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Tress Management
Shiny Happy Hair
There's a fine line between glossiness and greasiness. Experts reveal their best tricks for giving hair a healthy-looking luster.
* Brush up The "100 strokes a day" theory has long been dismissed ("People who brush that much will get split ends," says dermatologist Cherie Ditre), but a few strokes with a good brush can help leave hair glossy. Natural bristles -- boar for thick locks and silk for fine or overprocessed hair -- are far better than nylon, which can tangle the hair. Natural bristles also absorb heat, which both protects the hair from the blow-dryer and smooths it. Stylists consider Mason Pearson brushes the gold standard. * SKIP the cold shower Many stylists seem to have a sadistic attachment to the cold-water rinse as a way to seal the cuticle and make hair look shinier, but dermatologists haven't warmed to the idea. "Since the hair's cuticle is already dead, it can't open and close according to temperature," explains New York City dermatologist Catherine Orentreich. * Put on a coat Silicone-based styling products provide the shortest path to shampoo-commercial shine. "They coat the cuticle, weighing it down so it looks like one smooth unit, rather than fractured," says ...