We all want shiny, healthy hair but many of the things we do to make our hair look good are actually harming it in the long term. But there are ways to counteract the damage caused by heat styling and colouring, and other things we can do to prevent damage occurring in the first place.
Turn Down the Heat:
There’s no way around it – heat styling damages hair. But you can minimise the damage by cutting down on blow drying and straightening by letting your hair dry naturally a bit more often. If you just can’t give up the hot tools make sure to use a heat protectant product, and never blow-dry when your hair is sopping wet. Instead, leave it until it is partly dry to cut down the amount of time it’s exposed to heat.
Wash it Less:
Washing your hair too frequently or washing it with harsh detergents will strip the scalp of its natural oils. In fact, if you have greasy hair, over-washing it encourages the scalp to produce more oil, making the problem worse! If you can, try stretching out the time between washes by using a dry shampoo or a hair powder that absorbs grease. And when you do use products, only use a small amount to prevent build up that needs to be washed out.
Handle with Care:
Wet hair breaks easily so only ever use a wide-tooth comb for detangling. Try not to pull it up in elastic bands or bobby pins until it is dry. Some people even advocate sleeping on a silk pillowcase to avoid hair breakage.
Be Colour Safe:
Chemical hair colour makes your hair look amazing in the short term, but over time is actually causing damage. Choose ammonia-free hair colourants and use colour-safe hair care so your colour lasts longer. Evolu’s Silkening Shampoo and Enriching Conditioner don’t contain sulphates which strip hair colour, and include an amaranth extract called Vinanza PF1 that is clinically proven to protect hair against chemically induced damage.
Eat Right:
As with anything to do with our health, we can’t expect our hair to perform well if we don’t put the right things in. Excellent foods for hair health include salmon, walnuts, avocado, eggs and a colourful array of fruits and vegetables. On the flipside, crash dieting or an unbalanced diet can lead to dull, weak hair, or even hair loss. Be sure to ingest sufficient protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.