Dull hair is characterized by hair that lacks the basic and necessary elements such as shine, moisture, and body. This can become a nagging issue especially when you enjoy trying different styles and hair health is your main priority. There are many contributing factors to dull hair for example using high chemical products, frequently dyeing, heat styling, using hard water in the shower, daily blow-drying, swimming in salty or chlorinated water, outdoor work in dry winds or sun and much more. These are just some of the many reasons that help to nurture dull and lifeless hair. We will discuss in detail the three “shine blockers” that have been highlighted in our research, these are: the natural color of your hair, hair porosity and chemically coloring your hair (dyes).
Natural Hair Color
The Color Numbering System was created to help identify the primary and secondary reflects/tones that are present in your hair color. This system assisted hair experts and colorists to neutralize and or intensity the color undertones based on a warm or cool result.
With that being the basis on the system, the numbers 1-10 were allocated which demonstrated how dark or light your color is. The system is as stated with 1.0 denoting black, 5.0 denoting light brown, 6.0 a dark blonde, 7.0 a medium blonde and 10 as the lightest blond.
Black hair creates a color illusion of always being healthy, however that is not necessarily the case. Hair with the number 1.0 (black hair) looks good because it reflects light particles while light colored hair (7-10) absorbs light particles.
In the case of greys, hair follicles fault the production of melanin and so have no real color associated. Due to the limited production of melanin, it causes hair strands to become coarse, dry and rough in texture, which make hair appear dull and lifeless. For greys the solution is the famous “Purple Shampoo.” There is one simple reason why gray hair tends to turn yellow and brassy over time.. Purple is the opposing color to yellow on the color wheel, so they inherently neutralize each other when combined. Tadaa! Here is your answer. The purple shampoo is specifically designed to get the yellow out of your hair.
Brassy hair + Purple shampoo = Complete balance
Who would have thought this would take us back to 1st grade math class. LOL. There are a few other tricks that will help to neutralize gray hair when it is brassy and dull. For example, you can mix your shampoo with baking soda and use it as a treatment. Leave the mixture in your 10 minutes and it will help to lift the “yellow” out or you can use a low volume peroxide (10) or use according to your porosity. This will also help to remove the yellow tones and provide a color gloss that is sure to get to smiling. Color correction is both a science and art so speak with your hair stylist, colorist or one of our consultants if you have any questions.
Hair Porosity
Depending on the porosity of your hair, dullness might be a plague and without proper guidance can become a depressing part of styling or manipulating your hair. Highly porous hair has opened cuticles while low porous hair has tight cuticles for penetration. With hair in general regardless of porosity, we can measure the shine factor by simply detoxing the hair and scalp then go in with a hydrating conditioner. The type of conditioner used and detox product depends largely on your hair ID and where you fall on the porous scale. If your cuticles are open, your hair will absorb more of the product and you will see the benefits almost immediately. As for those of you with tight cuticles, the method might have to be repeated for the results to be apparent. Always remember, the healthier the hair, the shiner it will be.
Build Up
Imagine carrying the weight on the world on your shoulders. That is exactly how our hair strands feel when we have a build up sitting on our strands. Build up is largely a result of the need to style our hair and to get it as perfect as possible. It might be a twisty twist out or a straight flow. Regardless of the style, hair products are what we run for first. The use of the products is not the issue at hand more so the amount of product that is used and whether it is for our specific hair type and that specific time. Firstly, stay away from WAX! Wax should be used in moderation and the use of water soluble wax should be your first choice. Remember, to read the product labels ladies. Too much wax or wax related products will make your hair dry and restrict your hair growth while dulling your hair. We should always consider the molecular weight of the product according to our texture, type and condition.
Conclusion
Now that we are all hair specialists as it relates to hair dullness, here are some amazing reminders and tips to consider when you run into trouble:
- Light hair (7-10) should give you a flat shine when healthy while,
- Medium hair (5-6) will give a satin/semi-gloss,
- Dark hair (1-4) should give a high/bright shine and,
- The real method to overcoming dull hair is to detox, restore and style.
If you have any questions or concerns about whether dullness is an issue for you or how to alleviate hair dullness, send an email to hello@myavana.com or book your consultation to speak with our hair experts. Until next time curlfriends.