Heat and mechanical friction wear out the hair. Hairstylist Katja Hämäläinen advises a few points so that you don’t damage your hair unnecessarily.
Drying, curling and straightening your hair wears it down. Adobe Stock / AOP
Many homes have a hairdryer and styling iron in the bathroom. Some may heat-treat their hair every day. How can this affect the hair?
– Daily heat treatment of the hair with a hairdryer or styling irons damages the hair, hairstylist and expert of the Authentic Beauty Concept brand Katja Hämäläinen start.
In heat treatment, the hair is subjected to heat and mechanical friction.
– Heat treatment dries the hair, and when the elasticity of the hair decreases, it breaks more easily.
– Heat treatment also affects the durability of hair dyes negatively, as heat fades colors, Hämäläinen adds.
Hämäläinen reminds that heat protection should definitely be used before starting the heat treatment.
– It is good to take care of the cleanliness of the styling irons, because when they are clean they glide better, and the hair is not subject to unnecessary mechanical stress, Hämäläinen says.
The styling iron should be cleaned after every use or at least once a week if you use it almost every day.
Cleaning the styling iron
1. Turn off the styling iron and unplug it. The cleaning process is best done when the styling iron is still a little warm, but by no means hot anymore.
2. Wet a microfiber towel lightly with water and wipe the surface of the styling iron with it.
3. The surface of the styling iron should never be scratched with any sharp object, as this will damage the surface of the styling iron, causing only more frost to your hair.
4. You can try to clean stubborn dirt from the styling iron by putting a disinfectant on a paper towel. Then wipe off the cleaner thoroughly with a microfiber towel moistened with water.
Styling irons are made from different materials, so you should familiarize yourself with the instructions for use of your own iron.
Source: Byrdie
With these products you can:
Pure=Beauty’s marula oil is a versatile product that you can use in the treatment of dry and aging skin, but also as an intensive treatment for dry and curly hair. Marula oil can be added, for example, to shampoo or conditioner, or used as is on ends and hair. €25.90, Hilla Helsinki.
Aco conditioner intensively moisturizes and repairs hair. The product makes the hair softer, smoother and shinier. Heat treatment often damages colored hair. The antioxidants in this product promise to help preserve the color of dyed hair. €8.40, Olo Apteekki.
Treatment oil from the Moroccanoil brand is suitable for all hair types. The oil promises to restore lost hair-strengthening proteins, shine-giving fatty acids, omega-3 oils and vitamins, as well as hair-protecting antioxidants. The effects of the oil can be felt immediately after the first use. The hair is shiny, silky soft and healthy looking. €49, Stockmann.
This multi-potent, nourishing hair oil from Rituals instantly softens hair, adds shine and reduces frizz. The product also contains vitamin E, which protects against heat-related damage, free radicals and sun damage. The charming smell is also a plus. The product is available in a limited quantity. €16.90, Rituals.
GHD Sleek Talker heat protection oil effectively nourishes hair while providing heat protection. The luxurious oil is applied to towel-dried hair all over before treatment with heat devices. The end result is soft and silky hair. Stay in standard use! €46, GHD.
With the Long Lasting heat protection spray from the vegan Swedish brand Löwengrip, you protect your hair conveniently. The delicious-smelling product spreads easily throughout, and in addition to heat styling, it protects hair from UV radiation and hair color from fading. €23, Stockmann.
When hair is treated with heat often, extra attention must be paid to its care. Maria Nila’s vegan hair mask makes your hair feel magical in just three minutes. €9, Bangerhead.
The domestic Herbina’s Golden Berry Anti-breakage shampoo is suitable for damaged and broken hair. The vegan product made in Finland contains, among other things, domestic flax seed extract. Leaves hair clean and easy to handle. A product with a good price-quality ratio is easy to grab when grocery shopping. A big plus is that the environmentally friendly product is biodegradable. €3.95, S-market.
Kevin Murphy’s Blow Dry Ever Thicken blowing spray is a savior for thin hair. With the same spray, you get more structure, shine and volume in your hair before heat protection and styling devices. €29.90, Shampoo shop.
With the BaByliss Berry Crush Tong curler, you get beautiful curls easily and quickly. The curler is quartz-coated. You like to leave the device in a beautiful shade on display in the bathroom. Really good value for money. €37, A giant.
Product images: manufacturers.