Hair. That’s what people notice about you most of the time, and a well-kept hairstyle will always act in your favor. Additionally, good hair is bound to elevate your mood mostly because there’s nothing pulling you back from having ‘the look of my day’ moment.
But, how often are you struggling with a bad hair day? How often do you find yourself pulling your hair in a messy bun in an attempt to hide the greasiness (and probably even dandruff!), and what type of hair styling products are you using for your hair type – these are just a few of the factors that narrow down to having good hair health.
Remember, a good hair day every day is not a myth. With consistent care, picking the right products, not overwashing your hair, and eating healthy, you can maintain hair health that’s bound to make them bouncy, voluminous, and strong!
This blog explores how you can have good, frizz-free hair on every day of the calendar!
Matter of chance or an everyday situation?
Whether you are having a lovely day with your hair in place or one of those days when all you can think of is coming up with ways to get past the frizziness, the deep tangles and dryness (or greasiness?) can pop up at any moment. Do you often ask yourself on those difficult days, “why today? Yesterday was so perfect!”?
The hair care routine, health, and how humid it is outside are some of the factors worth considering. While you cannot do much to control the outside conditions, there’s a lot you can do to ensure you have one less hair strand to worry about.
5 Ways to Ensure Amazing Hair!
1. Use a shampoo that hydrates your hair not more than twice a week.
If you have been shampooing on a daily basis – STOP! Daily shampooing strips hair of its nourishing and natural oils. This eventually dehydrates your hair and makes it difficult to manage, rough, and overly dry.
Additionally, if you are not massaging your scalp during the shampoo (with fingertips), you aren’t exactly cleaning on a deeper level. It’s just the product moving from one point to another. Evenly spread out the product to cover all areas on your head and rinse it off with running water.
Shampoo, on average, contains about 7 to 30 ingredients. Commonly noted ingredients include conditioners, foaming agents, fragrances, opacifiers, surfactants, preservatives, and other additives. There are other ingredients, too, like preservatives and thickeners, that depend on the purpose of the product.
While all these ingredients are standard, here’s a list of ingredients you should avoid:
Sulfates (commonly listed as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium Laureth sulfate): Responsible for the lathering effect of the product and offers deeper cleaning.
Why avoid:
- The cleaning action is often harsh and can trigger skin sensitivity, inflammation, and intense dryness (often accompanied by itchiness)
- Strips hair of natural nourishing oils
- Disrupts natural sebum production
- Can trigger skin conditions like eczema
Phthalates: Used usually as a binding agent in products.
Why avoid:
- Can affect hormonal cycle in the body
- It affects the kidneys and thyroid
Formaldehyde: Often used as a preservative in many products
Why avoid:
- Worsens existing skin sensitivity and conditions (especially eczema)
- Can trigger certain skin allergic reactions
Parabens: Responsible for increasing shelf-life of a product
Why avoid:
- Penetrates deep into your body tissues
- Can cause allergic reactions, including skin itchiness, redness, and even flaking
- Can hinder with body’s hormone regulations
Avoid using products that are a combination of shampoo & conditioners. It may seem tempting to save extra time getting the best of both worlds at once, but you will not be getting the full benefits of either of the products. Opt for a separate conditioner instead.
2. Hair oils are essential.
How often do you massage your hair? We have been talking about harsh products stealing away nourishing and natural oils most of the time. Oils are important to keep your hair healthy, nourished and to add a healthy shine too!
So, how do you do it? Here’s how:
- Pick an oil of your choice (make sure you are using products that are meant to be used on your head)
- Pour a few (2-5) drops of the oil on your palm
- Rub it gently
- Get to massaging
- Run your fingers through your scalp and massage with your fingertips
- Use a comb to spread the oil out evenly if your hair’s long
- Let it sit for some time (for better absorption)
Avoid:
- Putting too much oil unless you are going to wash it in some time (matter of 1-2 hours)
- Combining more than one oil
Do’s:
- Pick an oil that suits your hair type. Popular hair oil choices include coconut oil, Moroccan argan oil, and almond oil
- Have ample natural ingredients listed
3. Drying wet hair the right way.
Yes, there’s a way to dry your hair. Inconsistently or poorly drying your hair can cause more hair fall and damage after-wash appeal. It is best to invest in a towel specifically for drying hair. Never use a circular motion for drying; always work your way along the length.
If you use a blow dryer often, it is highly recommended to invest in one that’s easy to work with. The blow dryer activates products and further helps in setting your hair right. Avoid combing wet hair.
4. Home remedies are good but don’t overdo them.
If you are someone who loves DIY hair care routines, the best thing you should do is avoid using products and your DIY routine on the same day. The product needs time to set in, activate and improve hair flow.
So when you are putting a layer of a DIY, you are delaying (or disrupting) existing product action on your hair. Do it on a different day instead.
5. Eat healthy food.
You can be using the best products for hair and yet experience hair fall, frizziness, low volume, and dull luster.
As much as using the right product is important, eating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important as well.
Here’s what to include in your diet: food for hair growth
- Berries rich in Vitamin C
- Spinach
- Fatty fish (for the Omega-3 acids)
- Sweet potatoes
- Seeds (flaxseed, sunflower seeds, and chia seed)
- Beans
- Meat and eggs
Bottom line
Hair health is important. Use only standard, high-quality products that have been approved by regulatory bodies. If you are experiencing more than normal shedding of 50 hair strands a day, consider getting medical attention to understand what’s wrong. Read through the ingredients carefully before buying.
Hope you have a great hair day!
