and areas of itchiness. Leave on for ten minutes for intensive conditioning.- Rinse thoroughly and shampoo as usual.
Use a leave-in conditioner that doubles as a styling aid. Look for soothing and calming ingredients
such as aloe vera gel, oat and soy proteins, panthenol, cysteine, and other amino acids. Too much oil
in your leave-in conditioner can weigh your hair down, so save oils for a conditioning mask or an oil
massage.
If you can pull off a “bedroom hair” look, or disheveled, carelessly pinned or twisted hair, go for
it. For corporate types, it’s still possible to skip every other shampooing by adopting chic ponytails
on long hair. If you have short hair, you can refresh your look by dabbing a bit of cornstarch into the
scalp followed by blow-drying on a low setting.
Air-dry your hair whenever you can. Frequent blow-drying can damage the hair, causing split ends.
If you must blow-dry, make sure that your hair is thoroughly towel dried first. I have found that
organic cotton towels absorb more moisture than conventional ones, perhaps because the fibers aren’t
damaged by chlorine bleaching.
Green Tip
If your hair is fragile, make it a rule to shampoo half as often as you are used to.
If you are going into the swimming pool or ocean, soak your hair in fresh water first and seal the
cuticles with a light mist of jojoba oil so your hair won’t be exposed to moisture-drenching salt or
toxic chlorine.
Always remember to wear a hat in the sun or windy, cold weather. Hats prevent damage from UV
radiation and dehydration from wind and frost.
Sultry Shine Liquid Hair Mask
1 apple, peeled and cored
3 tablespoons neutral henna
½ cup light beer
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 drop lemon essential oil (optional)
1 drop hops essential oil (optional)
Yield:
4 ouncesApples provide vitamins, and the malic acid gently exfoliates scalp and hair follicles. Beer also is
a time-tested shine booster. For best results, use flat beer with no bubbles.
- Puree the apple in a blender. Add the henna, beer, and baking soda and mix thoroughly. Add
the essential oils, if using.