Once upon a time I had frizzy, unmanageable curly hair that I had no clue how to take care of.
My mom did not know how my hair worked, so she cut my hair really short. When I grew it out I had no idea what I was doing, so I had to learn through trial and error before the days of the internet. Throughout my lifetime I have developed a routine that does not break the bank, and produces great results. Anyone can follow these 11 rules.
Note: This is not a foolproof plan. You can choose to follow one rule, or all of them. Either way, they are all positive changes for your hair lifestyle!
1. Limit your hair iron and blowdryer usage.
It's no surprise that extra heat to your hair can damage it, causing your hair to develop split ends and appear unhealthy. Limit your heat usage! This also includes taking scalding hot showers. Turn the temperature down.
2. Use a microfiber hair towel to dry your hair with after a shower.
I personally use this microfiber hair towel that I got at Walmart for a few bucks called Turbie Twist. They stay on your head, and I have accidentally worn them for hours at a time. The microfiber material helps reduce frizz, unlike ordinary hair towes. You can also purchase a pack of two here on Amazon.
3. Use argan oil on your ends and on your hair.
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Hydrating your hair is key to prevent it from breaking. Argan oil is excellent at giving strength to hair, and making it appear shiny and healthy. You can buy a pack of two on Amazon, or get a container at Walmart for about $5.
4. The 90's are back, and so are scrunchies.
Scrunchies are a god send. They don't leave crease marks on your hair when you take them off, create breakage, and they don't give you headaches from the tightness. Try to aim at buying scrunchies with a smooth material, such as silk or satin.
5. Silk pillowcases to help avoid bedhead.
Regular pillowcases will catch and tug hair, and they create split ends and breakage. The first time I used a silk pillowcase, I was in shock. I put my hair in a bun, and when I woke up the next morning, it was like my hair never moved an inch. With regular pillowcases, I woke up with a rat's nest on my head that took a good pull and tug to get the knots out. If silk pillowcases are too expensive, try finding satin ones. I wasn't able to find any silk ones at Walmart, but there is a wide variety and selection on Amazon.
6. Get regular trims.
Trimming your hair is super important. Once you get a split end, there is no repairing it. While your head grows new hair, the ends are breaking off, thus appearing like it is not growing any further. Getting regular trims helps the hair keep its length and grow even longer.
7. Take biotin vitamins daily.
Biotin is a vitamin that can help with the appearance of your skin, nails, and especially your hair. Take one everyday to help promote and boost hair growth.
8. Watch what you eat.
Whatever you eat, your body reflects it. Your hair will certainly thank you and show results if you start eating a little more healthy food since you are introducing vitamins into your system. Your hair will grow longer, have more shine, and overall be healthier.
9. Drink plenty of water.
Hair easily gets dry, and you need to hydrate your body in order to ensure your skin and hair stay healthy and strong. Try drinking more water or drinks with no sugar. I personally enjoy lots of tea and carbonated water.
10. Avoid using harsh chemicals on your hair.
It's a no-brainer that dying and bleaching your hair is bad and causes breakage. But what you might not know is that there can be harsh chemicals in your shampoo. Try to avoid shampoos with sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate, or sodiu laureth sulfate). These sulfates act as foaming agents, and they strip the natural oils from your hair, thus drying them out and making your hair less strong. If sulfate-free shampoo is too expensive, try looking for ones with sodium lauryl ether sulfate, which is more mild and less damaging. I personally use baby shampoo since it does not contain a lot of the harsh sulfates, and it is cheap and comes in bulk. A conditioner that I highly recommend using is Aussie's 3 minute miracle hair conditioner.
11. Use a hair mask every so often.
Hair masks help replenish the lost moisture from overdrying, sulfates, etc. Using one once or twice a month can help your hair regain its strength and grow healthy and long again. There are some hair masks at Walmart for $5-10, and they're great for a spa day.
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