DRY VS DAMAGED:

UNDERSTANDING YOUR

HAIR TYPE

 

THE BEST WAYS TO REPAIR AND NOURISH YOUR HAIR

The differences between damaged hair and dry hair are often very subtle, but they matter. It’s important to take the time to find out exactly what your hair needs and to start incorporating the best products into your routine. At Aveda, we worked with our team of scientists and artists to develop a series of tests to help you determine if your hair is in need of repair or hydration.

 

You can conduct these tests on your own at home or sit down with an Aveda hair care expert for a complimentary Hair & Scalp Check. This professional analysis of your hair’s health is available at all of our retail locations. Ready to get started?

 

 

What causes hair damage?

 

Many factors contribute to hair damage. Environmental damage can be caused by UV rays and pollution. Heat styling from curling irons and blow-dryers and physical factors (like brushing, styling, detangling and extensions) can also put added stress on strands. Relaxers, perms and other chemical treatments along with hair coloring and bleaching can also cause damage.

 

You can spot some damage just by looking at your hair and paying attention to how it behaves in different situations. Split ends or broken strands and variations in thickness are signs of hair damage.

 

Damaged hair also may feel fragile, especially when wet and often reacts to the weather, getting frizzy in humidity or brittle in dry, cold environments.

 

 

The elasticity test

 

Elasticity is how well your hair stretches and returns to its original length. Hair with good elasticity is stronger and more resilient. When hair is damaged, hair elasticity may be compromised, making it weak and prone to breakage.

 

This test helps determine elasticity and whether or not hair is in need of damage repair.

 

STEP 1: Start by holding a strand of wet hair securely at your scalp using two fingers.

 

STEP 2: With your other hand, gently pull the strand upwards and release the hair.

 

STEP 3: If your hair stretches and easily breaks, you have poor elasticity and are experiencing damage. If your hair stretches and remains slightly stretched out, meaning it doesn’t fully bounce back, you have medium elasticity. If your hair stretches and returns back to its normal state, you have good elasticity and likely little to no damage.

 

Still wondering if you’re experiencing damage? Ask yourself these three questions:

• Do you color or chemically treat your hair?

• Does your hair break or split?

• Are your ends brittle or thinner?

 

If you answered “‘yes” to most of these questions, your hair is in need of repair. Our botanical repair system is expertly formulated to help you address all of these issues.

 

 

How to fix damaged hair: botanical repair

 

The new botanical repair system is a range of at-home products and professional salon treatments that have been formulated for all hair types and textures, including color-treated and chemically processed hair. This unique 93% naturally derived* system builds strength and repairs damaged hair from the inside out.

 

Our quest for a higher standard in hair repair began with our team of renowned scientists who searched the world for the most powerful plant actives. The team then spent six years testing them until they uncovered the exact sequence that repairs the three key layers of hair.

 

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER FOR DAMAGED HAIR

Our sulfate-free cleanser botanical repair strengthening shampoo works to strengthen and repair while gently cleansing to remove excess sebum, product build-up and pollution. For conditioning and detangling, reach for our botanical repair strengthening conditioner. Together our shampoo and conditioner repair damaged hair while preventing future breakage.

 

PROTECT AND REPAIR DAMAGED HAIR

For protection against heat up to 450°F and UV damage (the drying effects of the sun), apply our botanical repair strengthening leave-in treatment from roots to ends. This plant-powered treatment instantly detangles hair and reduces breakage.

 

Our botanical repair intensive strengthening masques, available in light and rich, leave hair visibly healthier, softer and shinier after just one use. These masques help to multiply bonds at the hair’s interior layer for deep, transformational repair.

 

PROFESSIONAL TREATMENTS FOR DAMAGED HAIR

From color treatment add-ons to a repair focused hair and scalp intensive service, the new botanical repair professional treatments will instantly transform your hair during your next salon service. Formulated for all hair types and safe for color treated and chemically processed hair, these treatments use bond-building plant technology to strengthen and repair hair.

 

With the botanical repair system, the end result is hair that looks and feels healthier, softer and shinier.

 

Strengthen and repair with the NEW botanical repair

 

 

What causes dry hair?

 

Like damaged hair, there are a number of factors and situations that can lead to dry hair. Overwashing, sun exposure, extreme heat, chlorine and heat styling are just a few of the ways hair can become dehydrated and depleted of lipids. Lipids are the part of your hair shaft that helps keep it healthy, shiny, manageable and strong.

 

Typically, dry hair lacks shine and is not smooth, soft or glossy in appearance. It can tangle easily and has the same appearance or thickness from root to tip.

 

Some people have consistently dry hair for their entire lives. For others, it happens gradually with age or is impacted by a change in environment, location or the seasons.

 

 

The hydration test

 

Porosity affects the hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It also plays a big part in how much hydration the hair needs. This test is used to determine whether or not your hair would benefit from products formulated to hydrate and replenish.

 

Hydration test illustration.

STEP 1: Start by holding a section of dry hair between your thumb and forefinger.

 

STEP 2: Lightly backcomb by sliding your fingers along the hair from the ends to the scalp.

 

STEP 3: If your hair feels rough and backcombs easily, it is porous and lacking moisture.

 

 

If you’re still unsure if your hair is in need of hydration, ask yourself these questions:

• Is your hair rough from roots to ends?

• Does your hair tangle easily?

• Do you have a dry scalp?

 

If the answer is “yes” to most of the above questions, your hair needs hydration. Our nutriplenish collection is a hyper hydrating hair care line that replenishes dry and depleted hair.

 

 

How to fix dry hair: nutriplenish

 

With nutriplenish, we developed an intensely hydrating collection using nature’s most nutrient-dense superfoods to give you lush, visibly healthy and manageable hair. These 94% naturally-derived* formulas are powered by our superfood complex that is packed with hydrating ingredients such as organic pomegranate oil, coconut oil and mango oil.

 

In order to cater to every hair type and texture, we created two nutriplenish collections, light moisture and deep moisture.

 

LIGHT MOISTURE

Light moisture features lighter formulas with fast-absorbing oils that smooth and hydrate dry hair. Ideal for fine to medium hair, our nutriplenish shampoo: light moisture, nutriplenish conditioner: light moisture and nutriplenish leave-in conditioner provide softness and manageability while keeping hair looking healthy.

 

DEEP MOISTURE

For medium to thick hair, our rich and decadent deep moisture collection contains 50% more nourishing butters than the light moisture collection. Our nutriplenish shampoo: deep moisture, nutriplenish conditioner: deep moisture and nutriplenish leave-in conditioner work together to deliver hydration while keeping hair soft and free from tangles.

 

To maximize moisture, turn to the nutriplenish multi-use hair oil. Featuring a 100% naturally derived* blend of five power oils, our multipurpose oil delivers nutrient-powered hydration and shine for all hair types and textures. The concentrated blend of avocado oil, jojoba oil, mango oil, coconut oil and organic pomegranate seed oil instantly nourishes and conditions each individual hair strand, restoring brittle and depleted hair.

 

No matter which nutriplenish collection you choose, the result is the same: lush, visibly healthy, manageable hair.

 

Discover the hydration of nutriplenish

 

 

How to address hair that is damaged and dehydrated

 

When hair becomes severely damaged, it is unable to hold hydration, meaning it’s both dry and damaged. What can you do? Start by addressing the damage first.

 

Focus on repairing and strengthening the hair using botanical repair to repair damage from the inside out. Repeat the elasticity test if you want to assess improvements.

 

Once your hair’s structure is restored, you can focus on restoring hydration and adding moisture with nutriplenish.

 

These two collections will work together to give you visibly healthier hair. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.

 

 

 

SHOP THE STORY

 

 

*From plants, non-petroleum minerals or water.