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| Photo Credit: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/shoppingandfashion/782024/heart-evangelista-swears-by-this-next-big-thing-in-hair-care/story/ |
Ok, Let's get this straight!!
One of many qualities or shall I say, Physical features of a filipino that really stands-out from other nationality is the HAIR, SKIN COLOR and NOSE (😂😂😂), a typical filipina can be described as medium height, "brownish" Skin (morena), long black hair and cute/big nose-- but more emphasis on the HAIR and Skin, !! Period!!!
I remember walking in the parking lot moths ago, a group of ARABIC ladies suddenly stopped me from getting myself inside my car, I was so scared, like I can feel my heart pumping so hard going up to my throat, I thought they going to hurt me, but opposite happens, they were friendly and they just ask where did I bought my WIG (😂😂😂) to my surprise, I burst out laughing telling them that my hair is not a wig its natural but colored ( Mahoghany color at that time) , I even dare them to pull my hair if they are not convince that it is indeed natural. but anyway to cut the story short, one of the ladies is getting married in a week time and her hair was falling, super wavy, and thin ( you can almost see the scalp), she was looking for instant solution like wig or something, she was desperate to find the perfect wig like a filipina hair long thick and shiny.
Most Filipinos are naturally gifted with thick, shiny, straight hair, if you happen to see some filipino with damage and thin hair, perhaps this is partly that they overdo any treatments or has to do with the environment like in kuwait the water seems to be very hard that taking a bath everyday will eventually damage the hair. I once joked with my officemates that the reason FILIPINOS have a nice hair because we ate a lot of fish and banana, a week after " BANANA and Tuna" has become a super trend in the office packed lunch, and it is where I fully convinced myself that HAIR may not be that important part of the body (we can live without our hair) but it is indeed a crowning glory for everyone to feel beautiful and confident.
HONESTLY, There is no secret to FILIPINOS black shiny hair, it's purely GENETICS, but I can tell you few practices and rituals on how to maintain/ take care of our precious hair, and even how to cheat to get that super shiny flawless hair, interested??? here we go...
1.) SHOWER everyday ( at least once)
One of the essential step to great hair is to keep your Scalp and hair clean.
In my 15 years living in kuwait, working in a diverse multi-cultural environment SHOWER is not a common practice here, ( I don't judge) but in many occasions, I get to observe women with pretty faces but fails to see the importance of taking a bath (in general) everyday, so if you want to get that beautiful healthy hair, starts by REMINDING yourself that washing your hair everyday keeps the dandruff and odor away.
2.) FIND the right Products for your HAIR
We often observed that when we use harsh shampoo on our hair, we tends to get dandruff or falling hair, it's always best get to know your hair type, (Oily, Normal, Colored, Wavy, so on...) these things matter, I for one, tried many shampoos from the past, my biggest mistake is using products which are recommended by others, I mean, there's nothing wrong taking recommendations from others or specially endorsed by famous people, remember, NOT all that are suitable to them is automatically suitable to you, always check the ingredients, test if needed then maintain if you find the right one!
3.) SHAMPOO and CONDITIONER -They are BEST of FRIEND!!
These two should go hand and hand, Get the right SHAMPOO and partner it with the perfect condition, always have that handy conditioner after every shampoo this is to keep your hair super smooth specially if you are aiming for straight smooth hair. CONDITIONER on the hair and not on the scalp.
oh.. CREAMSILK conditioner is like DUH!! Filipino ultimate brand !! try it!! 😁😎
4.) Let your HAIR breathe
YES!! let your hair breathe, avoid anything that caused suffocation, I understand that most women here are wearing hijab, let your hair dry before putting hijab, maintain clean and healthy scalp above all things , avoid putting oil or cream when wearing hijab, this is to let your hair breath, if one is not wearing hijab, let it flow for sometime, use hair friendly hair tie, stay away from rubber bands, do not tie your tight and hard to the extreme.
5.) HAVE a TREATMENT at least once a week
Hair Treatment, does not always mean going to the salon, sometimes, the best treatment is just at the comfort of your home mixing all natural ingredients, here are few example how to pamper your hair at home:
a.) Coconut Oil - a common extra virgin coconut oil available in a department store will do, do this during you off day, massage a handful of coconut oil into your hair, covering root to tip, and leave it for like an hour or two then rinse ( do not forget to use hair conditioner for extra smooth)
b.) Argan Oil --- same process as per the coconut oil, Argan oil is good for colored treated hair, preventing damage and falling
c.) Natural Aloe Vera -- Promotes Hair Growth with Moisturizing effect, it has anti-fugal properties preventing fungus on the scalp, reducing/preventing dandruff and anything alike
d.) Olive oil as Hot oil treatment, do not use excessively just enough to treat your hair, rinse and do not forget to conditioner
These are just few of many natural ingredients to pamper your hair naturally, if you feel that you do not incline in all natural, you can always buy a hot oil treatment products available in the market, the important is, take time to pamper your hair at least once a week and always use the right products suitable to your hair type
6.) Eat the Right Food and Stay Hydrated
Eat food that are high protein, biotin ( for hair growth), Vitamin A and foods that contain Omega 3, you scalp is like skin, drinking water can keep your scalp hydrated and healthy preventing problems like dandruff, itchiness and so on. prevention is better than cure, any problem in our scalp can lead to hair problem overall thinning or hair loss
7.) Find the right professional to do your hair
I always believed that, not all are given the right hands/skills to handle hair, I tried so many salons even on the length of Home service and I feel that, there is always that person who are naturally gifted or in plants (GREEN THUMB) when it comes to hair, in our Filipino tradition there is what we called "heavy hands" these are people working in the salon that has very negative impact on hair's energy, when this type of person works on your hair as to whether a simple cut or treatment, it may look good at the beginning but "the after effects", your hair feels completely stress unmanageable, in my case, I feel like my hair is growing too slow, dry, dying and losing its energy to grow.
Always go to the SALON where the reviews are good and are highly recommended by people who actually tried the service, Well, I cannot convince you to be as superstitious as I am but trust me, find the right person to handle your hair.
Also, you can cheat your way to super shiny, straight hair thru salon's appropriate hair treatments, my TAKE is to, Thoroughly check and find the right salon, go ONLY to the PROFESSIONALS/EXPERTS to handle your hair specially when you do it the first time.
8.) Keep it Simple and Maintain an Easy Routine
If you cannot keep up with the routine, find ways to make it simple, Taking care of your hair should be simple and budget friendly, taking a shower everyday with right products, maintain a simple hair routine like combing it right before sleeping (not excessively),
These are simple things that can be part of our daily routine without exerting too much effort. make it a habit to keep your hair clean and healthy THAT's all...
