This article is not vanity-based, well not the unhealthy, truly selfish kind at least. Even if you work out, take some supplements and eat relatively clean you still show a lack of discipline if your skin and hair often get damaged due to bad habits.
We must take responsibility in our diets, hygiene and grooming. Fashionable, trendy, regular, square or anything in between, it does not matter you must do the minimum beauty care. Make sure your appearance is presentable enough and clean. The way our bodies need care and nourishment should also reflect on our integumentary system, the organ system which includes our skin, hair and nails.
You may have too dry, patchy skin, chapping lips, frequent pimples and painful little boils or wounds, dry, flimsy, thinner hair which tangles and breaks easily. What could it be? Let us break down common hair, skin and nail habits and how to solve them.
- Hair: You brush your hair top to bottom instead of bottom to top.
Be patient, never harsh. Your ends are always the driest and them being damaged or further damaged will spread out to the healthier parts. The bottom tangles first always, if you start from the top you are just asking for pain and a longer time taking out tangles.
- Hair: You do not comb out your hair dry before a shower.
Wet hair is more prone to breaking when wet so take out all those tangles before hopping in the shower. It will also greatly help if you take a really small amount of conditioner massaged onto your ends before you shampoo. If your hair is on the dry side this will ensure smooth, damage-free shampooing meaning no hairs will be stretched or pulled out.
- Hair: You do not utilize conditioners and hair serums enough.
Unless you have a rare case of really healthy, bouncy and non-tangly hair then you rarely need this but every girl must have at least a little bottle of serum. One or two pumps are fine and massage your very ends first and always first. Massage thoroughly before wiping the excess serum on the middle part of your hair and very, very little on top or none at all depending on the weather.
- Hair: You don’t get trimmed regularly and let split ends happen more often.
Split ends will happen therefore regular trims every 2-3 months should happen too. 4 is pushing it, doing this is less expensive in the long run because you will require less serum or conditioner.
- Hair: You don’t end the shower cold.
This applies to skin too. Like hot or lukewarm water wilts and softens vegetables and cold perks them up and preserves them, hair and skin behaves the same. Nothing wrong with a hot shower but not too long nor top hot, it is drying and damaging. Cold water as an ending is good for pores because after the hot opens them up for cleansing the cold seals the pores preventing bacteria getting in and oils getting out. Hot water makes hair limp and too fragile if prolonged.
- Hair: Fiddling with your hair too much or not brushing/combing enough.
Also using the wrong brush for your hair type. Curlier or wavier hair needs wider combs and brushes. Playing or tugging on hair definitely weakens the strands.
- Hair: Washing too often.
Unless you sweat a lot everyday. But still, shampooing every other day is fine, some girls do it 2-4x a week only. Depends on your physical activity, oiliness and odor. Condition after shampooing every time.
- Hair: Using the wrong hair bands.
No to rubber bands ever! And take a bit of time going for good quality ouchless ties. They should not tug and pull at hair, gotta be smooth.
- Skin: Prolonged hot showers, not ending with cold.
As we talked about earlier, opening and sealing pores. Gives skin more firmness.
- Skin: Picking at your face, especially with dirty fingers.
Horrid habit. Infections galore plus more pimples. Use natural or organic facial washes, toner and moisturizers. If you must take out a pimple make sure you wash your hands, use a tissue to cover sharp nails and open your facial pores with steam from a stove or hot towel.
- Skin: Skipping on moisturizers.
Find the right formula for your skin type and apply after every shower or before bed. A non-oily eye gel is great, but go for cream if you get very dry all over.
For the body extra virgin coconut oil, eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, castor oil, etc are great options. Go natural as much as possible.
- Skin: Cleaning too much or too little.
Stripping your top layer skin with harsh soaps or harsh scrubbing will dry, damage and invite more bacteria.
- Nails: Biting them.
Just. Stop. It. Use a nail file, carry it with you.
- Nails: Skipping on nail-strengthening waxes or serums.
Add this to your kit, strong nails will help get you through life. Supplements like biotin, calcium and extra protein help too.
- Nails: Using blunt nail clippers.
This will really weaken your nails, select a pricier, sharper and better quality one.
- Nails: Not trimming them regularly and/or cutting them a wrong shape.
With sharp clippers cut patiently into a natural slightly curved shape and file with a good quality or new nail file. Apply nail serum after.
- For all: Testing too many kinds of products.
Stick to what your senses agree with, clue: organic stuff.
