Truthfully, I haven’t got the perfect hair care routine to give to you, as there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to that. I do, however, have a collection of my best hair care tips to help you build and perfect your own personal hair care routine.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR HAIR?
This number will vary not only between different hair types but different lifestyles as well. Your climate, how often you work out, the products you use and so many other factors will alter how many times you need to wash your hair a week. You will have to find a number that works for you. As a rule of thumb try not to wash your hair more than 3 times a week, especially if you have dry hair. You should also try to wash your hair less in winter as the cold temperature can have a drying effect. Try and listen to your hair and wait until you feel like it needs to be washed. Don’t be afraid to play around with this, you will find a balance that works for you and your lifestyle.
DRY HAIR GIRLS
Try skipping shampoo! Just rinse with water and use conditioner on your ends in between a full wash (shampoo & conditioner). This will help preserve your natural oils while keeping your hair fresh and healthy.
OILY HAIR GIRLS
Dry shampoo is your best friend! If you get caught in a situation where you don’t have enough time to wash, dry and style your hair for an occasion, which is very often let’s be honest. Dry shampoo can save the day! Just make sure you don’t rely on this guy too much as you don’t want to create excess build up.
WHAT IS DOUBLE SHAMPOOING, AND SHOULD YOU DO IT?
Double shampooing is exactly how it sounds, shampooing twice in order to properly cleanse and treat your hair, but why does it work so well? The first shampoo lifts residue, build up and oil from your scalp and rinses it away. With your hair now clean and unclogged the second shampoo can reach your bare scalp to do its job properly. Whether you’re using a hydrating, anti-dandruff or smoothing shampoo you should find it is a lot more effective when using this technique.
IS THERE BENEFITS TO BRUSHING YOUR HAIR?
Brushing your hair can be either harmful or helpful in your journey to healthy hair. It all comes down to the tools and techniques you use. I assume you already know this one, but it is so important. Always start brushing from the tips of your hair and slowly and gently work up to the roots. Use a boar bristle or soft bristle brush to ensure you’re not causing any breakage. Make sure you continue to brush a little longer once you’ve reached the roots as this when your brush will help spread the natural oils you produce from you roots all the way down to your tips. Brushing can also help stimulate blood flow to your scalp, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the roots. You should try and brush your hair as often as possible, considering it is not wet or damp as this is when your hair is most likely to break
HAIR BECOMES A POOF WHEN BRUSHED?
Personally, as a curly hair girl, I know the struggle of the dreaded poof. I avoid this by brushing my hair right before bed and then I sleep with a silk sleeping cap. What’s that you ask, it’s a soft silk cocoon that protects your hair from abrasive and dehydrating cotton. It has multiple benefits but it really helps my curls de-poof after being brushed so I can wake up with silky smooth healthy hair. You can read more about the benefits here and check out the cute colours here.
HEAT STYLING AND HEALTHY HAIR
Look heat styling is like chocolate, we love it, we know it’s not the best for us but moderation is always key. Although I’ve got nothing to help cut down on the chocolate here are my best tips for reducing heat damage.
HEAT PROTECTANT
A good quality heat protectant will work wonder at protecting your hair and is definitely worth the investment. Some also help your heat styling last longer which is an amazing bonus!
TEMPERATURE
There’s a temperature
setting on your flat iron for a reason, so here is a guide on what you should use.
Fine hair: Stay between 170- 190 °C as fine hair is prone to damage due to how quickly it can overheat.
Colour treated hair: Stay under 190°C to help your locks stay healthy and vibrant.
Normal hair: You should aim to use 200 °C or less to avoid damage whilst still holding your style.
Thick or super curly hair: Start at 200°C, however, if you find the lower temperatures are not holding your style you can work your way up to 230°C to help penetrate those locks.
MAKE YOUR STYLE LAST LONGER
Heat styling not only takes a toll on your hair but takes a fare bit of time, so you want to get the most out of your work, right? Well remember that silk sleeping cap I was telling you about earlier, this is just another reason why it’s so amazing. It creates a protective cocoon with very little friction which means your hair style will be safe from frizz, bed head and those pesky hair tie kinks. Meaning you can rock that look for another day or two and delay your hair from its next encounter with the flat iron. You can check them out here.