If you think you are the only one having bad hair days during this time of the year, rest assured that it’s a very common problem in this transitional season. The alternating heat and the cold makes your hair frizzy and quite untamable. The Week’s Reya Shreya Rai spoke to Anish Shrestha at K&S Beauty Center to find out just what can be done to get those luscious locks back.  

How can we manage dry and frizzy hair? 
Conditioning is the most important thing to be kept in mind in any kind of weather, especially winters. You should always make sure that you’ve dried your hair naturally before heading out. During winter, you should deep condition your hair every 10-15 days. You can achieve this feat at home by first applying conditioner on your hair, and then soaking a towel or a piece of thick cloth in warm water, and after squeezing the excess water off, wrapping it carefully around your well conditioned hair. Keep this on for 10-15 minutes and then wash it off. 

Do home remedies actually? Could you suggest some of your favorite routines?
A visit to the salon doesn’t come with the guarantee of immediate good results. I believe in home remedies a lot and they work very well. My favorite routine is oiling your hair before showering. However, the most common mistake people make is that they apply excess oil on the scalp as well in hope of achieving healthier hair. This is actually very harmful for our hair. Our body already produces sebum that oils our hair naturally. When we apply hair oil, it does not wash off completely even after a shower and harmful pollutants end up getting stuck on our scalps when we go outside. Which is why you should only oil the tips and not the scalp. My favorite hair fruit pack is a mixture of an egg, half a spoon-full of honey, 1-2 cups of milk and a well-blended banana. This should be applied for 15-30 minutes. It results in shiny and smooth hair.

Do you think it’s essential to frequent a parlor?
I don’t think that it’s necessary to frequent a parlor for beautiful healthy hair. But I also think it depends on people’s preferences of grooming. If you don’t have time to do it yourself, it’s a different thing. Else, home remedies are always good routines to follow. 

How can we protect out hair from Kathmandu’s weather and pollution?
First of all, I suggest you cover your hair properly with a scarf or a piece of cloth while traveling outside and especially while riding a bike. Kathmandu’s water quality is bad so it’s always advisable to oil your hair, let it be for 5-10 minutes, and then shampoo and condition it thoroughly. Finally, using serum is a must in a city like Kathmandu. Not only it helps detangle the hair, it also protects against  pollutants.

And what can be done for extra shine and luster?
Avoid going outside with damp hair at all costs. Pollutants end up settling on damp hair and also, the sun bleaches your hair little by little. Oiling and conditioning in a daily/alternate basis is a must. I also recommend you follow home-based hair treatment plans for extra shine and luster. 

How can we choose the best hair care products?
You should always choose products that complement your hair quality. However, using the same products for a long time actually harms your hair. Although the initial phase might be satisfying, the longer you use the same product, the faster it loses it effectiveness and damages your hair. If I have to name specific hair products that actually work, I’d go with Livegain that is a pretty good Korean hair serum, and L’Oreal conditioners that are really good.

 
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