How To Prevent Dry Hair
Don’t panic if your hair feels stiff, brittle, and vulnerable to breakage this time of year; you’re not alone.
Since there is less moisture in the air and humidity is poor in the winter, the air is drier than in other seasons. Dry hair is caused by the cold weather, as well as a number of other factors. The good news is that dry hair is a common issue that is easily handled and avoided.
Knowing how to keep your hair healthy, shinier, and easier to style all year will keep it healthier, shinier, and easier to style.
1. UNDERSTAND WHAT CAUSES DRY HAIR
External factors such as the cold season have an effect on dry hair. In the colder months, the air inside your home can feel dry, which can affect your hair. Mother Nature, on the other hand, isn’t entirely to blame for dry, damaged hair.
One of the most common causes of dry hair is hair washing. Sebum, or oil, is produced by your scalp and helps to nourish the skin on your scalp and strands. Washing the hair too much depletes it of the natural oils it needs to remain moisturized.
2. HAIR WASHING
The frequency at which you should wash your hair is determined by the type of hair you have and how easily it becomes greasy. Washing two to three times a week is a good way to preserve the natural oils when styling your hair, giving it that fresh look and feel.
It’s also important to consider how you wash your hair. It’s tempting to switch the shower up to full heat during the winter months, but this isn’t good for your hair. Hot water also removes the natural oils from your hair and dries out your scalp. Instead, use cool or cold water to clean your hair. Hair is revitalized and shined by rinsing shampoo and conditioner items with cold water.
3. DRY YOUR HAIR THE RIGHT WAY
Drying your hair in a certain way will also help to avoid dry hair. On wash days, dry your hair with a microfiber towel or a cotton t-shirt. Instead of rubbing the hair between the fabrics (which is a no-no because it causes breakage), gently scrunch it. If you’re going to use a hairdryer, wait until your hair is around 75% dry before using it; this will do less harm than blow drying your hair when it’s wet. Always use a heat protectant when using any hot tool to keep the heat down.
If you use hairdryers, straighteners, or other hot equipment, you risk causing heat damage to your hair, which can lead to dryness. If required, limit heat styling to a couple of times per week. Heat styling damage can also be avoided by using hair extensions. You can save your natural hair from excessive heat styling while also adding length and dimension to your look by curling or styling clip-in hair extensions and applying them to your natural hair. Hair extensions should also be treated with heat protectant, and tools should be set to a maximum temperature of 120C/250F to avoid damaging them.
Blowouts can seem like a distant memory, and air drying has become the go-to for those of us who still work or attend school from home. We’re sorry to break it to you, but this simple method will cause your hair to dry out (in the bad way). It’s best to cover your hair in a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt after a wash to help seal or lock in moisture.
4. BRUSH YOUR HAIR THE RIGHT WAY TO PREVENT DRY HAIR
Brushing your hair when it’s wet is a bad idea! We know it’s tempting to brush those tangles out, but brushing your hair when it’s wet is harmful because hair is more fragile when wet, making it easier to pull and split hair.
When brushing dry hair, use a secure tool like a wide tooth comb rather than old-fashioned bristle brushes. Remember to brush from the bottom up, starting at the ends and lengthening the strokes from the mid-shaft to the ends, to avoid breakage. Brushing your hair from top to bottom causes breakage, particularly if you have dry hair.
5. USE THE RIGHT HAIR ACCESSORIES
If you don’t want to wash your hair but have extra greasy hair on non-wash days, dry shampoo will help. Another option is to wear your hair in a messy bun or ponytail and avoid using rubber or plastic hair ties. Standard (and damaging) hair elastics may also be replaced with scrunchies.
6. BREAK UP WITH SPLIT ENDS
With dry hair, split ends are very common. This has to do with the natural oil creation we spoke of earlier. Your ends are the last to receive the oils and if those are lacking moisture, they quickly become dry and brittle, weighing down on the rest of your hair.
7. USE THE “DUSTING” TECHNIQUE
Getting regular trims helps with overall hair health, but if your salon is currently closed or you can’t go as often, we recommend the “dusting” trick for a little trim DIY. If you can get your hands on a pair of professional shears, you can focus on dead ends and lightly trim. This doesn’t require a lot of technique as dead ends will usually stick out from healthy strands, do small portions of the hair at a time to prevent any mishaps.
8. LIMIT CHEMICAL TREATMENTS
Chemical treatments such as hair coloring also causes dry and damaged hair. Limit these treatments to a couple times a year to preserve your natural oils and hair health. There are a ton of ways to refresh your look and rock the styles you love without all that heat and chemicals including using hair extensions to offer you an alternative way to add length, various styles, and color to your look, there are plenty of heatless hairstyles that can help too.
9. DRY HAIR NEEDS MASKS TOO
Your vanity may be full of sheet and face masks, but your dry hair could use a mask just as much as your skin. Especially in the colder seasons, hair masks and hair oils will be your hair lifesavers. Natural oils like coconut and argan not only help to moisturize your hair but also help to nourish your scalp. You can apply either coconut oil or argan oil in as a mask before you wash or apply it to dry hair as a mask.
10. TRY THE “BAGGING” METHOD
When it comes to how to prevent dry hair using a hair mask, we like the “bagging” method.
After a wash when your hair is wet, apply a generous amount of the hair mask then twist or pin your hair up with alligator clips. Wrap hair in a shower cap or plastic wrap for 10-20 minutes. By covering hair with a mask, it helps to open hair cuticles to maximize conditioning agents to penetrate the hair follicles. Hair will absorb the conditioner much better when wrapped compared to when it’s left uncovered. Try this moisturizing method 1-2 times a week to help prevent dry hair.
11. CHECK IF IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY
Sometimes, dry har is simply in our genes. If your parents or siblings are susceptible to dry hair or scalp, it’s likely you are (or will be) too. The best way to remedy genetically inherited dry hair is to follow our steps above for healthy hair. Don’t forget to take care of your scalp too!
12. LOAD UP ON THE RIGHT FOODS
Diet also impacts hair. Load up on foods that are rich in omega-3 and anti oxidants; broccoli, blueberries, tomatoes, walnuts, kidney beans and salmon are not only great for hair, but skin and overall health too. Don’t forget H2O, staying hydrated and getting enough water is so critical for skin and hair health.
13. APPLY ALL RULES ABOVE ALL YEAR-ROUND
Dry hair in the winter can be just as inevitable as frizz in the summer, though some experience it all year round. A healthy hair routine that keeps the hair and scalp moisturized is essential all year long. Don’t just use these practices when you get dry hair, take preventative measures and incorporate them into your daily hair routines, no matter the season.
Why Choose Our Houston Salon for Balayage?
Having one of the best hairstylists in Houston, we have been providing reliable hair styling services to clients for a long time. We have tons of experience in the hairstyling industry and lots of positive feedback from our previous and current clients. The first question that comes when we suggest our salon to customers is, “How can I trust you for not ruining my hair quality?”
Some of the primary reasons why our customers adore our salon services are:
- At Lush Hair Folk Salon in Houston, we make use of the best high-end professional hair products for all our services not just Balayage.
- Our staff is professionally trained and certified in various hairstyling
- Our appointments are extremely easy to book and you get the most comfortable salon experience with us.
- We focus on each customer and their exact expectations to deliver what they want.
- We are always trying to improve the way we work with continuous feedback from our clients.
Conclusion
Balayage is surely one of the best & trendy looks in 2021. And to have a great Balayage, the best thing to do is to go to a professional salon, the best Houston hair salon and stylists. Book your appointment now, we are located at 255 Assay St Suite 100, Houston, TX 77044