Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Head & Shoulders at Target through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about Head & Shoulders at Target, all opinions are my own.
Do you have long hair or are you growing it out? Long tresses are fabulous, but they can be hard to maintain if you’re in it for the long haul- what you do to you hair today will impact months of growth and the health of your hair down the line.
You can help keep your hair healthy in a variety of ways- it’s basically just implementing small, healthy habits and paying attention to how you treat your hair today so you can have healthier hair tomorrow. Good luck, and love those tresses!
Decreasing the frequency of your hair washing can prevent a lot of heat tool and washing abuse it faces when you wash frequently. If you have really oily hair and feel greasy without a daily wash, try and switch up your formulas. You’ll not only have healthier hair, you’ll save some money and water too!
Stylists have recommended that for long hair that’s especially susceptible to tangles, you shouldn’t try and run a brush through really wet hair. Gently towel dry your hair, and as you blow dry, use your fingers with some leave in conditioner. Wet hair breaks under that pull of a brush during detangling, so your fingers can remove tangles more efficiently.
Decrease the time under the hair dryer by ensuring your hair has had some time in a towel to soak up as much water as possible. If your hair is dripping wet, it hasn’t been toweled off enough to start drying. The less time you spend baking your hair, the stronger it will be!
There are lots of cost-effective products that you can use in your hair that will eliminate the need for overstyling. Thermal protectant sprays are helpful, but you can also reduce styling time by using finishing sprays and hair sprays that will nourish your hair and lock in curls without having to fry your tresses to form a curl that will last all day.
If you notice that your hair feels almost “clingy” when wet, and you can run your fingers through your wet locks- you may need to add more conditioner or try a hair mask to nourish dry hair. When you have trouble running your fingers through wet hair and it feels matted and not silky smooth, you’ll need to lubricate the follicles for nourishment as it dries with a deep conditioning.
Dead ends lead to tangles and problems. Hair that needs to be trimmed off usually looks frizzy and dry at the ends- showing damage. This hair is much harder to style and doesn’t react to heat as well as healthy hair. If you’re trying to get unruly dead ends to cooperate with heat tools, you’re fighting a losing battle and potentially damaging the healthy parts, so it’s better to trim your ends regularly!
Better food and proper hydration means that your hair, skin and nails will look better…of course, results take some time since hair growth is slow, but healthy habits make for long-term results! Getting the right amounts of protein, oils and vitamins helps a ton- don’t just take supplements, eat right!
Having a few days off from tight ponytails and updos helps minimize the wear and tear on your hair. If you don’t have to do your hair in tight updos with heat treatment- give your tresses some time off.
9. Massage Your Scalp
This part is awesome…it feels great! Massaging your scalp during shampooing or just before bed helps stimulate growth and blood flow…but really, it feels fabulous. They have doodads that can do this for you and they make great gifts!
Invest in products that target your problem areas. A dandruff shampoo can do a lot more than combat flakes- it can take your hair from frizzy to silky in one wash and give you a gorgeous look without having to pay a ton for it!
