Chona Kasten’s brushes with greatness

For extremely oily hair, we can use champagne rinses, but of course that would be a super luxury. Try vinegar, calamansi, or lemon rinse. For dry hair, oil treatments with gata or coconut oil, rather than store-bought products, are terrific.

Last week I began quoting from an article my mother wrote in Career World magazine; I will continue to do so this week. In her own words: “Clean hair is beautiful hair. Therefore shampoo as often as possible — every day if necessary. Your hair should move with you; it should be bouncy, shiny, resilient and fragrant.”

She meant this also for men, to some extent. I do recall that she would constantly say she preferred short hairstyles on men... but artists, designers, bullfighters and flamenco/tango dancers had greater leeway to sport long tresses tied or pulled back neatly. Nevertheless, my mom reiterated that, when in doubt, current-day classy gentlemen should always ask themselves if the style they are choosing would complement boardroom dressing or a formal tuxedo affair, or how socially accepted were long tresses versus short and neat masculine cuts. The answers, using their best fashion discretion, would guide them through.

“Healthy hair depends on how healthy your scalp is too,” she said. “It begins with massaging to increase blood flow to nourish hair follicles. This stimulates oil glands to loosen dirt and dead skin cells, and is best done before each shampoo — the oilier hair more frequently than the drier.

“The way we brush our hair also counts. The right brush with natural bristles is best. Nylon bristles can cause hair breakage. Never use a brush on wet hair; it can pull out strands. First run one’s fingers through one’s hair, with a wide-tooth comb, towel dry, and then use the brush starting with the bottom strands.

“Treat hair gently. Remember, even healthy hair will not last if mistreated. Do not use the hottest setting on hair dryers or blow dryers. Also avoid multiple chemical processes, such as tinting and dyeing too often, or other common practices like curling, over-straightening, or teasing.” Thank goodness it is not done too often today except by those who still sport up-swept hair with large chignons.

“Hair must be towel dried before blow dried,” she always said. “Or if one has the time, allow it to dry with an electric fan from a distance. Swimming in pools or beaches calls for immediate shampooing right after. Hair, after all, is our crowning glory; so let’s take care of it. Its health is more important than the style we give it, since the latter cannot do without the former.”

I am happy with my Budjiwara-influenced, cropped, thin, “wash and dry” hairstyle by Virgie Diaz. For today’s rushed and fast-paced lifestyle, I find it convenient. Uniquely, I step out of the shower, towel dry, and voila, it is ready for finger styling with a mild salon product and no blow-drying. Mommy Chona loved it, although now and then she would coax me into transitioning to a nape-length bob. She was all for the crop, living in the US or for frequent travel. I do miss her gentle embraces as she would subtly sniff my hair like she did when I was a child, then would say, “Hmmmm, que rico!” And then she would guess the fragrant scent, even if I mixed scents. 

Oh, one more La Divina tip: for extremely oily hair, we can use champagne rinses, but of course that would be a super luxury. Try vinegar, calamansi, or lemon rinse. For dry hair, oil treatments with gata or coconut oil, rather than store-bought products, are terrific.