Hair care tips and tricks: how to get healthy hair for good

No matter what your hair type, length or color, we all want to banish those pesky bad hair days. But did you know the secret to soft and glossy locks is in your hair care routine? Getting into good hair habits will leave you healthier, stronger and fuller hair that even A-list celebs would be jealous of.

From protecting your hair from the sun to switching up your hair routine during the winter, our hair care routine will change from time to time, but we’ve asked the experts for their top tips on maintaining lustrous locks all year round.

Get the most out of wash day

Our hair care should always start with the basics: shampoo and conditioner.

Everyone’s hair is different, so the trick is to find what works for you. Owner of Hair & Bone Salon and KAO ambassador Sam Burnett explains, “investing in professional hair care products that are tailored to your hair-specific needs will promote healthy, easy-to-manage hair’.

Of course, there is that age-old question, ‘how often should I wash my hair?’ Sam advises, “Over washing the hair can not only dry it out your hair, but also your scalp, so I would recommend washing your hair about twice a week.

“I would also recommend regularly exfoliating your scalp once or twice a month to remove any dry areas and promote healthy hair growth.”

Gently squeeze out excess water from the ends of your hair, and apply a generous amount of conditioner to the mid-ends of your hair. Avoid getting conditioner on your scalp, as this will weigh down your strands and lead to flat, greasy hair. Distribute the product evening by brushing with a wide tooth comb and wait 1-5 minutes before rinsing to get the most from your product.

Treat yourself to a little extra moisture Hair care tips and tricks

Applying a nourishing hair mask every now and then will seriously benefit your hair health.

Hair guru and founder of JVN Hair, Jonathan Van Ness explains, ‘Try incorporating a moisturizing hair mask into your routine 2-3 times a week, it really makes a positive difference to the condition of hair and keeps the lengths soft and supple.’ This step is especially important for hair that is prone to breaking from over styling, as Jonathan explains, “It’s a good tip for heat and color-treated hair too as that needs more intensive nourishment.”

Sam Burnett explains how it’s important to avoid leaving the house with wet hair in the colder months, as this can dry out the scalp and cause flaking.

“If you like to dry you’re naturally, dry off the roots or wash your hair in the evenings.” Sam also advises on gently brushing through hair before any tangles dry in, ‘brushing them out can cause breakage, so ensure to comb the hair through when conditioning or after with the aid of a good leave-in conditioning spray’.

And if you really want to minimize breakage, we suggest investing in a wet hair brush for those post-shower styling sessions.

Have you got any protection?

We cannot stress this enough: heat protection is vital for healthy hair. Think about it, you wouldn’t hold your hot curling iron with bare hands, so why would you put that same curling iron on bare hair?

Jonathan Van Ness agrees that heat protection is an essential part of the hair care routine.

“I’ve had so many clients who have asked me not to apply any product because they want their blow dry to last longer; but in reality, not putting any product on hair and then heat styling is the quickest way to prevent a blow dry from lasting.”

“And skipping this essential product won’t just ruin your blow dry,” Jonathan adds, “You damage your hair; your haircut won’t last as long, and color will fade faster.:

Brush it out

Brushing your hair too often can cause breakage and frizz, so resist the urge to pick up that comb and stick to brushing once in the morning at once at night as a maximum.

Start off from the ends and work your way up your hair to avoid unnecessary breakage especially if you have long locks.

Beauty sleep

Is anyone else guilty of neglecting their hair care routine when it comes to bedtime?

Going to bed with your hair out can cause tangles, frizz and even damage your tresses.

Jonathan Van Ness suggests you should ‘loosely gather your hair no tension because that can create hairline breakage into a swirly top bun, and then secure with a scrunchie’. And if you really want to add a touch of luxury to your routine, treat yourself to a real silk scrunchy, Jonathan adds, ‘it’s a really good way to help your hair get longer and healthier and prevent frizz’. Plus, a night-time bun will help make your blow dry last longer. Win win!

Healthy diet = healthy hair Hair care tips and tricks

It may sound like a bore, but we shouldn’t forget about what we eat when it comes to our hair care routine. Hannah Gaboardi, Trichologist and Viviscal Ambassador explain, “I always recommend my clients look after hair with an inside-out approach.

Omega 3 usually found in fatty fish and nuts, Omega 3 will nourish hair and promote hair growth. ‘It also reduces the inflammation that comes with hair loss’ Adds Hannah.

Hannah explains that zinc ‘supports hair growth, strengthening hair follicles and increases thicknesses.

Protein usually found in meat, beans, pulses, eggs & dairy products. According to Hannah, protein is key as it ‘strengthens the hair, prevents damage and takes away breakage and split ends’.

“You need to look after your strands topically too, ensuring they’re getting enough nourishment to support in overall hair health,” explains Hannah. These essential minerals can be found in some of your favourite hair products or you can even give your hair a serious protein boost with a DIY egg mask.

Become besties with your hairdresser

Anyone trying to grow their hair long will hate us for saying this but booking in regular trims are essential to keeping your hair healthy.

Sure, it may mean it will take slightly longer to achieve long locks just having an inch cut on a regular basis will help to maintain healthy hair and banish those pesky split ends for good.

The most important thing to having healthy hair is to stick to always make time for your hair care routine. Buh-bye bad hair days!