Would you believe us if we told you that you’re basically a house plant with feelings? Your body is 70% water and each strand of your hair can contain as much as 25% water. It makes sense then that hydration is the foundation of health for you and your locks.
Healthy hair vs. not-so-healthy hair
In healthy hair, the outermost layer, or cuticle, consists of tightly-bonded shingles which overlap, like roof tiles, to protect the internal layer of the hair strand – the cortex – where water molecules and keratin proteins are safely tucked away .
In damaged hair, the shingles of the cuticle open and rough up, causing split ends, breakage and that haystack look we all bemoan. Vital water, fats, and oils escape, resulting in sad, lacklustre locks.
Upping your daily water intake is essential for healthy hair growth, but once those strands pop through your scalp, no amount of water you drink can replenish moisture that is lost through bleaching and blow-dries .
This is because the hair you can see is not alive. Your scalp and hair follicles certainly are, making it vital that your haircare routine is scalp-friendly. But hair strands themselves? They’re essentially skin cells that have bitten the biscuit.
Every strand of hair grows out of its own hair follicle, and inside each hair follicle is a group of talented cells that reproduce to make new hair cells. These new, living cells attach to the root of the hair strand, pushing out the old cells, which is what we notice as the hair shaft.
Hair cops a fair bit, between bi-monthly colours, chemical straighteners and too much heat, causing it to resemble an overused mop. Because there is nothing we can do to revive battle-hardened tresses from the inside, a moisturising haircare routine is important.
If you hair has become hard to wrangle, it’s probably time to lavish it with some drinkable hydration and return it to its baby smooth glory.
Enter: the hair mask…
If you regularly colour-treat or heat-style your locks, think about making a hair mask your mane squeeze.
Conditioners are great at smoothing the hair cuticle, but they don’t remain on the hair long enough, or contain meaningful concentrations of beneficial ingredients to replenish moisture and reseal frazzled locks.
A hair mask, on the other hand, is a deep-conditioning treatment. It contains greater concentrations of all the good stuff – nourishing butters, oils, nutrients, and antioxidants – to breathe new life into listless strands.
Because masks are richer and more hydrating, you can use for as little as 2-5 minutes, once a week, and experience notably silkier hair. But if your hair is often subject to trying conditions, subbing out your conditioner for a hair mask can fast-track your re-hair-bilitaton.
It’s a great idea to pop on a hair mask for an extended period, once in a while, giving your hair and scalp more opportunity to drink in all of its goodness.
Choosing the right hair mask for damaged hair
There exists a tangle of products on the market, each promising to give you longer, thicker, “insert other lofty, unproven claims” hair.
But what hair company marketeers won’t tell you, is that the very same products they’re spruiking could be partly responsible for poor hair health.
Yes, bleach, colourants and hot tools have a lot to answer for when it comes to damaged hair, but the bulk of hair products on the market are loaded with synthetics.
Harsh preservatives and fragrances can stress your scalp, mess with oil production, and weigh down your hair; while silicones coat your tresses, creating artificial shine, while preventing moisture and nutrients from permeating the hair, to truly improve its health.
Conventional conditioners, filled with silicone, demand more frequent hair washing and, seriously(!), who’s got time for that? How often do you reach for the dry shampoo and toss your hair into a messy bun to squeeze one more day out of your shampoo?
Haircare should create healthy, glossy tresses and balance your scalp’s natural moisture, not coat your hair in artificial residue, which attracts dirt and oil.
So, what to look for in a hair mask?
You’ve found yourself here at George (you clever thing!), so we’re guessing you want no-frills haircare that works double-time to keep your hair happy, so that you don’t have to.
Now seems a good time to give you the 4-1-1 on why our Better Hair Days Mask is your necessary hair friend.
At George, we only put the good stuff in, with zero nasties to cancel out the efforts of hard-working plant butters and oils. And gosh, do they earn their keep!
We’ve ruthlessly researched and tested the cleanest, plant-based ingredients, with documented benefits for hair and scalp health.
And when we say, ‘the cleanest’, we mean that our ingredients are sourced from the natural world, as much as possible, and never watered down or processed beyond recognition.
Better Hair Days is full to the brim with moisturising shea butter, nutrient-rich coconut, flaxseed and jojoba oils, collagen-boosting Kakadu plum and protein-packed quinoa.
And when it comes to caring for damaged hair and a cranky scalp, the ingredients that we don’t put in are just as important as those we do.
You’ll never find any silicones, sulphates, parabens, phthalates, polyethylene glycol, DEA, EDTA, triclosan, artificial dyes or artificial fragrances in a George bottle – no way, José!
If, like us, you nerd out on haircare factoids, find out how each ingredient in the Better Hair Days Mask loves on your hair and scalp, here .
Here’s to many happy hair days in your rosy future!
