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Hair Tricks from Around the World You Should Be Using

You don't have to travel the globe to start incorporating these international hair tips into your daily routine.

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In Brazil, women daringly burn off their split ends

It’s safe to say that Brazilian women are fairly obsessed with their hair. In fact, according to Household and Personal Products Industry (HAPPI), Brazil completely dominates the Latin American hair-care markets and ranks third in the world for global hair-care sales. Brazilian women are particularly interested in post-treatment products to reverse the damage caused by hair dyes, chemical straighteners, and hot styling tools. One way Brazilians maintain their hair moisture is to partake in their signature ‘velaterapia’ procedure. During velaterapia, a hair stylist uses a flame to literally burn off all split ends, essentially cauterizing tresses to seal in hydration. A word of advice: don’t try this at home, and make sure you’re not making these split end mistakes to begin with.

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Jamaicans make the most of cactus oil

Sweltering heat is one of the largest obstacles to maintaining great, frizz-free hair in the Caribbean. Fortunately, Jamaicans have a long-standing tradition of using cactus oil to keep their locks looking beautiful. Cactus oil offers an array of hair benefits including added softness, smoothness, and shine. In the same way a cactus plant must trap and retain moisture in the driest of conditions, so too can cactus oil help hair remain hydrated and healthy. The cactus oil’s omega fatty acids and B5 vitamins are also key to hair growth.

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French women use their fingers before styling tools

Francophiles everywhere lust over the Parisienne’s quintessentially laid-back and effortless beauty. One French secret for gorgeous hair is to avoid using hot styling tools altogether. Instead of blow-drying their locks after showering, French women will let it air dry naturally. Similarly, flat-irons and curlers are a major faux pas. Instead, fingers are the French’s go-to tool for a perfectly tousled look. The result is chic, undone hair with minimal damage and breakage.

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Yucca is a top Amazonian beauty secret

Yucca, a tropical root vegetable found throughout Latin America, is traditionally used as a natural cleanser for both the hair and scalp. Amazonian women, in particular, are able to successfully battle the smoldering heat and humidity with the help of the yucca’s many nutrients. According to Around the World Beauty, a travel blogger who had the chance to try the yucca treatment firsthand in Ecuador, it “works to prevent hair loss, strengthens strands, boosts shine, and even treats dry scalp.”

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Moroccans are lucky to have Argan oil

In the beauty industry, pure Argan Oil is synonymous with liquid gold thanks to its super hydrating and smoothing properties. Argan Oil is often referred to as simply ‘Moroccan Oil,’ due to the fact that Argan trees almost exclusively grow there. With its high demand and limited fertile region, Argan Oil is one of the rarest and most luxurious oils in the world. Aware of its fatty acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants, Moroccan women lather it all over their hair shaft and roots for added luster and health.

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Shea butter is the go-to hair ingredient in West Africa

You’ve no doubt heard of the miraculous benefits of Shea butter for your skin (especially if you have stretch marks), but did you know that this thick goop can also transform your hair? Shea butter is extracted from the seeds of Vitellaria paradoxa tree, which is native to West Africa. As such, Shea butter has been deeply ingrained into the West African beauty culture for centuries, and is used for a multitude of hair care purposes including daily conditioning, as an overnight hair mask, and a deep conditioning treatment.

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Aussies know the importance of UV protection

The excruciating heat down under can dry out even the most naturally oily locks, so it’s no surprise that UV protection is a high priority in Australia. Daily hair-care products with UV like the Kerastase Soleil-Mirco-Voile Protecteur are always top sellers in Sydney salons. Even better, these vital hair sunscreens can simultaneously help control frizz.

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Japanese women prize camellia oil

“For ages, women in Asia have been putting camellia oil in their hair after they wash it as a leave-in conditioner; the key is just to start from the middle of the hair, down to the ends,” Vicky Tsai, founder of Tatcha told PopSugar. “The best camellia oil comes from one of the islands of Japan called Oshima island,” Tsai says. “The women who traditionally harvest the oil are famous for their hair that grows down to their feet and glowing skin, and it’s because they use the oil from the nut they’re harvesting on their skin and hair.”

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Greeks turn to hair products with mastic

Everything about the Greek lifestyle breeds healthy hair. Their well-balanced, Mediterranean diet is rich in hydrating oils, lean fish, whole grains, almonds, olives, and yogurt. On top of that, taking a dip in the sea creates a gorgeous texture better than any store-bought salt spray. Still, Greek women enjoy the help of one special ingredient: mastic, a resin extracted from a tree that only grows on the southern part of the island Chios. Considering their time spent in the sun, mastic is the perfect solution for hair growth, shine, and health.