A hair perfume or hair mist isn't the same as just spritzing your mane with your favourite fragrance; instead, it's a product that's specially formulated for your hair.
While your usual perfume might still smell nice in your hair, it could also actually be damaging and drying and result in breakage.
But, what is the difference between perfume and hair perfume? The key difference is the percentage of ethyl alcohol contained in the products. As a general rule, hair perfumes will only contain traces of alcohol so as to not dry out hair and scalp on application.
"Hair perfumes not only help in keeping the hair fragrant but also helps in protecting it from the harmful rays of the sun. Apart from this, it helps in giving your hair the shine it deserves. In totality, hair perfumes are not only used to keep the hair aromatic but also helps in making the hair look healthy. Additionally, it also helps remove excessive oil from the hair, thereby moisturising the hair too," says Parul Gulati, founder of Nish Hair.
The question comes down to how do you use it?
Step 1: Wash your hair
It is important to use hair perfumes on clean hair. Greasy scalps will not be able to retain the fragrance. To give your hair a pleasant scent, it's important to ensure that it's clean. Use shampoo to wash your hair thoroughly before you apply any scented or perfumed products.
Step 2: Moisturise your locks
It's extremely important to moisturise your hair beforehand in case it loses any moisture after you scent it. Use your conditioner to hydrate your hair after you wash it.
Step 3: Dry your hair thoroughly
For the longest lasting fragrance in your hair, you should make sure that your locks are completely dry before applying any perfumed products. If your hair is wet, the water can form a barrier that keeps the fragrance from penetrating your tresses, so the scent doesn't last as long. After washing and conditioning your hair, make sure it is dry before you apply the fragrance.
Step 4: Gently spray perfume
When your hair is dry, hold a bottle of your perfume at least 20-cm from your head and lightly mist your locks to scent your hair. And you're good to go!
This article first appeared in Saturday Insider, April 23, 2022