Do you get really annoyed at your style of hair? Weak hair is hard to style and tends to look limp and boring. The good news is that you can make some changes.
There are a few changes that you will likely need to make to create naturally strong and luxurious hair. Are you willing to make them? Not only will they help your hair but you’ll have more time to do things during the day. You’ll be able to drop the tools and focus on overnight treatments.
Here are the top tips to create naturally strong hair.
It’s Time to Avoid the Heat
Even if straightening with the tongs doesn’t take long, you’ll want to change the way you get straight hair. The heat you’re applying is doing your hair no good. In fact, it’s damaging it and drying it out. This is partially the reason for your dry, split tips and straw-like feel to your locks.
“But I use heat treatments first!” you may say. Well, the protective treatments can help, but the best thing to do is avoid them completely. After all, do you really know what you’re putting in your hair with those protective heat treatments? Do you really know all the chemicals? Look at the ingredients and try to pronounce all the words. Unless you work in medicine or science, there are high chances that you won’t be able to.
That’s okay, though! When you have strong and luxurious hair, it will sit just the way you want it. Need curls? You can make them look prettier and bouncier! Need straight hair? It will hang just right.
When you need to use the blow dryer, try to use it for a little time as possible. Air-dry your hair until it is 90% try. Set the dryer on the lowest setting and make sure you use the nozzle!
And Don’t Over wash!
The heat isn’t the only thing that can damage your hair. There are various daily routines that we get into that end up causing more harm than good.
One of those daily routines is washing our hair. We should actually avoid shampooing and conditioning on a daily basis. The shampoo strips the hair of the natural oils. If you do it too often, you run the risk of the oils not getting to the tips of the hair enough. This can lead to the hair completely drying out, so it feels straw-like and looks frizzy.
If you give your hair a couple of days between washes, you can help to get the oils through your hair. Where the hair is naturally oily, washing every couple of days is recommended. If you have naturally dry hair, try to avoid washing for three or four days to get the oils all the way through.
Protect from the Brush
Brushing is another common problem that damages the hair. We tend to brush our hair quickly to pull it back into hair ties. Most of the time our hair snags and we pull or rip it out. The strands break, and they don’t quite repair as they should.
Take your time with the brush and try switching to a wide-tooth comb instead. This type of comb will gently pull the knots and tangles through the hair, so not to break strands.
Avoid brushing when your hair is wet, too. Gently use a comb to detangle and allow the hair to become 90% dry. Brushing while wet breaks strands and can rip the hair from the roots.
There are some people who recommend that you brush for 100 times in the day. This isn’t necessarily true, and it will depend on the type of hair that you hair. Those with dry hair will find that brushing more will help to spread the oils quicker to protect their locks.
Can You Wear Your Hair Down?
Tying your hair back is bad for it, especially when you use ties that are way too tight. You end up kinking and breaking the strands. If you do need to tie it back, opt for a hair tie that is soft and doesn’t have anything that can get caught in the hair. Make sure loose strands don’t accidentally get caught and avoid tying it up while wet.
If the hairstyle is painful for your scalp, it is doing some damage to your hair. Best to take it out and start again.
You’ll want to avoid the use of grips, too. These tend to be worse than hair ties because they actually get in and cling to individual strands. You also run the risk of damaging your scalp with them!
Protect Your Hair from the Chemicals
You’ll also want to protect your hair from any UV rays and chemical damage. This means using an SPF factor condition on it before you go outside and using swimming caps and sprays before swimming.
If you are swimming, have a protective shampoo for afterwards. This will help to get rid of the chlorine afterwards while adding nourishment back in from the drying tendencies of the bleach.
It’s not all about the sun and swimming, either. You’ll need to think about the chemicals in the products you use on your hair. What’s in your shampoo? And what about the chemicals in your hair dye? Try to avoid colouring often and look for natural treatments to cleanse and condition your locks.
There are lots of natural colouring treatments out there. They don’t just avoid the harsh chemicals but include many natural treatments to nourish the hair. Try adding some lemon juice before you go outside, for example. When you use an SPF conditioner, such as coconut or almond oil, you’ll be able to protect your hair from the rays while lightening your locks naturally.
You can even use the likes of honey or chamomile tea, which can lighten the hair without the need of the sun!
Nourish and Prepare Your Hair
You’ll want to prepare your hair first and make sure you get the right type of treatment for your hair type. Those with fine hair will need something completely different to those with damaged, dry locks.
A trim is the best place to start. You’ll want to get rid of those split ends and make sure your hair is ready. Many stylists will recommend that you get a trim every 5-8 weeks, which will help you get your hair prepared for each natural treatment you try. You’ll also have a fresh looking cut, with a length just right for your style and preference.
If you want to grow your hair out, getting a trim every 8 weeks or so is worthwhile. This will give your hair time to grow. If you’re happy maintaining your length, every 5-6 weeks is a better option.
You’ll need to keep your hair as healthy and as nourished as possible. This you can do by knowing your hair type to make sure it is conditioned and protected as necessary. Oily hair won’t need as many naturally heavy oils, while those with damaged hair will need long-term treatments and some overnight conditioners.
Pampering Works Wonders
Don’t forget to pamper your hair. Help to strengthen it by using coconut oil treatments or consider nourishing avocado and egg masks. Cleanse your hair regularly to avoid it getting dragged down by dirt, grime and oils.
Massaging your hair while you shampoo and the condition is great for the blood flow. When you promote blood flow to your scalp, you’ll nourish the roots further and encourage natural oil production. This will help to strengthen the locks and create a shiny, natural glow.
Even with fine, oily hair, you should consider deep conditioning treatments every week or two. These will help to leave your hair feeling soft and add some elasticity to your hair. Not only will your hair look straight, but it will be luxurious and flowing at the same time.
There are lots of natural masks and conditioners that you could try. Coconut oil treatments will add antioxidants and vitamins to your hair to create the smooth and luxurious feel. You just need to add a little to your hair and massage it into the midsections and tips. Leave for around 30 minutes, and you’ll be able to wash out and leave. Do it at the end of the day once a week, so you’re not rushing around.
Avocado and egg masks will add proteins, fats, and oils back into your hair. The proteins and fats give your hair the building blocks it needs to grow strong and thick. The oils will keep the hair soft. You can apply these for overnight once a week or opt for a 20-minute treatment at the end of a long day.
Focus on a Healthy Hair Diet
Did you know that your diet will affect your hair? It affects your organs and your skin, why wouldn’t it affect your hair?
Your diet includes all the vitamins and minerals that your hair desperately needs to grow thick and strong. By getting enough protein and iron, your hair will have the building blocks needed to start with a strong foundation. There’s no point working on a weak basis, as everything higher up will just end up collapsing. In the case of your hair, a weak base means the tips end up looking straggly and weak sooner than if the base was strong.
Opt for a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, and don’t forget about the poultry, fish, lentils, and chickpeas. All of these together give you the proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals that your hair will need. Some of the most important ones include:
Biotin: this is a B vitamin that is needed for hair growth. Without it, the hair growth can be delayed and weak. You’ll have naturally thick, luxurious looking locks.
Antioxidants: these are good for a few things. Some of them that you get from carrots, sweet potatoes, and similar vegetables will give your hair the hydration it needs throughout the day. Others will make sure your immune system doesn’t fight against anything naturally occurring that helps the life of your hair. There are others that will fight against the bad that can lead to baldness and hair thinning.
Fish oils: these are essential for the brain and body overall, but excellent for the hair. The oils help to stimulate the natural oils in the scalp, so your hair is left looking shiny and new.
Iron: without iron, your body struggles to get the oxygen that it needs. Oxygen doesn’t just protect the organs from shutting down or for concentration, but also helps the hair. It stimulates growth and makes sure the hair absorbs all the nutrients.
Don’t Forget the Water!
Too often we forget about drinking enough water throughout the day. You’re really not the only one who struggles. We all do!
The problem is that water is so important for our overall health. And it’s one of the best ways to naturally strengthen our hair. Water helps to hydrate and promotes more natural oil production. Our hair grows out with a natural shininess to it and feels soft to touch.
There is the recommendation to get 8 glasses of water a day. While this is a good guideline, it will depend on several factors. If it is hot outside, you will need to drink more. Your body sweats the water out, so take in extra so your hair and the rest of your body benefits from it.
Currently, the advice is to drink half of your body weight in pounds in ounces of water on a daily basis. So, if you weight 200lbs, you should drink 100oz of water on a daily basis. It can seem like a lot, but you can break it down throughout the day. Try 25oz in the morning, 25oz during lunch, 25oz when you get home from work and then the last 25oz before you go to bed.
Stress Makes Your Hair Fall Out!
Did you know that stress can cause more problems than tense muscles? It leads to the hair falling out: a condition known as stress alopecia.
While your hair can end up growing back, not everyone’s does. And you can end up stressed about your hair falling out, leading to more of it going. Not everyone’s will fall out completely so you may see receding hairlines and bald patches instead.
Treat your hair by reducing your stress levels. This often seems easier said than done, but it is something that will help your whole life. High-stress levels lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. You’ll find it harder to stick to a diet plan to lose weight, and you may even find that simple tasks take longer to do throughout the day.
What can you do to reduce your stress levels? Try at first by getting 6-8 hours of sleep a night. This will help you ease your mind and start your day afresh. Of course, stress makes it harder to sleep, so you’ll want to find a routine that helps you get settled before you go to sleep. Try some light reading and avoiding all screen use an hour before you go to bed.
Exercising will help with reducing the cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body. It promotes the happy and painkiller hormones in the brain, so you don’t feel the tension as much. And the benefit is that the more you do, the more you’ll want to do! You’ll feel happier within yourself and want to keep that feeling going. You’ll also help your overall health, so your body absorbs more nutrients and your hair looks amazing.
If you suffer from work stress or stress due to actions that are out of your control, make a conscious effort to stop worrying. When there is genuinely nothing that you can do, what’s the point in fretting over them? You end up stressing for absolutely no reason, and it only does you more harm than good. If you know that you can do something, actively do it in a calm manner. Take deep breaths when you feel the stress rising.
Take up a fun hobby. This can help you take your mind off things that are bothering you, even for a short period of time during the week.
Don’t Forget About Underlying Health Conditions
Your health will affect your hair quality. If you have underlying conditions, you may find that your hair looks scraggly and messy. You may feel extra oils or not enough at all. The strands look weak and uncared for, even if you do everything you possibly can to counter all that.
Doctors will be able to treat the underlying conditions. Your hair health is a symptom of the condition, so once you treat it, the symptoms will go away.
Some conditions you’ll need to look out for include:
- Anaemia
- Underactive thyroids
- Overactive thyroids
- Hormonal imbalances
- Excessive oil production
- Infections
Watch out for medications you may take for some health conditions, too. They can cause a change in hormone balance, meaning your hair is affected. In many cases, the side effects will be temporary while your body gets used to them. If you are worried, you should discuss them with your doctor.
It’s time to take action on your hair. Whatever your hair condition right now, you can use natural treatments to help improve the strength. When you improve that, the condition of it will improve too. Follow the tips above and start enjoying thick, strong, luxurious hair today.
