7 Easy Habits To Care For Your Hair

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Lauren Webber is a former HR manager and lover of psychology who now runs Dainty Mom, among her other pursuits. Her interests range from the corporate world to health and self-care to home improvement and parenting. Now, if only someone came up with a way to extend the day by about 20 more hours, she could dedicate herself to all of these equally and constantly.

Straight, smooth and shiny hair is something that a lot of people want, and rightfully so. Your hair can be one of the most noticeable things about your appearance, and manageable hair that is well taken care of can make any of your looks even better.

But taking care of your hair can be confusing. Figuring out things like which one of the countless products out there is good for your hair to, the difference between proper hairstyles, and even how to style your hair with heat without damaging it too much can be quite the challenge.

If you feel like you struggle with some of these things, too, keep reading. We’re going to explain some of the most basic things your hair needs in order to stay straight and smooth – you can figure out the rest later.

1. Regular Oiling

Woman with her back to the camera, running her fingers through her long golden-brown hair

One of the most important things that your hair needs are to stay moisturized and conditioned – there are a lot of hair products that can do this, but you should also look into natural remedies for hair conditioning.

Oiling your hair at a minimum of twice a week can be a great way to nourish it and make sure it never dries out. It can also protect you against the damage caused by shampoos that can often dry out your scalp and hinder healthy hair growth.

There are a few great oils for hair health; some are argan oil, mustard oil, coconut oil, and olive oil. A lot of hair care companies and brands also sell their own blends and mixes infused with vitamins, but you might want to look very closely at whatever it is you’re buying.

We would recommend getting things that include natural and organic ingredients.

2. Heat Protection When Styling

It’s a commonly known fact that people need to avoid using any kind of styling equipment like flat irons and curling rods on their hair, but avoiding that completely isn’t possible either. Sometimes you need to attend an important function, and there really isn’t any other way to tame the frizz.

If that’s the case for you as well, you need to make sure that you know how to style your hair properly to avoid damaging it too much.

This can involve styling your hair only on low heat settings and making sure you use products designed to protect your hair from damage during heat styling. A great alternative to these products would be argan oil. Some of the benefits of using argan oil when straightening hair include moisturization, shiny hair, and of course, protection from too much damage.

3. Eat The Right Foods

bowl of rice with salmon, tomatoes, sprouts and green beans. there is a bown of pine nut seasoning nad some extra tomatoes nearby

Your hair can only grow healthy, smooth, and strong if your body and your scalp aren’t getting enough nutrients.

Make sure your diet contains enough proteins and vitamins to ensure enough hair growth. At the same time, make sure that you’re getting enough sleep and are well-rested. Managing stress, too, is a very important part of ensuring hair health, given that it is one of the biggest reasons for hair loss.

If you want, you can look into taking health supplements and vitamins meant to ensure hair health and wellness.

4. Use Proper Hair Drying Techniques

Your hair is particularly vulnerable to damage when it’s wet – this is why you need to make sure it doesn’t meet excessive friction and isn’t damaged too much when you dry it.

Make sure you don’t rub your hair too vigorously with the towel, use a soft cotton cloth like an old t-shirt to dry your hair instead, and don’t leave it tied up in any rough fabric for too long while it dries.

If you want to use a hairdryer, make sure you use it in a cold setting to avoid any extra frizz or hair damage. If you want to style your hair with the dryer, make sure to use heat protection or some kind of after-wash hair conditioner to keep your hair soft and silky when you’re done.

5. Be Careful With The Comb

Combing your hair while they’re still wet can leave it damaged and a little frizzy if you don’t use the right one. The best kind of comb for this task is usually a wide fine-toothed comb that will be able to detangle your hair without pulling at it too hard.

You can also make sure that your hair is detangled while it still has conditioner in it in the shower or when you apply a leave-in conditioner after the wash – avoid tugging at it or treating it rough in any other way to prevent breakage.

6. Find Heatless Styles

Woman braiding her hair after getting out of the shower

If you want to make your hair seem wavy or straight but don’t want to risk styling your hair with a flat iron, consider heatless styling. In this method, you need to put your hair into certain constraints and tie it up in a particular way as it dries overnight – when taken out of the style, your hair will most likely stay in place until the next time you wash it.

Heatless styling methods have been a big thing for a very long time, and there are all sorts of things from rollers to curling rods out there to help you achieve your best look; and there are also countless tutorials online to tell you how to do it.

If you don’t feel like buying any dedicated tools, even tying your hair up with the help of socks and hair ties will help you achieve that wavy or straight hair look you want.

7. Use The Right Hair Products

Certain ingredients in popular hair products aren’t really good for use on the hair – this includes sulfates and parabens. When you’re buying your shampoo and conditioner, make sure that you buy something that is sulfate and paraben-free.

There are a lot of vegan and natural options out there, though, that give you better and longer-lasting results.

You might also be interested in: The 25 Best Brushes For Curly Hair [Without The Frizz]

7 Easy Habits To Care For Your Hair: