Hair emergencies: Limp hair, bed head and more 

MANILA, Philippines – Ever found yourself in a situation where your tresses are in such a bad state on a day when something important is about to happen? It could be a business meeting or a sudden party you have to attend – the way your hair looks can either make or break your look.

Here are some ways out of the most common hair emergencies to keep your long locks looking sleek and clean:

Hair emergency 1: Give limp hair some volume

Nobody likes limp, lifeless hair.

After washing your hair, towel dry your mane then blow dry upside down, brushing it with a round brush.

If your hair is curly, a brush will make it frizzy so using just your fingers to run through it while using the drier will preserve your curls’ structure. The water will loosen your roots while the drier will help keep the volume

If your hair is naturally fine, invest in volumizing shampoo and conditioner. Mousse is also essential as it will help you build up your hair and give it volume and shape. If you’re not up to using mousse, you may want to try a lighter product like a volumizing spray.

Hair emergency 2: Even out bed head

Fell asleep in the car only to find out that one side of your head is completely flat after resting it on one side? There’s a simple way to get rid of bed head. Spray a bit of water on the limp side of your head and brush it towards the opposite direction.

This will add volume and even out the hair’s shape on the other side. However, remember to do it softly so that you don’t end up teasing your hair.

Hair emergency 3: Make greasy hair look healthy

When you wake up late on a weekday and only have 30 minutes to fix yourself and get to the office, don’t fret. 

When you don’t have time to thoroughly wash your hair, try dry shampoo. It’s a product that first came out in the 60s, endorsed by mod icon Twiggy. It can come either in liquid form stored in an aerosol can or powder. 

The product absorbs excess oil in your hair using its silica and starched based formula.

Don’t know where to get dry shampoo in Manila? Handmade Natural Cosmetics brand Lush and TRESemme both have dry shampoos in their line. However, you can also make your own. Just sprinkle baking soda, corn starch, and flour or ground oatmeal onto your hair. Let it set for a few minutes then bush them off with a fine-toothed brush.

Hair emergency 4: Look party ready

Uh-oh. You totally forgot that it’s your friend’s engagement party tonight. No time to drop by at your favorite hairdresser’s prior to the party? There are two quick ways to elegantly put your hair up and make it look like it was professionally styled.

For a stylized, high ponytail, comb your hair backwards. Leave out a lock of hair that’s about an inch thick. Make sure that the hair’s roots are from the back of your head, nearer to your nape.

Grab a thin hair tie and use it to pull your hair into a high ponytail. Leave out a thin section from the bottom of the ponytail, and use that to conceal the hair tie. Secure with bobby pins. 

Another way would be to grab a hair tie and secure your hair into a low ponytail, starting at the nape of your neck. Loosen the ponytail by parting the hair to create a hollow space in the middle. Make sure the space isn’t too big and that the ponytail isn’t too loose. Grab the end of your ponytail and insert it first it into the space in the middle followed by the rest of the hair. Pull downward. Tighten the the ponytail by grabbing the ends of of your hair and parting it in the middle, then pull towards opposite sides. This should create a twisted ponytail look.

You can also use products like a bun maker or Goody’s spin pins which can secure your hair into a bun.

Hair emergency 5: Make dandruff less obvious

A bad case of dandruff can be really embarrassing. Especially when you’re out, wearing clothes in a dark color, making them far more obvious than the usual when flakes fall on them.

First, brush off the flakes on your clothes to remove all the visible flakes. Next, you will have to hide the flakes that are on your scalp. 

Grab a lock of hair that’s about an inch thick. Make sure the lock’s roots are near your scalp. Pull the lock of hair backwards and place it over your scalp to hide the flakes. Secure it with a bobby pin.

Brush the rest of your hair towards your back and tie it in a tight, high ponytail. Brush off excess flakes that may have landed on your clothes after.

Got your own hair emergencies and their corresponding quick fix? Let us know in the comments section below. – Rappler.com

Girl fixing her hair image from Shutterstock