Hi everyone,

We all want gorgeous, glossy hair. But the reality is most of us are damaging our hair on daily basis without even knowing it. So today I’m spilling some healthy hair secrets. Get ready for those lustrous locks!

1. Let Your Hair Down – regularly pulling hair back in a ponytail or bun too tightly can cause damage. And removing hair elastics often leads to breakage. When it just must go up, opt for hair ties that slide easily out of hair.

 

2. Don’t Wash Everyday – washing hair too frequently strips it of its natural oils, which actually causes the scalp to produce more oil. If you are in a pattern of everyday washing, skipping a shampoo probably makes for a greasy head of hair. It will take some time for your scalp to adjust to less frequent washes. But be patient, eventually your hair will thank you.

3. Brush Before Washing – when you do wash your hair, brush it beforehand. Not only does pre-shower brushing make for fewer post-shower tangles, but brushing also dissolves dirt and product build up and disperses hair’s natural oils. Boar bristle brushes are great for distributing oils evenly from root to tip. They are also extremely gentle.

4. Never Brush When Wet – Hair stretches and is most prone to breakage when it’s wet. Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to gently untangle knots and save the brush for when hair is at least 90% dry.

5. Dry with Care – rather than using a towel, dry hair with an old, worn-in, super soft tee shirt. And pat dry; don’t rub. Rubbing hair with a towel roughs up the cuticle, which can cause frizz and breakage.

 

6. Watch the Water Temp – hot water is drying, to your skin and to your hair. Wash hair under tepid water and do your final rinse with the coldest blast you can handle. Cold water will seal the cuticle, promoting shiny hair.

7. Condition. Condition. Condition – you should condition hair every time it is wet, but only the ends. Just like you really only need to shampoo the scalp, conditioner is only needed on the ends, where the hair is much drier. And once a week, use a deep conditioning mask all over. For extra healing, after you’ve applied the mask cover your hair with a shower cap, this locks in the moisture and the heat from the shower will take care of the rest.

8. Cool it with Heat Styling – hot tools like hair dryers and curling irons are very damaging to hair. Embrace your hair’s natural state as often as possible. When you do use hot tools be sure to protect hair first with a product that coats the cuticle—creating a barrier between the hair and the heat. And watch the temperature setting too; using hot tools on high settings can cause hair to become dry and brittle. Start at the lowest setting and work up if necessary.

9. Color with Caution – if you color your hair, try to stay as close to your natural color as possible. The more drastic the color difference, the more ammonia, bleach or other harsh chemicals were used to get it there.

10. Sleep on Silk – silk pillowcases are much smoother than cotton pillowcases, which means less tugging and tangling, and therefore less breakage and damage. Sleeping on silk also reduces frizz.

Do you have any healthy hair tips that work for you? Share your hair secrets in the comments section!

<3 Mish

Photo Sources: Organic Color Systems, Target, Etsy, Folica, Amazon, Eleven, Lady Quarters, Indulgy, Made in China 

Sources: Huffington Post, MSMBC