If your greatest worry when looking in the mirror is the frazzled mess that once was your luscious locks, don't worry—we've got your back! In the pursuit of beautiful hair, we often find ourselves overtreating with new color, daily shampooing and many hot styling tools. If you find that these methods are making your hair less beautiful—not more—consider these six tips to handle your overtreated hair.
1. Stop Washing it Daily
Yes, you should still be showering or bathing every day, but that doesn't mean you need to shampoo your hair as frequently. If you've adopted this time-consuming misconception, consider this: over-shampooing your hair is one of the major ways to wind up with dry, brittle locks and split ends. At most, you should be washing/drying your hair every other day, but try aiming for a three-day hair wash rotation. At first, your hair is bound to feel oily while you adjust, so use a dry shampoo like Batiste to get you through this period.
2. Switch Up Your Shampoo
Switching up your shampoo is key to maintaining strong, healthy locks, especially if you're in the midst of a season change. Over time, your hair gets used to your product. Residue starts to build up on your hair follicles, leading to a limp, lifeless appearance. Consider a purifying shampoo like Fekkai Apple Cider Shampoo to rid your hair of residue, and continue to switch up your shampoo throughout the year.
3. Get a Trim
We know: the last thing you want to do is take off your length. But when it comes to emergencies like this, sometimes it's just necessary. If you're suffering from dull, split ends or waiting for your hair to grow longer faster, a good trim (or at least a dusting) will do you wonders.
4. Protect Against Heat
We understand if you're hesitant to throw away your hot tools and go au naturel when you're at the office or out with the gals. You can, however, take protective measures to defend your strands from the intense conditions created by your flat iron and blow dryer. Use a protective spray like Chi 44 Iron Guard before you apply heat to your hair.
5. Use a Daily Oil
Oils and serums are not created equal. Serums tend to sit on the exterior of your strands, while oils penetrate into the hair follicle and actually aid in rejuvenating your hair's health. We'd recommend using a natural oil like coconut oil or Moroccan il, but avoid your roots to keep your three-day wash cycle in check.
6. Use a Hair Mask
Sometimes all your brittle, broken strands need to rejuvenate themselves is a quality hair mask. Whether it's DIY or a quality store-bought brand like Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, a hair mask is packed full of nutrients that will bring some bounce to your locks. Pick one up, or use egg yolk, avocado or olive oil for a homemade remedy.
There you have it: six tips that will have your hair (and your morning mirror routine) back to normal before you know it. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Photos: Unsplash, Kaboompics, Unsplash
