The 20 secrets of perfect hair

For soft, natural highlights, squeeze some lemon juice on your hair before heading into the sun. Or use shampoos and styling products that contain citrus fruits.

Wrap wet hair gently in a towel and let the cotton absorb the moisture for a few minutes instead of rubbing. This helps to prevent split ends.

Check the plughole after each shower for the amount of hair. The typical person loses between 50 and 200 hairs a day (out of 80,000 to 120,000 hairs on the head). So it's normal to have a very small clump of hair left in the plughole after washing.

If that amount starts to increase, see your doctor about it. It could mean that your scalp has an infection, that baldness is beginning to set in or, more rarely, that you have a nutritional deficiency.

Read more: How to cope with female hair loss

Mix a few drops of your favourite fragrance into your hair gel before applying. You'll end up with hair that not only looks good but smells great too.

Transform ordinary shampoo into a herbal experience by mixing in a few drops of essential oils. Dilute a 250-ml bottle of shampoo by half with water and add 20 drops of essential oil of lavender.

Men: if you're going bald, go short. One of the worst mistakes balding men make is the comb-over. A sexier, more modern style is to keep it closely trimmed. An added bonus is that your hair will be easy to maintain.

Read more: How to cope with male pattern baldness

Available at health food shops, olive, jojoba and sweet almond oils are all wonderful hair elixirs. If your hair is thick and heavy, coconut oil works wonders.

Dampen your hair and apply small amounts of the botanical oil until your hair is thoroughly covered. Cover with a shower cap and warm towel for half an hour, then rinse and shampoo as usual.

By the very nature of its light colour, grey hair gets duller, dirtier and drier than darker shades, which is why it's so important to shampoo and condition it daily.

The bluish shampoo helps to hide any yellowish tinge, which can be ageing.

Read more: 5 Ways to get gorgeous grey hair

Image via Real Simple

If you want to hide your roots and try a new hairdo at the same time, zigzag your parting.

Allow at least four weeks between single-process colour treatments and at least eight weeks between high or low light treatments.

Create effective and instant highlights by applying champagne or gold-hued eyeshadow to your hair using an ordinary make-up sponge.

Use a humidifier at night in your bedroom, especially in cold weather. Air conditioning usually keeps the air very dry, which can dry out your hair.

To reduce damage to your tresses and add bounce to your hairdo, dry your hair until 90 percent of the moisture is removed, then stop.

Most people falsely believe they must use a hairdryer until their hair is bone dry. Not true. The style should fall into place if your hair is healthy and well cut.

If you usually wear your hair in a ponytail, take it out for a few hours a day to give your hair a break. Also, try not to pull hair back too tightly. And never sleep with any sort of accessories in your hair.

Comb conditioner through your hair before going swimming to protect it from the harsh chemicals. Do the same before going to the beach.

Use moisturising conditioner two to three times a week to combat fine, thin hair.

Many people think conditioners will flatten thin hair, but, actually, using a moisturising conditioner a few times a week will help your hair to block out humidity, which can make the hair flat.

Here's how to get the hold you want while avoiding a greasy look. Place a medium coin-sized portion of gel in the palm of one hand, then dab a tiny amount onto the fingertips of your other hand, leaving most of the gel in your palm.

Starting at the back of your head near your scalp line, work the gel from your fingertips into the root area of your hair. Continue until you've used up the portion of gel.

Read more: Hair inspiration for men over 50

Flip your head over, spray the underneath layers with hairspray, and shake it out to style your hair instantly without having to rewash and blow-dry.

Pick a hair colour that's just a few shades lighter than your complexion, which tends to lighten as you age. Highlight or bleach grey hair to give your hair a more uniform look and brighten your skin tone at the same time.

Ironically, harsh shampoos can actually lead to more oil because your scalp tries to compensate. Use a shampoo that's gentle enough for everyday use.

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