At-home hair care tips for luscious locks You look after your skin with a meticulous skincare routine and you look after your body with good food and exercise, but are you neglecting your hair? Between cut and colour sessions, did you know that there are lots of hair care tips at home which you can follow to ensure you have luscious locks all of the time? We asked our elite team of haircare professionals for some simple at-home hair care tips. These tips will help you to prevent damage, but will also help you take care of already damaged hair at home between trips to the salon. Looking after your hair at home – the dos Do get regular trims Trimming isn’t just about style. Trimming gets rid of split and damaged ends, helping to ensure the regrowth of healthy hair. If you don’t have time for the salon, don’t panic! Book in for a trim every 6-8 weeks with a hairdresser who can come to you at home. Do have a regular hair washing routine One of the easiest and simplest at-home hair care tips is to simply have a good hair washing routine and stick to it. Let’s be honest, we’ve all been a little guilty of letting this slip over lockdown! Contrary to what many will tell you, there is no fixed frequency, as it depends on your hair and skin type. Generally speaking, if you have naturally oily hair then washing on alternate days may be necessary. Others can get away with less frequent hair washing, every 2-4 days. Do use natural shampoos Synthetic, chemical laden shampoos aren’t always the best for your hair. We don’t need these chemical concoctions to get lustrous locks. We need gentle, natural shampoos, which are free of sulphates and parabens as much as possible. Do condition properly Conditioners are really important for managing your hair. In fact, if you’ve got a wonderful head of curls then you may want to skip abrasive shampoo altogether and only use conditioner. Conditioner makes your hair more manageable and helps it withstand the tough effect of styling and heat. However, don’t apply conditioner like you do shampoo. It should only be applied to the tips, not the scalp, and it should be thoroughly rinsed off. * Do massage your scalp Improving the circulation in your scalp can really help with the oil production needed to nourish your locks. Massaging your scalp can boost circulation, which helps hydrate hair, bolster hair growth and even repair split ends. Treat yourself to a little head rub when you wash your hair, or with oil as a pre-shampoo treatment. If you choose to use oil, pick something natural, such as olive, almond or coconut oil. Do dry your hair naturally Blow drying is fabulous, and certainly needed for certain occasions. However, if you can, you should save heat styling for special occasions and let nature do its work between times. Do comb carefully Generally, avoid combing wet hair. When you do comb your hair, use a wide-toothed comb and use this to brush your hair carefully to prevent damage. Do use heat protectant serum We know that sometimes you’ll want to reach for the heat to achieve a fantastic style. However, heat and hair aren’t great friends. If you’re exposing your hair to heat then use a heat protectant serum first. Do hydrate by drinking more water Many of us don’t drink enough water for our health, let alone for our hair health. You actually need to drink at least 2-3 litres of water every day to ensure your hair is hydrated from the inside. Do eat a hair healthy diet Your hair can be affected by what you eat. The good news is that the foods which are good for your hair are good for your overall health. Reach for protein and amino acid rich foods, such as eggs, nuts, fish, sweet potatoes, as well as some green leafy veg and vibrant antioxidant rich berries. Do cover-up in the sun Just like your skin can be damaged by the sun, your hair can be too. It’s drying and saps the moisture making it brittle and prone to damage. One of the most important tips for how to take care of your hair in the summer is to cover it when you’re in the sun. If you don’t fancy wearing a hat then even tying your hair up (not too tight!) can help limit your hair’s exposure to environmental aggressors. Do use a cotton wrap (or your t-shirt!) to dry Traditional towelling towels can be too rough on your hair and cause damage. Softer and smoother cotton wraps are ideal. However, if you don’t have one to hand you can just grab a cotton t-shirt! Looking after your hair at home – the don’ts Don’t take hot showers Hot showers strip the natural protective oils from your scalp which nourish and look after your hair. Cooler water for hair washes is better. Don’t use too much heat Heat in general is bad news for your hair. Blow drying, curlers and straighteners can all dry out your hair due to the heat, so use them sparingly. Don’t go to sleep with wet hair It’s a common myth that sleeping with wet hair can give you a cold. Although this may not have much truth behind it, sleeping with wet hair should still be avoided. This is because it can increase your risk of developing a fungal infection of the scalp. In turn, this can lead to common conditions like dandruff or even dermatitis. Don’t expose your hair to too much water Only wash your hair as frequently as you need to. Otherwise, water in general isn’t very kind to your hair. Wear a cap whilst swimming, and avoid chlorinated or salty water if you can (especially if you colour your hair). Don’t get stressed (we know, easier said than done!) Stress affects our health in many ways and it affects your hair too. Try to reduce the stress in your life and you may notice that you have more lustrous, vibrant locks as a result. We may be biased but we recommend treating yourself to regular at-home massages to help combat stress levels. Don’t use too many chemicals Go natural where you can. However, if you need to use chemicals to colour or treat your hair, follow professional guidance and use a professional to apply them. They will be trained to protect your hair from chemical damage as much as possible. Don’t rub your hair vigorously with a towel When your hair is wet, it’s more prone to breakage. Let it dry naturally without rubbing it vigorously with a towel. Follow these easy at-home hair care tips and you’ll gradually find your hair becoming healthier and more lustrous. If you need the help of a professional, then book a home hairdresser with Secret Spa today!
