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Have you ever stopped to consider just how advanced the hair care market is today? While our grandparents had to rely on incredibly basic equipment and damaging hair care products, today there is no shortage of product options at our fingertips, with choices to fit virtually any hair type. Among these new innovative technologies, perhaps the most groundbreaking has been the use of infrared heat technology. Whereas styling tools of old applied basic heat directly to the cuticle with short wavelengths, infrared heat instead utilizes longer wavelengths that penetrate the hair shaft from within. Through this mechanism, infrared heat dries the hair from the inside-out, effectively preserving the outer cuticle layer from damage while also boosting dry time and providing more uniform heat conductivity throughout the entire hair. While that all sounds great on paper, what kind of results can these tools produce in real-life use? I’ve used a variety of infrared styling tools, and I’m here to tell you that the results are nothing short of magical. Blow Drying If there’s one tool that benefits the most from infrared technology, it’s the common blow dryer. Length of blow-dry time often correlates to intensity of heat damage, meaning the longer it takes for you to dry and style your hair, the more likely you are to damage your hair and cause dryness. The issue is even worse for those of us with thick, textured hair, as these hair types not only take longer to dry, but they are also the most prone to damage and breakage. Thankfully, infrared blow dryers like the Sutra IR BD2 are perfect for cutting down dry time while preventing frizz and split ends. You’ll be shocked at how quickly your hair will dry, not to mention how much easier your hair will be to style and manage.  Flat Irons Flat irons are every girl’s answer to sleek, silky-smooth hair…in theory. Anyone who’s used a cheap, poorly constructed hair straightener is more than familiar with the lackluster results that follow, whether it be uneven drying results, loss of shine, or worse, severe damage. Again, infrared technology is here to save the day! By using this form of gentle, even heat, flat irons are capable of emitting the most consistent heat possible while protecting your outer cuticle layer from damage. After using the Sutra IR2 Flat Iron, I was stunned by how smooth, shiny, and perfectly straight my hair looked! Curling Irons Last but not least, let’s not forget the trusty curling iron! As someone who loves to create tight, defined curls, I was fascinated with the idea of using a curling iron that incorporated this incredible technology. Thankfully, the results were just as amazing as I anticipated. Just as with the other two styling tool categories, Sutra’s Infrared Curling Iron not only left my hair smooth, shiny, and damage-free, but it also produced curls that lasted ALL DAY!  

Few hair types have become more revered in pop culture than the big, “bombshell” look. You know the look: hair that is long, bouncy, and impossibly full and bodacious. However, not everyone realizes that big, thick hair can be quite an undertaking to maintain. Aside from being incredibly tangle-prone, thick hair is notorious its susceptibility to dryness and frizz, especially in humid climates. Thankfully, nearly all of these issues can be easily prevented by following a couple of basic tips! Tip #1: Moisturize, Moisturize, and Moisturize While dry hair can be a problem for practically any hair type, the effects of dryness are incredibly pronounced when encountered in thick hair. You see, when hair becomes dry, it reacts by raising its cuticle layer in order to absorb moisture from the air. This causes the hair to lose its weight and shape, leading to annoying flyaways and frizz. In thinner hair, the effects may be more subtle and easy to cover up, but in thicker hair, the result is an explosion of frizz that can seem impossible to tame. To combat this, the obvious answer is to feed your thirsty hair the moisture that it craves, especially when travelling to humid climates. One suggestion is to opt for a no-rinse conditioner like Sutra’s Leave-In Conditioner, which continues moisturizing your hair long after showering rather than being rinsed out. For a more intense treatment, look for a rich, hydrating treatment, such as Sutra’s Hair Mask, that includes oils and fatty acids to help close the cuticle and prevent frizz. Tip #2: Invest in a Good Brush Dry brushing and detangling are common habits for just about anyone with longer hair, but thicker hair requires a bit more brushing than most. Unfortunately, this excess brushing not only means that styling and straightening takes significantly more time, but it also opens the door for potential breakage and damage. To combat this, the solution is to invest in a brush that is not only strong enough to grip and control thick hair but is also smooth and gentle enough to avoid tangling and snagging. A perfect brush that checks all of these boxes is Sutra’s Flexi Brush, which features smooth, flexible bristles and an adjustable control bar to lock in comb teeth.  Tip #3: Faster, Gentler Blow-Drying Let’s get this out of the way: thick hair can take FOREVER to dry. Anyone with a thick mane of hair can tell you how long and frustrating the heat styling process is, which means countless time spent holding a blow dryer up to your hair. Sadly, all this extra styling time can easily translate into heat damage, as even the gentlest heated styling tool can damage the hair if applied too long to your hair. The key is to look for a blow dryer such as Sutra’s IR BD2, which uses a powerful motor and infrared heat to reduce drying time and prevent damage. Featured in Watch our Video

As we’ve covered before, hair damage refers to hair whose cuticle layer has become raised or stripped, leaving it unable to maintain moisture or structural integrity. This is caused by a variety of factors, including harsh chemical treatments and excessive heat styling, and common symptoms include split ends, shedding, and hair texture that is rough and uneven to the touch. It’s an incredibly common yet frustrating condition that leaves our hair dull, lifeless, and impossible to manage and style. Thankfully, hair damage is only temporary, and after following our steps below, your hair will be back to its beautiful, healthy self in no time! Gentle Washing First and foremost, you need to completely rethink your hair washing routine. Damaged hair tends to be incredibly dry, rough, and easily tangled, and excessive washing will only make things worse. Try to limit the amount of times you wash your hair, shampooing only every-other-day or just twice weekly, and switch to a gentle, hydrating shampoo like Sutra’s Replenishing Moroccan Shampoo to prevent further dryness and damage. Mindful Brushing We tend to overlook the importance of brushing in our hair routine, and yet when our hair is damaged, few things are more harmful to the health of our hair than rough, improper hair brushing! For starters, make sure to NEVER brush your hair when its wet. In fact, this advice applies to healthy hair, as well, as wet hair is incredibly porous and weak, and brushing hair in this state is the quickest way to severe breakage and damage. While it would be ideal avoid brushing damaged hair altogether, your next best option is to use an extremely gentle detangling brush with smooth, snag-free bristles like Sutra’s Flexi Brush. Moisturize and Hydrate Given that damaged hair lacks a closed cuticle layer to maintain moisture, it is almost a guarantee that your hair will be incredibly dry during this stage. Thankfully, the symptoms of hair dryness are relatively easy to treat and infusing the hair with oils and hydrating ingredients will help to seal the cuticle and restore the hair’s natural softness and shine. When washing your hair, rather than using a traditional rinse-out conditioner, instead opt for a product like Sutra’s Leave-In Conditioner, which exerts its moisturizing, hydrating effects long after you’ve showered. To take things a step further, make sure to apply a rich, intense moisturizing treatment like Sutra’s Hair Mask at least once a week to really lock in that moisture and hydration. Sun Protection We all know the importance of protecting our skin from sun damage, but few of us realize how important sun protection is for our hair, as well. UV radiation can be incredibly rough on dry, weak hair, and a day out in the sun might be the absolute worst thing for your hair during this time. If spending time outside is unavoidable, make sure to apply a product with UV protection like Sutra’s Hair Cocktail, which contains coconut oil for a natural SPF of 8. Featured in Watch our Video

For a hairstyling enthusiast, few terms are more terrifying than the words “hair damage”. Although countless among us have splurged on products that claim to treat or prevent hair damage, how many of us really know what damaged hair looks like? To help identify hair damage, we’ve included some tell-tale signs to be sure to look out for. What Is Hair Damage? “Hair damage” is a rather broad term, but essentially it refers to hair whose cuticle layer has become severely degraded. The cuticle, our outermost hair layer, is responsible for sealing in moisture and maintaining the integrity of the hair shaft. Due to a variety of causes, this cuticle layer can become raised and damaged, resulting in hair that is unable to maintain moisture and loses strength and structure. Testing for Hair Damage Now that you know what hair damage is, the next step is to identify whether or not your hair is currently damaged. The first thing to do is try the “hair elasticity test”. After showering, grip a thin strand of hair with two fingers and gently pull away from the root. Healthy, undamaged hair stretches to nearly double its size before returning to its original length. If your hair is damaged, not only will your hair not stretch, but it may actually snap or break. If you’re still unsure as to whether or not you’re suffering hair damage, here are some other notable signs: Rough Texture When hair is damaged, the cuticle layer is raised, resulting in uneven, rough texture as opposed to the smooth, soft texture of healthy hair. Take a small strand of dry hair and run your fingers down the length, taking your time to really feel for texture consistency. Split Ends One of the most obvious signs of hair damage is an abundance of split ends. Hair that is damaged is often thicker towards the root and thinner at the ends, indicating a significant loss of the cuticle layer. If the ends of your hair look frayed, it’s likely that you’ve suffered from major hair damage. Loss of Shine Healthy hair has a flat, even cuticle layer that reflects light, creating shiny, luminous hair. Damaged hair, due to a raised cuticle layer, absorbs light, creating the appearance of dull, lifeless hair. Shedding Its normal to find hairs in your brush or on the shower floor, but if you’re noticing excessive hair loss, then it is likely that your hair has been damaged. Hair that has been damaged due to chemical treatments, excessive heat styling, or over-manipulation becomes broken and lacks the structural integrity to properly grow out. As a result, damaged hair is likely to fall out at an accelerated rate. Color Loss No color treatment lasts forever, but any treatment that fades after just a few days is cause for concern. Damaged hair lacks the cuticle layer needed to seal in color, allowing quick fading to occur. Featured in Watch our Video

Picture this: you visit your hairstylist and show a new hairstyle you want to try out. You sit in your chair, equal parts excited and nervous to see the results, and you finally turn around to view yourself in the mirror. To your shock and utter horror, the cut is WAY shorter than anything you had envisioned. While your first impulse may be to run home and hide from the rest of the world for the foreseeable future, the unfortunate reality is that you have no choice but learn to live with your new short hair until it grows back. But trust us when we say that a too-short haircut isn’t the end of the world! Read below for some words of advice on how to not only facilitate faster hair growth, but also own your new look in the meantime! Try Out a New Look Face it, your hair will eventually grow back, but in the meantime, you’ll have to learn to live with your new hair. While short hair might not be your cup of tea, there are no shortage of amazing shorter hairstyles you might want to consider in the interim! Take some time and explore some of the trendiest short hairstyles, perhaps considering a trendy lob, bob, or cropped look. Despite your reservations regarding short hair, just about anyone can pull off a shorter hair length, as long as they make sure to style their hair in a way that best frames their face shape. Play with your short hair, whether parting down the middle or tying in a bun and find a look that best compliments your cheekbones and jawline. Who knows, you may just find a look that you adopt full-time! Encourage Proper Growth Although there’s no magic spell to make your hair grow back to its original length overnight, there are certainly steps to encourage proper hair growth. Not only will this help expedite the process, but it will also ensure your new hair grows to an even more consistent, healthier state than before. Be sure to encourage hydration by avoiding over styling your hair and taking it easy on washing. In the meantime, consider a hydrating shampoo and conditioner like Sutra’s Replenishing Moroccan Shampoo + Conditioner Set, which contains jojoba oil to enhance moisture levels in the hair. When hair is properly moisturized and healthy, it grows faster and more evenly than dry, damaged hair. Mind Your Scalp Aside from keeping your hair healthy and moisturized, make sure to keep your scalp healthy and clean as well! The hair follicle is where all your hair growth occurs, and it is of incredible importance to keep the follicle clear and unobstructed to encourage growth. Do so by not only regularly shampooing and massaging the scalp to remove debris, but also prevent dandruff and flakey buildup. Additionally, incorporate a product like Sutra’s Hair Cocktail, which includes rose petal oil to prevent dandruff and fortify hair follicles. Featured in Watch our Video