Dos and Don'ts: Hair Care Tips

There are some hair care tips that we have all heard about, and haven’t necessarily tried – mostly thanks to their generally unappealing nature (in my opinion, egg should be for making omelettes, not for washing hair in). But which of these tips actually work and which should we put down to old wives going a bit senile? We look at the top five  hair care myths and reveal whether they’re a do, or a don’t – and potentially prevent you from ending up with egg on your face (ahem).

Hair Care Tip One: Washing Hair in Beer

Sounds a bit repulsive and you can end up smelling like a pub at the end of a busy Friday night. But does this method really give your hair the glossy shine that people say it does? Well, the trick is to mix it with water, then pour it over your head after you’ve shampooed. This dilutes the smell and leaves your hair with a brilliant sheen that you can’t get from conditioner. It’s a shame Long Island Iced Teas don’t have the same effect.

Hair Care Tip Two: De-grease with Talcum Powder

Sadly, Eau de Old People’s Home is not the name of Chanel’s new fragrance. But this method really does work! Just like dry shampoo, the talc absorbs grease and leaves your hair looking freshly washed. A major downfall of this tactic is that it can make dark hair look a bit grey, so if you are brunette, use a small bit of talc and rub it in really well.

Hair Care Tip Three: Lighten with Lemon Juice in Hair

Salon-style highlights using just lemon juice? I hear you gasp in amazement. Yes, it’s true, with a simple citrus fruit you can create sun-bleached highlights in just moments. Which sounds great, except that you need to apply an intense blast of heat moments after putting the lemon juice in, and the heat and the acid combined can damage and dry out your locks. For this reason, it is much healthier to splash out and get highlights professionally applied.

Hair Care Tip Four: Vinegar in Hair

Another shine-enhancer, and another way to add an odd fragrance to your barnet. Why do all these treatments have to smell so much? That’s one thing we can’t help you with. But it’s true that bathing your hair in vinegar after washing, leaving it for a few minutes then rinsing with warm water, gives your hair a beautiful glossiness that wouldn’t be out of place on a L’Oreal advert. Apparently, it’s also great as a repeated treatment for getting rid of pesky dandruff. The real question is, are you worth it - or is the fish ‘n’ chip shop scent out of your league?

Hair Care Tip Five: Pritt Stick in Hair

And finally, a massive DON’T. On a forum somewhere in the darkest corners of cyberspace, a female has suggested that her fellow follicle fanatics use Pritt Stick to straighten out unwanted curls. How is this ever going to be a good idea? Aside from the odour issue (which we can forgive the above tips, as they actually work) this just creates a gluey mess. If you have an abundance of curls, beware ending up with whole Pritt Sticks tangled in your lovely locks in a tragic parody of Lady Gaga and her Coke can rollers.