Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, Katie Holmes, Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Jessica Simpson, and Lindsay Lohan all have their own W Magazine cover for the November issue. Do you know what else they have in common? They all are wearing big, sexy, beautiful hair. Their hair color is perfect, and the hair looks as shiny as a Pantene conditioner commercial. You know what I mean, when the hair looks so polished and perfect that it doesn't look quite real. This is a “heads up" for all of us mere mortals to notice. Hair that is in great condition is a major beauty trend this season. It also looks alluring, sultry, and young. I think it might be the perfect time to talk about conditioning our hair.

The first question is do hair conditioners work? Everyone knows that once hair grows from your head it's dead, so how can it be brought back to life? Well, conditioning can't bring hair back from the dead, but we can make it look better than it ever did before you brushed it, teased it or put in too much color. Hair conditioning is an illusion that works. Most conditioners contain keratin which is an amino acid. This will resurface the hair and not wash out completely, but it should be maintained from shampoo to shampoo.

Conditioners can add moisture, strengthen fragile hair, detangle, add gloss, and add light oils to keep hair pliable. Hair conditioners can make dry, dull, beat up hair look more like the hair you fantasize about. Hair in good condition looks like the hair you had in your teens. This gives your hair a more vital look, just like good skin and bright eyes. Everyone over thirty knows exactly what I am talking about and what a difference this makes in our appearance. One of my Beverly Hills clients once told me that at a certain point, it is all a matter of patch, patch, patch. I am starting to understand what she meant.

Before I start talking about conditioners, we should talk about proper hair maintenance. Treat your hair with love. Moderation is key. The more you abuse it with frequent blow-outs, extreme coloring, and styling products with high alcohol content, the more you will need to condition your hair.

The condition of your hair is predetermined by its texture. Curly hair is usually dry hair. This means you should probably use a thick, rich, moisturizing conditioner.

TIP - If your hair is exceptionally course, do not rinse out all of the conditioner. This will help keep the hair moist, pliable, and manageable.

The curse of fine hair is that it usually has no body, goes flat instantly, and is often fly away. Most people with fine hair refuse to use conditioners because they fear conditioner will exaggerate these conditions. They are wrong.

TIP - Use a delicate conditioner on the ends of hair only. Fine hair is the most delicate hair. You must carefully use a wide tooth comb on the ends of your hair and work upwards towards your scalp. This will help prevent split and fly away ends.

BEAUTY NOTE - Volumizing shampoos and conditioners don't add volume to your hair. They are simply light enough not to make your hair become flat or oily.

If you have normal hair , just shop around and find the best conditioner for you.

TIP - If your hair looks good on day two, you found a conditioner that works for you. You don't have to break the bank finding the right conditioner. Many midrange priced conditioners work well on normal hair.

Leave-in conditioners work best on excessively dry or chemically processed hair. Leave-in conditioners work especially well on women of color. TIP - Less is more. Excessive use of leave-in conditioners will make hair look oily, not glossy.

There is a new Japanese thermal conditioning treatment that does last longer than a few shampoos because the conditioner is flat ironed into the hair with protein and moisturizers. This is especially effective on very damaged hair. This will help the roughed up cuticle to lie down and result in healthier, and shinier looking hair.

If your hair still looks dull after conditioning, it is time to color your hair. Start with a semi permanent color close to your own. This will instantly make your color rich and vibrant.

The new big hair has to look healthy or you are going to look like you are doing a sixties or eighties retro look. This is a no go! Remember this year’s big hair blows in the wind, shines in the sun, and always turns heads. Never forget your conditioner. It is probably the biggest trend of the New Year.

Thermal Conditioning Treatment by Shunsuke Takahashi, Louis Licari NY & Beverly Hills

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