Contrary to what the modern fad says, you don’t need fancy, overly expensive products or trips to the salon every other day to keep your locks shiny and vibrant. Just like any other habit, starting with the basics, such as keeping the golden rules, can be enough to bring your hair to its optimal state. Healthy locks have those golden rules too, and whether you want to go an extra mile or just keep to the basics, you need to learn and take them to heart!
When you want to have locks that are almost as healthy as you see in advertisements, the key is not anything money can buy but by creating a habit. Habits can be rewarding and destructive at the same time (read more), so make sure you create the right kinds, especially with your self-care and grooming. 40% of our daily actions spring from habit, so it will be at your advantage if these golden rules can become a routine you can follow every day!
1. Avoid Styles That Require Heat
Suppose you’re a woman that considers their heating wand/curler/blow dryer as their best friend, then we have terrible news for you. Heating and styling your hair is one of the worst ways to assault your locks and cause irrevocable damage to its structure and texture. Heat dries out your cuticles (link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3229938/) and destroys the protein. Constant use of heating equipment can go to a point when you have little to no choice but cut your locks short.
If you must use equipment, however, there are products in the market that protect your locks from damage, such as a heat-protectant spray. These products have a limit, though, and because they’re made of chemicals, they can cause damage to your locks in other ways. The safest bet for less damage is steam-rollers. Unlike blowdryers or straightening rods, they blow steam which can be gentler than direct heat.
2. Lay Your Head On Silk
Silk is one of the gentlest textiles that can ever grace one’s face or locks. Quite literally, laying on silk will make you feel and look better than you’ve ever been. Unlike cotton and other rough cloth, silk doesn’t rough up your hair and create tangles when you wake up in the morning. Plus, your face will benefit from the gentle touch of silk, preventing any wrinkles and pimples that may appear across your cheeks and the corners of your eyes.
3. Observe Proper Hair Hygiene
Lately, trends have been telling people shampoo is the last thing you should put on your hair. There’s even a movement dedicated to this practice called the No-Poo campaign, where people are encouraged to keep away from using shampoo in order to preserve its natural oils. What they fail to realize is along with these natural oils comes problems that stem from unhygienic practices, such as dandruff, smelly scalp, and greasy locks (yuck!)
Experts from around the world have stated shampoo-ing is more beneficial than harmful to the hair, as long as the products are high-quality and have lesser chemicals in them. Such shampoos can be seen in articles, such as this Nexxus Aloe Rid Shampoo review, where it talks about the several benefits of cleansing and washing your hair often. Beauticians and other professionals have stated aloe vera is one key organic ingredient you should try.
Although, one thing for certain needs to be discussed other than just product quality. That is the timing of washing your hair. Although this sounds non-consequential, the frequency actually matters if you want to balance your locks between brittle and greasy.
Depending on your environment, it’s advised to wash every day if you live in the city exposed to a lot of pollutants or if you work out daily. On the contrary, it’s fine if you hold off washing for three days if you live in a rural area with a dry climate. Still, if you find your hair is a combination of dry ends and oily roots, it’s best to shampoo every other day.
4. Eat The Right Kinds Of Food
Who says diet doesn’t affect our hair? Contrary to the belief of many, nutrition is directly tied to every aspect of our life, from the smell of our sweat to the integrity of our locks. Nutritionists claim that consistently ingesting foods rich in iron, zinc, protein, and omega-3s can directly alter the condition of your locks after a few months.
Iron is the mineral responsible for preventing hair loss (goodbye hair fall!), while zinc helps our locks regrow faster and healthier. Your follicles are mostly made of protein, so packing protein into the diet is a no-brainer if we want to have strong roots. Lastly, Omega-3s provide the proper nutrition for the roots and strands and overall become the support of your locks.
5. Do Not Bask Under The Sun
Have you seen your friends’ summer posts on Instagram lately, posing under the sun with the wide expanse of the ocean behind them? Do them one better and take a picture under the shade to show how much you treasure your hair because we’re here to tell you no amount of shampoo, conditioner, or salon can fix what UV rays can destroy. It can cause skin cancer when you expose yourself too much under the sun. Just imagine what it does to your hair!
However, if you can’t avoid being under the sun for a while, a leave-in conditioner with SPF can be a great way to mitigate the damage. However, it’s in your best interest to avoid the late-morning and early-afternoon sun for your own good!
6. Trim Your Hair Periodically
Another teenage myth we have is to never cut your locks too much, or it’ll stop growing. Our locks are just as constant in change as we are, so getting it a trim every three months or so is neither harmful nor can it consciously stop them from growing out again! Besides, leaving your ends dry and thinning can actually do more damage than trimming it and let your hair grow out better locks.
