Here are some tips that I have found useful over the years at keeping my naturally black, straight hair healthy despite the dying and bleaching that has been done to it.
*please note all of these tips are from personal experience or have been told to me by various hair dressers/stylists*
1. Brush your hair before washing it - weird right? This will help remove any tangles, excess dirt and/or flakes from your hair. i.e. this means less pulling and stress on your hair while washing it. This also helps promote blood flow to the hair follicle
2. The type of hair brush you use matters! Avoid wooden combs and plastic bristles. Look instead for natural bristles or soft, rubber wide tooth brushes - round or flat. These work best for wet hair as they untangle without stressing the hair. The only 'okay' time to use plastic combs are if they are wide-toothed.
4. Get your hair trimmed every 1 - 3 months. Now this may seem a little odd for those trying to grow their hair out but trimming off a half inch to an inch will not harm the length. Plus a trim will make sure that any split ends are gone and any damage done to the tips will be removed. Last thing you want is the split ends moving higher up. Something like 'getting rid of your troubles'
5. Only wash your hair every other day. This has to be one of the rules I violate the most. I have oily roots by nature and it feels gross for me not to keep my hair clean but it's healthiest to only wash your hair every other day. Your body produces natural oils and these coat and protect your hair and help it stay healthy. Over washing, like over exfoliating, strips the hair of its natural protection and exposes it to more damage. If you must, use dry shampoo or rinse your hair with warm water on the off days.
6. Invest in a good leave in conditioner or keratin spray. These will make sure that the tips of your hair and well moisturized and healthy. I use the Sally Hershberger "Super Keratin Spray." This is a milder conditioner but it also doubles as a heat protectant and can be use on both dry or damp hair to smooth and nourish hair.
7. Deep Condition/use a hair treatment at least 1-2 times a month. Personally I like to do this every 2-3 weeks - when I get the chance. I'll rinse my hair with warm water then saturate my hair root to tip with a protein conditioning treatment and let it sit - with a shower cap on - for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it out. I like to do this on days that I stay home because I'll avoid washing my hair that day so as to retain the moisture and my hair tends to get oily these days because as I said I have naturally oily hair. If you want, apply a small amount of heat to your head while the conditioner is in. This will open the hair cuticle and allow it to absorb more moisture
8. Massage your roots. I like to massage my shampoo with my finger tips in circular motions into my scalp before rinsing it out. I also like to rub my fingers on my scalp if I'm drying it. This boosts circulation and thus hair growth
9. Use warm to luke warm water on your hair. When the water in your shower is too hot, it opens not only the cuticles on your hair but also the pores on your scalp, this promotes hair to fall out. That's right fall out. If possible, quickly rinse your hair is cold to luke warm water after every shower, this will seal in any moisture from the conditioner and promote shine.
10. If you are styling your hair, use a good heat protecting spray or lotion. You want to retain moisture in your hair and not dry it out. Avoid the tips of your hair if possible or apply less heat to them as they are the most fragile part of your hair. If you're using a hair dryer, try and ionic hair dryer - it helps with frizz and cuts the drying time in half.
Remember: wet hair is more prone to damage and breaking than dry hair, so be gentle with your hair after you wet it. Always partially towel dry your hair before styling or drying it in any way.
Hope these tips help!
What a great post!! thanks for sharing =)
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