Happy Wednesday loves! I frequently get asked from others what I do to keep my hair looking so healthy, so today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite tips for maintaining healthy hair.
Most of my tips are pretty basic, but it’s what I’ve found to work really well in keeping my hair strong and looking and feeling its best. I’m also sharing some of my favorite hair products that I use at the end of this post, so be sure and check those out as well.
10 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Hair
Get a Trim Regularly– One of the best things you can do in keeping your hair healthy and strong is giving it a regular trim. Although there are many people out there who think you should only visit the salon when getting a full-blown haircut, I personally recommend visiting about every 2 months for a ½ – 1 inch trim. This is to cut away any damaged or split ends and actually helps strengthen your locks to improve hair growth.
Brush Your Hair Before You Shower-Do you sometimes get frustrated with how ridiculously tangled your hair gets when you wash it? Well, here’s a tip that you’ll definitely want to try! Up until a few months ago I had never thought to brush my hair BEFORE getting in the shower, but since trying it out I’m hooked. Brushing your hair prior to washing actually helps get out all those annoying tangles and makes hair easier to manage once dried.
Only Brush Dry Hair– Speaking of brushing, did you know that brushing your hair while it’s wet can actually cause quite a bit of damage? That’s because your hair is at it’s most vulnerable state when wet and harsh brushing can cause splitting, breakage, and even hair loss. Instead, let your hair air dry until it’s about 85% dry before using a comb or brush to gently work out all the kinks and tangles. I personally use this brush from Conair and love it! Your hair will look and feel so much smoother and you’ll no longer have the issue of pulling out an unnecessary amount of hair when brushing.
Don’t Shampoo Daily-This is a tip I didn’t start using until a few years ago, but washing your hair everyday can really strip your hair’s natural oils, making it appear dry, brittle, and dull. Too frequent shampooing can also make your hair more prone to split-ends and breakage. Not to mention, if you color-treat your hair it’s going to be make the color fade a lot quicker, if you’re washing your hair daily.
In general, you should be washing your hair once every 3-4 days depending on your hair type and thickness. Oddly enough the thicker your hair is the less you need to wash it, while fine hair requires more frequent washing. I’ll also add that choosing the right shampoo for your hair type is an important part of your hair routine as well.
Always Condition Your Hair– Most people assume a conditioner is only for moisturizing the hair so in order to prevent oiliness they avoid using it daily. In reality, conditioners offer several benefits including detangling the hair and protecting the hair from damage, and come in several formulas for different hair types. No matter the hair type, you really should condition your hair every time you wash it, in order to keep your hair both looking and feeling healthy.
Extra Tip: Avoid conditioning the scalp area, and only condition from the mid-section of your hair to the ends, showing extra love to the ends of your strands which are more prone to breakage.
Use a Hair Mask Twice Monthly– Even if you’re conditioning your hair every time you wash it, your hair could still stand some TLC a couple times a month to help nourish it from all the heat and styling. I love having a little pamper time on the weekends and like to apply a deep conditioning mask to my hair to help strengthen and moisturize the hair. I’ve talked about it several times on the blog, but my absolute favorite hair mask is the Garnier Whole Blends Repairing Mask in Honey Treasures. It smells so good and really does strengthen and soften the hair.
Avoid Sleeping on Wet Hair– Just like the cardinal sin with sleeping in your makeup, it’s best to avoid sleeping on wet hair as your hair is the most vulnerable when wet. If you’re pressed for time and absolutely can’t avoid it, loosely braid hair or put in a loose, messy bun to reduce frizz and damage while sleeping. This method will also work in creating loose, tousled waves for the next day.
Avoid Using Heat Styling Tools Daily– It can be tempting to want to flat iron or curl your hair every single day, but unfortunately this can be SUPER damaging to your hair strands. I personally recommend only using heat tools to style your hair every 2 days or so and focus on using products that make your style last as long as possible. In between days that I’ve styled my hair, I’ll also throw my hair up in a messy bun using these no-damage hair ties. It’s a simple and easy styling solution on busy days!
Always Use a Heat Protectant– To protect your skin on a hot, sunny day you always wear sunscreen or a hat when outside, right? Well the same rule should apply for your hair! When you must use heat styling tools, it’s best to ALWAYS use a heat protectant prior to styling. I’m really loving the Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protectant Spray at the moment, as it’s light-weight and smells really nice! I always spritz it on my hair prior to flat-ironing and I feel like it makes the straightening process easier too.
Lower the Temperature– Another tip of mine when it comes to styling is to check the temperatures on your styling tools regularly to ensure you don’t have them on too high of a setting. Just because there’s a high setting doesn’t mean your hair needs it that high, so adjust as necessary to meet your hair’s individual needs.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had my flat iron accidently turned all the way up and my hair unfortunately felt the damage from it. It’s best to start low and work your way up to a setting that feels comfortable without causing damage. My current flat iron goes all the way up to 50, but I only have it on 20 typically and sometimes will lower it even more if I’m just doing a quick straightening touch-up.
*This post has been sponsored by Product Advisor. As always, all opinions are my own.
So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed today’s post with my 10 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Hair, and I’d love to hear what methods you use in keeping your hair healthy! Also, be sure and leave me a comment with hair products you’re loving at the moment- I always love trying out something new! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!- Cara
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These are great tips! In addition to this list, eating a healthy and balanced diet is also important for long, healthy and shiny hair.
Zala Hair Extensions
(https://www.zalahair.com/)
Yes, so true!
“Useful post” 👏❤️
This info was very much important and required to be discussed.
For Natural tips for healthy hair read this – Naturefit Blog
These are great tips! I definitely don’t shampoo daily. More like 3x a week. I’ve also started getting a trim regularly and can tell a huge difference. Such great tips!
I’m the same way! I only wash my hair every 2-3 days and definitely get it trimmed on the regular!
Your hair is gorgeous! These are great tips, I have curly hair so it’s even harder to maintain and is naturally more dry so I def stay away from shampooing daily. Hope you had a great weekend!
Marta
http://www.sweatersstripesandsweets.com
Thanks Marta! I’ve heard masks are really good for people with curly hair! 🙂
Great tips! I know it’s frowned upon but I do wash my hair every day, so these are great ways to keep it healthy!
Thanks! I think it’s all about finding what works for YOU. 🙂
Your hair looks amazing! So shiny.
Thank-you, Carly! 🙂
I’m actually THE WORST at getting my hair trimmed. My stylist hates me for it. I don’t know how I let it get away from me (but I do). Have you heard the tips about conditioning and then shampooing?? It’s hard to know what’s real, lol.
I have heard that. I asked my stylist and she said it really doesn’t make a difference because you’re essentially washing both out, but I don’t know lol.
I have an appointment on Saturday for a haircut! 😉 Well, I’m doing about half right, half wrong from your list! I actually didn’t know about the brushing BEFORE a shower. I’m going to tell my hubby, too, because he has longer, curlier hair than I do and really has issues getting a comb through his hair after a shower. I’ve also never used a hair protectant or mask.
Oh I hope that helps you both! I think it really helps people with curly hair more too, because I’ve heard brushing can be a real struggle with curly hair.
Great tips here! I always sleep on my hair wet and never knew it wasn’t good for my hair! Thanks for sharing!
Lauren
hitp://www.basicbabelauren.com
It can cause a lot of breakage if you aren’t careful. When I do have to sleep with it wet, I try braiding it or putting it in a low messy bun. Then you have wavy hair the next day! 😉
These are really great tips! I had no clue that I should only be brushing my hair when it’s dry. Will try that from now on.
Taryn
http://www.peplumsandpushups.com
Thanks! It really helps cause less damage to the hair!
Great tips, I need to get better about using a deep conditioner. I wash my hair so infrequent that I just forget! 🙂
I try to make it like an end of the week treat. Like on Friday nights or Saturday nights I like to have pamper me time. 😉
These are such good tips! I need to get a good hair mask!
I love, love the garnier honey blends one! Smells amazing!
I wash every 3-4 days, always condition, get a trim every 6-7 weeks, and never ever blow dry.
I’ve been doing my best to go 2-3 days between washing my hair. It’s been a struggle but I’m finally able to work with it!
That’s great. That’s about what I do currently and it’s so much better for the hair as opposed to washing daily.
YAY – I think I”m on a roll then cos I do most of this list!! I just got a suuuper healthy trim/cut recently and was SO impressed by the different right away – hacking off the bad ends makes a HUGE difference!!
Coming Up Roses
Your new haircut looks great! I always love how it makes you feel like a different person when you get a trim/cut! 🙂
These are all great tips. I can’t wait to try the Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protectant Spray. Love your hair! 🙂
Thanks Ana! That’s one of my favorite heat protectants!
Healthy hair is so important, great job with this post and the pics. Gorgeous hair!!
Thank-you, Thena! 🙂
Such great tips! I was not using anything but my hair dryer on my hair for months and it was amazing what happened. Now I am back on the straightening iron and I am really feeling it. I like the idea of brushing before the shower. Such a great idea!
It really does help get all the tangles out before hand, which is awesome!
Love your tips! I’m definitely guilty of doing (or not doing) a few of these, but have been meaning to jump on the hair mask bandwagon!
Give the garnier one a try! It smells amazing and from the first use you’ll notice such a difference!
These are great tips and you have such pretty hair! I need to get better at getting a trim regularly. I’ve been trying a lot more to not use heat as often and I think I’ve finally trained my hair to go three days without washing! Beautifully Candid
That’s great, that’s about how often I wash mine too and it looks so much better now that I’m not doing it daily.
I need to try more hair masks! I’ve also heard about sleeping on silk pillowcases. I effed up my hair bleaching it, I need to start treating it nicely lol.
Yes, hair masks are great especially for bleached and color treated hair!
These are great tips! I have gotten to the point where I only wash my hair once, maybe twice a week and it’s so much healthier now! Thanks for sharing 🙂
xoxo, Katie
kasuallykatie.com
That’s great! It really does make such a difference to the hair the less you wash it!
I love these tips! I wash my hair about every other day (it’s super fine and thin), and I love asking my hair stylist for products to use in my hair to prevent damage from using my straightener and curling iron. I curl my hair almost every day, and need to find an easier way to style without all the heat!
Hmm, have you tried using extra hold products (hairspray, mousse, gel) to get the curl to stay in your hair longer? I usually curl my hair and then try to just touch it up for the next couple days that way I’m not causing extra damage daily.
great tips! I feel like I’ve been treating my hair horribly lately. I’m dying my purple hair blonde next week, so I’ve been washing almost daily in hot water and heat treating every day to get the purple out. Before, I could wash it every 3-4 days and would let it air dry. No bueno. I can’t wait to get my new color so I can start treating my hair nicely again.
I’d definitely recommend doing some deep conditioning/hair masks to try to re-hydrate your locks. Hope you like your new blonde!
I am trying to get better at getting hair trims every 2-3 months. I definitely avoid using heat styling tools when I don’t need to use it. Another thing I like to do is deep condition since I don’t wash my hair every day. I only wash it every 3-4 days.
Me too! To think how dry my hair used to be when I washed it daily, I’ll seriously never go back! lol
You do have the prettiest hair! I haven’t had mine trimmed since January. UGH. Need to get that taken care of now!
Thanks so do you! I love the color of yours, so pretty!
These are great tips, I’m definitely going to start using a hair mask! I am trying really hard to grow my hair out and it’s at that nappy just to the shoulder stage that I hate! But I feel like if I’m really good to it, it will grow out nicely 🙂 Thanks for sharing! xo, Brittany http://www.theblistblog.com
Getting trims regularly and hair masks are my favorite tips to live by! I do hate those awkward length stages with hair though lol
These are great tips! From time to time I sleep with wet hair but I’ll make sure to stop doing that. Great post!
When I do sleep with it wet, I usually put it in a braid that way it’s wavy the next day. 🙂
You have pretty hair which you get the blonde hair from me and the beautiful long hair from your mommy. Great tips.
Thanks!
These are such fantastic tips. I’m guilty of sleeping with wet hair, so thanks for the reminder that I need to stop! xo
Glad you enjoyed the post, Lauren! It can be tempting to sleep on wet hair when we are tired, I know lol
Thanks for sharing these tips! I’m definitely guilty of sleeping on wet hair. I shower at night to save me time in the morning. I also let my hair air dry instead of blow drying. I only wash my hair 4x a week but wish I could go longer. It just gets so greasy at the roots!
Mine used to be the same way, but I very gradually tried to change the amount of times I washed it. Like at first I went down to every other, then the next week went down to every 2 days. Now I’m down to about every 3 days and it’s great. My hair seems to be much more vibrant and hydrated. I will sometimes have to add a little dry shampoo on day 3 but my scalp is finally used to it, I think.
Some of my favorite tips are not shampooing every day and trimming regularly! Those are two I live by 🙂
Both are so important! My hair used to be so dry when I washed it everyday.
I really should do better about getting my hair trimmed more often. I usually just do it once or twice a year!
Every 2-3 months is a good general guideline for trims. 🙂
These are al great tips. I generally go to the hair stylist once every couple of weeks since I have color treated hair to make sure it doesn’t get too dry and damaged.
Oh that’s a great idea! I need to find a new stylist in our area since we just moved.
Great tips. I’ve heard that you shouldn’t wash your hair everyday but mine just seems to get oily/itchy way too fast, and I have thick hair! LOL I do need to get my hair trimmed/thinned out more though.
-Lauren
Try starting out slowly. Like if you currently wash everyday, try doing every other, then about a week later, try every 2 days. It can sometimes take awhile for your scalp to get used to it, so give it time. I had to do this with my hair (I have extremely thick hair) and I’m now down to every 2-3 days depending on activity. It really helps keep the life in your hair longer. 🙂
Defintiely agree with every single tip — I actually really need to go get a trim soon, I’ve missed my last 2 appointments.
xo, Lily
Beauty With Lily
I can always tell when my hair needs a trim, so I try to stay on top of it.
I really need to take better care of my hair. I’m guilty of not doing these things, LOL!
It’s all about making good habits! Though I understand it’s easier said than done lol
I’m really really reallllly bad about not brushing before I get in the shower & then be a tangled mess after. Yikes.
I know I need a trim but I always feel like every hair dresser takes a trim to a 2 foot hair cut 😉 haha At least it feels that way
Haha I used to feel that way too and I completely get it, as I’ve had longer hair my entire life practically. Buut I will say if you go more regularly they do take less off.
Great tips! I have definitely not been great about getting those trims since I moved..just have to find a new stylist already. I have pretty thin hair and I try to wash every 3 days–it’s pretty rough by wash day, but I try to make it work!
I have to find a new stylist too! It’s been so nice always having my cousin who has her own salon nearby, but now I’ll have to find somebody else since we moved.
These tips are so helpful and I totally agree with them! Definitely all about a good hair mask, they’re the best!
Thanks! Plus this one smells amazing so it’s a win-win!
You have such pretty hair! I have a few “no hair wash” days each week. I can really only skip one day because my hair is super fine. I am terrible about getting my haircut regularly. I only go about 2 to 3 times a year. oops.
Thank-you! I try to go every 2-3 months for a trim and highlights. It used to be I just got highlights for adding color and now it’s because apparently white hair,not gray, runs in my family. Ugh at getting older lol.
These are great tips though admittedly, I’m pretty terrible with a handful of them! To start with, I’m definitely overdue for a trim…
Haha get on it girl! Trims are great for adding life back to your hair! 😉
Oh these are great tips. I need to get a good hair mask. I never brush my hair as it is curly but my stylist told me I need to. I do sleep with wet hair but its always up in a bun or a braid.
Thank-you! Sounds like a hair mask would be great for you!
I had no idea about brushing wet hair!
Yep, not sure if yours is this way, but if I brush right after showering so many hair strands fall out, as opposed to waiting until it’s almost dried.
I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to brush wet hair! I’ll definitely be making a change; thanks!
Yep, your hair is extremely vulnerable when wet, so it’s best to wait until it’s almost fully dry before brushing.
Awesome tips! My hair is in desperate need for a trim, and I need to get better about using a mask too <3
Green Fashionista
Thanks! You should give that one a try, it smells amazing!
These are such great tips! You reminded me that I really need to schedule a haircut! Also, hair masks are my fav. They’re such a great way to bring a little life back to your hair.
Thank-you! And yes, exactly! I always love how it makes my hair feel afterwards!
These are awesome tips! I didn’t think about brushing before the shower.?
I didn’t either, but now I can’t not brush my hair before showering haha. It’s amazing what little changes can sometimes do.
Great tips! And your hair looks lovely. I love the Garnier products and have just tried their heat protector – it smells amazing! 🙂
Thank-you! It really does smell amazing!
I definitely should be doing more of these! I never use a heat protectant and I know that is a big no-no! Thanks for the tips!
You’re welcome! Our hair takes so much daily damage from styling products and the sun, it really needs that extra protection.
These are great tips – my biggest struggle is getting a trim! Though you’ve reminded me I should probably book one in soon!
Thanks! It’s a great habit to get into!
You have GORGEOUS HAIR so I was super happy to see your tips!
Thanks doll! 🙂
Thanks for the great tips. I really do need to condition my hair and might need to try the hair mask.
You’re so welcome! Give it a try, I think you’ll like it!
Thanks for the tips. I haven’t used a hair mask but am now going to try it.
Give this one a try, it smells amazing and is so hydrating!
Your hair looks very pretty! The thing I always skimp on that I need to change is getting trims more often.
Thanks Kristin! Trims are so important and are so inexpensive there’s no reason not to get them lol but it took me awhile to jump on the bandwagon too. 😉
I used to shampoo daily but finally worked to every other day!
That’s great! It takes time for your scalp to get used to less shampoos but it really does help keep your locks hydrated and shiny.
Awesome tips. Working at a salon has opened my eyes to do’s and dont’s and you’re on point with yours. Your hair is gorg!
Thanks girl! I’d say you all see a lot in salons lol It’s always amazing some of the things my hair dresser tells me about what people do to their hair.
i do zero to my hair – just wash, air dry and put it in a ponytail. Laziness prevails! lol
Hey whatever works, works! haha Truthfully most damage comes from straighteners and curling irons.
Awesome list! I’ve been trying my best to take care of my hair recently. I am blessed with thick course hair that seems to hold up really well. But I know that it is a long-term game and taking care of it now will only be better later so I’ve been trying after shower moisture mists recently to help give a little extra to my ends. I am going to try that hair mask as well it sounds like a great addition to my routine.
Thanks! I swear by that mask, it’s amazing!
You just reminded me that I desperately need to make an appointment to get a trim. I’m so bad about that! Definitely checking out some of these products too, your hair is so pretty! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
Thanks Pamela! I used to be bad about getting trims too but once you get in the habit it’s so much better for your hair!
this is awesome! i def need to use a hair mask for my hair so you have some great tips here 🙂 thanks girly!
Thanks Cait! Hair masks are great to use once a week!