​Hair serums have become an important ingredient in our arsenal of hair products and for very credible reasons. While we know that hair serums are extremely effective in tackling dry and fizzy hair, did you know that there are specific hair serums suited for different kind of hair, you can use them to prevent hair breakage and you can also make hair serums at home that can be highly beneficial for your hair.

Read on as we tell you how to pick the best serums for your hair and how you can make it the best multi-purpose product for your hair.

How to pick the right hair serum for your hair?

There are tonnes of hair serums available in the market. Hair serums add shine, reduces frizz and dryness and works best for long and medium hair length. Hair serums are basically silicone-based product that coats the surface of your hair and gives your hair softness and shine and prevents it from getting tangled.

Read the composition of the serum carefully
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While it is true that silicon is the main ingredient in most hair serums, you need to pay attention to what are the other ingredients in your frizz fighter too. For instance if you have very dry and frizzy hair, you should opt for a hair serum that is infused with oils like castor, rosewood and marula that will provide intense hydration to your locks while adding that lustre and sheen.

Serums for different hair types
There are serums suited for specific hair types and purposes. Here’s your guideline to picking the right hair serum for your strands.

Serums suited for split-end rid hair                                              
Split ends make our manes prone to breakage and frayed. If you have too many split ends, hair serum is a must to improve the appearance of your hair. But, make sure you pick hair serums that contain keratin as keratin is known to repair annoying split ends and prevent strands from splitting.
 
Serums suited to protect against heat and pollution
We live in hot and humid climates, and If you need to go out in the sun on regular basis, you need to take extra care of your strands. Pick hair serums that contain lavender and jojoba oils as these oils prime and nourish your hair along with adding the sheen. Lavender oil smoothens and detangles your hair and also protects against heat. Such serums are also extremely lightweight and absorbs into the hair quickly.

Serums for chronically dry hair
Excessively dry hair needs extra care and nutrition. Good news is that now there are serums available that can be applied overnight and kept that can revitalize your hair while you get your beauty sleep. Make sure thought that these serums are cream based and not oil based so that that they don’t weigh down your hair instead of moisturizing it. You can apply overnight serums to both damp and dry hair and wake up with nourished and shiny hair.
 
Serums for thick and textured hair
If you have thick and textured tresses you are going to need a hard working serum that will give your hair that extra hydration. Pick up serums infused with argan and Moroccan oils to tame your tresses and give it a healthy shine.

Serums for curly hair
Curls automatically tend to get more frizzy and difficult to manage. The best serums for wavy and curly hair are those that have intense moisturizing properties. You must have heard a hundred times that serums can work wonders on dull and lifeless tresses. Curly hair however needs a tad bit more attention. So to keep those curls bouncy and glossy and bring them back to life, pick serums laden with hydrating oils like jojoba, argan, sweet almond  and marula.

Serums for coloured hair
For those of you who have coloured or chemically treated hair, there are lightweight cream based hair serums available in the market which besides silicone contain ingredients  like jojoba, argan and coconut oil along with green tea extracts . These work perfectly for coloured and chemically processed hair.
 
Use and Purpose of Serum
The primary purpose of hair serum is to make your locks look shinier, less knotted and healthier. This happens as the serum absorbs and reflects light, it makes you hair look glossier, while also making a protective coat on the hair thus protecting your hair from dust, pollutants and ultra violet rays.

Most people use hair serum to revive damaged and brittle hair. Serum restores shine in dull and dry hair and prevents hair from getting tangled up.

While a lot of us see serums as that instant magical product that works as a pick-me-up for our tresses, it needs to be understood that serums serve multiple purposes and come in two distinct varieties. While our regular daily serum is best applied on damp or towel-dried hair, if you are using it specifically for styling purposes serum needs to be applied on  dry hair.

We give you a low-down on the different kinds of hair serums and the steps to use them perfectly.

Always wash your hair prior to applying serum
The rule of thumb is to apply serum only on shampooed hair. Applying serum on unwashed hair will only weigh down the strands, make them appear thinner and oilier and attract more dust and grime znd even cause dandruff. Understand that serum is not just a styling product, it is a vitalizer and provides nourishment to your hair. But that can only happen when the serum is able to reach the roots and strands. Unwashed hair prevents that from happening.
 
Do not use excessive amounts of serum
Serums are primarily a concoction of water, essential oils and revitalizing chemicals. Applying too much of hit can make your hair greasy and unnecessarily heavily which basically cuts down the volume of your hair. For medium length hair, use 1-2 drops  of serum and for longer hair, use 3-4 drops of serum.

How to use serum on wet hair
Squirt out a teardrop amount of serum on your palm. Now, gently blot the hair serum between your palms and massage it onto the partings and ends of the hair. Experts say serums work best on damp hair, remember damp not dripping wet. Flip your hair forwards and start applying hair serum in the vertical direction going from tips to roots. Make sure to massage the tips well to prevent occurrence of split ends. Now flip the hair back. Squirt two to three more drops of hair serum on your palms and now massage it onto your scalp.  Let the serum settle down for a minute and then go on to dry or style your hair. The serum will act as a heat protectant, prevent the tangles that often crop up in wet hair and allow you to style your hair more efficiently. Also remember that blow drying your hair is absolutely essential  when you apply as wet, serum treated scalp can cause dust and grime to stick to the scalp and that cannot mean good news.

How to use serum on dry hair
A lot of hair expert also use hair serum to help a hairstyle hold better as hair serums are a healthy alternative to hair mousse which tend to dry out the hair and weaken them. Take 3-4 drops of serum on the palm of your hand. Now start applying serum to the back of your hair first and then come to the front and midsection of the hair so that too much serum does not ruin your hairstyle. If after application you feel that your tresses are still looking dull and lifeless, take a drop or two more of serum and apply it to the sides and front of your hair. Your hair will radiate shine and have a healthy appearance to them. Be very very careful not to go overboard with serum too, as that can lead to your tresses look limp rather than lustrous.

In hair serums the right product and quality matters
When it comes to picking up the right serum, you may need to do a little trial and error before you figure out a serum that works perfectly on your hair.  Keep the above mentioned composition guidelines in mind when choosing the right serum for your hair type. Always opt for a good brand when it comes to serums even if they are a little expensive to get the desired results for your hair.

Once you have figured out which hair serum works best for you, consider investing in complementary hair products  like shampoo and conditioner too to derive a hair care routine that works best for your hair.

Home-made serums
If you are having problems identifying and finding the best hair serum for your hair type, you will be happy to know that you can make some very effective hair serums at home too.

Lemon and coconut oil serum for oily hair
Oils like lemon oil, coconut oil, peppermint oil and jojoba oil are lighter and are a perfect hair serum base for those with oily hair. These oils help to curb the production of the sebaceous gland which produces sebum which in turn cause the excessive oiliness and greasiness in the hair.

1. To make the serum, mix few drops of any jojoba or peppermint oil with 100 ml of lemon or coconut oil.
2. Now shake the mixture well and store it in a bottle where it won’t be exposed to too much of sunlight. You can also choose to store the mixture in an opaque bottle.
3. Use this  home made serum during the day to tame those stubborn  fly-aways or use it at night before going to bed to nourish your hair and scalp and help retain its moisture.

​Castor oil hair serum for dry hair
Castor oil is one of the richest hair oils, which also makes it one of the finest moisturizing agents for your scalp and hair. Dry hair often leads to split ends which eventually result in breaking of strands and hair loss. This home made serum will help you  tackle dry hair and restore moisture and sheen back to your hair.

1. Take 100 ml of castor oil and mix it with rosewood or lavender oil which complement the properties of castor oil.
2. Shake well and store it an airtight bottle.
3. In case you feel the consistency of the serum to be too dense and heavy add a few drops of coconut oil to lighten the consistency.
4. Massage it onto your scalp and leave it overnight to get beautiful and lustrous locks without split ends and dryness. You can also apply it twice or thrice in a week post a shower on damp hair before blow-drying or using a straightening rod or curling iron as this serum will also provide heat protection to your mane.

Aloe vera gel and lavender oil serum for brittle hair
Lavender oil is a miracle remedy for brittle hair. The concoction of lavender oil and aloe vera gel not only helps to restore health back in damaged hair but also promotes hair growth.

1. Pour a cup of water in a pan and bring it pot boil.
2.  Add a tablespoon each of  dried fenugreek and fresh basil leaves to the boiling water. Both these herbs are extremely easy to source.
3. Let the mixture simmer on low heat for another 15 minutes.
4. Strain out the concoction and then let it cool down.
5. Once cooled, add it to the aloe vera gel and mix.
6. Now mix this with 100 ml of lavender oil.
7. Shake well and store in an airtight bottle.
8. Apply this serum every alternate day on damp hair or just before hitting the bed to make brittle hair stronger, well-nourished and curb hairfall.

Avocado oil hair serum for shiny hair
Like your mane shiny and silky? We give you the perfect formulae.

1.  Take 4 tablespoons of avocado oil and 2 tablespoons of almond oil, argan oil , grapeseed oil and jojoba oil. Jojoba oil is added to a lot of serums as it helps to get the perfect consistency.
2. Mix all of these oils in a vessel, pour into a dark glass or opaque bottle which will prevent the concentration from directly being exposed to the sunlight.
3. Shake well and store

 
The concentration will work like magic on your tresses and is lightweight enough to be used during daytime as well.
 

This first appeared on Femina

The secret to healthy hair begins at the root. Maintaining a clean, moisturized and healthy scalp leads to healthy hair and hair growth. If your scalp is itchy, irritated, or dry your curls will pay the price which can lead to hair breakage. In order to create a healthy hair regimen, you can revitalize your scalp with the use of oils. Here are 4 of the best oils for scalp-care to use when you just can't stand the itch.
 
1. Lavender
This is one of the most obvious oil choices. Lavender is naturally antibacterial, so it can help cleanse the scalp of bacteria, fungus, and other gross things that go on there. It also smells great and can give a nice calming effect. The main reason people choose this oil is that it has been reported to help with hair growth. In fact, a study published in the journal, Toxicological Research, found that lavender oil increases hair growth. The Jamaican Mango & Lime Black Castor Oil Lavender is pure and unrefined, retaining all their nutritive properties making it great to use as a skin softener, moisturizing massage oil or as a hot oil treatment for dry damaged hair, hair growth, and thinning hair.


2. Peppermint
When looking at the best oils for scalp health, peppermint oil is a no-brainer. This oil gives cool, tingling sensations that many people enjoy. While the feeling itself is pleasant, the effects of the tingle are an increase in circulation. Without proper circulation of blood, the scalp has a hard time generating new growth and turning over cell regeneration. Again, much like lavender oil, studies have confirmed that peppermint oil has benefits in the area of hair growth. Studies published in Toxicological Research indicate peppermint oil helps with hair growth by extending the anagen phase of the hair growth process. Eden Bodyworks Peppermint Tea Tree Hair Oil is an exotic blend of nourishing ingredients that penetrate the hair from root to tip to promote new hair growth without clogging pores. A perfect choice for hot oil treatments on all hair types.


3. Horsetail
One of the rare plants that can be used as an oil and an oral supplement, horsetail is rich in silica. Silica helps hair to grow, as well as helps to improve the strength of your curly strands. A study published in Dermatology Research and Practice reports that taking horsetail oil supplements can decrease hair shedding for women with thinning hair. There is also evidence to suggest that topical applications of the oil can have similar effects. Alikay Naturals Essential 17 Hair Growth Oil is blended with 17 of the best natural oils such as the horsetail powder which is extracted from the plant to reduce dandruff and hair loss.


4. Tea Tree
Dandruff, dead cells, and bacteria can get in the way of a healthy scalp. With tea tree oil, your scalp gets a powerful clean to remove product build-up. A study published in Journal of American Academy of Dermatology found that the use of shampoo with even a small percentage of tea tree oil in the formula could cause a 41% improvement in reducing dandruff flakes. Tea tree oil is known to be the cure scalp issues and has so many amazing benefits such as being an antibacterial, antifungal, and helps with dandruff and hair loss.

 Do you use any of these oils to care for your scalp?
Let me know which ones are your favorite the next time you're in the salon.

This first appeared on NaturallyCruly

The Best Hair Loss Treatments

​Men’s Rogaine Unscented Foam
Best Overall for Men and Women

Kirkland Signature Regrowth Treatment Minoxidil Foam for Men
​Generic Runner-Up

Equate Hair Regrowth Treatment for Men
​Generic Runner-Up

HairMax Ultima 12 LaserComb
A Pricey Add-on Treatment

If you were to check your spam inbox right now, you’d probably find — among the fishy links and generous offers from Nigerian princes — at least a dozen offers for the best hair loss treatments money can buy. There’s a reason these offers tend to get clicks: A lot of people are losing their hair.

According to the American Hair Loss Association, two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of appreciable hair loss by the age of 35. By the age of 50, the number of men with “significantly” thinning hair shoots up to a staggering 85 percent. Women hardly have it any better. Though pop culture tends to associate hair loss with men (Julius Caesar’s hairline-hiding laurels, George Costanza’s shiny dome), women actually account for up to 40 percent of the total hair loss sufferers in the United States.

Men’s Rogaine Unscented Foam and its sister, Women’s Rogaine Foam, are our top picks. They’re both safe, non-prescription, and easily available. They are identical formulas in different bottles — ladies, apparently, need something with a flower on it. (Costco’s Kirkland Signature Regrowth Treatment Minoxidil Foam for Men is the cheapest generic.) The most important part of their ingredients list is minoxidil, a topical drug that has been clinically proven to slow hair loss and even regrow some hair.

Prescription finasteride (sold under the name Propecia) and at-home laser treatments, such as the FDA-approved HairMax Ultima 12 LaserComb, have also been shown to be effective. The key to halting your hairline is ultimately finding a hair loss regimen that works for you. A doctor is your best bet for that kind of guidance — but we can definitely tell you which treatments your scalp (and your wallet) should steer clear of.

How We Found the Best Hair Loss Treatment

“The most common cause of hair loss in both men and women is androgenetic alopecia, which is genetic pattern hair loss,” explains Dr. Michael B. Wolfeld, a board-certified plastic surgeon and an assistant clinical professor of plastic surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. The root cause of this type of hair loss is dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a byproduct of testosterone that shrinks certain hair follicles until they eventually stop producing hair.

Other medical conditions — most commonly telogen effluvium and seborrheic dermatitis — can also cause hair loss, but most people can trace their follicular woes back to androgenetic alopecia, so we focused our search there. We started with more than 200 products, including all-natural solutions and high-tech gadgets, while skipping treatments that focus only on volumizing or thickening hair. We also limited our scope to the scalp, and left out specialty products designed only for eyebrows or beards.

We dug into clinical studies and talked to experts in the field, who helped identify specific ingredients that have proven effective in combating hair loss and aren’t just snake oil.

The ugly truth: The vast majority of hair loss treatments boast exaggerated claims, and a startling number have absolutely no scientific backing whatsoever.

Our first step: eliminating those snake oils.

To us, that meant any product with zero proven ingredients, case studies, or FDA clearance — which shrunk our list by a whopping 180 contenders. That’s right, there are only three treatments that have actually been cleared by the FDA and supported with clinical studies: finasteride (commonly marketed as Propecia), minoxidil, and laser treatments. And, since finasteride is prescription-only, it left us with two.

With those pinned down, it wasn’t hard to determine which don’t actually work. Pretty much all the “active” ingredients listed in ineffective treatments — from biotin and zinc to emu oil and saw palmetto — have never been proven, and are instead marketed based on logical-seeming correlations. It would make sense that biotin, a B vitamin readily found in hair, skin, and nails, could help hair grow more quickly. And caffeine is a stimulant that works in coffee, so rubbing some on your scalp might wake some of those sleepy follicles… right?

Not so fast. Dr. Alex Khadavi, a board-certified dermatologist and associate professor of dermatology at the University of Southern California, says that it’s a good idea to approach all of these products with a skeptical eye. “There’s people selling pills and creams and lotions and whatever else, and sometimes you can’t even trust what ingredients they have in there,” he warned us when we spoke to him over the phone. Key takeaway: The hair loss industry is crazy dishonest.

Click here to read the rest of the report

The number one thought on most people’s mind post-chemo is how quickly will their hair grow back and what will it look like. Though I became quite fond of my bald head, the day chemo was over, I threw that love to the wind and put all my energy into regrowing my hair. After many nights of research, I settled on Biotin as my first plan of attack. I started taking the Biotin supplements the day my chemo ended (with my doctor’s approval) and I was so amazed by the results. My hair grew like weeds.

Though I was thrilled to have hair on my head again, I was not so thrilled about the hair that quickly sprouted EVERYWHERE else. One day, I even found 2 long hairs coming out of my cheeks! It was also around that time that I experienced a horrible bout of cystic acne, so I decided to take a break from the Biotin and exercise some patience.  I have since gone back on a lower dose of Biotin in a gummy form and have had no side effects.

Now I am about 13 weeks out from chemo and I am finding creative ways to style this odd little mess of hair on my head. As someone who has always had long hair, this is a new beast for me to tackle. As a beauty addict, I am taking this as just another beauty challenge. It’s a chance for me to try new styles, experiment with new products and build my confidence along the way.

As I started looking for information on how to style post-chemo hair I found that Google Image were greatly lacking. There were lots of articles on the topic, but very few photos. I wanted photos, real images of women post-cancer.  So after many unsuccessful searches, I finally stumbled upon Leo With Cancer. Her blog was everything I was looking for, beauty, fashion, hair and Dena is a breast cancer survivor. Jackpot!
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So in the spirit of growing the post-chemo hair inventory on Google, I figured I would dedicate a whole post to tips for hair regrowth, a hair growth timeline and tips for styling your fresh new baby hair. The best thing is, this post will be FILLED with tons of photos.

1. Biotin Supplement or Biotin Gummies
2. Hair Pomade 
3. Cute Headbands

The Faux Hawk
As your hair is beginning to grow in it will still be patching and the middle may be longer at first. Using water or hair paste (more effective) mold the middle into a mohawk with your hands. This is a way to add a playful fun touch to this length.

Headbands
Headbands are fantastic during this time. Look for headbands with thin sparkly bands. This will add some dimension to your hair and dress it up.

The comb over
Using hair paste comb your hair over to the side and define a deep side part. This will be easier the longer your hair looks. When we hear “comb over” we general think balding old men, but this look can actually look can actually be very feminine.

Fringe
The inclination when you are growing your hair out is to cut the hair around your ears, because it’s so dang annoying and somewhat unsightly. If you plan to grow your hair out longer, stay away from the scissor. Instead ask your hair stylist to feather that area. This will take away some of the weight and help the hair lay smoother, while still keeping the length.

Pixie
By about 6-8 months you will have more of a pixie look, which gives you more styling options. Investing in mini straightener and some touchable curl cream will allow you to easily options to wear your hair curly or straight. Hair oil is also great for smoothing the frizz that comes with chemo curls. You may also find that you need hydrating products at this stage to combat the dryness that comes with curly hair. The hydrating shampoo and conditioner from Pureology were lifesaving products for me.

Strong Eye Makeup & Brows
Strong eye makeup and brows can really balance out your face with a short hairdo. Strong brows  in particular will bring definition to your face.


Check out my updated Post-chemo hair styling article on I Had Cancer


This article first appeared on My Cancer Chic

A common question that new mothers ask, is whether or not hair loss is normal. We’re going to admit that a few months after you give birth, attempts to use your professional curling wand might end in disaster as it pulls out strands and leaves you wondering whether or not something is wrong with you. You’ll get the same result when you step into the shower, without a doubt. Not only will you get a clogged drain, you’ll get a head full of worry, and it’s definitely not pleasant. That being said, you probably want to know what’s going on, and it all has to do with the growth cycle during the pregnancy.

Hair growth cycles do last longer during pregnancy, and as a result, your hair gets thicker – this is a direct result of increased estrogen in the body, and it does increase the anagen phase of hair growth. Following pregnancy, the anagen phase returns to normal and your hair falls out, so ultimately, the question is, what can you do about it?

Try Different Hairstyles along with a Professional Curling Wand
There are quite a few things that you can do to address the hair issue, and once you first start to experience the problem, you’ll probably be attempting to compensate for the loss of volume. Use the following steps to fix your hair problems and get it back on the right track.

Get a Haircut
Is there ever a good reason to not get a good haircut? Seriously, any excuse to rush into the salon and take care of business is a good one. If you speak to your hairstylist, there is a good chance that you can get them to give you a haircut that helps to increase your volume while giving you a style that perfectly supports the condition post-pregnancy has left your hair in.

Start Using Different Products
If you were a huge fan of your hair during pregnancy then there is a chance that you want it to keep the same volume, and who can blame you? On many people, pregnancy hair is absolutely beautiful, and with that being the case, we would strongly recommend that you start using volumizing products in combination with your hair curler set or any other heat tools that you have on hand. Most importantly, when you decide to experiment with different products, we would strongly recommend that you use those of the highest possible quality. One of the biggest mistakes that we see people make is the purchase of cheaper products, even if they own professional curling sets.

Let’s be clear: you don’t want to buy 50 cent shampoo at the dollar store. Instead, choose something that’s infused with argan oil and can give your hair the healthy shine it needs. It’s a bit more expensive, but you’re going to thank us at the end of the day. If you need any hints or tips on great products, make sure you take a look at our store, you’re going to be quite pleased with what we have to offer!
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Style it Properly
There are many ways to maintain your volume, for example, if you are using a hair straightener, you can pull upward on your locks, rather than downward to create the illusion of additional volume. It’s a pretty simple trick but it works very well.

Take Good Care of your Hair
Just as with any other major change, this will put some stress on your body, and with that being the case, you do need to make sure you’re taking proper care of it. Use the right products and as per always, use the right protection with your hair wand set. Once your hair returns to normal you’ll have a lot to learn, again, but it won’t be too difficult. As always, make sure you check out our Carebox, which, for a fairly low price contains all of the products you need to make your hair sleek and shine every single month.

This article first appeared on HSI Professional