This Raya, keep it healthy and hair-monious under the hijab with Dyson Supersonic™

At a recent round-table talk on scalp care with Dyson, we got to identify some surprisingly common yet frequently overlooked hair concerns — and picked up some tips to combat them for the upcoming festive season!

Here’s a dilemma during the Raya season that often gets overlooked: between multiple open houses a day, trudging through the hot and humid air, and trying out different hair or hijab styles with your fits, a lot of damage could happen to your hair. It could be obvious if you catch a glimpse of yourself in the car mirror on your way to the next open house, but for someone like me — who has her hair securely wrapped up in a turban for most of the day — the damage comes as a nasty surprise. As a hijabi, my hair struggles may seem ‘quieter’, but no less serious. 

I recently got the chance to sit with Hidayah Ottman, Senior Design Engineer at Dyson, as well as artist-slash-beauty advocate Nina Khalil over Zoom to talk about common hair problems faced by fellow hijabis, and how we can take better care of our scalp. And the loose conclusion that we came to is: hair can be very complicated.

Dyson’s research and development efforts are something that the brand has always prided itself in, and hair care is just one of its many categories. Thus, in its goal to expand its beauty technology and to launch twenty new beauty products in the next four years, it’s safe to say that Dyson’s team of hair scientists, engineers and professional stylists have studied the science in all its glorious detail.

Without getting too technical, what Dyson has understood about hair is that it’s mainly made up of protein (keratin, which gives the hair its shape and structure) and ‘bound’ water depending on humidity. When there’s an excess of water, that’s when hair is considered wet. And because hair growth is dictated by so many different things (genetics, diet, even stress), damage — no matter how small — can build up over time.

The damage is done…

So… what damage exactly? The team at Dyson breaks it down to three common habits. Firstly, applying too much tension to the hair. Here, I cover my face with shame. In order to ensure my hijab is secure, I tend to be guilty of tying my hair and wrapping the hijab too tightly. This tension, as the Dyson experts affirms, can put stress on the scalp and hair strands — which, over time can also cause hair fall or breakage. (Something I unfortunately still suffer from!)

Another thing I’m guilty of is putting on the hijab too quickly after a shower, even before my hair has dried completely. According to the experts at Dyson, excess water causes hair to swell, and breaks some of the hydrogen bonds that hold the hair’s structure together. This means that our hair is significantly weaker when it’s wet. There’s more friction between damp hair and material of the hijab, and it leads to more hair damage in the long run.

Scalp care also very often goes unnoticed. Many of us are so concerned with how luscious and voluminous the hair should look that we tend to forget the root of it — the scalp! For hijabis, however, the scalp doesn’t let us forget. Covered under the hijab fabric, a damp scalp can turn itchy and uncomfortable because of the air trapped in it. And with a humid climate like ours, it is definitely bound to happen.

… but it’s never too late to fix with the Dyson Supersonic™!

Well, then, how do we tackle these specific issues? For one, your everyday hair care routine may need to change — and to keep it simple, these four simple tips were discussed during the round-table talk with Dyson.

Washing is important, but knowing just how often to wash depends on your hair type. If you wash your hair every day, a milder shampoo is recommended to remove the sebum. Conditioners can be underrated, and also some of the best products that you can use on your hair. They coat the hair, lubricate it and can reduce the signs of damage — it’s thought to be best that you use a conditioner each time that you wash your hair. A good brushing technique can also prevent further hair damage. Brushing down from the ends of the hair goes a long way! And finally, drying — your hair definitely needs to be completely dry before putting on your hijab.

This is where the Dyson Supersonic™ comes in. If — like me — you’re in a rush to put on the hijab and sprint out the door, then the Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer could very well be your best friend. The hair dryer strips water off from the hair surface with a high-speed air flow, which means fast drying from the root of the hair right to the tip.

The Dyson Supersonic™ is also made for all hair types, as seen through the array of attachments that it comes with — and the intelligent heat control helping to keep the airflow temperatures below 150°C. This helps to prevent heat damage, so you don’t need to worry about any external damage to your hair.

On top of all that, the Dyson Supersonic™ comes equipped with the Gentle air attachment specially for those with fine hair and sensitive scalps. It comes with a more diffused airflow but without sacrificing anything else — so you can be sure to still expect fast drying.

Intrigued to get your hair and scalp Raya-ready for the festive season? We bet you are! The Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer is priced from RM2,299 and is available on its official website HERE, as well as Dyson Demo Stores nationwide.