Your hair is undeniably one of the things that define your personal style and makes you unique. Everyone has hairstyles, colours, and looks that become part of their signature style.
The trouble is, many people don’t care for their hair as much as they should. They will typically end up with problems like rough-feeling hair, issues with volume, and split ends, to name a few examples.
You’re likely reading this article today because you don’t want to experience some of those issues with your hair, and you want to know the best ways of caring for your locks.
Take a look at the following 12 powerful tips to keep your hair in tip-top conditions at all times:
1. Keep Your Hair At A Manageable Level
The first tip to bear in mind, and perhaps the most powerful one of all is to keep your hair at a manageable level. One of the common mistakes that many individuals make is letting their hair grow to a level that is no longer easy to manage.
For example, it’s no secret that it takes longer to care for and style long hair than a shorter hairstyle. That’s why you need to consider which length of hair or style of hair is manageable on a daily basis.
2. Use The Best Shampoo And Conditioner
As you know, many shampoo and conditioner products exist on the market. You only have to head down to your local supermarket to find an aisle full of different brands and types of shampoos and conditioners!
It’s up to you to consider the best products for your specific haircare needs. If you feel your hair is lacking volume, for instance, it makes sense to invest in volumizing shampoos and conditioners for your haircare requirements.
Don’t just pick shampoos and conditioners at random or simply because they are available at a special price. Always choose ones that are best suited to you.
3. Brush Your Hair Before You Shower
Do you often find that your hair becomes tangled throughout the day or appears like that when you wake up in the morning?
Plus, do you generally head for the shower each day with your hair in a tangled state? If the answer to both questions is yes, consider brushing your hair before standing underneath the shower. Why would that make a difference, you ask yourself?
The answer is simple: detangling your hair with a brush – even for just one minute – will ensure wet hair is less vulnerable to breakage.
4. Go Easy On The Conditioner
Do you always apply a large quantity of conditioner to your hair each time you shower? If so, you need to stop doing that! The volume of conditioner you use on your hair should be a fraction of the shampoo you apply.
The reason for using just a small amount of conditioner is simple: it has a different consistency to shampoo, and you must “work it” into your hair strands instead of brushing/massaging it over your hair as you do with shampoo.
5. Watch What You Eat
Did you know that the food you eat will directly impact the health of your hair? For example, consuming a diet rich in protein will keep your hair feeling strong and voluminous. Eating lots of meat, fish, and eggs will boost your body’s protein levels.
Protein helps the body produce collagen – an essential protein that gives skin its elasticity and ensures your hair contains thicker strands.
If you’re on a plant-based diet, the good news is you can get lots of protein from beans and other pulses, spinach, and avocados, to name a few examples.
6. Keep Your Stress Levels Low
It might seem like an unlikely cause, but stress can (and does) result in hair loss. That’s why you should find ways to keep stress in your life down to a minimum as much as possible.
There are three types of hair loss that get associated with high stress levels. You might think that everyone experiences stress in their daily lives, and there isn’t a way to totally avoid it.
While that’s true, you can take some actionable steps to keep your stress levels down as much as possible. For example, find a better work-life balance, steer clear of negative or toxic people, and make other lifestyle improvements.
7. Keep Dandruff Under Control
The sad truth about dandruff is that it affects at least half the population. Dandruff doesn’t discriminate; it can be a problem for people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
The two leading causes of dandruff are stress and exposure to extreme weather, such as icy cold winds.
How can you avoid dandruff? Sometimes, it’s not possible to avoid high-stress situations or walking around in extreme weather conditions. Thankfully, using specialist anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner products will minimise any dandruff flare-ups you experience.
8. Consider Sleeping On Silk Pillowcases
One fact that surprises many people is that damage to their hair can often result due to the way they sleep at night – or rather, how they rest their heads!
If you sleep on a cotton pillowcase, you may not realise it, but lots of friction occurs each time you move your head on the pillow every night.
One practical way to reduce that friction is by swapping your cotton pillowcases for ones made of silk. Such a change will help protect your hair from getting frizzy and damaged.
9. Stay Hydrated At All Times
There’s no denying that water is essential for all life on Earth.
People need to consume lots of water each day to ensure their internal organs work as they should and to help flush out toxins from the body. Water also helps keep skin feeling elastic and helps achieve a more youthful complexion.
But water is also good for your hair. It helps support hair growth, prevents split ends, and ensures a healthier scalp, meaning a lower risk of developing dandruff.
10. Ensure You Have Regular Haircuts
You already know about the importance of keeping your hair to manageable levels. What you should also bear in mind is the need to have regular trims.
When you have a haircut at least once every six weeks, you will play your part in keeping your hair strands healthy and preventing split ends from occurring.
What if you don’t want lots of length taken off your hair? Simply ask your hairstylist to cut the tips of your hair, as doing so will get rid of any damaged ends.
11. Use Haircare Products With Natural Ingredients
Have you ever looked at the ingredients of each shampoo and conditioner you use? If so, it might shock you to learn that many commercially-available products contain all kinds of ingredients – many of which you’ve never even heard of!
That’s why you should take steps to narrow down your selections to products with only natural ingredients. In case you wondered, a “natural ingredient” is one that derives from a natural source, such as plants or water.
12. Dial Down Your Shower Temperature
Last but not least, if you’re the type of person that loves to stand underneath a hot shower every morning, your habit is likely doing your hair more harm than good!
Hot water will irritate your skin, especially your scalp, and cause a broad range of problems that can be difficult to tackle. A better idea is to have a warm shower – one that doesn’t leave you shivering but equally isn’t likely to turn your skin red after a shower!
