Hey everyone, Shalott here! Today we’re going to be talking about how to improve your hair texture in just one week. Before we dive into some of our favorite tips and tricks, let’s review what hair texture really means.
Defining Hair Texture
Contrary to popular belief, your hair texture has nothing to do with having curly, wavy, or straight hair, or anything in between. When we talk about hair texture we’re referring to the circumference, otherwise known as the distance around, each individual strand of hair. All hair falls into three basic categories: fine, medium, and thick/coarse. The texture of your hair determines a whole slew of things including how oily your hair gets, how well your hair will hold a style, the likelihood of breakage, and even how much heat your hair can handle.
So how do you know what category of texture your hair falls into? The general rule of thumb is that if your hair is thinner than a piece of thread then you would fall into the fine hair category. If your hair is approximately the same size as the thread, then you most likely have medium hair. Lastly, if your hair is thicker than the thread then you’ve got thick hair.
Knowing the best hair care practices for your specific texture is critical to making sure that you’re treating your tresses with the utmost tender loving care. Since your hair texture is hardwired in your DNA, there isn’t much you can do to change your hair texture from one type to another. What you can do however is improve the current texture of your hair to guarantee that it’s the healthiest possible.
Fine Hair
Though people with fine hair tend to actually have more hair than their coarse haired counterparts, it can be tough to notice that since fine hair is more prone to breakage and frizz. To fight the frizz, many people with fine hair turn to heat styling and blow drying, but all this actually does is add extra strain on the hair. To improve the texture of your hair in as little as a week, consider switching to a microfiber towel. Microfiber is incredibly soft and absorbent, which serves to dry your hair faster than regular air drying and much more gently than if you were to apply heat. By making the switch to microfiber, you’ll be preventing the excessive strain that your hair’s cuticle layer would endure from the direct application of heat, meaning less breakage and less frizz. Though you’ll notice substantial improvement over how frizzy your hair looks and feels after just a few uses, the biggest change comes after a few months of repeated use. After about 8 weeks you will notice substantially fewer split ends and diminished breakage.
Medium Hair
If you’ve got medium hair you know you’ve got the best of both worlds. Your hair handles stressors like heat better than fine hair and is often not as resistant as coarse hair is to coloring. However, medium hair requires substantially more moisture than fine hair but can often get weighed down by heavy products, especially conditioners.
The trick with keeping medium hair light but full of moisture is to find products that will improve the texture of the hair without weighing it down. For centuries medium haired ladies have been reaching for green tea to add shine and moisture without adding the weight that something like a conditioner would also add. To infuse your hair with all the goodness that green tea has to offer, begin by steeping a bag of organic green tea in two cups of hot water. Since we aren’t planning on drinking it, don’t worry about over-steeping, and let it hang out for 20 minutes until the tea has cooled down. Once you’re done with your regular shower routine, gently pour the tea over your head and let it soak in for a few minutes. Once 3-5 minutes have passed, rinse out your hair in cold water and prepare yourself for instant results!
After just one application your hair will feel softer and look shinier. With each added application, the panthenol in the tea will start to strengthen your hair while the antioxidants work to stimulate hair growth. For best results, do this two or three times a week and remember to always brew a fresh batch of tea and discard any unused tea! You want to be growing long, healthy locks, not a science experiment!
Thick/Coarse Hair
Coarse hair is the strongest of the three textures. While this is beneficial when it comes to heat styling and keeping volume, thick hair can oftentimes crave moisture so it’s important to keep your locks hydrated. As a person with really coarse hair myself, I always feel like my hair is dry so my top priority in order to keep it soft and frizz-free is to pack it with moisture. In order to do that I try to limit the number of times in a week that I wash my hair and when I do, I make sure to do a deep conditioning. Once or twice a month depending on how my hair is feeling I also really love to make myself a hair mask.
Since coarse hair tends to handle heavy products the best, consider concocting your very own olive and coconut oil mask. I have a great little recipe from a previous blog post that you can check out. It’s quick, easy, and guaranteed to improve the texture of your hair by adding a punch of hydration. Whenever I make this my hair is instantly softer, less prone to tangling, and less wiry.
Above all though if you really want to improve the texture of your hair regardless of what category you fall into remember to be gentle and show your hair some love. Avoid over-heat styling and use of harsh chemicals like dyes and your hair will thank you! To learn more about all things hair and beauty, make sure to check out all the programs that Ogle School has to offer.
