Thick, healthy, glossy hair: it’s the goal we’re all chasing! If you want to achieve hair that radiates natural beauty, read on to discover our list of tips to help you get terrific tresses. According to a Dove study, 58 percent of us are on a constant quest to combat dull, dry hair. Hard water, pollution, and heat styling can all compromise our hair’s texture and its ability to reflect the light.
4 tips to maintain healthy hair
1. Diet
There’s a reason why dog food claims to give your pet a glossier coat: nutrition from the foods we eat can have a direct impact on the condition of our hair and nails! For healthy hair, the best foods to go for are those that contain high levels of B vitamins, such as Biotin (found in eggs, salmon, and avocado), Vitamin C, and omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in cold water fish such as sardines and mackerel and nuts that are a great source of Vitamin E.
Furthermore, Vitamin B5 (known as Pantothenic acid) encourages blood flow to the skin and is readily found in Greek yogurt. If that all seems like too much hard work, let a hair and nail supplement do the hard work for you. These are designed to supply your body with the necessary vitamins and minerals required for optimum hair growth.
2. Go shampoo-free
Join the growing number of people who are cutting out shampoo from their daily regimen. Shampoo tends to be loaded with sulfates (which remove natural oils and can leave hair looking dull), which is what enables it to lather. Co-washers believe, particularly if your hair is naturally dry or curly, that cutting out the suds will actually improve its condition.
To co-wash effectively, saturate your hair as much as possible before massaging it with a large amount of a quality conditioner, and massage it in as you would shampoo. Whereas you would normally only apply conditioner to your ends, be sure to massage the conditioner at the roots to cleanse away debris (and remove odor). Once or twice a month, use a clarifying shampoo to strip away all of the buildup that will otherwise weigh it down.
3. Color over your mistakes
Giving your look a dramatic shake-up for the fall/winter months is an instant mood-lifter as the temperatures drop. As a bonus, it can also work to cover up the damage left behind by the sun and chlorine during summer adventures. Coloring hair a darker shade can help revitalize tresses that have been damaged or chemically distressed in previous color attempts. And it’s not just for very dark or tanned complexions, as black dye actually suits a much wider range of skin tones than you might think!
4. Avoid the heat
Avoid hairdryers and styling tools when you can. Air-dry as often as possible to protect the condition of cuticle surfaces and stop moisture from escaping the follicles. Wash your hair before bed and then towel dry it until it’s damp. Apply a couple of drops of an all-natural 100% organic Argan oil, such as Kahina, to your hands, and work through the lengths of the hair to nourish the strands. Brush through and braid the hair into two loose side plaits for sleeping. In the morning, loosen to reveal natural curls, which you only need to brush through gently for gorgeous waves all day with healthy, shiny-looking hair.
When it comes to heat styling, remember not to overlook the long-term health of your hair for short-term gain.
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