Our hair is 97% protein, and 3% moisture. This means that two agents will prove to be beneficial in treating your hair structure: protein (to strengthen and fortify) and water, or moisture (to hydrate).

Every hair strand is incredibly strong, and resilient, but how we care for our hair (washing, towel drying, blow drying, iron curling, dyeing, and commercial chemicals) affect the condition, and health of our hair.

Hair that is in good condition will be able to stretch up to 30% beyond its normal length, and spring back. Test your own hair’s elasticity by stretching a strand between your thumb and index finger. Release the tension on the strand, and see if it returns back to its normal length. If that strand doesn’t return to its normal length, or if it breaks, then your hair has poor elasticity. This indicates that your hair is brittle, and needs moisture.

Healthy hair is able to absorb up to 50% of its weight in water, and the hair strand can swell up to 120% of its normal diameter. You’ll want to check your hair for its porosity. Porosity is a characteristic in hair that indicates its ability to absorb, and hold moisture. A test that is done by salons, is to take one hair from the top, back, and both sides of your head, and drop these strands into a bowl of water. If the strands sink within 5-10 seconds, then your hair is overly porous.

You can also do a test on your own hair by taking a small section of your hair, and rub your thumb and index finger up  it, moving from the ends towards the scalp.  If you see that the hair looks excessively rough afterwards, and has shown to be overly porous, then it would indicate that your hair is very fragile and should be conditioned thoroughly.

Knowing your hair, and learning more about it will allow you to understand how to care for it, and keep it looking gorgeous, and healthy.