Your crowning glory is one of the most important factors on your wedding day. It has to be in the best condition it’s ever been in whether you’re wearing it up or down. Here are some tips to get your locks into perfect shape.

Start from the inside out

Healthy hair, skin and nails are a product of what you put into your body. Eating the right foods will help you improve the condition of each of these. Some of the most important nutrients for your hair are;

Your B vitamins help restore shine and thickness to your hair by loading up on vitamin B complex rich foods such as whole grains, eggs and avocados.

Zinc
Brides to be often undertake an exercise regime which can lead to loosing a significant amount of zinc if the routine is quite strenuous . Zinc plays a role in the production of new cells (including hair cells) and the maintenance of the oil secreting glands of the scalp that make hair shiny. Munch on high zinc
foods like lamb, turkey, pumpkin seeds and chocolate ( yes you can have a little)!

Iron
The hair follicle and root are fed by a nutrient rich blood supply and if your iron levels aren’t high enough your hair isn’t being nourished from the root. Iron rich foods include, egg yolks, lentils, spinach and red meat.

Protein
As your hair is made of protein, ensuring you have enough protein in your diet is crucial for making hair strong and healthy. If you don’t consume enough protein in your diet, your hair is likely to become dry, brittle and weak. Choose chicken, turkey, fish, dairy products and eggs as excellent sources of protein along with vegetarian sources such as legumes and nuts.

Omega 3
an essential fatty acid which cannot be sufficiently produced by the body. It is known for its ability to help with dry, brittle hair and itchy, flaky scalp. It provides nourishment to the hair follicles to make hair strong and healthy. Good sources are oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel as well as eggs, walnuts, flaxseed, brussels sprouts and kale. And remember to keep drinking lots of water!

With your diet sorted the other tips I have for you are;

Step away from the straightening irons!
I am always giving my clients a hard time about heated tools. Straightening irons heat to 220 degrees, the same temperature as a deep fat fryer!!! You have to protect your hair if you are using one, otherwise you are going to have dry, limp, split hair for your wedding day. To hold on to your hairs natural oil invest in a good heat protector.

Kevin Murphy’ s Damage Manager is a weightless heat protecting shield that will protect your hair up to 220°C (not all heat protecting products will). It is sulphate and paraben free and contains Allantion which encourages cell growth and moisturises. It also contains Arnica root extract which helps prevent inflammation and promotes healing. This should be applied any time heat is used, even the hairdryer.

Don’t make any big colour changes near your wedding day.
If you are new to colour or thinking of a change for your wedding day do it at least 8-12 months before hand. There is no problem tweaking the colour you usually have done but any major changes need to be given time to settle in case there’s a change of heart. Colour correction can be a big job and the hair can go through a lot of processing leaving it dry and brittle. This leads me to my next point….

Find a stylist you like and stick with her/him.
Set a plan with your stylist 8-12 months before your wedding day so your colour and condition of your hair are perfect. If you chop and change your stylist you can end up with patchy, over processed hair. Your own stylist is going to get excited with you about your wedding and put extra love and effort into your hair.

Invest in good hair products, they really make a difference. Become aware of what works for your hair and what it needs. Take advice from your stylist, they will know what to recommend for your hair.

Keep your hair trimmed regularly even if you’re growing your hair. If you are protecting your hair from heated appliances and using good products you may be able to stretch your trims to every 8-10 weeks instead of the usual 68 weeks.

Most importantly don’t stress. Stress can have a detrimental effect on your hair. Try to enjoy the whole process coming up to your wedding day. Let family politics fly over your head and don’t let little details get on top of you.