fotofashion : November 2013

As a model or potential model, it is important to take care of yourself from head to toe. That includes not only your skin/complexion and your body but your hair as well. Having a healthy and naturally shiny mane of hair is a very desirable trait for a model to possess, especially female models.

Most male models won’t have to deal too much with their hair so this post will be of more interest to the ladies. Of course that doesn’t men you fellas should neglect your hair.

You may not think much of the role hair plays in the modeling industry but having a good head of hair is like icing on the cake in terms of model attributes. A good head of hair can make all the difference during a photoshoot, not to mention that having excellent hair is also vital for hair show modeling and beauty modeling. It isn’t very appealing to see a model with a gorgeous face, excellent figure but horribly damaged hair. You always want to present yourself in the best light so you’ve got to keep everything on point.

You never want your hair to appear dull, greasy, fried or eaten by split ends. This type of hair is very unattractive. Even Photoshop corrections can be too tedious when dealing with hair. The better off your tresses are to begin with, the easier you make things on the photographer and everyone involved in the process.

One of the best ways to maintain good, healthy hair is to create and establish an easy hair care routine. If you’ve already got one in place that’s been helping, then keep up the great job. For those who aren’t too sure if what they’re doing is good or bad for their hair, it helps to get a consultation from a stylist or the next time you go into your local salon for a trim, ask your hair stylist if they think your hair is healthy and if they have any professional advice or tips for you to follow.

Expect them to recommend buying their store’s hair products to use, which tend to be pricey, but bypass that part and pay attention to any suggestions they may offer about how to handle your hair on a daily basis. Hopefully they will be of some help.

When it comes to choosing the right products, you may want to do a test of different brands and see which ones your hair responds best to. If samples of these products are available for free, go that route to avoid purchasing stuff that may not work or that you’ll never use again. As with skin types, knowing your hair type will also guide you as to which products you should use.

People with permed, relaxed, or dyed hair will want to use products made specifically for color-treated or chemically stressed hair. The wear and tear chemicals and other hair treatments cause are often responsible for split ends, breakage and dry hair.

Deep conditioning works wonders for hair of any type. Photoshoots with hair stylists on-set tend to fill your hair up with spritzes, sprays and pomades as well as other products that can leave your hair feeling heavy and your scalp gunky afterwards. Doing a good deep conditioning treatment on your locks once a week or as needed is an excellent way to keep your hair and scalp healthy and clean from roots to tips.

You can find deep conditioning products at any store, or check out the nearest beauty supply store if you’re looking for a specific brand. Be sure to follow the directions on the label for best results. Most only require being left in the hair for 5-10 minutes and then rinsing. After a few uses, you’ll notice your hair will have a natural sheen and softness. That’s the sign of happy hair.

Getting your ends regularly trimmed can also help you with the health of your hair. If you’re prone to bad split ends or breakage, snipping those troublesome ends off every 6-8 week—or however long it takes for your hair to grow normally—will take care of that.

Leaving split ends untreated can cause your hair to break off at different lengths, creating an unkempt and unsightly appearance—even if you’ve styled your hair (I’m sure you’ve seen at least one or two girls with long, flowing hair filled with odd, light colored specks—those are the split ends). Trimming is different than cutting your hair so make that clear to your hair stylist to avoid a bad or unnecessary cut.

Permed, relaxed and dyed hair is already exposed to some damage due to the chemicals present. This means that the people who get these treatments done need to step up their hair care efforts more than the average person who doesn’t do anything chemically to their hair. If your tresses are fried, feel crunchy or dry, stop using those treatments and put your hair into a rigorous TLC schedule of deep conditioning with a product designed for severely damaged hair.

If you’ve got bad hair habits, cut them out! These include: constantly touching your hair or running your fingers through them (whatever you’ve been touching during the day can be transferred to your hair), chewing on the ends (trust me, I know people who do this), picking at split ends or breaking them off individually, using alcohol based hair products and putting too much heat on your hair daily. Can’t bear to live without using heated styling tools on your hair? Then invest in thermal hair products that will protect your lovely locks from heat damage.

Key vitamins and minerals to include in your daily diet include: B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, sulfur, silica, folic acid, beta-carotene (found in green and yellow fruits and veggies), protein (wheat germ, fish, eggs, beans, yogurt, soy), among many others.