How to prep your hair for styling

BeautyElbi Dippenaar
How to prep your hair for styling

There are many tutorials available online, however, styling your hair is still a challenge. Your top-knot keeps failing because, your hair-type may be different from the person demonstrating. They may have thick or coarse hair, where your hair may be thin and fine.

To successfully style your hair, you may need some additional prep-work to make your favourite style last.

To clean or not to clean

It is a trick as old as time – it is best to style your hair when it is a day or two after it has been washed. Some build-up gives your hair texture, making it easier to style. This will however, be different for each person.

  • If you have to style your hair right after it has been washed, wash it a few hours before styling so that you can ensure that it is completely dry
  • If you can, wash your hair the day before your big event. This will allow your hair to get some of texture back overnight
  • If your hair is only greasy in the high-touch areas like your fringe, consider washing that part only, rather than all your hair
  • If it’s been two days after your last wash, you may use a dry shampoo
  • If it has been three days, you should rather wash your hair, and use a texturizing product

How to choose your styling products

Dry shampoo can add texture and volume in your hair, and is widely considered one of the best haircare hacks of our time.

Before you consider your styling process, care and protection should be your first priority. Heat tools may damage and dry out your hair over time.

For thicker hair, leave-in products, oils, creams and lotions are recommended. For thin hair that may be weighed down by heavier products, a spray or foam is recommended. A thickening lotion can be applied to make your hair appear fuller. We love the Redken Thickening Lotion All Over Body Builder 06, 150ml.

Heat protection products also act as a primer, to prep your hair for styling.

Our favourites include:

Once you have washed your hair, you may need a texturizing spray to keep your hair from falling flat. Add a bit of volume to your roots, and ruffle your hair without a feathery frizz taking over, with the help of a styling product.

For volume we recommend:

To add some texture for a natural beach-wave look, you can pinch your hair with a straightener and twist it for a few seconds. Do so in random parts to give it choppy bends. You can do this for updo’s that are  supposed to be messy instead of sleek and neat.

Ad a texturising product or a hairspray for better effect. Always remember to spritz your hair while it falls, so that you catch all of it in one coat, and not only the top layer.

We love:

If you are not using heat styling tools, we recommend

If you have curly hair and would like to let your hair dry into that natural curl, go without heat or use a diffuser, but definitely use a product that will enhance your natural curl.

We love:

Always remember to choose products that layer well together, and start with a little. You can always add more, to avoid weighing your hair down too much.

Stuck? Visit our DryBar at the Mopani Crossing store and get a recommendation on which products will be best suited to your hair-type.

We can deliver your medication, supplements, cosmetics, fragrances and other Mopani online shopping, nationwide. Contact us for info: mopani.co.za | crossing@mopani.co.za | Tel: 0137555500 | WhatsApp: 0661921703 

Tags: Beauty, Haircare