20 Good Habits & Tips For Healthy Hair

20-healthy-hair-habits-2020

Happy New Year! The next decade is officially here and our hair is craving some much needed TLC after the party season. As far as New Year’s resolutions go, we’re guessing you’ve been thinking about making some changes but might have forgotten to consider your hair. So, to help you guys supercharge your strands we’ve put together 20 healthy hair habits that are worth picking up in 2020...

1. Stick To Regular Trims - This is so simple but one of the most important things if you want your hair to stay healthy or if you’re looking to grow it. Regular trims will help to remove split ends before they have a chance to split further up your hair shaft and cause more damage. Depending on how quickly your hair grows you’ll want to go every 2-4 months to keep your ends looking crisp. A good shout is to book your next hair appointment when you’re at the hairdressers so that you’ll stick to them.

2. Try The 5:2 - If you really want to give your hair health a boost then you could try avoiding your heat tools during the week. If you work Monday to Friday, then you can try out some of our heatless hairstyles during the week and save on the heat styling for the weekend.

3. Always Use A Heat Protectant - We’re not expecting you to skip the heat tools completely as we of all people love using them but it’s really, really important that you always use a heat protectant. This will help to coat your hair and protect it from the heat so that you reduce the risk of damage. Our favourite is the GHD Heat Protect Spray as it’s really lightweight and makes your hair look really glossy.

4. Brush Before You Shower - Your hair is a lot weaker when it’s wet so removing any tangles before you get in the shower will help to reduce the damage. Tangled hair is also difficult to wash so it’ll make shampooing and conditioning your strands a lot easier.

5. Exfoliate Your Scalp - If you’ve been neglecting your scalp then this will make a huge difference to your hair health and even your hair growth. Product buildup can clog your hair follicles leading to greasier roots which is why it’s so important to exfoliate and remove it. Exfoliating also helps to boost blood flow to your hair follicles which will give your hair growth an extra boost!

6. Cut Out Sulphates - By now we all know that shampoos containing sulphates can have a negative effect on your hair. Sulphates create the lather in your shampoo are great for oilier hair types but could also be stripping too much moisture from your strands. This will make your hair dry but will also encourage your scalp to produce more oil meaning you’ll have to wash it more often, causing more damage.

7. Switch To A Microfibre Towel - Regular towels can be rough on your strands, especially as your hair is weaker when it’s wet, which is why we’d recommend switching to a microfibre one instead. They soak up the water much quicker and will dry your hair 50% faster than a regular cotton towel while creating less friction to prevent your hair from getting frizzy.

8. Avoid High Ponytails - High, tight ponytails or buns can put a lot of tension on your hair and can cause breakage, especially around the base of the pony and your hairline. As great as they look it’s important not to repeat this style everyday and only 1-2 times a week to avoid putting too much strain on your hair.

9. Get A Silk Pillowcase - Cotton pillowcases are really rough on your strands and also soak up a lot of moisture leaving your hair dry and more prone to damage. Silk pillowcases are much softer and will cause less friction while helping your hair to hold onto moisture which means less damage and frizz.

10. Prep Your Hair For Bed - Making sure to prep your hair for bed is really important as all that tossing and turning can seriously damage your strands. Using a scrunchie to pull it into a low pony and applying a leave in conditioner can really help to minimise any damage. We’ve written a full post here with everything you need to know about prepping your hair for bed which is definitely worth a read.

11. Always Brush From The Ends Up - This is one of the most basic habits but it’s really important if you want to avoid damaging your hair. When brushing your hair you always want to start from the ends of your hair and work your way up to gently work out the tangles without putting any strain on your strands. We’d also recommend starting with a wide tooth comb, as it’s a lot more gentle before you use a brush.

12. Use A Leave-In Conditioner - When your hair is dry it’s more prone to damage so by keeping it topped up with moisture it’ll be healthier and stronger. A leave-in conditioner is the best way to do this and you can spray the lengths and ends of your hair everyday to keep them looking healthy.

13. Drink Lots Of Water - Drinking water is so important for your overall health and inturn important if you want to keep your hair healthy. From avoiding dry strands to keeping your scalp healthy and boosting growth - you definitely need to boost your water intake in 2020.

14. Eat Hair Healthy Foods - What you eat is so important and there are a ton of foods that are packed with hair boosting goodness you’ll want to incorporate into your diet. We’ve written up a quick guide to the best foods for hair growth to help you make the best choices.

15. Don’t Use Elastics - Tying your hair back can always cause some damage as you’re putting tension on your hair but switching from regular elastics to invisibobbles and scrunchies will make a big difference. They’re a lot more gentle on your hair and will help to reduce the tension so that you avoid snapping your strands.

16. Clean Your Tools - If you notice that your hair is looking greasy after heat styling it could be because your heat tools or brushes are covered in product buildup. This will be deposited on your strands as you’re using them and will weigh your hair down which is why it’s so important to regularly clean your tools. Using some rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad is the best way to clean heat tools and get them back to their best. As for brushes and combs it’s important to remove any hair from the bristles and to give them a scrub with some shampoo when they’re looking dirty. You’d be amazed how much of a difference this can make and your hair will be so much better for it.

17. Use Less Dry Shampoo - Dry shampoo is our number one hair saviour but relying on it too much can be a bad thing. Dry shampoo is just that - drying and it could be stripping your lengths and ends of some much needed moisture. It’s worth limiting your use of dry shampoo to once or twice a week while spraying some leave in conditioner on your ends to balance things out.

18. Hair Mask Every Week - Getting in the habit of using masks is a great way to keep your hair topped up with moisture and damage free. We’d recommend using a treatment once a week to give your strands a boost of moisture and to repair any damage. One of our favourites is the Gisou Honey Infused Hair Mask which makes your hair look seriously shiny.

19. Blow Dry Damp Hair - Blow drying soaking wet hair is pretty pointless as you won’t be able to mold it into shape until it’s at least 60% dry. So leaving it to dry naturally for as long as possible first will mean less heat damage while creating the same results. If you use a microfibre towel liked we suggest earlier your hair will dry pretty quickly so you won’t have to wait as long.

20. Wash Your Hair Less - We get that if your hair is on the oilier side then resisting the urge to wash it can be really hard. However, the natural oils from your scalp are the best moisturiser so by washing it everyday your hair is missing out on all that nourishment. We’d recommend stretching the gap between washes a little further and using a boar bristle brush to draw the oil from your roots down the lengths of your hair.