How can you best deal with irritating problems such as oiliness and hair products that are difficult to wash out? What’s the best way to tackle a thinning haircut? And when is the best time to go to the hairdresser’s?
We’ve put together the most practical, indispensable care tips for your hair, with a little help from Dutch hairdressers.
You can easily follow these tips at home to make sure your hair is at its best.
Hair product tips
Use shampoo on dry hair to wash out wax and clay
Hair wax is ideal for styling your hair quickly and easily. A slightly less pleasant side effect of wax and clay, however, is that it’s not easy to wash out (but still much better than oil-based products).
The best way to get your hair clean again is to apply shampoo directly to dry hair and then rinse.
Then use the shampoo again as you normally would: distribute well, let it foam, let it soak in and then rinse.
Don’t wash your hair too often if you have dry hair.
How do you know if you have dry hair? Place one of your hairs in a glass of water. If the hair sinks immediately, you have dry hair, because the hair absorbs water and therefore sinks.
Another way to find out is to test how quickly a hair tears if you try to pull it apart gently. Dry hair is not as strong as healthy hair.
A common mistake for men with dry hair is to wash extra often. This is absolutely not the way to go! If you have dry hair, you should wash your hair once, or twice at most, a week.
And even then, you should also use a conditioner. If you wash your hair every day you will create the opposite effect from what you’re trying to achieve and your hair will eventually feel even drier.
→ Read more: Why conditioner is indispensable for men.
If you still like to intensively care for your hair, we recommend using a conditioner instead of shampoo. That way, you will eventually end up with a beautiful, healthy head of hair.
Household products… for your hair
Almost all shampoos, conditioners, and styling products leave residues on the scalp and of course your hair.
This can cause skin irritation and mean that your scalp is never really clean.
You can wash your hair with dish soap once in a while. The best way to do this is to rub your hair twice with detergent, allowing it to soak in a little longer the second time, then rinse thoroughly.
Then restore the natural pH of your hair with household vinegar. Make sure to rinse the vinegar ;-). The result is a fresh scalp and super shiny hair.
Use mostly water-based products
There are plenty of both oil-based and water-based hair products available, and one is not necessarily better than the other.
However, water-based gel, wax, and pomade are more practical. The hold is a bit less effective but it’s worth considering how much easier it is to wash out.
Oil-based pomade, for example, needs 2-3 washes before your hair and scalp are completely clean again.
In addition, after sleeping, your hair is no longer in shape and that is not easy to fix with an extreme hold pomade.
“ Choose a water-based product for daily use. ”
Grandmother’s remedy: wash your hair with eggs
Is this a myth? According to grandmothers everywhere, by “washing” your hair with raw eggs once in a while you’ll get super shiny hair. The protein is said to provide a nutritional boost.
The egg yolks are packed with fats and protein and have natural moisturizing properties as well.
The protein contains bacteria-eating enzymes that attack leftover oils, and it helps to repair and strengthen damaged hair.
This trick is often used by celebrities to create a natural shine, too. If you’re interested in trying it, here’s how:
- Wash your hair with shampoo first.
- Do not use conditioner.
- Use two to three eggs, depending on the length of your hair.
- Mix the egg whites and yolks.
- Rub and divide the eggs over your hair and leave them on for about 20 minutes.
- Clean your hair with cold water, then wash with shampoo and conditioner.
Afterward, your hair will look shiny and healthy.
Tip: Look at, and feel, your hair before you start this treatment so that you can really notice the difference.
Tip: Wear an old t-shirt. You will notice that the protein is very smooth and will flow down.
Less is more when it comes to hair products
Of course, you want to take the best possible care of your hair – but that does not mean that you have to apply tons of products to achieve.
“ Less is more ”
Wax and pomades with a strong hold especially create greasy hair if you overuse them. In addition, it’ll take many washes to get your hair completely product-free again.
Hairspray for extra hold and texture
If you use wax or paste, you can choose to use a little less than what you would normally apply to your hair.
Instead, you can spray some hairspray into your hands, warm it up by rubbing it in your palms and apply it to your hair.
This adds texture and hold without the need for more product.
Use matte hair products if you are balding
“We see that many men have thinning hair once they are past their thirties,” the Dutch hairdresser we spoke to says.
To make it look thicker, try using a matte styling paste or clay. Matte products absorb light, which is why it will make your hair look thicker.
Clays such as the Clay Pomade have a mattifying effect. A must-have for everyone.
Is your hair starting to get thinner?
Don’t use heavy styling products such as gel and wax on thinning hair. Replace it with mousse, cream or hair spray. Also, opt for a short hairstyle.
Make short hair look firmer and stronger. Your hair will immediately look a lot fuller, depending on the texture of the cream you choose.
Distribute hair product evenly.
This may be a tip that goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway.
Just because you can see the front of your hair doesn’t mean it’s the only place you need the product.
It is important to evenly distribute wax, gel, mousse, cream and even spray to prevent it from clumping.
If you’re using a new product, experiment with a small amount first. If necessary, warm the wax between your fingers, then spread it evenly over your hair.
Don’t forget the sides, because there are hardly any hairstyles with hair sticking out on the sides! On the other hand, make sure not to use too much product.
You can always use extra, but as soon as you have applied too much, your hair will become too heavy and therefore lie flat on your head.
Hair tips for the hairdresser’s
Choose the right time for a haircut
Hairdressers are… also people. And just like you, they don’t have an infinitely long attention span.
If you want your stylist’s undivided attention, timing is important. Most salons are quieter at the start and end of the day, so it’s worth going for the first or last appointment.
Go for the first option and your stylist will probably be at his best and most eager to cut your hair in the style you want. This may not be fair, but it’s the reality.
Look in the shop window at the hairdressers.
This tip actually applies to all services and products that you want to spend your hard-earned money on.
“ A great business sells itself ”
In other words: Are you looking for a new barber or hairdresser but don’t see anyone sitting in the barber’s chairs? Then keep walking, because really popular hairdressers are fully booked months in advance.
Hair tips for the bathroom
Pat your hair dry, don’t rub!
Do you dry your hair quickly in the morning because you’re late again?
Drying your hair in this way (rubbing hard with a towel) is actually a drying technique that’s not great for your hair. There will be breaks, and that’s bad news if your hair no longer feels as thick as it used to.
Your hair tends to get weaker when wet, so pay attention to that in the future!
Don’t blow-dry too hot
It might be tempting to dry your hair with a blow-dryer set on the highest heat setting. However, if possible, it’s best to dry your hair naturally or at the very least to turn the temperature of the hairdryer down considerably.
If you are using a blow dryer, don’t overdo blowdrying your hair as this will leave you with frizzy and damaged hair.
Instead, try drying your hair with your hair dryer set to the ‘cool’ setting. It may take a bit more time, but it will help keep your hair in good condition.
No more cold showers
A cold shower causes the blood vessels throughout your body to constrict, and this is also true of the blood vessels under your scalp.
These vessels transport essential nutrients to and from your hair and clean up dirt on your scalp.
It’s important to keep them active and a cold shower won’t help in that regard.
However, according to the Finns, a cold shower has enormous health benefits… Unfortunately, we could not find any scientific articles to support these claims.
Other hair tips
Be careful with swimming and chlorine!
As any regular swimmer knows, chlorine can cause serious damage to your hair. Chlorine makes a chemical bond with the proteins in the hair and causes the cuticle (the protective outer layer of the hair) to lose its function. This makes the hair dry, brittle, and dull.
To counteract the effects of chlorine, we recommend dampening the hair with clean water before swimming as this will help minimize the adverse effects of chlorine.
In this way, you dilute the chlorine content in the water. Another option is to experiment with applying a little conditioner before swimming.
Relieve stress through head massages
Stress puts your scalp under tension and reduces blood flow. Poor circulation also causes a poor supply of essential nutrients and waste.
This makes your hair thinner. To prevent this and to help the blood flow again, try a stimulating head massage.
