How to look after your hair. 7 Best Tips
If you have troubled hair and didn’t manage to get a last-minute appointment with your hairdresser before the craziness erupted, rest assured because I have you covered.
I’ve been dying my hair since I was around 14, starting out just with highlights then going to full bleach and then much to every hairdresser’s dismay box dyed it red. The dreaded red. Let me just tell you from experience if you’re thinking about it, DON’T. No matter how bored you may be, no matter what you’re going through, just don’t. Or at least wait until you’re in your in your late 20’s and you’re sure that you want red hair forever. The process to getting back to any natural colour (even darker tones) after going red is one hell of a journey, and certainly not a cheap one either. I have been so very fortunate that my hair has not completely fallen out although it is nowhere near the same as it was, but some are not so lucky… so once again just be 100% sure before you dye your hair a crazy colour. DON't DYE IT ON IMPULSE.
Now if you have damaged, dry, coloured, or just hair that’s in need of a haircut I have a couple of life saving tricks that have so fortunately saved me from going completely bald (not that there is anything wrong with that either, just not what I was going for).
What shampoo is good for hair
Firstly, ditch the cheap shampoo and conditioner. You may have heard it from your hairdresser and assumed they are just trying to sell you their products but believe me there is NOTHING good about cheap shampoo and conditioner. If you take a look at the ingredients, many will have countless silicones, parabens, SLES and sulphur which is does way more harm to your hair than good. Even those products which claim to be chemical and sulphur free are not always telling the truth. For instance, head and shoulders is really extremely drying due to other ingredients that replace the obvious sulphur. It will be creating many more problems than it solves and can create a dependency meaning you will need to use more and more of it. The trick is, the less ingredients the better. Natural, organic, completely naked shampoos and conditioners that are completely transparent with their ingredients. You should be able to recognise most of the ingredients listed or at the very least google and understand easily what it in them. Now I’m not suggesting you need to spend £30 on a bottle but just aim for the mid-range products such as OXY, Aussie, or the new herbal essences bio renew range. It may cost a little more, but they also tend to last much longer and will also save your costs in hairdresser trips in the long run. There are even companies out there who customise a shampoo and conditioner to your exact hair type with no extra chemicals or sulphurs to imitate a treatment.
What is your hair care routine?
Have a hair routine. Just as you should have a skincare routine, you should also have a hair care routine with several steps and products. If you don’t already use shampoo AND conditioner, try it out, especially if you have frizzy, course or unruly hair. Many believe that conditioner makes their hair greasy and that shouldn’t be the case if you are using the right products. Shampoo acts as the cleanser to wash away dirt and oil build up on the scalp, and conditioner works to, well you guessed it, condition your ends! Ideally use shampoo right on the scalp and avoid washing your ends with it as it can further damage follicles, plus when you wash the shampoo out it will naturally wash through to your ends. Ideally use two separate products, but 2 in 1’s can work too so long as you follow it up with the correct after care. Once you have shampooed and conditioned your hair (you can leave you conditioner in for as long as you feel necessary but generally 2-5 minutes does the trick and more does not mean it will be more effective), be sure to follow this up with a cream or serum on wet hair as this will lock in the moisture and is great if you have dry, damaged hair.
How to dry your hair with a towel
When you towel dry, SCRUNCH it, don’t rub it! And do not tie up your towel on your head as this can cause slight balding around your forehead from the tension.
How to brush wet hair
When brushing your wet hair try to use a comb at first to detangle and then brush gently though once the ends are unknotted. Remember that your hair is very gentle, and easily prone to breakage especially if it is heated, so treat it that way.
How to dry your hair with a hair dryer
Which brings me to my next tip… do not use your hair dryer on completely wet hair. Let your hair air dry a little before using the hair dryer and always use a diffuser where possible as if your hair touches the coils on the inside of the dryer, it will burn the follicles. And do not forget heat protectant!!
How to use hair oil
Follow up all of this with some oil, ideally after styling as before it can create a horrible combination and just add to the damage. You can buy oils online from HQHair, Look Fantastic, and Unineed.
Best hair masks to use
Hair masks every so often are a godsend! My favourite has been from the Grow Gorgeous ranges. They don’t leave any residue, are vegan and are made with no nasty ingredients.
And there you have it, take care of yourself, and your hair during this time at home. All the best, Anna
Anna - VoucherShares.co.uk
More blogs from Anna:
Spring-cleaning or Deep Clean? Top tips to keep your home spotless
Top Gifts for Mother’s Day 2020
Top Valentines Day Gift - GLOSSYBOX February Edition
How to deal with the winter weather
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