How Healthy Is Your Hair?

You watch what you eat, rarely skip a workout, and your body is in great shape. Can you say the same of your hair?!

How easily does your hair absorb water and conditioner?

A. Almost instantly.

B. It takes a few seconds, but my hair accepts water and conditioner easily.

C. Water seems to bounce off my hair initially, and it takes a while to wet it.

How frequently do you get your hair cut?
 

A. Infrequently as I can get away with
 

B. Every six to eight weeks
 

C. At least monthly
 

How often do you have your hair colored?

A. Rarely to never
 

B. About every 4 to 12 weeks (depending on single-process or highlights)
 

C. Every three to four weeks
 

What heat setting do you use for styling tools like blow-dryers, flat irons, and curling irons?

A. The highest setting, of course! How else would I get it stick straight like this?

B. Low heat, and I try to keep the styling tool moving constantly.

C. I don't use them; I air dry and just go with my hair's natural texture.

How often do you have your hair colored?

A. Rarely to never

B. About every 4 to 12 weeks (depending on single-process or highlights)

C. Every three to four weeks
 

How do you feel about using styling products?
 

A. I hate stuff in my hair

B. My hair has many moods

C. I owe my look to the power of products

How do you select your shampoo and conditioner?

A. According to the lowest price tag
 

B. My stylist recommends products for my hair type
 

C. I'm always adding the latest launch to my arsenal
 

How often do you shampoo your hair?

A. Few times a week
 

B. As necessary
 

C. Daily
 

What thermal styling tools do you use?
 

A. None I have neither the time or patience
 

B. A blow-dryer a few times a week
 

C. A blow-dryer and a flattening or curling iron daily
 

How long does it take you to blow-dry your hair?

A. No time at all; I let it air-dry

B. Until it's dry

C. After  it drys, I go over sections again to straighten them 

How often is your hair treated to home or salon deep-conditioning treatments?

1. Never

2. Twice a month

C. Twice a week

Describe your hair's texture.

A. Medium

B. Fine

C. Coarse

How often do you heat-style your hair with hair dryers, flat irons, and/or curling irons?

A. I don't use heat-styling tools.

B. Every morning, and I touch up during the day occasionally.

C. A few times a week.

Hair Neglect (Answered mostly A)

Even if you wear your hair long or are letting it grow, get your ends trimmed every three months, Hair needs proportion adjustments so that it does not morph into a shapeless or out-of-control state.

"Hair should be washed a minimum of every other day," Your scalp needs to be cleansed of pollution and salty perspiration so that bacteria does not mix in and cause flaking. When it comes to your shampoo and conditioner, you can keep on saving cash, but ask your stylist for her favorite bargain products, and use the correct formulations for your hair. A sprayable, detangling leave-in conditioner will make your hair supple, shiny and never tacky-without hassle, mess or required skill.

Perhaps you shun blow-dryers because of the time and skill required. Let your stylist or her assistant show you easy techniques and time-saving tips-even if you are just going to wield one for big events. Toss your brush if bristles or protective rubber are missing. "If you are a minimalst and want to own a single brush, a gentle paddle brush is the best option.

Try at-home deep-conditioning treatments twice a month.

Healthy Locks (Answered mostly B)

You and your hair work well together. Whether you have been maintaining the same style for some time or enjoy updating your hair with seasonal trends, you are on target with your cutting schedule. Your color plan is fine-you know to get your roots touched up every four to six weeks, or when your highlights need attention.

Add a few easy elements to your regime, try altering your shade with a gloss or glaze, which will change the tone of your single-process treatment or highlights. To determine your styling products du jour, consider the weather forecast, the condition of your hair before you shampoo it and your plans for the day and evening. Try defrizzing serum on humid or rainy days or a leave-in conditioner when your hair seems thirsty, and take along a root lifter for office-to-evening plans. Blow your hair just until dry, typically 5 to 10 minutes for short hair, 10 to 20 for medium, and 15 to 40 for long hair.

Keep your brush working for you by cleaning it weekly. Shampoo every other week in a sink of lukewarm water, rinse with cool water, shake out, and dry. Keep using protective hair products in the sun, and reapply after swimming. Also, wet hair with clean water before you jump in the pool or ocean to reduce the amount of chlorinated or salt water that your hair absorbs.

Tress Abuse (Answered mostly C)

So you never feel satisfied with a cut. Rather than running back to the salon (or finding a new one), reassure yourself that hair needs a week or two to settle into a new shape. Regarding color, if you find yourself obsessively running in for attention at the glimpse of a dark shadow near your roots, apply a deep-conditioning treatment or a gloss or glaze instead of more highlights or single-process alteration.

Clearly, you love products, but too much alcohol in hair spray, bodifyers and root lifters can be drying. Use half the amount or choose alcohol-free options. When layering products or creating concoctions, make sure one of them has a conditioning element. Major styling-product fans often set up cycles of too much product buildup, then too aggressive cleansing, then back to trying to make dried-out hair look good with more products. Clarifying shampoos can overstrip hair when used more than once a week. Stop the cycle by asking your stylist for styling, cleansing and conditioning diet advice. Work out before you shampoo and condition. And remember, just because you are in the shower does not mean you must shampoo and condition your hair can simply rinse it clean.

Protect your hair from the heat of a blow-dryer and other thermal styling tools by applying a silicone spray to damp hair before you dry it. "The dryer nozzle should never be closer than a half inch to your hair, and once your hair is dry, let go of that dryer. Your stylist can teach you to section and properly get your hair smooth without abuse. Toss aside your brush with metal or all nylon bristles for one with a combination of natural and nylon that will conduct less hair-damaging heat.