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Money-Savvy Guide to Strong and Healthy Hair
Having strong, healthy, shiny, luscious hair is something every woman wants. And that dream is definitely achievable considering the current level of hair care products and treatments. But does this mean that you need to spend a fortune on salon visits to maintain your beautiful locks?
Of course not! You can have amazing hair while keeping your personal contribution to the $90 billion hair care market minimal. Choose wisely where to splurge and where to save and you’ll be able to maintain your fantastic look on a budget.
To Splurge or to Save: Which Hair Care Products and Treatments Are Priorities?
Save on Haircut
One of the greatest ways to save money on hair care as a whole is to choose a hairstyle that doesn’t require extensive maintenance. The simpler it is, the less often you’ll need to get trims. You also need to consider the shape of the cut. For example, a bob can look quite nice even when it starts to grow out, an asymmetric or layered haircut, on the other hand, can look rather awkward, so you’ll have to touch it up more often.
If maximum savings are your main priority and you aren’t opposed to growing out your locks, stylists advise these haircuts. Note that you’ll need to get a trim every 4-6 months to keep your locks healthy. To save even more, learn how to trim your own bangs.
Splurge on Hair Care Products
Experts state that professional hair care products (those used in salons) are indeed superior to store brands. The reason is that they are made of higher quality ingredients and have higher concentrations of active ingredients. However, the important distinction here is that the best items aren’t the ones you buy directly from a salon but the salon-grade hair care products. Today you can buy those online directly from the manufacturer and save yourself a small fortune. This method also increases the range of products you can get because salons are rather limited in what they offer.
Note that while you definitely should invest in the best hair care products, you don’t need to have a dozen of different jars and bottles in your bathroom. The only things you truly need are a shampoo and a conditioner.
A hair mask is something you should definitely get if you can splurge on it, but you can do without if the money is tight. Girls who need masks most are those who bleach their locks because they require more restorative and hydrating power than a regular conditioner can provide.
Save on Deep Conditioning
While a good hair mask can be useful for severely damaged hair, deep conditioning treatments are rather overhyped. Note that they do make your hair smooth and silky, so you can see that they are effective right away. The point is that you can achieve this same effect at a much smaller cost.
If you take the time to study the ingredients list on your conditioner and a deep conditioner, you’ll see that they are remarkably alike. Therefore, the results you’ll get from using your regular product the same way one should use a deep conditioning treatment (read to leave in for 10-30 minutes) will provide a similar result.
It’s true that deep conditioners are thicker and have a higher concentration of the ingredients that nourish, hydrate, and smooth out your locks. Therefore, their effects are more pronounced. However, if you leave your regular hair conditioner in for longer during every wash and augment this with a homemade hair mask containing coconut oil once a week, you’ll get the same silky hair a $30 salon treatment can provide.
Splurge on Bleach (But Save on Colouring)
If you aren’t happy with your natural hair colour, you can easily change and maintain it at home. Hair colour manufacturers today create products designed specifically for those with no specialized skills. You can also find a multitude of video instructions on how to colour your hair at home. Therefore, with a bit of practice and perhaps a failed attempt or two, you will be able to avoid paying for professional colouring treatment every 6-8 weeks.
Similar to salon-grade hair care products, you can also buy pro-grade hair colour online, so you don’t have to miss out in quality.
The only type of colouring worth regular visits to a professional is bleaching. This treatment is extremely sensitive and damaging by default. Therefore, you should only trust an experienced colourist to do it.
