Do you hear yourself saying "my hair is fried" every time you look in the mirror?
In the midst of multi-colored hair fads and long days in the sun, it seems more and more people are becoming susceptible to greater hair damage, and are unsure of how to treat it. Have no fear, bright-headed beauties - fried hair is not forever. With a few helpful tools, the right care and a little bit of patience, you'll get your soft strands back in no time.
First Things First...What Causes Damaged Hair?
A number of contributors could be making your strands feel like straw: improper washing, drying and styling, chemical treatments (hair color, bleach, relaxers, straighteners), overexposure to sun, wind, environmental toxins, even a lack of proper maintenance (regular trims). It's important to monitor your hair styling and maintenance to eliminate potentially harmful habits.
Our First Recommendation? Get A Trim.
Getting a haircut is truly the best way to eliminate damaged ends. Sometimes if the damage is too great, no amount of conditioning treatment is going to get rid of it. Even if it's just an inch or two, it will make all the difference when styling or brushing your hair.
Next...Deep Condition!
Unless you've got virgin hair, we suggest doing this at least once every week. We're big fans of the Oribe Gold Lust Repair and Restore Transformative Masque, the Marrakesh Miracle Masque, or the Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask. If you haven't used a clarifying shampoo in a while, give that a try prior to a deep condition. The average Betty doesn't need to clarify more than once every two months, unless you use a lot of styling products or spend a lot of time in the pool.
Resist The Temptation To Overuse Heat Styling Tools.
This includes hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons, the works. Doing this alone for the first two weeks after you bleach or dye your hair will reduce damage significantly. Make sure to ALWAYS use a decent Thermal Protection Spray (which will protect your hair from heat up to 400°F) and to keep heat settings on styling tools as low as possible.
Practice Good Cleansing Habits.
Yes, washing your hair incorrectly does cause further damage to already fried hair. We suggest the following tips:
- Use only lukewarm water (this will also keep skin and hair from drying out)
- Get hair very wet before applying shampoo.
- Use a sulphate free shampoo. Gently pat the shampoo into hair to avoid rubbing or pulling damaged strands. Try to lightly massage scalp with fingers, NOT fingernails. Be wary of excessive scrubbing - in fact, the less suds you have, the better.
- Make sure to rinse out all excess shampoo.
- Follow with a high quality conditioner, and apply from top of ears to end of the strands. Leave on hair for up to 5 minutes, then rinse well with a cool water to help close the cuticle. We suggest using an intensive repair mask once every week, and alternating with hydrating masks in between (especially for those in dry climates).
- Never rub your hair with a towel - always blot. Water can actually be very drying on your hair, so do your best to blot out as much as you can prior to applying your leave-in conditioner (otherwise it will just slide off).
Last But Not Least...Eat Well!
Yeah, this is the least fun option, but getting enough vitamins and nutrients are vital to having healthy shiny hair. After all, you are what you eat. Cutting out junk food, sugar and even alcohol will help keep your hair as healthy as it keeps you. A few foods that are fantastic for great hair are generally rich in essential oils - fish oil, avocado, you know the drill.
