Regardless of our hair style, color or texture, we all want healthy and beautiful hair that looks like we’ve just stepped out of a salon every day. And while you might think this requires expensive hair treatments or professional cuts, the truth is that by simply following a few golden hair care rules you can have the healthiest and most beautiful hair of your life. So, here are some of the most important rules of hair care that will allow you to achieve gorgeous, lustrous locks:
Don’t wash your hair every day
One of the biggest mistakes people make is washing their hair every day. However, doing this so regularly will remove the natural protective oils from the shaft, leaving your hair more susceptible to damage from environmental factors, and more prone to breakage. So, whether you have overly greasy or even dehydrated hair, don’t wash it more than two to three times a week, to allow your natural oils to restore the lost moisture, and promote better hair growth. If you have colored hair, you need to wash it even less, if you want to maintain the vibrancy and shine of your color.
Avoid using hot water
Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash
Just as washing frequently can damage your hair, doing so with hot water can loosen the natural oils in the shaft, causing excessive frizziness and dryness, and often leading to breakage and damaged strands. In order to avoid this, and maintain the health and the beauty of your hair, it would be ideal to wash your hair with cold water, although lukewarm is also a good option if you can’t stand the cold. After washing, make it a point to gently towel dry your hair by blotting, and always detangle with a wide-tooth comb, to avoid additional damage.
Opt for organic shampoos
Traditional hair care products are made with harsh ingredients than not only completely strip your scalp of its natural oils, but can also lead to redness and irritation. That is why it might be best to only wash your hair with organic shampoos, regardless of your texture, as their natural and mild ingredients will nourish your scalp while cleansing it. If you have a very dry scalp that’s prone to itchiness and flakiness, it might be even more important to use a natural and organic anti dandruff shampoo made with gentle ingredients, such as glycerin, aloe vera and organic oils, in order to moisturize the scalp and restore its balance.
Learn how to condition
No matter your hair texture, a good conditioner is an essential part of every hair care routine. However, while a three-minute conditioner in the shower might be enough for straight and wavy locks, thick, curly and highly textured hair needs to be deep conditioned before every wash. This means applying a potent conditioner that will add both moisture and protein to the hair, covering it with a plastic cap, and then applying heat to your hair from the outside, usually by using a hair dryer. Don’t forget to apply a leave-in conditioner as well, to maintain smooth, frizz-free locks, and easily turn a comfortable style into a fashionable look.
Always protect your hair
Whether you are simply blow-drying your hair or even using styling tools such as straighteners and curling wands, it’s absolutely essential to apply a good heat protector before exposing your hair to potentially harmful factors. Apart from shielding your hair from damage, a good protector might also help to condition your hair from the inside out, leaving you with smoother and shinier locks. As an additional precaution, make sure not to hold the blow-dryer too close to your strands, to avoid frizz and split ends.
As you can see, taking good care of your hair is much simpler than it seems. All you need to do is change a few small steps in your hair care routine to have stronger, healthier and absolutely gorgeous hair.
