Going from brunette to platinum blonde and back again or putting the flatiron, curling iron or blow-dryer into overdrive can quickly lead to lifeless, damaged hair. Top pros reveal how to restore your hair’s health and prevent havoc in the first place.

1. Get monthly trims.
Get your ends trimmed once a month while you’re nursing your hair back to health, suggests Beverly Hills stylist Paul Ohana. “It might take four or five months to get rid of the most damaged hair,” he says, “but you will see a gradual improvement without having to change your hair length or style completely.”

2. Highlight your hair judiciously.
“Be wary of overindulging in highlights,” says Kim Vo, who colors the tresses of celeb clients like Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson. Bleach is typically used to highlight hair, but left on too long or applied too frequently, it can literally fry and damage hair, says Kevin Josephson, a colorist whose clients include Kirsten Dunst and Kristin Davis. The solution: Instead of all-over highlights, opt for a few streaks strategically placed around the face. Repeat only once every two to three months.

3. Condition, condition, condition.
Vo likes to say that you whisper or talk with your conditioner. Consider “whispering” the everyday conditioning you apply each time you shampoo your hair, while weekly conditioner masks are “the talk.” Applying a weekly mask will help quench extra-parched, damaged hair.

4. Brush your hair the right way.
One of the biggest contributors to damaged hair -- and one of the easiest to fix -- is improper brushing, says Ohana. After towel-drying your hair following a shower, a few strands might still be tangled even if you’ve used conditioner. “When you brush from top to bottom, you’re forcing those knots out, and that can cause split ends,” he says. Instead, use a soft-bristle brush to gently brush the ends of your hair, and move up a few inches at a time until you reach the root.

5. Use heat tools safely.
Take the time to section your tresses with clips when you style your hair with heat. Focus on one area at a time, and when that’s done, move on to the next section. “Don’t keep going over the same area,” says Josephson. You’re not adding extra styling polish, just more heat. Sun exposure makes the top layer of your damaged hair especially fragile, so leave that part for last, allowing it to air-dry while you blow-dry the sections underneath.

When you use a flatiron or curling iron, work with a 1- or 2-inch section of hair at a time to avoid going over the same area repeatedly. Keep the flatiron moving through your locks and leave your hair in the curling iron for only a few seconds. Vo adds that heat above 450 F can damage the hair's cuticle, so set your flatiron below that temperature. (If the iron doesn’t have a temperature gauge, use it on the medium setting.)

6. Maintain your instruments.
A few seconds dedicated to tool maintenance every week or two will save your hair from what Alex Roldan, whose namesake salon is a West Hollywood institution, calls “mechanical abuse.”

• Clean the lint and debris from the vents of your hair dryer to keep a steady flow of air. Clogged vents will prevent the dryer from pulling in cool air, and that can lead to dangerously hot air and even sparks that damage hair.
• Use the dryer’s nozzle attachment or press the blow-dryer against the brush and not your hair itself. This way, you’ll prevent singed locks.
• Wipe your curling iron and straightening iron with a slightly damp washcloth before and after each use to get rid of any oil or product buildup, and use a product designed to protect damaged hair from heat.
• Apply hair spray after you use heat tools or the spray will cook right on your hair.

When it comes to our hair, we’d all like to be efficiency experts, banishing bad hair days in a flash. Now you can: The best way to keep your hair looking its best in any situation is to think like a pro and prepare. With a few simple styling techniques and some helpful tools and accessories, you’ll be able to solve the most hair-raising dilemmas almost instantly. Here’s how:

1. Need a polished look fast? Build up your accessories wardrobe. With just a small selection of headbands, decorative hairpins and combs, you can add polish to pixie cuts; bobs; long, loose waves; ponytails; and buns. Try this season’s new looks in headbands: narrow and sparkly thin bands, or stretchy head wraps in festive colors. Find them at specialty stores, at drugstores or on accessory counters at J.Crew, Barneys New York and Banana Republic.

2. Locks gone limp? If you find that your fine hair goes flat fast, tweak your products and styling habits. Pantene scientists discovered that fine hair has up to 50 percent less internal protein than thick hair. As a result, fine hair resists holding many styles. To keep your fine tresses healthy and full, select products that are formulated to support your hair’s delicate texture. Don’t skip conditioner, but avoid the crown of your head when you apply. Add volume and lift by blow-drying roots with a medium or large round brush.

3. Want unfussy curls? You can set soft waves while you sleep, says veteran hairstylist Allen Edwards of Woodland Hills, Calif. He suggests pinning not-quite-dry hair into small buns or coils. Using 3- to 4-inch bobby pins, secure half a dozen sections of twisted hair into coils high on your head. For a firmer hold, pretreat strands with a thickening spray, styling cream, mousse or gel.

4. So your favorite look isn’t working anymore? It may be time for a hair care audit, says Kristoff Ball, a Beverly Hills stylist who works with Gwen Stefani and Paris Hilton. Hair care products and tools are constantly evolving. Year after year, your hair also goes through subtle but steady changes in texture, curl and strength. The combination can mean your usual routines and products lose effectiveness. Have a detailed discussion with your stylist about whether it’s time for a new look, a product switch or an update in your heat-styling tools.

5. Want to go from workout to work? Keeping your scalp and hair free of oils and perspiration is the key to reviving your ’do. That’s why Ball keeps aerosol dry shampoo in his mobile kit. His technique: Turn your head upside down, spritz your roots from arm’s length, and shake your head to toss out any excess powder. Then, use a vented brush to redirect hair where you want it. The same method also helps extend a blowout.

6. Need a fast, fun style? Do a topknot, says Tony Chavez, a Beverly Hills stylist. “Topknots are flattering to nearly everyone because they show off your face and make you look taller,” he says. Here’s the easiest way to get the look. Bend your head over, brush and gather up your hair into a ponytail at your crown and twist a large elastic band around the pony once. As you twist the band a second time, pull the ponytail halfway through so the ends are secured in the elastic band, forming a loop. For a looser topknot, just pull a few strands out of the elastic.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/Yunaco

What woman doesn’t love trying out each season’s new makeup colors and formulas. And who can resist the latest shampoos, conditioners, pomades and gels that just might be the missing link to help you achieve the perfectly tousled locks of Blake Lively or the off-the-beach waves of Kate Hudson. Go ahead and indulge, but don’t overlook an essential element of your beauty artillery: brushes. The right brushes for both hair and makeup can help make you absolutely dazzling! 

Makeup
“If you don’t have the right application tools,” says Tasha Reiko Brown, Hollywood makeup artist and The Style Glossy blogger, “even the most expensive products won’t go on properly.” Look for brushes that feel comfortable in your hand, that aren’t shedding and that have soft bristles. Brown chooses synthetic bristles for concealer, lip and foundation brushes, but she opts for natural bristles -- such as sable, mink or goat -- for blush or powder brushes. “Stiffer bristles can scratch your skin,” she says. If you prefer not to use animal products, look for brushes made from high-grade synthetic fibers, such as the PETA-approved taklon bristles.

Here’s what you need:

• Face Foundation brush, large powder brush, blush/bronzer brush (you can use one brush for both bronzer and blush, just wipe off brush between applying each product), concealer brush
• Eyes Fluff brush for applying shadow to lid, flat liner brush for applying color along the lash line
• Optional Tapered shadow brush for applying shadow in crease or blending eyeliner and shadow to create a smoky eye, spooly brush or disposable mascara wand for grooming brows and combing through eyelashes to remove clump between applying coats of mascara, angled eyebrow brush for applying powder to brows, and lip brush

Makeup artists are fastidious about keeping their tools pristine. “Perfect application comes from clean tools,” says beauty pro Robert Jones, author of Looking Younger: Makeovers That Make You Look as Young as You Feel. “Blush or powder brushes should be cleaned at least once a month, and eye brushes once a week.” Brown’s favorite brush cleaner? Your regular shampoo. “Just put a little shampoo on wet hands, run it through the brush hairs and lay the brush flat on a towel to dry.” Pros agree that with proper care, a set of brushes will last a decade or more.

Hair
Most women will need two combs, our experts say:

• Wide-toothed comb should be kept in the shower for distributing conditioner evenly throughout hair and for gentle detangling.
• Fine-toothed comb is necessary for backcombing or teasing. “At 4 in the afternoon when your hair is starting to flatten out, backcombing is an easy way to create volume,” says Kenneth Darrell, a Nashville hairdresser and educator. “Working from the crown, take panels of hair about 1/2 inch in thickness and gently tease. Then, smooth out just the surface of the hair. You won’t need any spray or styling product, because your hair will be sufficiently dirtied up from the day’s wear to hold the volume.”

A few different brush options are available, depending on your hair type and usage:

• Round brush If you blow-dry your hair, this brush is essential. Look for one with a combination of synthetic and natural boar’s hair bristles: The nylon bristles will give you a good grip on your hair while the natural ones impart shine.
• Paddle brush “Use a paddle brush at the end of the day to impart smoothness and shine to hair that may look a little flat and gnarly,” says Darrel.

Natural boar toothbrush This is optional.“Keep one in your purse,” suggests Michael Shaun Corby, a hair pro who oftenworks backstage at fashion shows. “If you add just a touch of pomade orhairspray to the bristles, you can tame all those flyaways on the surface ofyour hair without disrupting the style. If you have superfine or thin hair, usethe toothbrush right at your scalp in a circular motion to pick up all thosefine hairs that a hairbrush doesn’t get to. Every bit of volume helps!”

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Back when we were little girls, we thought the prettiest colors were pink or baby blue. Now we know the true color of beauty is green, as in making eco-friendly products and practices a daily part of our looking-great regimen. Here’s a green tip for every day of the week.

Sunday
Recycle your beauty packaging. You faithfully toss newspapers, milk cartons, cans and bottles into the recycling bin, but the habit probably stops at the bathroom door. “We know that the vast majority of people don’t recycle what’s in their bathrooms,” says Jenny Rushmore, global sustainability leader for Procter & Gamble’s beauty and grooming division. “But there’s a lot that could be recycled, including any plastic containers that have the number 1 or 2 on the bottom, such as shampoo and conditioner bottles.” Most municipalities don’t recycle plastic lids, caps or tops, so toss these separately into the regular trash.

Monday
Shave time off your showers. You’re using an average of five gallons of water for every minute you spend in the shower, says Sara Snow, host of Discovery Channel’s “Living Fresh” and “Get Fresh With Sara Snow” and author of the eco-guide Sara Snow’s Fresh Living. Cut your shower time by a minute or two and you can save 200 or 300 gallons of water every month. Even better, install a low-flow showerhead and you’ll cut your water consumption by another half.

Tuesday
Conserve water while you wash your face. Every minute you leave the tap running while you apply cleanser and massage it into your skin, two or more gallons of water escape down the drain. Instead, wet your hands, turn off the faucet, apply cleanser to your face, scrub away and don’t turn the tap back on until you’re ready to rinse.

Wednesday
Cut down on packaging by using multitasking products. Try two-in-one shampoo-conditioners, body washes that also moisturize, razors that have shave gel built right in and hardworking cosmetics like a stain that you can use on your cheeks, eyes and lips. Added benefits: less clutter on your vanity and less strain on your beauty budget!

Thursday
Practice energy efficiency when you dry your hair. Instead of blow-drying your locks straight out of the shower, let your hair air-dry until it’s at least 50 percent dry. “It’s a win-win situation because you’re using less energy and you’re preserving the health of your hair by minimizing heat exposure,” says Rushmore. “And since it’s only in the last few minutes of drying your hair that the real styling takes place, you’re not compromising your look at all.”

Friday
Opt for reusable rather than disposable cosmetic tools. Instead of sponges, use brushes (you can find earth-friendly ones made with bamboo handles and animal-free taklon bristles). Or, gain mastery with the favorite application tool of The Style Glossy beauty blogger Tasha Reiko Brown -- your fingers. “The heat of your fingers will blend cream products like foundation or concealer into your skin seamlessly,” she says. Added plus: You’ll likely pick up less product with your fingers than you would with a brush, so your cosmetics will last longer and your makeup will look more natural.

Saturday
Relax with a sudsy foot soak instead of a bubble bath. A bath can use 50 to 75 gallons of water. Instead, for a de-stressing time-out, fill a pretty basin or bowl with warm water, add your favorite bubbles or a few drops of essential oils like rose, lavender or jasmine, and add a few marbles or pebbles to roll under your toes and soles for a do-it-yourself reflexology massage. Have a garden? Throw some fresh herbs or the petals from your favorite flower into the bowl.

More on sustainable activities from our sponsor.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/Blend_Images

Maintaining that healthy, manageable hair you get from hours at the salon requires work at home. So how can you keep that high shine? Conditioning your hair regularly will improve its strength, shine and keep hair damage to a minimum, though it can't actually repair damaged hair. "Conditioners smooth the cuticles, reduce static electricity, protect against UV damage and enhance overall appearance," says Dr. D'Anne Kleinsmith, a dermatologist in West Bloomfield, Mich.

Conditioners also help keep the hair's cortex hydrated. "Dry, out-of-condition hair lacks moisture, and without enough moisture, the number of hydrogen bonds may be reduced," explains John Gray, author of The World of Hair. "Conditioning allows reestablishment of the hydrogen bonds and improves the moisture content of the hair by improving the weatherproofing of the cuticle."

Your hair's length, the amount of chemical processing it endures and the frequency with which you use hot styling tools are all factors to consider in your conditioning regimen. "Ask yourself what kind of hair you have," suggests Steve Lococo, co-owner and style director of Borrelli Salons California. "Volume conditioners have ingredients that will plump up the hair, usually with grapefruit or some type of citric ingredient. Smoothing conditioners have a tendency to have more oils or lanolin to help coat the hair shaft."

Fine Hair
Thin hair typically cannot support a high level of conditioning ingredients. To prevent weighing down delicate tresses, consider conditioning just the middle and ends, where your hair is most susceptible to damage. A light volumizing conditioner will moisturize your hair and provide thermal protection for blow-dryer use. If your hair is extremely fine, you may want to replace a basic conditioner with a leave-in conditioning spray, which boasts a lighter formulation and will help strengthen the hair shaft.

Thick Hair
The right conditioner is a fundamental component of an effective hair care regimen if you have thick, wild tresses. "Unlike fine hair, hair that’s thick can support a lot of conditioning ingredients," "explains leading hair care research scientist Steve Shiel, a Pantene hair care expert who holds a doctorate in organometallic chemistry. "I would recommend more intensive conditioning products; for example, one designed for straight hair or dry, damaged hair. Conditioning masks can also help to tame unruly hair." While a leave-in conditioner doesn't provide enough conditioning for thick hair, Shiel suggests using it as a detangling aid, especially on days between shampooing.

Curly Hair
“Condition, condition, condition” is the mantra for curly tresses. Hair experts suggest you condition your locks every time you shampoo. On the days you don't shampoo, run a conditioner through your corkscrews if they’ve gotten bulky and unkempt to help them relax and detangle easily. Rinse your scalp thoroughly but leave a trace of conditioner in your strands.

To avoid dehydration and frizz, use a deep-conditioning mask every two weeks. Maximize the results by applying the mask, then covering your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap and running the heat of a blow dryer a few inches above your head for five to ten minutes. If your hair is extremely dehydrated, use a basic conditioner to detangle, followed by a leave-in conditioner to sustain moisture.

Colored and Highlighted Hair
Coloring your hair can remove some, or all, of the lipid layer on the surface of each cuticle, depleting your hair's natural waterproofing qualities. And since a basic conditioner is formulated to deposit on waterproof hair, it becomes ineffective on color-processed tresses. Conditioners specifically made for colored hair contain different polymers designed to work on a non-waterproof surface. Quick tip: the night before a color treatment, prep and protect your locks by coating with a leave-in oil, suggests Claudio Lazo, owner of C the Salon in Studio City, Calif.

Conditioning Tips for All Hair Types
Dispense the conditioner into the palm of your hand and rub your hands together.  Using your fingers almost like a comb, apply the product from the midsections of your hair down toward the ends. "You should concentrate on these areas, as they are the most damaged parts of your hair," explains Shiel. "When you rinse your hair, enough of the product will then deposit on the parts of your hair closest to your scalp." You may also want to use a paddle brush or wide-tooth comb in the shower to distribute the conditioner throughout.