When we think of healthy hair, we picture shiny, lush, beautiful locks. Sometimes that may seem out of reach for us… we often get stuck in a rut with our hair not looking quite the way we want. Luckily, we can take baby steps that will really add up, and suddenly, we start to see some really healthy changes! Here is a list of 8 easy changes we can make to see results.
Clean your brushes.
All the work we do to keep our hair looking great comes at a cost: the integrity of our brushes! Every day, they’re in contact with product residue, oils, sweat, and dead skin cells. It is beneficial to clean them every other week to make sure what’s left in the brush isn’t going back into your hair. You may clean your brush with a little shampoo under some warm water.
Protect your hair from the sun.
We always think about shielding our skin from the sun, but we often forget our hair can get just as damaged. The UV rays from the sun can dry out hairs and cause brittleness. If you have color treatments, these will fade from the sun’s damage as well, so protect your investment! To keep our hair safe from the sun, we can simply wear a hat. If that’s not for you, apply products containing UV filters and antioxidant-rich oils.
Don't use styling tools on wet hair.
The ‘sizzle’ sound you hear when you use your flat iron or wand on wet hair isn’t a good thing; it’s actually being burned. Make sure your hair is dry before you use your tools. For best results, air dry your hair. However, if you don’t have time for that, you can blow dry it (try using a heat protectant if you must use your blow dryer).
Use a thermal protectant.
Piggybacking off our last tip- you should always use a heat protectant before any type of heat styling. These products are designed to shield your hair from the high temperatures you get from blow drying and straightening. From sprays to creams, thermal protectants are quick and easy to apply and can make a huge difference in preserving the health of your hair.
Brush more than just the ends.
Brushing the ends is a great technique to start with, when it comes to your brushing routine. However, it’s also important not to neglect brushing higher up… all the way to your scalp. The reasoning for this is that it’s helpful to distribute the oils fully along the entire length of the hair. This will also help give your hair the elasticity, bounce, and shine we all strive for.
Don't wash your hair every day.
We admit it’s tempting to wash your hair every day. However, when you wash your hair, you’re stripped away the natural oils from the hair and scalp that work to keep your hair shiny and protected. By removing these too often, the body starts overproducing oil which can lead to greasiness. To maintain the perfect level of natural oil and cleanliness, try a dry shampoo as they extend the clean feeling between washes.
Apply styling products to lengths and ends.
The only time you don’t want to do this is when using thickening and plumping products such as root boosters, mousse, dry shampoo, and volume powders. Everything else, such as blowout balms, shine serums, and texture sprays will cause your roots to feel dirty or greasy and counteract the bounce and elasticity you’re looking for. Simply apply these products to the lengths and ends instead.
Take a hair supplement.
While not the first choice we recommend for easily improving the health of your hair, it is something to consider. Many of us don’t get all the nutrients we need in our diets. Hair-supporting vitamins such as biotin can be found in many supplements and are an easy way to give your hair an extra boost.
