Hello lovlies!
Is your hair uncooperative? Does it seem like no matter what you do you always have split ends? Frizz? Curls that fall minutes after putting them in? Here's a few of the biggest culprits that are damaging your hair and what you can try to do to minimize it.
1. Washing too frequently.
When hair gets wet, it absorbs the water and becomes heavier. This causes it to stretch and break easier under the pressure. Frequent washing also strips the hair of the natural oils it needs for a healthy balanced appearance.
Try washing twice a week. I know you girls with oily hair are freaking out at me right now, but trust me, I used to be one of you. Your hair is most likely so oily from overwashing. Your scalp is producing extra oil to compensate for what has been stripped away by harsh shampoos. It will naturally adjust over time. I'm actually down to washing once a week depending on what products I've used. Use a dry shampoo for those days inbetween washes to touch up excess oil and add some volume and life back to the roots. If you must wash, focus only on the roots and stay away from shampoos that say deep cleansing or clarifying.
2. Brushing wet hair.
Remember when I set wet hair gets stretchier and easier to break? Attacking it with a normal hairbrush fresh out of the shower or even over brushing dry hair causes strands to tangle and snap.
Try using a detangling spray and combing through wet strands with your fingers. Start at the back of your head on the bottom and work your way up. A wide tooth comb is another gentler alternative to a hairbrush. Just remember to start at the ends of the hair and detangle upwards. This prevents more tangles from occurring and the need to brush hard.
3. Heat Styling
This is no surprise to anyone I'm sure. Blow drying causes the quick evaporation of all water both on the surface and inside the hair. This causes the hair to become dry and brittle. Then we go back to brushing this extremely hot, dry, brittle hair. I bet you can guess what happens next.
For some of us (me especially!) blow drying is a necessity. My hair will not behave without it. Always, always, always use a heat protectant or leave in conditioner! This will help to lock in more moisture. Use the lowest setting of heat available on your dryer and if you can help it, wait until your hair is cooled before brushing it.
4. Tight Pony Tails and Braids
I love a high pony. It makes me feel sassy and free. However, the act of pulling that hair up tightly at the crown of my head is hard on hair follicles. Wrapping the hair band around the hair tightly causes breakage at the crown instead of the ends. Suddenly you find yourself with these short baby hairs that cannot be tamed.
Be gentle with your hair. Tugging too tightly can not only break the shaft mid down, over time it can pull the follicles right out of your scalp. Opt for looser styles and don't sleep with your hair up. I'm guilty of this because I get so hot at night.
5. Towel Drying
The texture of a towel is just not good for your hair. Rubbing wet hair with a towel roughs up the cuticle, causing damage and frizz.
I wish I could take full credit for this method, but I actually learned of it through a group of friends. It is called the t-shirt drying method. Now, I'm not saying you should throw out all your standard bath towels. Who doesn't love a warm fluffy one right from the dryer? However, the smooth texture of something like a t-shirt is gentler on the hair strands. Softly squeeze and pat the hair instead of going crazy rubbing. The t-shirt soaks up the water much faster than a towel in my opinion. Since I've been doing this I've had virtually no frizz and can tell a difference in the way my hair styles.
That's all from me today. I hope life is treating you all well. Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you next time.
Xoxo
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