When it comes to beauty and style, the right hair care can provide you luscious and healthy locks. Although different types can require unique maintenance and styling needs, there are many hair care tips that are simply universally useful and effective. Whether you want to boost volume for a cute short hairstyle or grow out a longer style, it can be a challenge knowing how to care for your hair. To inspire your routine, we’ve compiled this guide on the best hair care tips for women.
Hair Care Tips
Wash with Warm Water
When choosing the right water temperature to wash your hair, lukewarm is best. While a scalding hot shower might sound relaxing after a long day, it will also rob your hair of essential oils. Cold water promotes scalp circulation which can improve hair health. Unfortunately, not a lot of us can handle it. Lukewarm water will do the trick just fine.
Deep Condition Regularly
As women, we subject our hair to all sorts of chemicals, dyes, and a ridiculous amount of heat. Regardless of your hair texture, it’s a good idea to apply a deep conditioning treatment on a regular basis. According to Top Trends Guide, using a good conditioner several times a week is extremely important if you have short or curly hair since you’ll want to maintain moisturize, maximize volume and prevent frizz. You also don’t have to wait and do it at the salon since there are plenty of quality products on the market you can use at home. Lifeless hair will become a thing of the past in no time.
Apply Shampoo to Your Scalp
This may sound like a no-brainer, but shampooing your scalp thoroughly is crucial when washing your hair. It’s not enough to shampoo the strands, as your scalp is the one responsible for producing oil and shedding skin cells. Apply a generous dose of shampoo and make sure you reach all parts of your head. As a bonus, a scalp massage is very relaxing.
Thoroughly Rinse
Rinsing is boring, we’ll give you that. But getting out of the shower with traces of product still in your hair will cause it to look dull. Take some extra time with rinsing to avoid any annoying product buildup.
Protect Your Hair Before Styling with Heat
Using heat to style your hair is unavoidable these days, so it’s important to take precautions. Excessive heat will damage your hair in the long run. To avoid that, invest in a quality heat protectant. Apply it before you curl, straighten, or even blow dry your hair for best results. Based on this resource by Garnier, there are several easy ways to protect your hair from heat and minimize dryness, dullness, and breakage.
Blow Dry with a Brush
Most women get a confidence boost after a professional blowout. Too bad it’s costly and time-consuming to head to the salon every time you wash your hair.
Blow drying may be an art, but you can master it at home, especially if you have the right tools. Use a round brush from near your roots down to your ends while blow-drying to end up with voluminous hair that’s eye-catching and easy to style. Apply a volumizing hair product for an extra dose of glam.
Straighten and Curl When Your Hair Is Dry
When it comes to hair basics, here’s a crucial piece of advice: never straighten or curl wet or even damp hair. The damage you’ll do isn’t worth the ‘efficiency.’ Instead, wait for your hair to be completely dry before reaching for your favorite styling device.
Use A Quality Conditioner
Finding the right conditioner for your hair type can be a struggle, so reach out to your hairdresser for recommendations. Since they handle your hair regularly, they can offer excellent advice. Conditioner isn’t a product you should skimp on. A quality brand-name product will not only detangle your hair, but nourish it in the long run.
Let Your Hair Relax Without A Ponytail
Wearing your hair in a tight ponytail day after day will put unnecessary strain on your locks. Just ask Ariana Grande. While ponytails are incredibly practical – and chic! – let your hair down more often to allow it to breathe and relax. On the same note, you can switch things up with braids and loose ponytails.
Sleep on a Silk Pillowcase
You spend approximately 7-8 hours per day with your hair resting on your pillow. Make sure that your pillowcase doesn’t do more harm than good. According to the New York Times, cotton pillowcases are harsh on your hair and can absorb product meanwhile a silk pillowcase’s smooth texture translates to hair that’s less frizzy and better hydrated.
Use Dry-Shampoo when Necessary
If you have greasy hair, dry-shampoo is a great care product worth using. With no washing required, it absorbs grease and leaves your locks looking fabulous. Even if you have normal hair, it’s a good idea to have dry-shampoo around for those days when you just can’t be bothered. Make sure you pick a quality brand that doesn’t leave any residue behind for a polished finish.
Air Dry When Possible
Most women know that heat can damage your hair, so air dry it whenever possible. In no way should you leave your house in winter with damp hair; that will result in all sorts of other problems. But if it’s a warm day or you’re staying in, air drying is always the way to go.
Trim Split Ends
Split ends are inevitable and ignoring them won’t do you any favors. They’ll just get worse and make your hair more difficult to style. Ideally, the average time frame between haircuts should be every three to four months, depending on texture.
Keep Your Hair Hydrated
Moisturizer isn’t only for your skin – your hair needs to stay hydrated as well! The first thing you need to do is to keep your hands from touching your hair all the time, as this (annoying) habit will lead to breakage. The second is to invest in a leave-in hair cream you can apply in the morning and allow it to work its magic throughout the day. Your strands will be grateful.
Use a Wide Tooth Comb on Wet Hair
In a perfect world, you would only comb your hair when completely dry. See, hair breaks more easily when it’s wet. But when you have issues with tangled hair, combing it while damp may be your only alternative. If that’s the case, use a wide-tooth comb and be patient. Also, the more gentle you are, the less hair you'll break.
