If you wash your hair everyday, apply styling products directly to your scalp or dry your hair using hot air, you are not doing your hair any favors. In order to keep your hair healthy, lustrous and gorgeous-looking, you need to exert some extra time, a lot of effort, and avoid typical mistakes that damage your hair. In the next section, we will give you the ultimate guide on how to care for your hair – starting from good shampooing habits to the things that wreak havoc on the health of your locks.
The Ultimate Guide for Hair Care
Just like the skin on your body, your hair needs the proper care, products and maintenance to prevent it from being dry, from having too much product build up and to maintain its health and thickness over time. Here is the ultimate guide on how to best care for your hair:
- Choose the right products for your hair.
Men and women have different hair types, and the health of your hair depends on your choosing the right products to use for it. If you have dry hair, for example, you should use shampoo and conditioner which are formulated to maintain moisture on your locks. If you have oily hair, choose a clarifying shampoo that prevents product build-up. You don’t necessarily have to buy the pricey beauty shampoos – even the drugstore or supermarket brands will do, as long as you find the right formula for your hair type.
- Know how to properly shampoo and condition your locks.
Next comes the actual washing of your hair. Washing your hair with warm water is best, since hot water can dry your locks and irritate your scalp. Shampooing hair removes dirt, excess product, oil and even dead skin cells.
Before applying shampoo, make sure to rinse your hair out. A nickel-sized amount of shampoo at the palm of your hand should be enough, any more will simply waste the product. Don’t use your fingernails, just the tip of your fingers to work the lather from your scalp all the way down to the tips of the hair strands. Rinse, then apply conditioner if you are using a separate product. It’s not necessary to wash your hair everyday because it might get stripped of natural oils, so two to three times a week of washing should be enough.
- After-washing habits to remember.
If you’re not in a hurry, let your hair air dry rather than constantly applying hot air on it. If this is not possible, set the hair dryer to cool so as not to damage the strands of your hair.
- How about applying hair care products?
After drying the hair, choose the right product for styling. Avoid ones with alcohol on the formula since it can dry out the individual strands. Also, avoid putting the product directly onto your scalp because it might clog the pores and result to oily hair or dandruff.
- Live a healthy lifestyle to maintain the health of your hair.
Your lifestyle will also have an effect on the health of your hair. Avoiding stress and smoking, eating right and exercising are all a must to maintain the health of your locks.
- Learn how to avoid damage on your hair when swimming.
Lastly, if you’re not wearing a shower cap, use tap water to rinse your hair first. This way, chlorinated water will not seep through the strands of your hair. By following these tips, you can make sure that your hair is in tiptop shape and looks great whenever you’re styling it.