Sleek, shiny hair can be yours – you just need to look after your hair. You don’t need to use a lot of products, either – just plenty of preparation, a bit of love and care and a little bit of effort and your hair will be strong, shiny and really easy to manage. Read on for ten of the best hair care tips you’ll ever read and look forward to having strong, healthy hair this year!
Dry Your Hair with a Paper Towel
Do you use a towel to dry your hair? That’s fine – but if you suffer from frizzy hair with lots of split ends, it could be to do with the towel you use when drying your hair. Rubbing your hair with a towel can cause breakages and frizz and one very simple way to prevent this is to dry your hair with a paper towel – it sounds a little bit strange, but the paper towels absorb far more water than a normal towel which cuts your drying time. Paper towels create less friction than fabric, and so will make hair sleek instead of frizzy.
Sleep on a Silk Pillow
If you take only one tip away from this blog, make it this one. Swap your cotton or polyester pillowcase for a silk one – cotton and polyester can cause frizz, whereby silk reduces static, keeping your hair sleeker and smoother. It can also help to reduce acne and spots, too.
Make Dry Shampoo Your New Best Friend
Dry shampoo isn’t just for bad hair days. Spritz it underneath the top layer of hair at the roots for extra volume, spray onto bobby pins and hair grip for plenty of extra grip, and spritz through the mid-lengths and ends of hair to create texture when you want a lived-in, beachy look. When using it, hold the can about 30cm away from your head, then spritz, leave to sit for 3-4 minutes, then brush out until the hair is clean and shiny.
Clarify Your Scalp
If your hair is being a bit naughty or if it is frizzy, full of split ends or just downright unmanageable, the problem might be with your scalp. Once a week, apply a very gentle astringent (suitable for use on skin), directly to the scalp with a cotton bud, then wash off carefully with warm water before you use shampoo and conditioner. Your hair will feel much cleaner and it’ll be much more manageable.
Rinse Hair Thoroughly
Sometimes we leave some conditioner in hair simply because it makes our hair feel soft and sleek – but leaving too much product in your hair can dull it, reducing shine and making it more difficult to shine. Wash shampoo and conditioner from hair as thoroughly as you can and when applying conditioner, run a wide-toothed comb through your hair to distribute it evenly.
Less is More
Even with the cheaper hair care products, you don’t need to use a lot of them. A dime-sized piece in the palm of your hand is all you need for both shampoo and conditioner – too much product and your hair will be lank, dull and greasy. With expensive brands, you can often get away with even less product – which is great news if you’re on a bit of a budget! The same goes for hairspray, hair oil, hair mousse, leave-in conditioner, masks etc – the less you use, the better in most cases in terms of how your hair looks, feels and moves.
Turn Up the Volume
When you use volume-enhancing products, such as mousses, they’re often activated by heat – so although you could see some lift and definition by simply scrunching them through your hair and leaving to air dry, most of the time, you’ll get even more lift and plenty of bounce and volume simply by blasting your roots for a few minutes. For the best results, tip your head upside down and just go for it with the hairdryer – your hair will definitely thank you for it!
Blow Baby
When using a hairdryer, to avoid frizz, direct it from the roots to the tips – never blow dry the tips or the hair from underneath, as it’ll simply add frizz rather than volume. Blow dry using a brush to smooth down the hair cuticles as you blast hair, as it’ll keep hair smooth and sleek, and when it comes to straightening or curling your hair, make sure that hair is 100% dry – using a heated appliance on hair that is still wet would cause frizz, static, and heat damage, too. Always use heat protect sprays, especially if you have naturally frizzy or curly hair.
Backcomb with a Toothbrush
Aiming the blowdryer directly at your roots can sometimes actually cause flat hair – but instead of backcombing hair with a comb, try a toothbrush. The soft bristles of a toothbrush can “rough up” hair just enough to give it a little extra boost of volume, whereas a comb can cause damage. It’s a clever tip, plus, you can easily slip the toothbrush into your purse so that you can touch up your locks when you’re on the go.
Use a Humidifier
If your hair is very dry, or if you’re regularly in a dry environment – for example, with air conditioning, central heating or if you live in a very cold climate, your hair will be dry, dull and frizzy. Although humidity can cause damage, a dry environment is even worse. Regularly running a humidifier will help to combat this, nourishing hair and adding moisture. Add a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner to your routine and your hair will be even softer.
For more skin care and hair care tips, take a look at the rest of our blogs.