20 Tips To Have Healthy Hair
Finding the perfect hair care routine can be tricky, and everyone’s is going to look different based on hair type! However there are some general baseline rules to follow to keep your hair looking healthy! Check out these 20 tips for healthy hair:
1. Don’t wash your hair everyday! (use dry shampoo instead)
This is one routine that varies based on hair type, but whether you have thin, straight hair, tight, curly hair, or loose, frizzy hair, usually washing your hair every single day can strip your hair of natural oils and instead produce a buildup of product, leaving your hair straw-like and your scalp irritated. No thank you! If you have flat, finer hair, it’s recommended that you wash your hair every other day. Finer hair shows grease more easily than thicker or curlier hair, so if you go more than a couple days without washing, it will show. Dry shampoo will be your best friend to curb greasy hair without stripping your hair of its natural oils– my personal favorite is from Ouai! If you have thicker hair, try washing 1-2 times per week. Thicker hair hides oils better than thinner hair, so if you’re not feeling too greasy, take a break and put off washing! If you have wavy or loose curls, wash 2-3 times per week. It’s important to keep that volume defined without weighing down your hair with a buildup of product from excessive shampooing. And if you have tight, coily hair, wash 1-2 times per week. It’s important to keep your hair locked and full of moisture, without stripping natural oils.
2. Invest in quality shampoo and conditioner
When shopping around for shampoo and conditioner, it’s tempting to choose the bargain-buys and cheap supermarket options. But if you’re trying to improve the quality of your hair, investing in a more expensive product can be very rewarding. Research research research! Find out what types of shampoos and conditioners are made for your hair type, and read reviews on what others have said about them!
3. Use a moisturizing conditioner on the ends of your hair
It’s important not to go crazy with the conditioner, but use it regularly (and properly!) to lock in moisture and reduce frizz. Depending on how long your hair is, squeeze your conditioner into about a quarter-sized dollop, less or more depending on hair length, and gently massage into the ends of your hair. It’s important to keep the conditioner to the ends and avoid the top of the scalp, as conditioning the top of your hair and your roots can cause greasiness and product-buildup. Once massaged, rinse, and gently towel dry!
4. Rinse hair with cold water to prevent frizz
We all love hot showers, which are perfectly fine for washing our bodies and even our hair once in a while! But have you ever tried rinsing your hair with cold water? After washing your hair with warm or hot water, rinsing with cold water helps to prevent frizz and give you that healthy and shiny look.
5. Avoid brushing your hair when wet
Your hair is at its weakest when wet, and brushing your hair when wet can cause breakage and hair loss. Wait until your hair is dry to brush, and make sure not to overbrush!
6. Let your hair down (lose the tight pony!)
You know when you have your hair in a tight ponytail all day and you take out your hair tie and it just kind of stays intact with the indent of your hair tie? You don’t want that! Wearing tight ponytails and buns too often can cause breakage and frizzy hair. Let your hair down every once in a while and let your scalp breathe!
7. Find the perfect hair ties & scrunchies
Finding the right hair ties and scrunchies for the days when you do want your hair out of your face is essential for maintaining your healthy hair. My personal go-tos are the coil type hair ties that look like those key holders you wear on your wrist! These help to eliminate those indents and reduce hair breakage. I also love silk scrunchies, which are so cute and also not as harsh on the scalp as those tight rubber bands.
8. Put your hair in loose braids before bed
Research shows that braiding your hair before bed helps to lock in moisture, while the moisture that would be lost in the air or in the fabric of your pillow actually gets trapped in the overlapping strands of your hair. Loosely braiding also helps to prevent breakage and frizziness, and if you have thinner, straighter hair, leaves you with gorgeous soft waves in the morning that are easy to care for and style.
9. Sleep on satin pillowcases
Sleeping on satin pillowcases helps to smooth frizzy hair minimize static. Satin pillowcases also help to keep your styled hair intact, so you wake up feeling refreshed and looking your best! Check out these popular satin pillowcases by Slip!
10. Get frequent trims
Getting frequent trims (every 8-12 weeks) helps get rid of split ends and promotes hair growth, as well as keeps your hair looking bouncy and healthy.
11. Use a deep conditioner
Using a protein-based deep conditioner once a month helps to heal and restore your hair while adding extra protein and moisture. Deep conditioning can be fun since there are so many easy DIYs you can do by yourself or with friends! Get creative with it!
12. Lose the heat
Heat damage is a common cause of unhealthy hair. Although we all love to blow dry, curl or straighten our hair every once in a while, it’s important to avoid in your daily routine. I try to limit my heat usage to once a week, for weekends or nights out, and after cutting down on my usage, I’ve seen such a difference in the health of my hair.
13. Use a heat protectant
For the days when you do decide to apply some heat, make sure you first apply a heat protectant! Although these products don’t reverse the heat damage, they do help to prevent further harm from being done. Try an all natural option with essential oils to prevent product buildup and support sustainable beauty options!
14. Limit color/bleaching
Coloring and bleaching your hair can be extremely damaging, drying your hair and scalp and changing the structure of your hair which makes it more likely to break. If you’re looking for some color, try a wash-out or semipermanent option to do at home, and avoid bleaching! The damage isn’t worth it!
15. Try herbal and nutritional supplements
A popular brand, HUM, sells lots of nutritional supplements aimed at promoting hair growth and health. Hair loss and weakness is often caused by a nutritional deficiency, and while adjusting our diet also helps, sometimes we need an added boost to take our hair to the next level.
16. Avoid chemicals
In the name of the environment, the animals, and your hair-health, go natural! There are plenty of products out there that are made sustainably, ethically, and with all natural ingredients. Shop small, shop clean, and watch your hair go from 0 to 100.
17. Brush from the bottom-up
There’s a correct way to brush your hair? Yes! Brushing from the bottom up, meaning starting at your tips to remove tangles and then brushing from the scalp helps to prevent hair breakage, frizziness, and ensures even distribution of your hair’s natural oils.
18. Use the right brush for your hair type
Different brushes have different purposes and are designed for different hair types. Researching and investing in a hair brush that’s right for you is essential in caring for your hair.
19. Switch up your products
After using the same product in your hair over and over again, your hair will build up a tolerance, and eventually the product will lose its effectiveness and simply become buildup in your hair. It’s important to switch up your products every once in a while to keep your hair healthy and your products productive.
20. Eat a balanced diet
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is crucial to keeping your hair strong and healthy. Making sure you are getting enough protein and fat to create strong, shiny, and voluminous hair is the simplest and often most overlooked aspect of hair care, but is so important!
