Our hair is part of our identity, and it’s one of the first things people see. So when we have problems with our hair, it can be embarrassing. If you’re frustrated with dry, damaged, frizzy, limp, or oily hair, it’s time to take a look at your hair care routine. Here are six hair care mistakes to avoid.
Brushing too Much
Sometimes, we can get a little overzealous when we’re trying to make our hair smooth and shiny. But going overboard with your brush is more likely to cause friction and breakage than give you the smooth, healthy tresses you were hoping for. While brushing does add shine by distributing your natural oils, it’s best to only brush enough to detangle and style your hair. Remember to be gentle when detangling your hair and work from the bottom up to avoid breaking your strands.
Using Harsh Products
Unfortunately, many hair care products contain harsh ingredients like parabens, sulfates, and silicone, which can be irritating and make your problems worse, particularly in the long term. If you have problems like dandruff, frizz, or breakage, try eliminating harsh chemicals from your routine. Instead, opt for more natural products, like Viori, to give your hair a break from harsh ingredients.
Not Allowing Hair to Air Dry
Wet hair can be annoying and uncomfortable, so it’s tempting to break out the blow dryer, vigorously towel dry, pull your hair up into a ponytail, or even just dive under the covers and let it dry as you sleep. But hair is super vulnerable to breakage when it’s wet, so the best thing you can do is let your hair air dry whenever possible. If you really need to comb or blow-dry your hair, wait until it’s mostly dry and use a wide-toothed comb rather than a brush.
Not Protecting Your Hair from Heat
Heat is bad for your hair, whether it comes from your blow dryer, curling iron, hot showers, or sunlight. Avoiding heat altogether is best, but if you do use heat tools, always use a heat protectant first and pay extra attention to the ends. Turning down the temperature in your shower will help your hair retain the moisture it needs to be healthy. And consider wearing a hat or scarf to protect your hair from UV rays.
Shampooing Too Often
We all want to be clean, but shampooing every day really isn’t necessary or healthy for your hair. That’s because shampooing too frequently strips your hair of its natural oils, leaving it dry and prone to damage. Even if your hair is naturally oily, you should try to go two or three days between washes. We recommend trying Citrus Yao if you have problems with excess oil.
Not Varying Your Style
It’s important to give your hair a break from tight styles, and it’s also important to change where you place hair elastics. If you always put your hair up the same way and tie it in the same place, the bands can end up breaking your hair. Tight styles are also linked to hair loss. So wear your hair down when you can and take care to alternate between styles, so you’re not always pulling your hair into a ponytail or bun at the exact same spot.
Have you been making hair care mistakes? Try these DIY masks to give your tresses some extra TLC.