Hair Myths Debunked!

Searching around on the internet, I’ve found a lot of people with a lot of misconceptions about hair.  Today I am going to explain some of these ‘Hair Myths’!

Q: Does Men’s Hair Grow Faster Than Women’s Hair?
A: Well, the short answer here is no!  This is a common misconception, and I can see why so many people believe it.  Since men’s hair tends to be shorter than women’s, growth is more easily seen when it happens.  When the hair is long, it doesn’t grow slower, but since there’s so much more hair than when it is short, the growth is less apparent.
There is an exception to this answer, though.  Women tend to heat-style and use more product on their hair then men with close-cropped hair, which does damage the hair strand, and product can clog the follicle, resulting in slower hair growth.
Having said that though, natural, healthy hair will grow at the same rate, no matter the gender.

Q: Is combing better for you hair than brushing?
A: This question is a little more tricky.  Depending on your hair’s texture, if it is dry/wet, the length…all these are factors when deciding which styling tool to use.  If you have really tight, curly hair, I would suggest a wide-tooth comb over a brush.  If you have straght or wavy hair, I would suggest a detangling paddle brush (RAINCRY has an amazing detangling brush that comes in a large size and a travel size- perfect for tossing in your purse!  Check it out on their website).
If you have very long hair, you may prefer to use a wide-tooth comb when it is wet.  But it all depends on your technique.  To brush your wet hair without causing too much damage, take a handful of hair and brush with short strokes from your tips, up to your root.  This prevents pulling knots down to the ends of you hair, which is the most delicate area of your strand.  This technique can be effectively used with all hair types.  With tight-curled hair, follow the technique, but replace the brush with a wide-tooth comb.  Also, no matter your hair type, I would suggest a leave-in conditioner and/or a detangling  spray before you tackle the knots. 
A comb is a great tool for styling, while a brush is a great tool for detangling, and mainting your scalp’s health.

A Quick And Easy Wet Hair Style

Picture this- you go to the beach with your friends, you’re swimming and having a good time.  But as soon as you get out of the water, your hair is flat and soaked!  How do you create a cute updo with wet, straight-out-of-the-water hair?  Let me introduce you to the Messy Bun!

The Messy Bun (Recommended for Long Hair)
The messy bun is one of the most popular casual updos of today.  It can be messy and fun when styled with dry hair.  However, it can give you a cute and easy look when your hair is wet and you just want you hair off your neck and out of your face.
To style a messy bun, choose a snag-free covered elastic, and follow these steps. 
            1. Gather your hair up in a ponytail (low or high-both suit the style), and put the elastic around the base of the hair. 
            2. Pick up the slack of the elastic, and twist once.  Pull the ponytail partially through the twisted slack of the elastic. 
            3.  When the ponytail is about halfway through the elastic, it will form a downwards loop.  Twist the elastic again, but this time, pass the elastic’s slack over the loop of hair.
            4. Pull out some pieces, move around the elastic- remember, messy is key, so don’t worry about making it look too sloppy!

There will be more wet hair solutions coming, so keep checking back!

Turn Up the Volume

Voluminous, shiny, sultry hair can be achieved using a couple different methods.

Option 1.   Drying the hair up-side down, aiming the heat right to the root.  When the roots are thoroughly dryed, flip your head over.  Using a round boar bristle brush smooth from mid-shaft to ends.

Option 2.  Rough dry hair to remove half of the moisture.  Section hair and round brush everything below the ears.  Using a boar bristle paddle brush blow all the hair above the ears forward (toward your face)  You can switch brushes to whatever you are most comfortable using (round or paddle)  Continue drying in this direction till hair is completely dry.  Brush hair back to finish and part where desired.

Option 3.  A volumizing brush is an easy way to give roots a boost.  Winding your hair around a Magnesium Curling/Volumizing brush (Raincry makes a good one) is a safe way to blowdry your hair using a blast of heat through the magnesium coil allows hair to dry faster and your roots to stand higher.  Make sure to give hair a cool blast (using the cool setting or button) in the end to set the final shape. 

Reminder:  Always remember to treat hair with the proper styling aids such as a mousse, foam or serum before applying heat to hair.

Fringe Benefits for Bangs

Getting those blunt bangs to sit flat on your face can sometimes be a challenge.  Hair naturally wants to be styled/brushed where it lives, and because nobody is “born” with bangs, they can be a little tempermental at times. 

Here are 3 simple steps to follows for smooth controlled bangs:

1.  Comb your bangs straight out of the shower while still wet.

2.  Using your dryer and a boar bristle paddle brush, brush the hair down and aim the dryer on the hair at the same time (chasing the brush with the dryer)

3.  Repeat this chasing method, while brushing to the left then to the right and then down again.  This gets rid of any cowlicks, resulting in bangs that sit smooth across the forhead.

4.  Finish with a round boar bristle brush to bend ends under.

The Importance of Daily Brushing

Brushing your hair not only feels great (when there are no tangles!), but it is also a great way to moisturize your hair without any styling products.  The right brush for optimal moisturizing is a natural boar-bristle brush.  The boar bristles distribute your scalp’s natural oils from root to tip, helping to prevent your strands from drying out.  Although brushing your hair in the morning seems to be a given, brushing your hair with a natural boar-bristle brush in the evening is the best time, because the oils on your scalp have been building up through the day.

You can find boar bristle brushes at any store that sells styling tools, however investing a good quality brush will save you from having to re-buy the brush over and over.  I have found the Raincry brush line to be the best quality and the longest-lasting.  If you visit raincry.com, they have a boar-bristle paddle brush, and a line of boar-bristle round brushes.  Many stylists prefer to use this line, and they’re perfect for home use.

So remember: brush before bed, from root to tip, with a high-quality natural boar-bristle brush, and you WILL notice a difference!

Hair Brushing Tips

Hair Smoothing Tips

1. Comb your styling products through towel dried hair
2. Create a 1” horizontal section
3. Insert the brush new the root area and so your hair is held by two rows of bristles
4. Place your blow your hair dryer over the top row of bristles and pull the brush in the direction of your shoulders.
5. Repeat this until the section is dry and smooth. The RainCry brush will begin to warm allowing later sections to dry more quickly.
6. Continue this technique until your desired smoothness has been achieved.

Short Hair Styling Demo