Beautiful style starts with healthy hair. To keep hair healthy, you have to protect it against damage from the environment and from styling. Here are a few of the most important tips to keep your hair healthy, smooth, and strong.
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Avoid exposure to harsh weather
You might not think weather or a little sun could do much damage, but all that exposure can really take a toll! Excessive dirt, heat, pollution or sun can cause breakage and dry out hair. It can also have harsh effects on your scalp, even creating scalp conditions or infections (EW!). So be sure to cover your flowing locks during a day in the sun or a dusty area with a hat or scarf. Go ahead and take advantage of the giant sun hat trend. You could also try a UV protection spray or conditioner like the Ubuntu Oil Colour Fade Protection Oil from Ulta ($12.99).
Be gentle with wet hair
Okay, we all know wet hair breaks easily, but we had to say it anyway: DON’T MESS WITH WET HAIR. It’s way more vulnerable to breakage than dry hair. It all starts in the shower. Don’t scrub your hair too aggressively; massage your hair as if you were hand washing your delicates. Once out of the shower gently towel dry, but don’t twist hair. Use a wide tooth comb to detangle and you’re all set to style!
Condition your hair the right way
Conditioner is crucial to protecting your hair, along with making it look awesome. It’s the one hair product you should spend a little more on to get something that really does its job right. We recommend It’s A 10! Miracle Daily Conditioner from Target ($14.99), which also have UV protection! Apply conditioner to the bottom ¾ of your hair and make sure to work it into your strands gently. Also, as summer rolls around, try putting on some light conditioner before hitting the pool or beach.
Brush carefully
Your grandma might have told you to brush hair 100 strokes a day. And while it helps distribute oils, it can also damage your hair if it’s not done right. Use an ionic bristle for less frizz or a detangler brush if you need to. Even better, use a conditioning brush like the PROtect micro-conditioning styling brush ($10.99) for a healthy shine. Overall, just handle with care. You should know if you’re brushing too hard if you notice a lot of hair in your brush afterwards.
Use protective styling tools
Unless your natural hair is just the way you like it, chances are you can’t help using heat to dry or style it. So make sure your styling tools are being as protective as possible while you style. Keep the heat setting as low as possible to get the style you want.
Look for dryers with ceramic and ionic technology like the T|Studio PROtect Hair Dryer ($47.99). This dryer has a conditioning ring that conditions hair as you dry for a healthy finish. For flat irons or curling tools, try to find products with high ceramic content so heat is distributed equally, minimizing the risk of damaging your hair.The T|Studio PROtect Flat Iron ($82.99) has vapor infusion technology that actually conditions hair with a macadamia treatment while you straighten. That means smoother and healthier hair!