The Fix for Dull Dry Hair
Many people think they have "Dull Dry Hair," but dull and dry are two different adjectives for hair. Dull is when you have a coating on your hair and it feels like a matte finish. When you have dry hair, it means your hair needs more hydration. The solutions for each of these issues are different. Dull hair needs a fresh start and dry hair needs to be hydrated. Dry hair seems to get all the attention so most people don't recognize that dull hair is a thing.
Is your hair feeling heavy, unmanageable, with a halo of frizz and there is just no shine or bounce to it? You need some dull hair repair!
Dull hair has a matte coating on it and so it gets weighted down, it attracts more heaviness to it and it becomes a vicious cycle. Some people experience dull hair more than others but some of the most common factors that contribute are:
Styling product buildup
Waxes/super thick cremes that are made to tame your hair will build up over time and will need to be removed for a fresh start.
Silicones/dimethicone is like slippery glue when applied to your hair that starts out shiny+reflective but smothers and weakens the strands.
Not rinsing your conditioner enough can create dull hair
There actually is a difference between leave-in conditioning products and conditioner made to rinse out of your hair. Rinse out conditioner has a higher percentage of ingredients like cetyl or cetearyl alcohol (fatty alcohols that are smoothing) that feel oily and slippery when wet, but waxy when dry. The waxiness in your hair and can attract things in the environment like dust and pollution which coat your hair and causes dullness.
Hormonal shifts (that cause your skin/scalp to over produce)and stress
Many people experience gunky/rashy buildup on their scalp following hormonal shifts around their monthly cycle, or as a reaction to food sensitivities and many have also reported this reaction to too much coffee. Think of how different your perspiration is when you are under tremendous stress as opposed to the every day and know that the same type of reaction is happening throughout your body.
Mineral buildup from your hard water
Conventional shampoos typically contain a chelant- sodium EDTA-which scavenges the minerals in your water and helps to rinse them off your hair. “Natural” shampoos typically do not contain this ingredient.One of the reasons people feel that their shampoo is no longer working or they need to switch it up is that many times “clarifying” shampoos contain an extra amount of surfactant (cleanser) which doesn’t scavenge the mineral buildup. Or they try vinegar which is known to scale buildup on hard surfaces when used near full strength. If not diluted properly, vinegar can damage the hair shaft and it also neutralizes the effectiveness of the cleansers.
The Fix for Dull Dry Hair:
Dullness and buildup need to be stripped away to reveal shiny, reflective hair underneath. The cuticle needs to be closed to keep hair protected.
Our Shampoo Booster+Masque is a powder that you mix with your favorite Flourish shampoo. It creates a foam that you apply to your scalp and hair. This foam has a lower pH than shampoo on its own-but it is perfectly buffered to not be too harsh. Leave it on for a few minutes in the shower, then rinse. The citric crystals attract mineral buildup that has settled on your hair and scalp and rinses it away. The other ingredients lift residue and the overall acidity has a brightening effect.
Completely rinse conditioner from your hair when showering. Use a wide tooth comb to help spread and coat each strand from scalp to ends. Combing will also work to remove tangles while there is still product on your hair that actively works to detangle-as opposed to when you’ve already rinsed it out. Your hair should feel slippery and light. If you feel that you could use more slip, add a pump of our Rosewood Infusion Glossing Drops into your conditioner next time. We formulate the majority of our conditioners to be oil-free so hair doesn’t get weighed down or heavy but you can easily customize to your exact needs.
Choose styling products that are effective for your hair-but also light and residue free. There are many ingredients that are water soluble and super effective at closing the cuticle and adding shine to your hair without the weight or heaviness. Our LavenderMint+Wild Clover Hydrating Mist will detangle, close the cuticle and add shine. Need more control for stubborn spots? Try the LavenderMint+Wild Clover Silkening Serum. Both are almost as light as air but incredibly effective.
Every week or two, add the Shampoo Booster+Masque into your routine to keep your hair light, shiny and bouncy. Pay attention to any changes in your routine that might call for switching things up and nip any buildup or dullness happening in the bud.