MID-LENGTH HAIR

My hair is at that awkward stage where I can't decide if I should grow it out or get a blunt, collar bone crop again. Whether I go longer or shorter, the one thing I'm always striving for is texture. I love looking for beauty inspiration on Pinterest and all of my hair pins seem to have something in common: tousled. While I dilly dally over what to do, I think I need to practice some of these messy knotted up-dos, don't you?

{images}

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR FOR YOUR HAIR

I've read about using apple cider vinegar on your hair on lots of beauty blogs (most notably ohdeardrea), but it wasn't until my friend tried it and raved about the results that I was sold on giving it a go.

WHY If you live somewhere with hard water, like I do in London, chances are it's affecting your hair. Hard water causes the shafts on each strand of hair to stand up, instead of lie flat and smooth. When hair is dry, the soapy deposits in shampoo cling to the shaft and are less easily rinsed out, which means you are likely to get a build up of product that results in limp and lank locks. Using conditioner only masks the problem, using silicone and other chemicals to coat the hair shaft, creating a smoother look. But, as the cycle continues, the product build up will only worsen.

WHAT It might seem illogical to put something acidic like vinegar on your hair, but the results are really surprisingly. I did some research, and it turns out that apple cider vinegar is actually close to the pH of hair, which is naturally acidic, while shampoos and other hair products are strongly alkaline. The apple cider vinegar actually closes the hair shaft, unlike conditioner, resulting in a smoother finish, and it's also a natural detangler. I was sceptical it would get the knots out of my hair like conditioner does but when you rinse it through, it makes it really easy to comb through wet hair.

HOW I'm not ready to go no-poo just yet, so I wash my hair first with a gentle shampoo. To make your own apple cider vinegar rinse, mix 1 part vinegar to about 5 parts water in a jam jar with a secure lid so you can store it in the bathroom. I pour it over both the crown of my head, through the hair at my temples and over the ends, working through any knots with my fingers. Be careful not to get it in your eyes though, it really stings! Once you rinse it out, there is no smell whatsoever left behind. For extra conditioning, you can use it as a leave-in conditioner without rinsing it out. You might smell like a salad for a little while, but my friend assured me that the smell completely goes once hair is dry (and I smelled her hair - it's true!). I dry my hair with a towel using this helpful hair tip and leave it to air dry for a smooth, silky finish.

Would you try it? Let me know how you get on!

A TIP FOR SMOOTHER HAIR, NATURALLY

Laying off the heat styling has done wonders for the condition of my hair, but I know it’s not realistic to never use straighteners or curling irons again. About a month ago, I discovered a simple trick to make my hair smoother without weighing it down with product and I thought I’d share.  

I’ve always rinsed my hair with cold water as it’s supposed to smooth the hair shaft and seal the follicles for a shinier finish, but the extra discomfort was immediately counteracted as soon as I started towel drying my hair. Rough drying rubs the hair follicle back up the wrong way and can leave hair looking a little lacklustre and feeling dry. Now, I dry my hair in two motions: patting and smoothing the top of my head with a soft towel and then gently squeezing the ends to eke out excess moisture. It seems like such a small change, but since I’ve started doing it, I’ve been reaching for the straighteners less and less. {top, bottom}