Simple ways to keep your hair fresh at home
7 simple ways to keep your hair fresh at home
Have you booked April 12th off work yet? Come on, you don’t have to lie to us. We are well aware that April 12th is the unofficial Beauty Salon Independence Day, which seems so soon yet so far away. We can’t of course forget those of us who don’t have the luxury of getting time off work or just simply missed out on any available hair appointment slots for the next three months. If that’s you, or are planning on being a homebody indefinitely, we are here to hold your hand and hair through the next few weeks and beyond with these hairdresser-free hacks.
Achieving your best hair potential means counteracting the many factors that affect its wellbeing, whether air pollution, over manipulating the hair during lockdown — when you can’t resist trying a new style every other day — or simply hair ageing. Some signs that your hair is ageing range from breakage and thinning of the hair fibres, to dryness and of course those stubborn grey hairs. In addition to using the correct products and applying heat protection, there are other secret hair refresh tricks that will really make a difference.
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Dry hair with a microfiber towel
One of the ways to maintain the youthfulness of your hair is the way you dry it. And the best way to do it is with a microfiber towel. This material absorbs more than five times the water than traditional towels, so it allows faster drying and there's much less friction that could weaken the hair.
Once you remove the excess liquid, let it air dry if you can, and if you have any kind of wave, kink or curl, use the hair scrunching technique. You go in with a diffuser too, but make sure it’s at low temperature. Alternatively in the absence of one, wait until the hair is 90% dry to use the hairdryer in a cool setting, to reduce risk of damage.
Top tip: When you get out of the shower, don't wrap the towel around your head! Hang your towel around your shoulders and let it free. Wet hair is much more fragile and wrapping it will promote breakage.
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Avoid tight hairstyles or ones that involve using too many products
A simple mistake that accelerates the ageing of your hair is tight hair ties or with a lot of gel, waxes, mousses overloading the strands. This weighs hair down and can damage the follicle. Instead, opt for looser hairstyles. If you are going to use styling products, allow a maximum of two per styling session.
As far as reducing product build-up goes, Adam Reed, UK Editorial Ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel tells GLAMOUR: “I always recommend a double shampoo, really focusing on the roots and working your fingers into the scalp for at least a minute.” He also adds: “It’s really important that you are using the right shampoo for your hair type, for example if you have fine hair, do not use a super heavy, extra nourishing shampoo.”
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Sleep with overnight hair masks
Masks that are left on overnight with a shower cap can be transformative to your hair. They are designed to be applied to dry hair before going to sleep, working hard while you rest. Choose one with a formula that prioritises hair repair.
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Include the right vitamins in your diet
The health of your hair does not just depend on how you nurture topically, but also what you put inside your body. Make sure you have included a balanced diet of green leaves, lean meats, nuts, fruits, whole grains, and even dairy products and another set of foods rich in vitamins and proteins.
If you’re looking for hair rejuvenation foods with damn near miraculous powers make sure you’re consuming your spinach, salmon, avocado, blueberries and don’t forget the cheese. If your choice of diet won't allow you to have those, don’t leave out the option of supplements and vegan and alternatives to the above.
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Don't forget to include collagen supplements
Celebrity Hairstylist, Jason Collier, who works with Victoria Beckham and Laura Whitmore, says that collagen could be the secret to healthy hair post-lockdown. Collagen is the secret key ingredient to prevent hair-thinning and ageing. This protein provides strength, flexibility, thickness and protection and has also been proven to delay the submergence of grey hairs! It makes up 70% of your skin and your scalp is an extension of that, a healthy scalp could mean less hair thinning.
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Keep up with your trims
Please don’t sit around waiting for your split ends to appear before you delve in for a haircut.(OK we'll let you off for the last few months with salon closures). Experts recommend trimmings every two to four months depending on the length of your hair in order to upkeep its overall health. Neglecting regular hair cuts will actually hinder hair retention as split ends will carry on splitting open along the hair shaft, making the hair age faste
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Exfoliate your scalp
Hair and scalp exfoliation is often forgotten about, but it's a secret refresh gem. Brushing itself is considered an exfoliation - as long as it is gentle and not often. We do recommend scrubs and gentle massage tools on the scalp to promote circulation on the hair follicles to restore length and shine to your now youthful locks!
Now you are ready to press a reset button on it’s time to execute all your new learnings. We have collated a list of products you may want to include in your newly found hair routine.
