There’s a reason the terms "
bad-hair day" and "good-hair day" exist–your hairstyle has the power to set the tone for your entire day. When it’s looking exactly how you you want it to, you walk a little taller and feel like you can take on the anything life throws your way. So wouldn’t it be nice to feel that way all the time? Read on for expert advice on how to resolve some of the most common hair issues.

Problem: Frizz
Solution:
Start with adjusting how you shampoo your hair. When you wash your hair too frequently, it can cause dryness, leading to frizz. Instead, apply shampoo right at the roots and when you rinse, the shampoo will run through to the ends—this is enough, says Steve Racine, co-owner of Salon Odysee in Montreal.

Then it’s key that you use a wet styling product–a product you apply to your hair before blow drying–this helps
smooth the hair; think of it as the equivalent of adding fabric softener to help smooth out a shirt, says Steve. He recommends Redken Power Tame for coarse hair and Redken Sheer Straight for normal hair.

Also, consider using a serum, such as Redken Shine Enrich, on your ends. "The thicker oil texture will further prevent any frizz," he says.

Problem: Stubborn waves
Solution:
"A lot of women with in-between waves have a hard time knowing what to do with it," says James Valiant, manager at Suki’s Salon in Vancouver. But the good news is that with wavy hair, it’s easy to get a lot of volume thanks to the hair’s texture and body. He recommends using a product in a lotion format, such as Kérastase Lait Nutrisculpt (if your hair texture is fine, opt for Shu Uemura Amplify instead). Blow dry with a round brush and then apply large velcro rollers to set your hair—this will give you volume at the roots, smooth out the middle and body at the ends, he says.


Problem: Greasy scalp.
Solution:
First, you need to determine what type of greasy scalp you have: does your scalp get greasy in the wintertime only, or is your scalp producing too much oil no matter the season? If it’s the former, with your body overcompensating for the dry conditions and heaters going on in the wintertime, Ivan Gibski, owner of Flaunt Boutique in Toronto, recommends using Bumble & Bumble Sunday Shampoo to combat against the drying conditons. If, however, your scalp just consistently overproduces oil, you’ll want to use Pure Resource from L’Oréal Professionnel, to help control oil production, he says.

Over-processed, brittle hair? Smooth it out with these tips on the next page …
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Problem: Cowlicks
Solution:
"Cowlicks are tricky," says James. "A lot of people have them around the face–and sometimes a cowlick is good, adding a natural lift." Your best bet for dealing with a cowlick is finding a knowledgeable stylist who knows how to cut your hair in a technical, precise way that works with your cowlick.

You may be able to train your hair into place by brushing it daily to overcome your cowlick, says James. That said, he believes you should approach your cowlicks with the belief that you can’t beat what mother nature has given you.

Problem: Brittle, over-processed hair
Solution:
If you’ve been mistreating your hair, it becomes brittle. Perhaps you’ve over-processed it with colour and highlights, you haven’t protected it from the sun, you got loads of unkempt length you haven’t dealt with, or you’re simply just aggressive with your hair. Ivan’s recommended regimen for brittle hair? Before you shampoo, however, he recommends brushing your hair with a boar bristle brush to stimulate the scalp and get the oil moving. “Your natural oils are one of the best treatments for your scalp and hair,” he says. Then shampoo twice, but concentrate on the roots and let the lather rest on your scalp for a few minutes. While you let the lather rest, take this time to apply a treatment such as Bumble & Bumble Mending Mask or L’Oréal Professionnel Absolute Repair to your ends. “These take three to five minutes to activate,” he says, so be sure not to rinse them out too quickly. However, resist the temptation to leave them in your hair. “This can reverse their effects and add to the brittleness of your ends,” says Ivan.

Read more:

Hair styles: Up and away
Expert hair advice: His favourite looks
Hair styles: The best hair styling products

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