Strands need a boost?
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”
We’re taught from a young age that long luscious locks are a mark of beauty. So when our attempts to make our hair radiant by coloring, blow-drying, or flat ironing turn out to have the opposite effect, it’s easy to feel less than your best. The good news is, damaged hair isn’t always irreparable. Here are 9 ways to get the kind of hair fairytales are made of.
1. Repair your air.
We all crank up our home’s heat during the wintertime, but this added warmth makes the air super dry and more likely to zap moisture from your hair. If you’re noticing your hair is becoming dryer than normal, use a humidifier in your room at night to help maintain moisture in both the air and your hair.
2. Moisturize with a mask.
When you’ve got ripe avocados it’s hard to imagine not eating them plain or making guacamole, but these fruits are more than just tasty – their vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids can turn your tresses from dull to dazzling. Mix an avocado with one egg (which adds protein), apply the mask to wet hair, and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then rinse and repeat once a week until your hair looks healthy again.
3. Take it easy.
If you’re an everyday hair washer, try slacking off a bit. Daily washing can take natural oils away from your hair, making it dry and prone to breakage. Instead of washing every day, wash every other day, or occasionally just use conditioner on your ends and rinse.
4. Change your tune.
If you’ve been dying your hair for decades, it could probably use a break. Skip the box dye and go an alternative route for color. Squeeze lemon juice on your hair before going out in the sun for subtle, natural streaks. Feeling creative? Apply gold eye shadow to your hair with your normal makeup applicator for a quick, reflective shimmer.
5. Rinse to restore.
A cold shower isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time, but a quick cold water rinse (just a few seconds gets the job done) closes hair cuticles, helping it reflect light and appear shinier. Hot water, which dries and dulls hair, tends to do the opposite.
6. Wrap it up.
Going outside with dripping wet hair is not an option in the wintertime, but that doesn’t mean your only option is to damage it with harsh blow-drying. To cut back on drying time, wrap your hair in a towel and do your makeup first, which will give your hair time to naturally dry. Then gently blow-dry hair for a few minutes to get rid of any remaining dampness.
7. Let it all hang out.
Opt for looser hairstyles, especially if you have thin hair. Tight ponytails, buns, and braids pull at your scalp, which can lead to hair loss. If you need to keep your hair pulled back, try using a headband or switching up the placement of your ‘do to keep from tugging at the same hair each time. And always let your hair down before bed!
8. Chop, chop.
Get regular trims, even if you’re trying to grow your hair out. Just trimming half an inch every six to eight weeks can keep split ends (which cause further breakage) from continuing to worsen. The tips of your hair should be blunt. If they’re not, it’s probably time to get them snipped!
9. Treat yourself!
Don’t ignore your scalp. To improve an excessively dry or oily scalp, consider a scalp treatment, which can unclog hair follicles and release natural conditioning oils. If a scalp massage is included with your treatment, it can increase blood flow and release good mood-inducing hormones.
