Although sometimes we underestimate its power. Brushing your hair daily is key to obtaining healthy, soft, and abundant hair. In addition to eliminating impurities and accumulated oil, this action activates the blood microcirculation of the scalp. In this way, the hair fibers receive a greater amount of nutrients and this promotes the growth of the strands. Hence the importance of brushing your hair correctly.
However, the habits we adopt over the years are not always the most appropriate. Sometimes we use the brush and comb indifferently when they have different functions. We pull hair to untangle knots in inappropriate circumstances. We use brushes made of materials such as plastic that weaken the cuticle or we simply spend too much time with our hair tied up without combing it.
To leave behind these and other mistakes that are made when dealing with hair. In this article, we give you a series of tips so that you can make the brush your best ally from now on. If you are consistent you will see significant changes and you will achieve fresher and more revitalized hair than ever.
Keys to brushing your hair correctly
There are many myths around hair care. Some people have the mistaken belief that combing it daily encourages hair loss. However, it is scientifically proven that the opposite is true. The more times a day you brush, the better the blood circulation of the scalp will be. In addition, another of its great benefits is that it provides more shine and volume.
The truth is that, from an early age, no one guides us much about the appropriate way to carry out this routine. We are simply urged to slide the bristles and that’s it, when this habit has implications that go beyond that.
Although it may seem like a simple task, brushing your hair correctly has its technique. There are implicit clauses that you should not break and protocols to follow so that everything goes well. Depending on the type of hair, they will experience slight changes, however, in general terms, the following fundamental tricks should be taken into account:
Brush your hair at least twice a day
Although you don’t need to spend all day brushing your hair. Doing it at least twice a day will help it stay detangled and shiny for longer. In addition to this, you will be stimulating the nutrition of the hair follicles, making the hair grow healthier and stronger.
The most recommended thing, in this sense, is that you do it before falling asleep and when you wake up, for about 1 or 2 minutes. Unless you have a greater tendency to frizz and require two or more passes. In any case, the results will be extremely positive and you will cause the natural oil generated by the hair to move from the roots to the ends.
Detangle it before washing it
Unlike when it is wet when it is dry, the hair is at its strongest and most resistant state. Therefore, we must brush it before getting into the shower. By taking this measure we will prevent it from matting more than necessary when applying the shampoo and in turn we will leave it prepared for the hydration phase.
When the time comes to apply the conditioner or a homemade mask, you can proceed to detangle with the comb without major complications. In other words, the brush is ideal for dealing with dry hair, while to treat it with moisture it is more appropriate to use a comb, preferably with wide bristles.
Start from the bottom up
In terms of styling the hair, the order of the factors does alter the product. The results you will get when you start untangling from the top down will not be the same as what you will get when you carry out this procedure in reverse, that is, from the bottom up. If you part from the root, you will most likely drag the knots towards the ends and cause a greater number of strands to break or fall out.
This scenario will be a long way off if you start at the end since you will avoid sudden pulls by holding the strand from the roots. Subsequently, you will go from the middle to the ends and you will end up brushing your hair from the top to the bottom.
Additionally, it is essential that hair stretching be done from the inside out to minimize frizz. This process must be carried out at all times by segmenting the hair into strands of similar thickness to facilitate the release of the strands and not cause unnecessary tangles.
Massage the scalp
Stimulating the skin that covers the head and which serves as a base for the hair follicles will never be too much. In this sense, once detangling is finished, spending a few short minutes massaging the scalp will greatly help to oxygenate the hair. This way it will grow healthier, stronger,r and more hydrated.
In cases of straight hair, this massage can even be given with the same brush.
Use an oil to facilitate detangling
Regardless of whether it is straight or curly hair, brushing should be done dry. However, in the case of curly hair, it is recommended to use a few drops of some natural oil. Coconut oil, argan oil ,and almond oil are excellent options to facilitate dry detangling, which will serve as a prelude to detangling in the shower.
Choosing the type of instrument that will be used to carry out both procedures will be vital to optimize the results. This is why a brush with large, spaced tines will be ideal for working with curly hair.
How to choose a suitable brush?
There is a huge variety of combs and brushes on the market. However, not all of them are ideal for daily use, nor for all hair types. Each one fulfills a function within certain contexts and is more useful in certain types of hair.
Despite this, various experts agree that brushes with natural fibers are the most recommended and are an excellent option. Their most notable benefits are that they massage the scalp without hurting it, they do not generate static electricity and they prevent frizz.
Those that have boar bristles also fall into this category. Basically ,because they are respectful of the skin, they help reduce breakage, improve hydration ,and exfoliate naturally. The new brushes with silicone teeth, on the other hand, also represent an interesting alternative.