How to Have Healthy Hair
A number of people think having healthy hair is just about using the right hair products. While hair products go a long way to keeping your hair healthy, there are also basic habits that can make or mar your hair. One of these is your hair washing routine.
Many people don`t know this, but your hair washing routine goes a long way to determine how healthy your hair would be. The wrong hair washing routine would damage your hair and cause hair tangling and hair breakage. Here are a few shower tips to help you wash and dry your hair the right way. Let’s get talking!
7 Healthy Hair Shampooing Tips
Steam your Hair Often
Before applying shampoo on your hair, ensure you get rid of any residue on your hair scalp by steaming your hair. To do this, soak your towel in hot water, squeeze out any excess water, then wrap the hot towel around your hair for about 20 minutes.
No Hot Water
Perhaps the most common tip for healthy hair is: Do not use heat styling tools frequently. Well, you may want to add hot water to that list too. Using hot water on your frequently can wash off natural oils in your hair and expose your hair cuticles to damage. Hot water also reduces your hair’s moisture content.
Instead of jumping into a hot water shower, use tepid or cool water for washing your hair. This would help your hair cuticles retain their moisture and make your hair healthier and more attractive.
Massage your Hair
Before jumping into the shower, ensure you massage your hair, especially after steaming it. Massaging steamed hair would help free up any clogs of dirt on your hair scalp.
Use Organic Shampoo
Organic shampoo contains natural essential oils and vitamins that are good for your hair’s health. Synthetic shampoo, on the other hand, contains sulfates and parabens which are preservatives that can cause scalp irritation and damage your hair.
In addition, synthetic shampoo can cause extreme eye damage, especially in children. Ensure that your shampoo is organic and does not contain sulfates, parabens, or any other chemicals and preservatives.
Avoid Leaving Shampoo on your Scalp
This is a common mistake many people make with shampooing their hair. The function of a shampoo is to remove any dirt clogs, dead skin cells, or oil residue on the hair scalp. There`s no need to shampoo your hair length. Applying shampoo to the length of hair will rid it of its natural oil; leaving it looking dry and full.
Ensure you apply shampoo strictly to your hair scalp and massage it into your hair roots until the solution begins to foam.
Don`t Wash your Hair Daily
Regardless of how good it appears, washing your hair every day would only leave it looking dry and brittle. Shampoo often contains some chemicals that can cause damage if they act on your hair every day.
Experts advise that you wash your hair not more than thrice every week to keep it healthy and attractive.
Keep to Time
The more time you spend shampooing your hair, the less effective it becomes. Shampooing is best when your hair is in its most fragile state; when it`s wet. So to prevent any breakage or tangling, ensure you keep the shampooing time within 15 minutes.
5 Healthy Conditioning Tips
Pre-Condition your Hair
A good way to keep your hair healthy is to condition it before shampooing. This will help to prevent any dryness or breakage after washing. Massage your hair thoroughly with essential oil and ensure that you work the oil into your scalp from your hair. It is best to do this at least an hour before washing your hair. The natural essential oil would seep to your hair shaft, keeping your hair soft and shiny.
Your Scalp Needs no Conditioner
Just as there`s no need to apply shampoo on the length of your hair, there`s also no need to apply conditioner to your scalp. Applying conditioner on your scalp will block your hair’s pores and prevent aeration to the cells of your hair. This can cause stunted hair growth and hair breakage.
Don’t Condition your Hair for Too Long
Unless it’s a leave-in conditioner, there`s no need to keep the conditioner in your hair for a long time. In fact, there is really nothing to gain from doing this. You won’t get more hair moisture content.
Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioning helps your hair stay healthy, shiny and soft. Ensure you do this every fortnight, especially if you have curly or kinky hair texture.
Towel Dry before Conditioning
While this may be quite stressful, it’s the best way to get frizz-free hair after having a shower. After shampooing your hair, wrap a microfiber towel or cotton-based material around your head to soak up all the excess water, then apply it to your hair length conditioner. This conditioner will seep through your towel-dried hair easily and prevent it from breaking or falling off.
3 Tips for Drying your Hair
Choose the Right Towel Texture
Your towel texture goes a long way to determine how healthy your hair turns out. Terrycloth towels absorb all the moisture in your hair, leaving it dry and frizzy. This can cause hair breakage. To avoid this, it is best to make use of a microfiber towel or a cotton-textured material. These materials will not absorb all of your hair’s moisture content.
Rub your Hair Gently
When towel-drying your hair, work the towel through your hair gently. Pat the material around your hair bit by bit to remove the excess moisture, then leave it to air dry. Many women make the mistake of rubbing their hair roughly and vigorously when trying to remove excess moisture. This causes the hair to break or get tangled up.
Stay off Blow Dryers
Remember what we said about avoiding heat styling methods? It fully applies in this case. The heat from a blow dryer can split your hair ends, causing damage and breakage. If you have to use a blow dryer, then make sure you use it in a cool setting.
Some Other Shower Tips for your Hair’s Health
Use Leave-in Conditioners
Applying a leave-in conditioner or a smoothening serum on your hair after it removing excess moisture is a great way to lock-in moisture and prevent hair breakage. This would help to prevent dry or frizzy hair. Ensure that your leave-in conditioner does not contain alcohol, as alcohol could dry out your hair faster.
Keep the Styling Products on a Minimum
Hairstyling products often contain chemicals that can damage your hair scalp and dry out your cuticles. Avoid applying too many hair products like hair sprays and gels on your hair. These products can leave oil residue that can clog your hair pores.
Keep the Shower Time Short
The more time you spend in the shower, the more fragile your hair becomes. Here`s why it`s best to get in and out of the shower as quick as is possible.
Now that you Know…
Your hair is extremely delicate, that`s why you should take extra care to avoid habits that can cause hair damage. The next time to go to the shower to wash your hair, ensure that you keep these tips in mind. You’d be glad you did.