Every since Queer Eye returned to our screens earlier this year, the world has been hooked on the stars of the show, the Fab Five. And one of the five who’s really gained some admiration is Jonathan Van Ness, aka the grooming guy. As well as being a ray of goddamn sunshine, JVN and his Beyoncé mane have become the dictionary definition of hair goals. Want to know how his tresses are so ludicrously shiny and on point? He’s here to explain the hair mistakes most of us are inadvertently making.
1. You’re over-washing
Find your hair gets greasy quickly and the ends aren’t looking their best? You could be over-washing it, Jonathan says. “I wash my hair 1-2 times a week. Most days I use a co-wash or cleansing conditioner like New Wash by Hair Story, or the cleansing oil by Shu Uemura. These have no detergents whatsoever, and remove dirt and yuck but leave behind the correct balance of natural oils.” This leaves your scalp less greasy over time, and makes your ends much healthier.
2. And you’re washing at the wrong time
You might think after a sweaty workout is the best time to wash your hair, but Jonathan says you couldn’t be more wrong. “People think because they sweat, their hair is dirty. FALSE. It’s just salt and your natural oil. By using dry shampoo and blowdrying the sweat into the hair, it creates a beautiful texture and shine and avoids too much heat damage from blow drying. Think about how your jeans would look if you washed and dried them every single day. That’s like our hair, and you can’t change your hair as often as your pants, so cutting down on washing, cuts down on long term damage.”
3. You’re not using a primer or prep spray
Using a priming product on wet hair means it’ll look more sleek and glossy once it dries, Jonathan says. “On days I wash, I’ll use a wet brush to remove tangles,” he says. “I love to use a primer called Wonder Worker by Shu Uemura, or Bumble and Bumble Prep Spray and let my hair air dry.”
4. You’re using products that contain sulfates
Many products contain sulphates which strip the hair of its natural oils. Hell no, Jonathan says. “Once a month or so, I’ll switch it up for a classic shampoo when I want a squeaky clean feel, and for that I use Ouai, Kevin Murphy or Oribe. But, there are lots of good ones out there — just try to avoid sulphates.”
5. Your night-time routine is all wrong
Want your hair to grow nice and long while still looking on point? What you do at bedtime could be foiling your plan. Jonathan says, “For keeping hair long and healthy, I like to use silk pillowcases, they conduct less heat and keep your ends less frayed. Also, I sleep with my hair in a very loose top bun to keep my ends away from my body heat. This also keeps your hair from getting tangled at the nape of your neck.” And this ultimately means less breakage.
6. You’re being misled by labels on products
As well as nasty sulphates, there are a few other ingredients to look out for in your products. Jonathan says, “Ingredients are listed in the order of how much the product contains. If the first ingredient is alcohol, or some type of word you can’t pronounce, it’s not looking good. Parabens are another ingredient that has been shown to be not cute for us, so I steer clear of those too.”
From: ELLE UK
