Dos and don’ts of using a hair serum
Most of us have become pretty tuned in with taking care of our bodies. We wake up every day, meditate, drink that green smoothie, move our bodies in some ways, and finally complete our personalised (and kind of therapeutic) skincare routine. However, one part of our body that faces the most neglect can be our hair, no matter how much you swear by taking good care of it. Not many of us take the time to get to know our hair type and porosity. This often results in us choosing the wrong products for our hair. Even if we know our hair type and porosity (and thus have a good pair of shampoo and conditioner), most of us are lacking somewhere. This area where we lack is simply ‘investing in a quality hair care serum’. Hair serums are miracles sent from the heavens above that help in taming excessively frizzy hair, give hair a natural shine and lustre, and often also prevent damage caused by the continual abuse of heating and styling products. Nonetheless, there are certain dos and don’ts that you need to keep in mind both before and after purchasing your next bottle of hair serum.
- Do- choose a hair serum according to your specific needs
Contrary to established myth, what suits your friend X might not suit your hair. Our hair is unique in the sense that it has individual needs and wants. For instance, low porosity hair longs for moisture retention. On the other hand, high porosity hair needs oils and protein to stay tamed. Slathering low porosity hair with a serum that is oily in consistency will only weigh it down. Similarly, slathering an incredibly light serum on high porosity hair will do it no good.
- Don’t apply the serum directly onto your scalp
Hair serum is made for your ends and the length of your hair except for the roots. This is because your scalp produces its natural essential oils. Applying any serum runs the tendency to give your hair a greasy and weighed down look. Additionally, your scalp already has plentiful nourishment from the abundant blood supply, whereas the lengths of your strands and the ends are essentially dead and will greatly benefit from the benefits of hair serum.
- Do apply the serum to slightly damp hair
This is because damp hair is more receptive to all the ingredients that you apply to your hair. While your hair is about 75-80% dry, you should get into it with your favourite hair serum and gently run through your hair strands with it.
- Don’t overapply any serum
No matter how lightweight a serum claims to be, it ought to have some sort of weighing down effect on your hair. This will lead to the need for frequent hair washing, and might accidentally strip your scalp of the essential oils that it produces and virtually needs. This can lead to scalp irritation, inflammation, and flakes. Also, be cautious of the times that you choose to apply hair serum. Ideally, you should be using one just after you wash your hair, the prime frequency of which is about 2 times per week
