Regardless of texture, colour or style, there’s one thing nearly everyone wants: Hair that looks like it’s just walked out of a salon every single week.
But if there simply isn’t time in your endless list of things to do, and if you’d rather that extra 10 minutes in bed over waiting for the keratin enriched hair mask to work its magic, read on, because we’ve listed seven, yes, just seven key hair rules to stick to for the happiest, healthiest hair of your life.
Bye, bad hair days.
- When you decrease how often you wash your hair, your hair will feel cleaner for longer after you do wash it.
Condition the right way! I believe it’s important to use leave-in conditioners over shampooing so often. Rinse your hair if you want to but you don’t necessarily have to shampoo it.
To make sure your hair really absorbs the conditioner, towel-dry hair after shampooing. Excess water will mean the conditioner won’t be able to penetrate the hair shaft and deliver the necessary moisture to keep hair looking healthy and shiny. If you’re short on time, at least squeeze out excess water.
And where you apply it matters, too.
- Conditioner only needs to go on the mid-lengths and ends of your hair, so avoid putting conditioner on the roots as it will cause your scalp to get greasy faster.
It’s also a good idea to think ahead and anticipate situations where your hair might dry out.
- While you exercise, you perspire, which means that your hair gets damp with sweat that can actually make it dry, before you hit the gym, wet your hair and add in some conditioner from the mid-lengths to the ends. Rinse out the conditioner post-workout and you’ll be left with shiny, hydrated hair!
Use cool water to wash and rinse your hair. As undesirable as that sounds, taking a hot shower can cause heat damage to your hair, much like using a blow dryer can. To avoid this, try turning the heat down to a lukewarm or cool temperature while you wash and rinse your hair.
- In particular, use cooler water when rinsing out shampoo and conditioner, as heat can counteract the nourishment the conditioner has just given your hair. Cool water can also help to make your hair look shinier.
Always use protection. Hair can be damaged by both UV and heated tools, like straighteners, tongs and even your trusty hairdryer, so it’s important to give your hair as much protection as possible.
And when drying, be sure not to hold the hair dryer too close to your lengths, to prevent split, fluffy ends.
Invest in quality products & tools. Think of your hair like your skin - what you put on it will affect it. Investing in good quality products and tools will keep hair looking and feeling healthy and strong.
- Good brushes are worth investing in and although might have a heftier price tag than others, if they’re looked after they will last forever.
- Keep your brushes clean and free of dead hair, oil and product build-up, and just like washing your hair, your brushes are in need of washing too. Wash them in a mixture of baking soda and warm water once a month.
Use hair ties that won’t damage your hair. Hair ties can break hair and cause split ends. If you put your hair up a lot, try to find hair ties that do not break hair or cause knots. You should also wear your hair in loose ponytails, rather than wrapping your hair up very tightly, as doing this can cause more damage.
As the trusty saying goes, You are what you eat. By choosing the correct foods, you can increase hair growth and repair and prevent hair loss. If you do not get enough nutrients each day, your hair will most likely become thin.
- Make sure you are eating enough protein. Hair is made of protein, so eating plenty of protein-rich foods will give your body what it needs to grow and repair your hair.
- Look for foods containing Omega 3 fatty acids and other essential fatty acids. This includes oily fish, (eg. salmon, tuna and mackerel), and almonds.
- Vitamins B6 and B12 are also good for your hair.
- You also need to make sure you're drinking plenty of water throughout the day, which will keep your hair healthy and shiny.
