Canadian Living & L'Oréal Paris present
Canadian women share how a game-changing beauty
product impacts their lives. This month, writer, editor and
filmmaker Hina P. Ansari shares how important her longlocks are to her sense of self—and how she’s found exactly
the right product to keep her hair looking its best.From Joan Jett’s blacker-than-tar feathered mane
to the short curls of Olivia Newton John that
perfectly fl irted with her headband, the ’80s
music scene was my go-to source of hairstyle
inspiration for me when I was young. But as I
grew older, I looked for a fresh start. I wanted
to do more with my hair: to braid it, bun it,
accessorize it, fl ip it. So I stepped away from
the scissors, perms and gel and let it grow. The
problem was, the longer it grew, the more high
maintenance it became.
Long hair requires more upkeep to stay
healthy and looking good; as part of the South
Asian cultural beauty regime I adhere to, oiling
my hair was on the menu. It looks glamorous in
the movies and when my aunties do it, but my
reality was far from picture-perfect. The oil washeavy, it smelled, and the process of working
it through my hair took forever. I did it once
and I was done.
Thankfully, a lot has changed since then,
including hair technology. A friend recom-
mended L’Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil and
although I was hesitant to dip into oils again I
gave it a try. I was hooked right away. The oil
protects my strands from sun damage, keeps
frizz at bay—perfect for my wash-and-go life-
style—and gives me next-level shine. I massage
a few drops of this powerful leave-in treatment
on my towel-dried tresses and my hair feels
hydrated and nourished. I even throw it in my
bag so when humidity strikes I can apply a touch
to my ends but, truth be told, I think I do it more
because I love the way it makes my hair feel.LIQUIDGOLD
When it comes to dealing with
dry strands, hair oils are essential.
L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil is
formulated with six precious oils
that instantly nourish hair, leaving
it soft, silky, and shiny—without
weighing it down or feeling greasy.
Best of all, this penetrating oil
works on all hair types. L’Oréal
Paris Extraordinary Oil, $8.99,
lorealparis.ca.PHOTOGRAPHY,^CARLYLE^ ROUTH.^ H
AIR,^BRENNEN^ DEMELO/L’ORÉALPARIS.^ M
AKEUP,^JODI^URICHUK,^ L’ORÉAL^ PARIS/PLUTINOGROUP.^PRODUCT^ PHOTOGRAPHY,^ GEOFFREY^ ROSS.^TOP,^SHOP.NORDSTROM.COM.EARRINGS,^HM.COM/CA.^ B
RACELETSAND^RINGS,^ HINA’SOWN.Leave-in Oil
Treatment
Beauty
MOMENTS“The oil protects my strands from sun
damage, keeps frizz at bay—perfect
for my wash-and-go lifestyle—and
gives me next-level shine.”
Secrets From a
Hair Expert:
Brennen Demelo, L’Oréal
Paris Canada hair artist and
expert shares his tips for how
to get the best performance
out of hair oils.PRE GAME
If your hair is both thin and
thirsty, a moisture mask might
be too heavy. Instead, con-
sider pre-shampooing with the
L’Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil.
This means applying the oil
to your hair before you lather
up. For even distribution, use
a wide-toothed comb and let
the oil sit for 10 to 20 minutes
before shampooing it away.
Your hair will immediately have
more fl exibility, softness and
shine—without added weight.SMOOTH BOOSTER
Just as with skincare, you can
supercharge your hair masks
and treatments by adding a few
drops of oil, says Demelo. The
added shot of oil helps seal the
cuticles down (adding shine),
gives heat protection (for
when you blow-dry) and helps
detangle wet hair. This tech-
nique is perfect for those with
thick, coarse and dry hair types.