In Style

The perpetual lockdown has thrown many challenges at us, and managing our hair locks on our own has been the hardest.

As we remain confined to our homes amid the coronavirus pandemic, visiting salons could be a risk we don’t want to take. It’s imperative we maintain our hygiene and health on our own. Our body requires regular care, so does our hair. The present times require us to be self-reliant and precautious. You can’t help but notice the insanely long hair people have grown these days in absence of any hair care services in the market. It’s time to take the matter in your own hands.

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We present to you a simple hair care regime in this lockdown. You need more than just oil and shampoo to make sure you look good. To get attractive hair, you need many things to groom your hair and look attractive. And don’t worry about your fast growing hair, with no hairdressers around to take care of it. There is nothing wrong in letting it take its course. There’s never been a better time to consider growing out your locks. This is also an opportunity to try your traditional home-based methods to better your hair. Finally, you have the chance to try the chemical-free products on your hair. The home confinement is also good for one’s hair, as it will no longer be exposed to the pollution, dust and sunlight.

When it comes to something as important as your hair, our suggestion is to go traditional. This is, in fact, the best time to experiment with home-based hair care methods and to test how good it goes with your hair type. Let’s start by following these tips for a better and healthy hair.

Time for some Champi

Believe it or not, oiling is perhaps the best method for ensuring strong and healthy hair. Since the ancient times, this practice has been used to ensure a healthier hair. It can be coconut oil, olive oil or even mustard oil, depending on your hair type. Oiling has been proved from generations to prevent hair fall, greying, dandruff and many other complications. Moreover, excessive use of chemicals in some of hair care products today has proven damaging and useless. The oiling provides your hair with essential nutrients to curb deficiencies of vitamins such as Vitamin B12, which prevents premature greying, a common problem in today’s youth. So, don’t hesitate to go for that age-old Champi for a relieving experience in this lockdown.

Home-based conditioners

The conventional products may not be sufficient for maintaining healthy and attractive hair. You have to go extra mile and try home-based conditioners, such as eggs, bananas, home-based hair packs, etc. to give your hair the full dose of proteins and minerals. All the travelling and working damages the hair quality, and conditioning helps to strengthen the hair follicles by reaching the ingredients deep into your scalp.

Avoid too much shampooing

Expensive shampoos and chemical conditioners won’t be enough to help with you with your tresses. It only results in your hair losing its natural shine and become dry with time. Too much shampooing is known to strip your hair of its natural oils, something which one should avoid at all costs. While we understand it’s hard to avoid bathing in this searing summer, but one should find a way around not having to wash their hair on a daily basis.

Eat healthy

They key is in adopting a healthier lifestyle. What you eat and how you live your life impacts the health of your hair. It’s also about using products that are organic and locally produced. The reason we suggest home remedies is because the ingredients are naturally produced. Adopt the hair oil that stimulates hair growth, combats dry scalp and dandruff, remedy damage, adds lustre, and nourishes hair. What you need to do first is to understand your hair type and also the complications. Modern hair studies have thrown up a number of combinations of hair oils for ensuring a healthy hair, including Coconut oil, Argan oil, Jojoba oil, almond oil, olive oil, sesame oil, and many other types. While coconut oil ensures a healthy hair, argan and jojoba is tried for hair growth and almond is known to reduce hair loss and breakage. It all depends on the type of hair one has.

Best hair styles in lockdown

Now that we have all grown our hair unprecedentedly long in absence of any barbers in the market, it’s time to try some trendy styles for long hair. For at least once in your lifetime, try experimenting with your long hair. It’s the perfect time to do so as you are restricted in the confines of your home. Even if the styling and the look goes wrong, the world won’t notice a thing. Donning long year is all about attitude as it is about your looks. Summon the confidence to break away from the pack and try something you have always wanted.

So what should your hair quality be like to try those long curly locks? Well, as far as the hair care experts are concerned, it’s more about the thickness of your hair. Basically, what you need is thick of at least medium thick hair to grow it long. If it’s got some wave in it too, it won’t just hang there. The guys having curly hair can grow long hair really well as the locks drop out as the hair grows. What’s also important is the shape of the face, particularly oval or square jaws, which go well with long hair.

Longer on Top

If you have recently spotted Bradley Cooper’s trendy hair style, it’s our first choice for guys wanting to style their long hair. This look goes easily for men wanting to transition to long hair tresses, and it can go for almost any hair type. This type of styling involves a classic scissor taper with square layers on top. The taper is the key here, which can be cut with a little graduation. The length on top means you can the angles made more extreme. And it’s better not to go too tight with thick hair. You may need to prep the hair with a light gel and then blow dry through with fingers. Any holding cream can then be applied to give the hair a little hold.

Longer Quiff

You should have a heart-shaped face to try this one, and more essentially, think hair. The cut involves more length on the sides, with slightly feathered layers, or have you seen Patrick Dempsey’s soft quiff lately? You would know what we are talking about. This particular hairstyle also requires your hair to be in great condition, or you risk your hair at this length and colour to look dry and frizzy. To style this cut, apply some salt spray on washing the hair before drying to take the shine off. You may also sprinkle in some hair powder, and to get a sleeker look, apply some amount of styling paste through the hair while slightly damp.

Medium curls

This one reminds us of Kit Harington’s casual swept-back hairstyle and is the perfect one to try this lockdown, judging by the ease with which you can get it. This style looks good on oval or square faces, and on men with medium to thick hair. As your hair elongates and the curls fall down around your face, it will naturally be in a perfect position for this type of style. To get this one, you first have to set curls using a cream and then leave it to dry naturally. When the hair dries, run some grooming cream through your hair to get rid of the resulting crispiness. You are set for a head-turning look.

Longer and Messier

This one requires you to have medium to thick wavy hair. This hairstyle is desirable in many ways as it fits most men once they have reached the required hair length. It can be easily maintained. For an example, Dev Patel’s tousled, textured mop looks effortless. And the ease with which he’s been able to pull it off is remarkable. This hairstyle too needs a touch of curl-enhancing cream before air drying.

Mid-length

Chances are you have spotted Brad Pitt with this cool hairstyle, which is a versatile one that can be worn into many styles. In case your hair lacks texture, add some superfine colour lights to give your hairstyle more depth like Mr Pitt. This versatile cut can be styled in many different ways. You could wear it natural, or if you want to go for a more polished look, use a hair cream and sleek it back. The cut works on almost all hair types as long as it’s not too fine.

Long and Braided

If you want to experiment this hairstyle, you need to grow your hair well beyond your shoulders. We promise, it will be worth the effort. This one’s becoming quite popular among the youth today, and it’s for sure it won’t go out of fashion soon. Try the different variations of this particular style – a man bun or a pony or braid only half of your hair may interest you.

From the August 2020 issue of FHM India.