The SECRETS TO SHINY HAIR
Kourt’s Hairstylist Spills
Honey, don’t let anyone dull your shine — especially when it comes to your hair. In the summer months, it can feel like humidity has a personal vendetta against us all – turning our locks into frizzy, untamed monsters. Couple that with breakage and dull, dry hair and it can feel like a losing battle. We tapped Andrew Fitzsimons, Kourt’s longtime hairstylist, to detangle the truth around shine, and give us the tricks of the trade behind her smooth-as-glass hair.
The Root of the Problem
“Generally, people who have shiny hair have a very healthy diet. It’s the fundamental factor of great hair and skin.”
Our hair is made of protein, so it’s important to consume high-quality sources of meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils as the building blocks of healthy hair. Adding a daily dose of collagen helps build hair protein itself.
Incorporating iron in your diet will ensure that oxygen and nutrients can travel through the blood supply into the scalp. Iron can be found in leafy green veggies, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Vitamin C is another key to shiny hair, as foods like blueberries, broccoli, oranges, papaya, and sweet potatoes help the body absorb iron.
Rinse, Don’t Repeat
“Having a good shampoo and conditioning regimen is a close second behind diet. It’s important to figure out the longest you can go without shampooing your hair. For some, your hair becomes greasy more quickly, so you have to wash your hair more often, but over-washing your hair can leave it looking dull.”
“A couple of years ago, Kourtney and I created a hair mask that was inspired by her morning avocado smoothie. That’s a great at-home, zero-chemical approach to natural hair care.”
The recipe contains honey, olive oil (which protects hair from curling irons and blow-dryers), avocados (which hydrate hair with vitamin E and antioxidants), and lemon juice (which is naturally antibacteria).
Flick of the Wrist
“Before blowing out the hair, I distribute a smoothing cream like Bed Head After Party from mid-lengths to ends and then dry it into the hair. It leaves the hair feeling super, super smooth and gives it a really glossy finish.”
Between round brushes, paddle brushes, and the like, it’s hard to know which brush will work best for you. How can you tell which is right for your ‘do?
Andrew prefers a round boar-bristle brush, because it distributes the natural oils and products in your hair, reducing dryness and providing extra shine.
Pure Natural Bristle Smoothing Brush
Beat The Heat
There’s a myth that shiny hair comes from intense heat and styling, but Andrew sets the record straight: “In order to maintain shiny hair, you don’t want to over-process your hair or heat-style your hair too often.”
“A trick to adding volume to your hair but keeping as much shine as possible is cold setting. This is a technique where you give the hair a blast of cold air after you finish styling. Use the cold air button on your hair-dryer to cool the hair down quickly and promote shine.”
“Shine comes from the hair being smooth and free from any kind of breakage. If you’re blowing out your hair, take care to blow down any baby hairs, because they will interrupt the light reflection process.”
Andrew notes that your favorite styling products may be the culprit stealing your shine: “Styling products that promise extra volume or extra hold will actually make the hair look duller. My go-to product for that glass shine is the NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Oil Mist. It’s vegan, sulfate-free, and cruelty-free.
