in Italy and Spain, and rising to 64% in Great Britain. While 86% of women wash their hair weekly, this is the lowest percentage in Europe, which peaks in Poland at 93%.

The reasons women use a conditioner varies by European country, though it is primarily to moisturize, make hair softer, easier to style/comb and to add shine. In France, Germany and Poland damage repair is important and strengthening is also very important in Poland. These differences suggest that brand messaging needs to take specific benefits into account across different countries—multi-benefit hair care products have strong potential among consumers looking for more from their products.

Co-Wash Is a Natural Niche

The trend for co-wash in hair care is triggered by consumers looking to avoid skin irritants such as sodium lauryl sulfate, the main cleanser found in the majority of shampoos. These ingredients are thought to damage vulnerable hair types such as curly hair. According to GlobalData’s Q1 2017 global consumer survey, 41% of European consumers say they pay a high amount of attention to ingredients used in beauty or grooming products.

“Despite being available on the market for several years, co-wash products still constitute a niche area in Europe,”  noted Irene Bi, associate analyst, GlobalData.

L’Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Curl Nourishment Cleansing Conditioner from the UK is one example that is tailored to curly/Afro hair and is said to leave defined curls that are manageable throughout the day. Mintel has noted that L’Oréal has been the most active in the area of co-wash with L’Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Cleansing Conditioner, Elvive Low Shampoo Gentle Cleansing Creams in a number of markets, and Garnier Ultra Doux Le Low Shampoo (Belgium). Mintel has also noted the launch of lightweight cleansers, including Hairstory’s New Hair New Wash in France, which is billed as “detergent free.“

European consumers generally have a positive perception of natural ingredients and it is the top reason for choosing one brand over another, according to GlobalData research. A further 55% of Europeans find botanical actives effective in a beauty/grooming product.

“This drives the trend towards botanical/plant hair care formulations, especially those using food ingredients, to boost their natural, safe and ‘better for you appeal,’” states Bi.

An example is UK Botanicals Fresh Care Leave-In Conditioner, formulated with coriander, soya and coconut oils.

NPD Borrows from Skin Care

Andrew McDougall, global analyst, Mintel, has observed another trend in shampoos that is linked to skin care.

“Emerging micellar hair care products which blur with skin care are also likely to expand and appeal to consumers, especially women who are already familiar with gentle micellar facial cleansers,” he explains. “In hair care, micellar shampoos can be aimed to women who color their hair, by targeting dirt and impurities whilst retaining the color.”

Furthermore, McDougall has observed that women’s engagement with hair washing is notable in Europe, with over 40% in Spain and Italy shampooing their hair twice in the same wash.

“Brands can tap into this by developing variants with different levels of cleansing, such as light, medium, strong. For example, a higher-cleansing formula for a second wash or a high cleansing formula can be positioned as ideal for removing sweat after exercise or for use after visiting a highly polluted area,” he suggests. “The active beauty and pollution-proof trends are ones which we are seeing affect the whole category.”

The trend for protecting against pollution and UV began in East Asia where pollution is high, and has migrated West. According to GlobalData’s Q3 global survey, 2016, just over half of European consumers are very or extremely concerned with the impact of pollution on health and appearance. Recent anti-pollution hair care launches include Bionsen Purifying Shampoo from Hungary containing zinc to help remove impurities and residues from pollution, styling products and smoke. Sooa Soin des Cheveaux Hair Mask for Colored Hair and Locks from France has pro-vitamin B5 and an anti-UV solar filter.

Another hair care concern which has links to skin care is care for the scalp, with new launches aimed at addressing issues such as itchy scalp, blocked hair follicles and hair growth. Petrole Hahn Anti-Dandruff Shampoo from France, contains zinc pyrithione and eucalyptus to soothe the scalp and calm itching. Lee Stafford Hair Growth Scalp Scrub from the UK is designed to exfoliate the scalp, unblock hair follicles and increase root productivity to help hair grow longer. One of its claims is based on its “pro-growth complex” for hair that never grows past a certain length.

Blow-dry Treatment Primers

Blow-drying is part of the daily grooming regime for many European women who are looking for ways to speed up the process while protecting the hair. The new wave stylers are described as treatment primers and include VO5 Express Primer Spray from the UK, which provides 230° heat protection and helps to detangle hair and reduce flyaways. Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Treatment Primer claims to speed up drying time, while also making colored hair visibly less damaged. Another launch spotted by Mintel is the KMS California Free Shape Quick Blow Dry product that claims to reduce drying time by 50%.

European consumers are wising up to what goes into their hair care products and this is paving the way for new innovative ways with traditional formulations. There are bound to be many more on the horizon.

This article first appeared on Happi

You’ve been extra protective of your hair since your little brother cut it with his blunt-end scissors in the fourth grade and made you look like one of your experimental Barbies. So why, pray tell, are you still washing your locks with sulfate-ridden products? Enter L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Shampoo. With claims that it’s gentle on color-treated and fine hair, doesn’t strip your strands and still keeps the satisfying suds (and even more satisfying price), the shampoo seems like a worthy contender for your tried-and-true formula. In the name of healthy hair, I volunteered my locks for the cause for a whole month to find out for sure. Here’s what I learned.

My Ends Looked a Little Less Like Straw
Full disclosure: It’s been about seven months since I’ve had a haircut. Needless to say, my ends have seen better days. Which is funny because I am actually obsessed with having super-soft, fluffy hair. Hair masks and serums are only a temporary fix, though, which is why I was genuinely excited when, after a month of using L’Oréal Paris EverPure, my hair just felt…better. It certainly didn’t reverse my split ends, but it did make them a lot less brittle. How did I first realize this? Within a few days of making the switch, someone at work asked if I had gotten a fresh blowout. (I may have cried a little.)

I’m Planning to Push My Hair Color Appointment
Fun fact about me: My natural hair color is a flat, mousy shade of brown, so I dye it to get that extra dimension and general oomph. Normally, I get it touched up every six weeks. (I should actually do it at four, but I stretch it as far as I can because professional dye jobs ain’t cheap, y’all.) That said, I got my hair done a week before going sulfate-free. That was five and a half weeks ago. And I don’t feel like I need to go back anytime soon. Of course, the color is not as vivid as day one, but holy highlights, it is brighter than it usually is by this time. This is probably a good time to mention I’ve also been using the coordinating sulfate-free conditioner, which has an anti-fade formula. Double whammy, I guess.

Shocker: I Didn’t Miss the Suds
Mostly because when I lathered up, it produced the same level of froth I know and love from regular shampoo. The first time I used it, I loaded up because I thought I’d need the extra amount to feel clean. (I’ve tried cleansing conditioners in the past, and even though I knew they weren’t supposed to lather much, I always felt like they weren’t really working.) Not the case here. I had suds for days. The next time I washed my hair, a couple nights later, I used a normal amount and still had the same soapy results.

So You’re Probably Wondering If I Live a Sulfate-Free Life Now
The answer is yes—mostly. I’ve always kept a nice, full shower rack, so I still have some other shampoos in there that I’d feel guilty throwing out. But once they’re gone, I’m planning to make the official swap for good. L’Oréal Paris EverPure smells good (it has a rosemary scent,and I got another herb-smelling body wash to match) and it’s not salon expensive. So, yeah—see ya later, sulfates.
This article first appeared on PureWow

Sure, trying to fit a hair dryer into your already overstuffed luggage may sound like a pain in the butt, but trust us, you’ll want to start making space for it after reading this.

According to an in-depth investigation by ABC, hotels have a plethora of issues when it comes to cleanliness. And though this issue has been well documented, what hasn’t been focused on until now is just how gross hair dryers in hotels can be.

Chuck Gerba, a microbiologist who worked with ABC for their hotel cleanliness experiment, swabbed items in nine different Los Angeles-area hotels to find out which ones are the nastiest, and he was not impressed with what he found. “There must be some things you can do with a hair dryer that I am not aware of, because some of them were pretty germy,” he said.

The investigation noted that items like the hair dryer may become even dirtier than sinks and toilets because they are often overlooked as an item in need of cleaning by housekeeping, and thus can go days – or even years – without ever being disinfected.

And it wasn’t just in low-cost motels that Gerba found the hair dryers to be particularly disgusting. According to ABC, Gerba tested the dryers at a number of hotels, which varied in price from $98 to $500 per night.

Beyond the dryers, Gerba also found that six of the nine bathroom sinks he tested had germ levels considered excessive.

“The biggest concern in a hotel room is picking up cold, flu virus or viruses that cause diarrhea,” Gerba said. “It doesn’t take very many to make you ill.”

Gerba also noted that looks and price can be deceiving when it comes to hotel health safety. He added that some of the items often found in low-cost hotels, like plastic cups in wrappers or plastic bags for the ice buckets, can actually offer more germ protection than their swankier counterparts.

So next time you travel, perhaps pack a blow dryer, or let your mane go au naturale – you are on vacation, after all.
 
This article first appeared on Travel + Leisure

“Clarifying shampoos are really important for curly-haired clients, who use a lot of products to keep their curls under control.”
—Diane Stevens, Nioxin Top Artist

“A great clarifying shampoo should give your client’s hair that ‘squeaky clean’ feeling, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of the hair’s health.”
—Kevin Hughes, Moroccanoil, Artistic Director

MALIBU C
Un-Do-Goo Shampoo delivers a deep hair detox—drawing out resins, grease and grime—but also defends against dehydration with a super gentle formula.

TRUSS
Miracle Clarifying Shampoo refreshes the hair, removing unwanted residue. Nano Repair elements increase shine, bonding hair fibers from the inside, while a vegetable complex restores the scalp.

PAUL MITCHELL
Shampoo Two not only deeply cleans oily hair and scalps, but it also minimizes oil production, making hair less oily over time.

UNITE
Weekender Clarifying Shampoo is formulated with a refreshing blend of citrus and mandarin orange. The nonstripping, sulfate-free formulation recharges the hair after environmental stress and product use.

REDKEN
Clean Maniac Micellar Shampoo utilizes micellar technology to gently attract and remove excess sebum and product buildup. Tiny moieties encase oil and dirt particles into a micelle that’s rinsed off, leaving hair soft, fresh and clean.

NIOXIN
Clarifying Cleanser completely removes build-up caused by styling products and environmental factors. The formula quickly defuses mineral deposits from hard water and chlorine, but is gentle enough for daily use.

MOROCCANOIL
Clarifying Shampoo nourishes the hair with argan and avocado oils, while gently cleansing away impurities, restoring the hair’s healthy balance.

ALFAPARF MILANO
Lisse Design Keratin Therapy Deep Cleansing Shampoo cleanses thoroughly and helps open the cuticles, preparing the hair for a smoothing treatment. Bonus: added collagen and babassu oil leave the hair smooth and shiny.

​BIOLAGE
Clean Reset Normalizing Shampoo was inspired by the lemongrass plant, which always has a fresh scent and stays clean. This shampoo eliminates chlorine, buildup and impurities without removing healthy natural oils.

This article first appeared on American Salon