The Better Blog

Have you ever been brushing out your hair, only to realize that your hair strands are sticking straight up? What is that about, anyway? Having electrically-charged hair seems like something...

There was a time when frizzy strands were synonymous with summer. Sure, those hot, humid days were a drag, but a better hair day was always right around the corner. 

With age, and especially as we enter menopause, frizzy hair can become an everyday battle. Along with greater fatigue, hot flashes and thinning hair, a change in hair texture from hormonal fluctuations is yet another menopause symptom (though one that often surprises many of us), and the hot, humid days of summer only make matters worse. 

But unruly, frizzy hair during or after menopause doesn’t have to be part of the plan. Keep reading for our list of 10 ways to tame menopause frizzy hair for smooth, manageable tresses all year round!

There's nothing like the feeling of the sun on our skin on a warm summer day! Soaking up the sun's vitamin D is good for us. But the sun's effect on our hair? Not so good. The sun's UVA and UVB rays can damage and weaken our hair cuticles, leaving us with hair that is more susceptible to dryness, brittleness and breakage. 

But don't worry—this doesn't mean you have to forgo the sun entirely this summer! 

We dive into exactly how the sun affects our hair, along with the signs of sun-damaged hair to look out for this summer so you can adapt your summer hair-care routine accordingly. Read on to learn more about sun-damaged hair treatments and how to prevent UV hair damage!

Summer is here, and it's our favorite time of the year! Summer means family vacations, cookouts, pool time and relief from cold weather. 

But even though the warm, sunny days of summer are a welcome reprieve, the impact of summer heat and humidity is a different story! To keep your hair healthy and vibrant all summer long, it's important to tweak your hair-care routine for summer. Just a few changes will have a huge impact on your hair's health this season! 

We put together our definitive list of summer hair issues and exactly how you can prevent them. Read on to learn more about how to kick summer frizz, flat hair, dryness and more to the curb for a summer of gorgeous, healthy hair!

We've all been caught in a downpour with no raincoat or umbrella to protect our makeup and hair. We finally arrive at work or an event and we look like we showered with our clothes on! Let’s be honest, even a light misting of rain can set back our look by undoing all the hard work we put into styling it.

 

Aside from being super inconvenient—not to mention frustrating—we also have to wonder, what does rainwater actually do to our hair? After all, rainwater isn't filtered and treated the same way as our tap water, so there's potential for it to have unknown pollutants, especially in locations with more air pollution. But beyond being exposed to pollutants in rainwater, what else can rainwater do to our hair, especially aging hair?

 

Read on to learn more about the effects rainwater can have on your hair and how to rain-proof and refresh your style when you're caught in the rain!

Hair porosity is a hot topic right now, and for good reason! Tons of factors can affect our hair's porosity, from environmental exposure to bleaches and dyes to hair texture and genetics. Understanding your hair's porosity is important so you can tailor your hair-care regimen to better address your hair issues.

 

Hair porosity is tied to the integrity and tightness or looseness of your hair cuticles and simply refers to how well your hair can absorb and retain moisture. Generally speaking, low porosity hair struggles with absorbing moisture but excels at retaining it, while high porosity hair readily absorbs moisture but struggles to hold it in.

 

So how can you tell whether you have low, medium or high porosity hair?

 

Better Not Younger compiled 10 signs of high porosity hair, along with tips and tricks for dealing with some of the most frustrating symptoms of highly porous hair!

We all need a little pick-me-up now and again. But these days, women are swapping their 3 p.m. coffee run for a midday break of a different sort—one that combines relaxation, pleasure and a little pampering to boot. Enter beauty snacking!

A micro-moment of self-care, beauty snacking is the perfect way to break up the monotony of a long day with a spa-like experience that gives your skin (and spirits!) a boost—and in many instances it only takes seconds! And while many of the flash treatments that have gained popularity cater to our skin—think moisturizing mists and jade rollers that you can use at your desk—we can’t help but share our favorite ways to do a little “hair snacking,” if you will.

Read on to learn more about how the beauty snacking trend first came about and how it can help you incorporate some much-welcome hair pampering into your daily routine!

Many of us have struggled with frizzy hair all of our lives. For example, those with naturally curly hair know how it’s more prone to frizz, especially under humid conditions. For others, frizziness may be a periodic signal that your strands need extra TLC.

They could be broken, dry or damaged, with frayed ends and a texture that is wiry and out of control. Why the sudden change? Your frizzy hair could be attributed to hormone fluctuations, changes to your daily hair-care routine or even a vitamin deficiency. 

Have you ever wondered why even when you use the same products, in the same exact way, you get different results when you’re traveling or away from home? 

The water quality at your hotel or relative’s house probably isn’t the first thought that comes to mind. However, just as the condition of your hair can easily vary depending on the climate or season, your hair and the products you use will also react differently when you wash it in hard water vs. soft water.

Does your hair feel dull, brittle or frizzy no matter what you seem to do? Do you feel like you have to cleanse your hair multiple times and apply copious amounts of shampoo to see any sort of suds? When you step out of the shower, does your scalp feel dry to the point of itching? 

If any of this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with hard water. The “hardness” or “softness” of water is determined based on the concentration of minerals it contains, namely calcium and magnesium. But that’s not all. Did you know the pH of your water is important to the health of your hair as well? 

Keep reading to learn about all the sneaky little qualities present in your water, what they do to your hair, and what exactly you can do about them.

Hair masks have the same primary purpose as your everyday conditioner—to deliver moisture and improve your strands' condition. Knowing how, and how often, to use them is essential for achieving the greatest benefits.

Generally, your hair mask should be used once or twice per week in place of your regular conditioner. The ideal frequency will depend on the current condition and type of your tresses. If they're dry or damaged, you will likely need this deep-conditioning treatment more often. Healthy or oily hair can get by with less frequent applications.