Are you finding it hard to nip your bad hair habits in the bud? Well, whilst we’re all self-isolating, now is the perfect take to take action and give your hair the TLC it deserves…

Our hair goes through a lot and we often forget that it’s with us 24/7. There are lots of factors that can influence the condition of your hair and so many theories and myths around looking after it. To help out a little, we’ve put together a how-to guide to resurrect dead hair! 

GET REGULAR HAIRCUTS

Everybody knows that in order to combat split ends, you should be getting your hair cut on a regular basis. However, this obviously depends on the length, style and condition of your hair. It’s normally suggested that if you have short hair and want to maintain this style, then you get your hair cut every couple of weeks. Mid or shoulder length hair should be cut every 3 or 4 weeks, whilst long hair should be cut every 6 weeks to prevent split ends. Things are a bit different if you have long and damaged hair, where it’s recommended to be cut around the same time as mid length hair.  

AVOID USING HEAT STYLING TOOLS

In order to reverse the damage of split ends or frail hair, you should ideally use heat styling tools like dryers, straighteners and curlers as little as possible. Whilst we won’t be leaving the house for a while, this is the time to get your hair a heat-detox. If you do choose to style your hair this way, it’s recommended that you protect your hair from heat damage by using oils, serums, leave-in treatments and sprays. There are loads of alternative ways to get curly and wavey hair, just take a look on Instagram and TikTok for tutorials!

THINK ABOUT LETTING YOUR HAIR AIR DRY

If you are avoiding heat styling tools and want to let your hair dry naturally, make sure you know what’s best for your hair beforehand. After shampooing and conditioning your hair, brush through it with a wide tooth comb and wash your hair with cold water, to help avoid knots and to seal the moisture in to your hair. Towel drying your hair is known to occasionally pull and tug at the roots, weakening them. To avoid this, gently dry your hair with a microfibre towel or cotton t-shirt to gently squeeze any excess water out. Make sure you use products like oils and serums on the ends, whilst air drying to further protect your hair. You could even treat yourself to a weekly hair mask to really help nourish and revive your hair! 

DON’T CONSTANTLY WASH YOUR HAIR

If you find yourself in a routine where you are shampooing your hair more than 3 times a week, then you need to stop, as you could be stripping your hair of its natural oils that it needs to retain moisture. This could also be adding to problems with greasy hair. If you feel like your hair looks greasy a couple of days after shampooing it, then there are a couple of tricks that you can do to avoid this from happening again. Dry shampoo is really your best friend in this situation, you should be applying the product to your roots in layers and then gently massaging it in with an old cotton t shirt to avoid frizz – avoid using your hands as they hold natural oils you can pass onto your hair. You could even use the natural oils to your advantage and style your hair into a ponytail, a bun or plaits, as the oils in your hair will help hold the style much better than freshly washed hair. 

READ THE BOTTLE

The purpose of shampoo is to cleanse your hair of any dirt or grime its collected. However, one major ingredient that is present in a lot of popular shampoos is Sulfate; not only can this strip your hair of any natural oils that your scalp produces to keep your hair soft, shiny and full of moisture, but it can also irritate your scalp and skin. If you already have naturally dry or damaged hair, then you will want to avoid this key ingredient, which can be present in shampoos that claim to nourish and moisturise your hair. So next time you’re shopping for shampoo and conditioner, make sure you are reading the ingredient list thoroughly!