Deciding on the right hair length is something that many of us struggle with. Sometimes we need to turn to a professional to help us settle on the right length for us. We are all different and factors such as hair texture, face shape and personal style all play roles in determining what works best for each of us. Ishi, of Salon Ishi, doles out some expert advice on the topic.

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The texture of your hair determines the best length for your hair, while your face and body proportions are still the most important factors in getting a style that helps you look your best. Though having long hair may be a style choice, you have to let the quality of your hair rule.

Fine Hair

If you have baby fine, thin hair letting it grow long only draws attention to its quality. The ends get even thinner looking because the volume of space you are filling with your hair is greater. Shorter hair brings out the best quality in fine hair. Many people are disappointed with this type of hair, but from the hairdresser’s perspective it’s great hair to work with. You can do all sorts of things with it that thicker hair just doesn’t allow: It styles easily, and you can get it to move in the style direction you desire. A little holding product is all you will need to keep that style. The finer the hair the shorter the length is a good rule of thumb. Caretrico Treatment Moist Sleek is a great conditioner for fine hair.

Medium Hair

If you have medium texture hair, curly or straight, body proportion and of course your face determine the length that’s best for you. Your hair needs to be trimmed regularly to keep it looking healthy. Just a slight trim to remove dead ends helps in the growing process. And like all textures, your overall hair condition determines the length you can grow your hair.

Thick & Curly

For thick curly hair, longer length adds weight to your hair. The length keeps it from puffing up and makes it more manageable. You need to add styling products to keep the curl in control. Let it dry naturally. Don’t brush or comb through it, as this disturbs the curl pattern and makes it get bigger. Curly hair is the most delicate. It breaks easily so getting to a longer length takes commitment. Proper conditioning is absolutely essential. Caretrico Treatment Slim Through  works wonders on thick curly hair.

The longer you grow your hair the more you have to condition it. Exposure to the elements over time depletes hair’s moisture, making it dry and fly away. The texture of your hair could make it dry and brittle. The more you shampoo the more damage you could do. Rinse, rinse, rinse and conditioning in most cases is the best way to keep your hair in its best condition. Let’s face it, long hair is older hair. If you don’t keep the condition good, you’ll need to trim to get rid of the hair that is not in good condition. Sometimes this will be a dramatic trim, but long, healthy smooth and shiny hair is the only long hair to have.

Sometimes it seems there is no end to the list of products that everyone says you simply MUST be using on your hair.

Shampoo
Conditioner
Mask
Leave-in Conditioner
Defrizz Serum
Volumizer
Curl Enhancer
Dry Shampoo
Moisturizing Gel
Protectant

You get the picture.

So what’s the truth? The truth is that everyone’s hair is different, has different needs, and therefore everyone has to discover what is best for his or her own hair.

There are some basic facts that are true of all of us.

Here’s a piece of information that may help your understanding of hair health: every strand of hair on your head is technically dead. That’s right. It’s all dead. By the time hair emerges from the hair follicle on the scalp the cells that make up the hair have completed their life cycle. They’re hardened protein, which gives hair (and nails, incidentally) their durability. But this means hair strands aren’t continuing to receive nutrients or moisture from the body to build them or repair them. Hair continues to grow and hair strands lengthen, true, but because of new hair being created in the follicle and pushing old hair out.

Here’s another bit of data that is generally true about hair:

It grows at a rate of about half an inch per month.

Do the math. A strand of hair that is just 6 inches long is about one year old. If you have a mane that falls below your shoulders and is more than 12 inches long, the hair at the end is more than two years old. And it’s been dead for two years. With your hundreds of shampoos, blow drys, curling irons, and flat irons, together with sun, wind, and dirt, it’s taken a beating.

And that is why hair needs all the support you can give it to keep it looking fresh.

Dryness is the main culprit.

Dryness leads to a rough, scaly cuticle, a brittle texture, and a damaged look. Therefore, products that replace moisture, that protect the hair from drying out, are very important to maintaining healthy looking hair.

Conditioning hair after shampooing is good. Very good. Saturated hair allows the conditioner to penetrate better. But you’re still rinsing most of it out.

Styling products offer some protection, they’re good for supporting the hair and achieving desired looks. But they don’t necessarily add moisture or conditioning.

You need to be using a leave-in-conditioner.

To give your hair the moisture it needs, throughout the day, every day, and help it look it’s best, you need to be using a leave-in conditioner. As the name implies, this product is applied after you get out of the shower and is left in until the next time you wash your hair. Apply to damp hair and style as usual. If you’re fighting frizz or fly-aways you’ll find this step really helps.

Arimino’s Bamboo Moisture Veil and Caretrico’s After Treatment Enrich Milk are proven as a leave-in conditioner, defrizz lotion, and detangler, formulated for all hair types and never too heavy. This may just be the secret you’re missing.

Find Brent Lockhart on Twitter and Instagram @brentlockhart

Most women with curly hair seem to feel societal pressure to straighten it. It’s as if a message has been communicated – if only subtly – that straight hair is preferable. Is curly hair not good enough? I have observed this phenomenon in all types of woman: Caucasian, Afro-Caribbean, Asian, Hispanic…the list goes on.

Strong Anti-curly Cues

This message is so strong that demand has created not only straightening balms, industrial strength blow dryers and flat irons, but also more permanent solutions, like hair straightening processes – some taking 6-7 hours.

I’m OK, You’re OK

As a curly cue myself, it took me a long time to accept my curly situation. I realized I needed to commit to who I was and let my hair be. The truth is that soon as I started going with the flow of my hair texture, working with it instead of against it, my hair looked much better. Finding the right products is a huge piece of the puzzle, especially as we move into summer.

It’s All About the Products

Finding the right products for curls can be akin to a science experiment. You have to be patient and willing to try different combinations of products to see how they work together with your hair. I have tried so many different products in so many different categories! To some extent, I tweak my regimen depending on the weather or season and occasionally due to new product finds.

Here’s my current regimen:

Shampoo Daily

I either use Caretrico’s Type H Shampoo or Philip Kingsley’s Re-moisturising Shampoo. This shampoo can be found in Philip Kingsley’s Smooth & Shiny Jet Set. Make sure to shampoo your scalp ONLY and give yourself a 5 second scalp massage. (or 3 if you have zero patience like me) I recommend trying both for a period of 4 weeks each to see if one is better for your hair. If you like them both, rotate seasonally. You may find that one works better for you in colder weather, etc. Also, depending on where you live, one may react better with your water supply. Here in New York City we have hard water, which is tough on dry, curly hair. In the Caribbean, or other parts of the world where the water is soft, you may find that your hair dries nicer, softer and/or shinier.

Use a Leave-in Conditioner or Leave Your Conditioner In

This particular step is one that many hair care professionals will not advise. But if this is wrong, I don’t want to be right. It works! My favorite, absolutely can’t live without hair product is Caretrico Privy Treatment Slim Through. Ishi introduced this product to me. It is meant to be used as a conditioner or 10-20 minute hair treatment. Since there is not enough moisture for my hair (my hair is coarse, curly and bleached), I actually leave it in, and once applied, run my Du-Boa Scalp Massager through my hair to distribute the product.

Use a Scalp Toner

Right out of the shower, use Philip Kingsley’s Scalp Toner. Healthy shiny hair, starts with a clean scalp.

“Priming” Products

Start with a quick spritz of Vine’s Care Water. This boosts the efficacy of all the styling products that you use subsequently. It also adds moisture, defrizzes and adds volume to fine hair! If its good enough for NASA, its good enough for me!

• Spring & Summer Hair Primers: Arimino’s Bamboo Moisture Veil .
• After Coloring or Going to the Beach: If you have just colored your hair, or plan on going to the beach, use Arimino’s Aqua Moisture for this step. It’s super moisturizing and will get you through the 3 days after color application that tend to leave hair looking its driest. This product will also sand guard your hair at the beach.  (Yes, I am completely OCD about this entire process.)

Styling Products

I use Philip Kingsley’s Curl Activator followed by Ouidad Climate Control Heat and Humidity Drops.

What About Killer Humidity?

If it’s humid out, even with all of the above steps, I always seem to accumulate frizz close to the strands that frame my face. When your hair is almost completely dry (never use a hair dryer) take 5 drops of Cosmetics 27 Huile 27 and scrunch it around the dry areas. I also wrap it around particularly fuzzy curls.

On Hair Masks

Use Philip Kingsley Elasticizer treatment 2 x per week. It makes such a difference. For those with finer hair, and Claire has talked about this before, once a week should do the trick.

Uber Important Note

All these steps should be done separately and you must flip your head over and scrunch to make sure you coat every hair with product.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter @AlyssaBarrie