Whether you put your hair through constant bleaching or colouring, excessive heat styling, or tight hairstyles, damaged hair requires some extra TLC. While getting a trim at the salon may be necessary to banish your dead ends, there are also things you can do to fix damaged hair at home. From applying a weekly hydrating hair mask to using a repairing conditioner, investing in silk pillowcases, and more, this is how to bring life back to your dry, damaged hair.
8 Common Causes of Hair Damage
- Chemical processes like belching, colouring and chemical relaxers.
- Styling tools, including brushes, as well as hot tools like flat irons, blow dryers, curling irons, wavers, and blow dry brushes.
- Tight hairstyles and accessories like hair elastics.
- Exposure to the sun and other elements, including extreme cold.
- Lack of moisture and over-washing, which strips your hair of its natural oils.
- Friction from towels and cotton pillow cases.
- Poor diet/nutrition.
- Nutritional deficiencies including low iron, vitamin D, and zinc.
8 Ways to Fix Damaged Hair At Home
1. Switch Out Your Shampoo
Look for a shampoo specifically formulated for dry and damaged hair. The Monday Hair Care Repair Shampoo is intensely nourishing and restorative, with ingredients like keratin, coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamin E. Keratin is the super star ingredient in this one, a hydrating protein that helps protect your hair from damage and allow for repair. This shampoo is made for dry and damaged hair and will leave your strands feeling healthy and smooth.
2. Always Apply a Protectant Before Heat Tools
If you’re going to be using heat tools on your hair, applying a heat protectant beforehand is an absolute must. Heat protectants reduce the amount of heat that is absorbed into the hair, and are a no-brainer since heat is one of the most damaging things for your locks. Heat protectants like the Hair Food Heat Protectant Spray not only shield your hair, but also prevent breakage and split ends, moisturize your hair, and help reduce frizz and flyaways.
3. Do a Weekly Hair Mask
A hydrating hair mask is a key part of a restorative hair care routine. Do one weekly to add moisture to your hair, making it less likely to break or snap while styling. The OUAI Treatment Mask is rich and restorative, acting like a deep conditioner to leave your hair feeling softer and smoother from the first use. Formulated with shea butter to hydrate and condition, hydrolyzed keratin to prevent breakage, and panthenol to restore shine, this mask is top tier when it comes to improving your hair’s overall strength.
4. Use a Repairing Conditioner
Damaged hair needs extra TLC and a product like the Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner fits the bill. This nourishing conditioner repairs, strengthens, and moisturizes hair prone to dryness and damage. It maintains and re-links broken bonds within the hair to repair split ends, damage, and frizz, while also helping to prevent future breakage. It will leave your hair looking softer, smoother, and healthier with every use. Apply it after shampooing with Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo for best results.
5. Look for Bonding Treatments
Speaking of bond maintenance, there are now a range of bond-building treatments available that work to repair the protein bonds that break when hair is damaged. The Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil is a cult favourite for a reason. Formulated with patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology®, as well as sunflower, moringa, pomegranate, green tea, and grape seed oils, it repairs and strengthens hair, and reduces breakage. It’s highly concentrated yet super lightweight and delivers shine and frizz control for up to 72 hours. It also acts as a heat protectant, so you can use it daily or as needed.
6. Be Careful with Brushing
You may not realize it, but improper hair brushing can be a major source of damage to your strands. To minimize damage as much as possible, always brush your hair before showering to minimize knots, and make sure to start at the ends and work your way up when you brush. Starting at the bottom helps detangle knots more effectively, reducing tension on the hair and preventing breakage and split ends. It’s also helpful to brush your hair in the shower after applying conditioner and before rinsing it out. This makes it easier to detangle your hair so you won’t have to brush it when you come out of the shower. Make sure to use a wet brush for this!
7. Apply a Leave-in Conditioner
Leave-in conditioners are meant to stay in your hair, hydrating it by soaking into your strands. It will help hydrate a dry scalp, reduce frizz, and moisturize dry, brittle locks. The Odele Leave-In Conditioner is formulated with amino acids, amaranth, and rice protein to help improve hair health and strength over time. It’s lightweight and perfect for any hair in need of added moisture. It deeply hydrates, detangles, and de-frizzes for your softest, most hydrated hair yet.
8. Use Silk Pillowcases and Microfibre Towels
The friction caused by cotton pillowcases and towels can cause major damage and breakage to your strands. Switching out cotton pillowcases for silk ones reduces the chance of frizz and tangles due to less friction. Silk pillowcases leave your hair smooth, help heal damaged hair, and prevent future damage. The same goes for microfibre towels. Rubbing your hair with a regular towel creates frizziness and can lead to hair breakage. Instead, wrap your hair in a microfibre towel to absorb the water without causing damage.
If you’ve noticed your hair is more damaged and dry than usual, try these hair care remedies to get your hair health back on track.
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