How I keep my hair healthy

I had long hair for all my life, as I love long hair. I’ve always been proud of it and I imagine most of us feel the same way. This means we should do everything we can to take care of it. So, I though I should talk about how I keep my hair healthy.

Some of the things we all can do to have a better looking, healthier hair like eating healthy (see my 10-a-day post), sleeping enough and having as low stress as possible aren’t specific to hair. Also, unfortunately, we don’t have always real options on these aspects of our life. Instead I’m going to talk about the things we can specifically do to our hair.

1. Use Good Hair products.

I’ve been using professional hair shampoo and conditioner for a couple of years now. The difference between them and non-professional products is visible from the first use. It’s true that they are more expensive, a bottle being up to 5 times more costly than a supermarket own brand. I’ve used Bed Head until recently, when I switched to another one. As I just made the switch to try a new one, I don’t want to say the name of the new brand before I try it for a couple of months. I think the extra money is worth it, as the hair looks better and feels better.

Besides shampoo, I will use conditioner or, at the moment, a hair mask. I don’t wash my hair daily, so I would use a hair mask. When I had to wash my hair every day as I was training every day, I used conditioner and the mask only a couple of times weekly. As a rule, I don’t wash my hair if it’s not necessary.

I avoid other hair products, like foam. If I would use them for an evening, I would wash my hair the following day.

2. Air dry As Much As Possible.

Even with my long hair, I let it air dry naturally as much as I can. I will pat it with a towel, but not to harsh, as it can affect the hair. I comb my hair and I would let it to dry naturally. In an hour the hair is dry most of the times.

If I have to use the dryer as I’m in a hurry or it’s cold, I also use a heat protector spray and I would comb my hair again. I use the dryer at low heat and for as little time as possible. Usually I would dry my hair for 5 to 10 minutes, to speed up the drying process, but without applying hot air for a long period of time. Even when I’m caravanning, I would use the dryer for a few minutes and I would rather turn the heat up in the caravan for half an hour.

I think this is one of the best things I can do for my hair. If you have shorter hair, it will dry even quicker, so try to avoid the harsh hot air from the dryer for a while, to see if you notice any difference.

3. Combing and plaiting the hair.

I don’t like brushing, even with a good brush I pull my hair. So I use a comb with wide spaces between its teeth. It untangles my hair nicely and it’s so much better for my hair. I comb my hair in the mornings and evenings. I would also comb my hair if I’m out, as it only takes a minute to refresh. I love how ponytails look, it’s a classic look. As scrunchie or bobbles are harsh on the hair and it can break the ends, I would keep my hair in a ponytail only when out. To make the ponytail look even better, I would wrap a small section of hair around the base of the ponytail. Another thing I use is a bobble with a metal grip that comes around it, they are called ponytail hair cuff.

During the day I keep my hair in a plait or loose and I avoid scrunchies as much as possible. Another good option are hair clips, like the crocodile hair clips or hair claws. I use headbands while I’m applying face mask, but not during the day as keeping the hair tucked on the head can make it prone to get oily. When I sleep I will keep my hair in a plait as it’s the best way to avoid pulling my hair.

This is how I keep my hair healthy. I hope you find the information helpful and I would love to hear your tips.