While the changing seasons are a pleasure to watch, they are not kind when it comes to hair health. Winter cold causes dryness and breakage, and summer heat and humidity lead to frizzy hair and fly-aways. Worst of all is when hair lacks shine and turns a great style into a dull coif. Unfortunately, shine can be robbed from hair during any season.
"Research suggests that shine in your hair is often the difference between going unnoticed and catching someone's eye," says Pantene Principal Scientist, Cheri McMaster. Here, McMaster shares some basic Do's and Don'ts of promoting and maintaining healthy, shiny hair:
DO protect hair from the sun. Skin protection is a popular topic, but not everyone knows that repeated exposure to the sun's powerful ultraviolet rays can strip hair of its shine and leave it looking brittle and lifeless. Sun can also turn color-treated hair dull or brassy. The best way to shield hair from the effects of the sun is to cover up with a hat or stylish head scarf. It's also smart to spritz hair with a leave-in conditioner before covering up to help repair damage and leave locks shiny and soft.
DON'T believe the myth that simply rinsing hair in cold water can restore hair's shine and silkiness. Try using a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week, followed by a cold water rinse, to bring back hair's shine.
DO avoid overprocessing hair with metal styling tools that can cause breakage. Instead, use ceramic styling tools that not only distribute heat more evenly, but also tend to have adjustable temperature settings that can be tailored to the styling need. With heat styling, one size does not fit all!
DON'T forget that shiny hair starts in the shower. Many people believe that shiny hair can only be achieved by piling on lots of styling products. That's simply not true. Products such as Pantene Pro-V's new Ice Shine Shampoo and Conditioner are designed to work together to improve shine and overall smoothness, before even getting out of the shower.
The right mix of products and protection will maximize hair health and lead to radiant shine all year long.