Overview
If your hair is dull, lifeless and limp, you may be using too many styling products. If you blow dry, straighten and color your hair frequently, give your hair a rest. When hair becomes damaged, it can feel like straw when it is dry, and sticky or gummy when it is wet. Using styling products and tools like blow dryers and hair straighteners sparingly can help transform your hair from a dry, damaged mess to shiny, manageable locks.
Step 1
Wash your hair only a few times a week. Washing your hair daily can deplete your hair of its natural oils. If you must wash your hair every day, apply conditioner to the ends of your hair first, then, without rinsing the conditioner off, apply shampoo to your entire head. Lather the suds into your hair, then rinse.
Step 2
Brush your hair with a hairbrush that has boar bristles, recommends Harry Josh, creative consultant for John Frieda Collection in “Harper’s Bazaar.” Using natural bristles will help redistribute the oils from your roots to the tip of your hair, making your hair silky and shiny with minimal breakage.
Step 3
Apply a glaze to your hair after coloring, recommends colorist Rick Wellman of Patrick Melville Salon in “Elle” magazine. Lightening hair can open the cuticle, which makes hair look dull and lifeless. To perk it back up again, use a hair glaze, available at drugstores and beauty supply stores.
Step 4
Spray your hair with silicone to add shine. Spraying hair with a glossing spray or serum that contains silicone can help tame frizz and keep hair looking shiny. Avoid using too much, which can make your hair look greasy.
Step 5
Use alcohol-based products sparingly, if at all. Hair products that contain alcohol, like hairspray, gel or mousse, can dry out hair and make it look dull. Replace your hairspray with an alcohol-free spray to keep hair looking shiny.
