Secrets for Beautiful Hair

In Hawaii, long hair is the traditionally favored style for most women. Long hair is considered very feminine and sexy and makes wahines (women) look fine and exotic.

Here are some tips on having beautiful, healthy, shiny hair:

1. Massage your scalp. Press hard on your scalp with your fingertips and massage your whole head. This gets the circulation going and can even help with individuals suffering from small bald spots.

2. Get a scalp brushing. My favorite place to do this is at Ulupono Academy, A Paul Mitchell beauty school salon, in Kaimuki, Oahu. It's really inexpensive, and great for your scalp. Students will use a hair brush to brush your scalp in sections and invigorate your scalp and hair follicles and exfoliate the skin.

3. Brush your hair, especially the scalp. My girlfriend, Iwa, has the most beautiful long hair and she brushes her hair every night at least a 100 times. I remember Frederick Fekai saying the same thing once in an interview. The proof is in the haupia pudding!

4. Take prenatal vitamins. I know this sounds crazy and I'm not promoting that you get hapai (pregnant), but prenatal pills is a hula dancers secret! We take prenatal pills when we want our hair to grow longer and faster. Plus you get the benefits of healthy full hair and strong nails.

5.  Deep condition your hair weekly. I like to use Biolage deep conditioning balm when I am home. Put a lot on damp hair, put it in a bun, and do your housework. If you want extra conditioning, put a shower cap around it so that it seals in more heat. I also like to use oils, such as organic argan oil, coconut oil, or manoi (Tahitian) oil. I will put this in my hair in a tight bun before I go into my Bickram hot yoga class, and by the end of the class my hair is deeply conditioned. You can also do this before entering a steam room, but be sure that the oil/conditioner in your hair does not get all over the steam room or you may not be welcome there anymore!

6. Eat healthy and try not to dye your hair too often. Try to eat lots of dark leafy green vegetables and give your hair a break by not dying it too often or using hair products that damage your hair on a daily basis.

7. Let your hair air dry instead of blow drying it.

8. Do not comb your hair while it is wet to prevent breakage.