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Give your locks a different look
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Making straight hair wavy and vice-versa is now a simple job. A look at how the changes can be done without damaging the hair.
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WOMEN ARE seldom happy with their hair — either they want it wavy, curly or sheer straight. And what better way to experiment than changing the cuts to suit one's own needs. "Amazingly, on certain facial structures, straight hair appears limp and lifeless. Thus, people go in for perms. In the same way, people with naturally curly or frizzy hair get their hair straightened," says Laila Kakade, Begum's (6559296, 23203314).
Permanent curls: Perms work by breaking down inner links in the hair and reform them around a curler to give a new shape — curls that won't wash out. Perming is best done by professionals. There is a choice in the type of curls such as fashion perm, regular and spiral perms or the root perms.
Straighten them: "It is now possible to have straight, manageable and silky hair within two to three hours. Use of good quality straightening products is very necessary," says Laila.
Maintenance: "Maintenance is very important to retain the look, shine and texture of permed or straightened hair. For straightened hair, apply serum. ," says Laila. Don't wash newly permed hair for 48 hours, as any stress can cause curls to relax. Perms last for three to six months, depending on the technique and lotion used. Always use a wide-toothed comb and work from ends upwards. Avoid using too much heat on permed hair. If possible, wash, condition, and leave to dry naturally.
"It is very important to have ends cut no later than four weeks after a chemical treatment. This prevents split ends and creates new tension in the hair. Do not perm or straighten and colour at the same time, give a gap of at least two weeks," says Laila.
A little bit of care: Chemical treatments tend to make your hair dry, so use specially formulated products. "Use appropriate shampoo and conditioners advised by your hairdresser. Conditioners should be applied only on the mid-lengths and ends. Leave for ten minutes and rinse. Apply hair serum on damp hair — bend over and massage hair with your fingers until it dries. If you are in a hurry, use a diffuser. Apply wet look gel if you want your curls to look attractive and stay in place," says Laila.
Styling tools at home: Self-fixing and brush rollers of large diameters offer sleek, wavy look while smaller rollers provide curlier styles. Fabric rollers are for soft setting. Heated rollers are available in sets of small, medium and large rollers, ideal for preparing long hair for parties. Tongs and hot brushes come in varying sizes to create curls of different sizes. Crimpers are used to produce uniform ripples and waves on the hair — fine ridge plates add texture and shimmer while deep plates create slightly softer waves. Straighteners or flat irons are based on the same principle as crimpers but have plates to iron out the curls.
These gadgets are designed for occasional use since they work at high temperatures, which can cause damage to the hair. Make certain you follow the instruction manual carefully. Always shampoo, condition and blow-dry hair, and moisten with styling lotion before setting. Hair dryers double up as hair-stylers and are also used to inject volume into straight hair with diffuser attachments. Check out hair stylers with brush and tong attachments.
A word of caution: Do not hold the dryer close to the scalp; it can cause burns. Never use a dryer without its filter in place; hair can be easily drawn into the machine.
Never use the electric equipment with wet hands and near water. Only use one appliance for each socket outlet — adapters may cause overload. Clean filters regularly, or else the dryer has to work harder and will eventually burn out.
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