Think you know all about hair care? Okay, you might know a lot. But there is a ton of fake news out there about what makes your hair the healthiest and looking its best. Don't fall for 'em. Below, we've rounded up some of the six most common misconceptions about your crown of glory. You may be surprised by what you find!

Cutting your hair makes it grow faster.

“This is a myth and there is no science behind this theory,” states hair surgeon Ken L. Williams Jr., founder of Orange County Hair Restoration in Irvine, California, and author of Hair Transplant 360: Follicular Unit Extraction. It comes down to the physiology of the hair growth cycle. “Cutting the hair shaft itself has nothing to do with the hair follicle that is located within the skin or the dermis,” he explains. While trimming your strands will make unhealthy ends disappear, it won’t encourage your hair to grow at a faster rate.

Washing your hair with cold water makes it shinier.

Well, the good news is you can stop torturing yourself with cold showers. “The temperature of the water has nothing to do with whether the scalp or hair is clean, or the appearance of the hair,” says Williams. “You’re getting a stimulatory effect [with the cold water] — it certainly wakes you up — but that’s all it’s going to do.” However, he states that conditioning the hair can affect its luster and help pump up the shine.

Coloring your hair will only damage it.

“There’s a half-truth behind this one,” says Williams. It has been recorded in medical journals that people who have used strong dyes have actually burned their scalp. “So it totally depends on the chemical, the dye, and the manufacturer you’re using,” continues Williams. In other words, every scalp is unique, so results will vary.

Split ends can be repaired.

New York City dermatologist Francesca J. Fusco, who consults for Unilever, notes that split ends are equal opportunity offenders, and when left untreated, hair becomes dull, dry, and tangled. “Split ends cannot be repaired once a split occurs and cannot be resealed or closed,” she states. The reason: A split end is caused when the protective outer layer of your hair, the cuticle, is damaged. “The best treatment is to get regular haircuts trimming the ends,”’ adds Fusco. They can't be resealed, but if you want to give them some extra TLC, there are a few split end sealers I can recommend that will help restore your hair.   

Dry shampoo is better than washing your hair with regular shampoo.

Dry shampoo can be misleading since it doesn’t actually clean your hair. Fusco explains that the scalp needs to be hydrated and washed with shampoo. It also needs to be rinsed. “It is fine to use dry shampoo in a pinch, but nothing replaces...water and wet shampoo,” she concludes. Try using a rebalancing or hydrating shampoo for purified and hydrated roots.

Fine hair shouldn't be conditioned.

“This is false — both hair and scalp need to be conditioned!” states Fusco. “Proper shampooing and conditioning nourish the scalp, allowing healthy beautiful hair to grow and also helps to condition the hair.” She advises people of all hair types to look for a shampoo and conditioner that is formulated specifically for both hair and scalp.   

This article first appeared on allure

"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.
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This article first appeared on Romper

When it comes to curling your hair there are many tools, techniques and types of curls to explore – curling irons for defined curls, hair rollers for voluminous hair and hair wands for undone waves and curls. While most mane-obsessed people have their favorite go-to curling iron and are also familiar with using hair rollers, hair wands can seem a bit intimidating and confusing to use. To help you master the hair wand, we enlisted David Lopez, lead stylist of T3 and hair stylist to celebs like Ashley Graham, Hailey Baldwin and Chrissy Teigen, to break down the most important things to know when using a hair wand.

So for those who can’t seem to use a curling iron without getting their hair stuck in the iron’s clamp and want to achieve the loose, undone waves that only a wand can deliver, keep reading for Lopez’s six key hair wand tips.

1. Choose the Best Barrel For Your Hair Type

T3’s Whirl Convertible specifically has 4 different interchangeable barrels for your desired wave or curl: Undone Waves 1″ straight barrel, Loose Waves 1.5″ straight barrel, Tousled Waves 1.25 – .75″ tapered barrel and Cascading Waves .75 – 1.25″ reversed tapered barrel. Those with shorter hair should stick to smaller barrels and people with longer hair can vary in size and sections depending on their desired result. According to Lopez, “texture from a wand looks great on every hair length as long as each section is able to get a full rotation around the barrel”

2. Always Start at the Root of the Hair

No matter the look that you’re going for, start with the wand at the root of the hair and wrap towards the end of the wand, holding the hair into place using the hand that is wearing the glove.

3. Hold the Wand With the Barrel Facing Downward

Holding the wand upside down while curling the hair is the most effective way to use the wand. Holding the wand in the direction that your hair flows and simply wrapping the section of hair from the base of the wand to the end will give you the best results for each section.

4. Pick Your Desired Curl

Both your hair texture and your desired curl are factors to consider when choosing which type of barrel to use.

•     For uniformed, spiral waves: choose a smaller, straight wand and curl all sections in the same direction.
•     For looser, voluminous waves: choose a larger, straight wand and curl all sections in the same direction.
•     For tousled waves: use a tapered wand and alternate the direction in which you curl each section.
•     Finally, for lived-in, voluminous waves: use a reversed tapered wand and alternate the direction in which you curl each section.

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Pro Tip: “I like to curl the hair away from the face except for the hair right in front of the ear and below the temple. This creates the illusion of fullness and texture without looking too messy. Great for fine hair!” Says Lopez.

5. Larger Section of Hair = Soft Curls, Smaller Section = Tight Curls

“A very basic rule of thumb is to remember that the larger section of hair that you wrap around the wand, the softer and more subtle the wave is. The smaller the section that you wrap around the barrel, the tighter and more dramatic the final wave and curl” says Lopez. Larger sections will result in looser, old hollywood glam vibes while smaller sections will result in tighter, more defined curls.

6. Take Care of Your Wand

To keep your wand in tiptop shape and protect the wand against buildup from hairsprays and styling products, wipe the wand clean once a week when it is turned off.

For hold and texture, Lopez notes that he first uses Kenra’s Whip Grip Mousse prior before styling and after styling, he mixes Kevin Murphy’s Young Again Oil with Kenra’s Volume Spray 25 in his hands and then runs through the lengths of the hair to give shine and hold all in one.

 
This article first appeared on Mane Addicts

​Out of pure laziness, I’ve always been an air-dryer. Of course, when I’m lucky enough to get a blowout I leave the salon looking like my best self, but even as a self-diagnosed beauty obsessive, I don’t have the skill (nor patience) to recreate a sleek, polished look while I’m rushing to get ready for work.

Alas, post-shower I let my hair do its thing, which, depending on the day, usually results in some sort of a wavy mess. But since I’ll more or less stick to my lazy-girl ways for life, I refuse to believe air-drying has to equate to less good-looking hair, which is why I chatted with celebrity hair expert Kristin Ess to learn expert-approved tricks for naturally drying every hair type.

“It goes without saying that, obviously, the less heat styling the better,” says Ess, who regularly transforms the heads of Lucy Hale and Jenna Dewan Tatum. “Air-drying allows the hair to lay a little smoother over time, and essentially, minimizes damage. But we’re also moving into this world where air-dryer textures are cool—they don’t look so forced or pattern-y, just more of a natural, cool-girl look.”

Ahead, Ess reveals 10 tricks for drying wavy, curly, straight, and thin hair types—all of which are incredibly easy, super quick, and lazy-girl approved.