Whether you’ve recently grown out your gray hair or have been flaunting silver locks for a while, there are important things to know when it comes to caring for your hair. Gray hair is finer and more fragile than it once was. It also tends to be dryer. Because of this, knowing the gray hair mistakes to avoid is imperative. Keeping your hair well moisturized as well as protecting it from the heat and sun will go a long way in ensuring that it’s soft and shiny. Here are 9 things to avoid when you have gray hair and what to do instead.
9 Gray Hair Mistakes to Avoid (and What To Do Instead)
1. Allowing Product to Build Up
Like any hair, gray hair requires styling products to look its best. However, if you’re not properly removing product build up from your hair, it can lead to itchiness, dryness, and hair breakage, as it strips the hair of its natural oils and weighs your hair down. To keep your gray hair healthy, use a clarifying shampoo weekly or biweekly to remove product and keep your scalp clear. The OUAI Detox Shampoo uses chelating agents to eliminate product build up, dirt, and oil while conditioning your strands.
2. Not Using a Toning Shampoo
The lack of pigment in gray hair can cause your hair to turn yellow due to product build up, heat styling, sun exposure, and other external factors. When you’re not using a clarifying shampoo, make sure you’re using a purple shampoo to prevent brassiness and enhance the look of your locks. The Hair Biology Purple Shampoo and Conditioner set removes dulling residue and nourishes your hair without weighing it down. The duo works to fight brassiness, correct yellow tones, and keep your hair healthy.
3. Using Hair Products with Alcohol
If you have gray hair, steer clear of any hair products that contain alcohol. Gray hair already struggles to maintain moisture, so using alcohol-heavy products will only dry it out more and make it look more wiry. Instead, use a moisturizing hair oil such as the Davines OI Oil which will nourish and hydrate your hair without making it greasy. It works to fight frizz and leaves your hair shiny and hydrated.
4. Not Deep Conditioning
Gray hair needs extra moisture since it’s naturally very dry and wiry. Make sure you’re using a conditioner after every wash, and beyond that, using a deep conditioner weekly is a great idea. Try the Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask, infused with argan oil and plant protein to nourish your dry hair and bring it back to life. It also helps mend damaged hair, so is really a no-brainer. Apply it to wet hair, wait 2 to 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
5. Drying Your Hair with Cotton Towels
Cotton towels aren’t great for your hair. This is true for all hair types, but especially gray hair since it tends to be weaker. They cause friction, which leads to damage and breakage. They also create more frizz. Get rid of your cotton towels, and opt for a microfibre towel. It’s lightweight, dries your hair faster and eliminates friction so you don’t have to deal with breakage and damage.
6. Not Protecting Your Hair When Swimming
If you’re planning to head to the pool or ocean, it’s crucial to protect your gray strands. Chlorine can make your hair look duller and add a green tinge to it, and salt water can make your gray hair brassy. Apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair before swimming to coat the hair follicle and prevent chlorine or salt water from being absorbed. You can also wear a swim cap for extra caution. Make sure to shampoo and condition immediately after swimming in the pool or ocean.
7. Not Tackling Daily Damage
Our hair goes through a lot on a daily basis, from styling tools to sun exposure, and mineral buildup from our shower water. If you’re not doing anything to repair and protect your strands, your gray hair will take a hit. A leave-in treatment such as the K18 Leave-in Molecular Hair Mask reverses daily damage while protecting the hair from future stress. In just 4 minutes, it restores strength, softness, and smoothness for your most luscious strands. To use it, shampoo your hair, but don’t condition, towel dry, apply the mask and let it sit for 4 minutes before moving on to the next steps in your hair styling process.
8. Sleeping on the Wrong Pillowcase
Similar to your towel, if you’re sleeping on a regular cotton pillowcase, you could be damaging your gray hair. With a cotton pillowcase there’s a lot of friction, which causes tangles, frizz, and breakage. Cotton is also known for its absorbency, so it actually dries out your hair, pulling out moisture as you sleep. A silk pillowcase minimizes hair breakage, which is key for already fragile hair. It creates less friction, protecting the hair from breakage, frizz, and fly aways.
9. A Lack of Heat and Sun Protection
Heat tools and UV rays can be extra damaging to gray hair. Gray hair can burn more easily due to its texture and porosity, so it’s super important to prioritize heat protection. If you’re overworking your hair with hot tools it can become dull and turn a yellowish tone. First off, it’s important to use high quality heat tools that do not exceed 350 degrees. It’s also imperative to use a heat protectant spray every time you use hot tools. Since the sun is also harmful to your hair, make sure to wear a hat when outside for prolonged periods, or use a product with UV protection, such as the COOLA Scalp and Hair Mist Sunscreen.
If you’ve embraced your gray hair, make sure you avoid these 9 mistakes to keep your locks as healthy as possible!
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