10 Tips On How To Get Long And Lustrous Hair
Are you trying to get achieve long and lustrous hair?! You Look no further! As someone who has been through ROUGH hair cut that took MONTHS to grow back out, I went a little cuckoo. I chalked it up to a learning experience and lucky for you, through obsessive research, I was able to develop fabulous tips that will help you achieve your hair goals. LET’S GET IT.
1. Use conditioner every time you shampoo.
When you wash your hair, shampoo cleans and strips your hair of moisture. The hair shaft thins at the bottom due to chemicals, heat and environmental shenanigans. In order to replenish the moisture in your hair, you must condition it! In order to achieve lustrous hair, It is extra important to moisturize your hair to protect it, and that protection starts in the shower.
2. Don’t shampoo every time you shower.
MOISTURIZATION SAVES THIS NATION (or maybe just your hair). Washing your hair every day strips the natural oils from it, especially if you use a shampoo that has sulfates in it. Give your hair a break so it can have the chance to retain some of its natural oils. Figuring out how long you can go without shampooing your hair is different for every hair type! It may take some experimentation but your hair will thank you for giving it that extra moisture it craves. One step closer to lustrous hair.
3. Do a cold-water rinse at the end of each shower
I know what you are thinking: “What?! Dousing myself in cold water after a nice, relaxing shower? Let’s not and say we didn’t.” But get this: cold water lays the outer layer hair down better which will prevent tangles and moisture loss. So don’t knock it till ya try it. (over and over again for results)
4. Apply an oil treatment weekly
Do a pre-wash oil treatment. Doing this is important because the oils build up fatty acids on the hair follicles. Since our hair is made up of keratin (a protein) fatty acids are essential for maintaining its health! Put the oils in your hair for about 10 minutes before or while you are in the shower. After the 10 minutes is up, shampoo and condition like normal! Those oils will be sealed in. Easy Peasy! There are SO many oils out there and finding the right one for your hair type can be tricky. I have fine hair but a lot of it, so I use a dime-size amount of coconut oil. If that is not your jam, don’t fret, check this out to see what oil could be best for your locks.
5. Brush hair from the bottom up
CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOUR HAIR. When it comes to brushing, brushing your hair from the top down can be very damaging. Doing it from the bottom up will cause you less pain. In addition, it will be less likely you will lose too much hair form brushing it. Switch up that brush routine. LUSTROUS HAIR HERE WE COME.
6. DON’T WRAP HAIR IN A TOWEL
I did not realize how bad of a habit this was throughout my life until I realized I used to sit on my towel on my head for multiple hours after I go out of the shower. The reason why this is a no goo shmoo for hair is that your hair gets caught in the fibers of the towel and causes breakage. Breakage equals no lustrous hair. Not worth it! You can use these babies instead, microfiber towels will not break your hair or the bank.
7. Ditch the ponytail
Ight, before ya wild out on me, I am not telling you to never use ponytails every again. That would be totally unrealistic and I definitely would not be able to take my own advice. They are breakage bandits though. Instead try clips, scrunchies, cloth ponytails, and invisibobbles. Gentleness is key.
8. Lay off the heat
Laying off products and tools that cause a lot of damage to your hair will make your hair healthier by minimizing breakage and allowing hair to retain its natural moisture. This will encourage it to grow!
9. Get a trim
PSA: the scissors can be your friend. Getting trims gets rid of those pesky split ends that inhibit hair growth. Most stylists say if you are growing to grow your hair out getting a trim every 2-3 months is key. (You could stretch it to four if you are feeling it, that is what I do). Remember, the amount you want to be trimmed off is relative. A nice 1/8th of an inch trim does the trick my hair, which is down to my collarbones because it gets rid of split ends and helps me to maintain my length. But it may be different for you based on your hair type and length!
10. Massage yo scalp
This may sound a tad out there but it works! I realized it did after I start to massage the top of my head so I could add extra texture to my hair. What I did not know I was increasing the circulation in my scalp. Massage your scalp to increase blood flow to your scalp which will help that mane grow! Most recommend 2-5 minutes and during your shampoo time so you can plop it into your hair routine.
