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1. Avoid Over-Washing Your Hair
You might think that washing your hair every day will give you clean, fresh, and healthy-looking hair. But that's actually a common misconception. While it's okay to wash your hair every day if you have an exceptionally oily scalp, sweat a lot, or have super fine hair, turning hair washing into a daily habit is not advisable. The natural oils protect our skin from drying out, so frequent hair washing only weakens or produces more oil, making the scalp even oilier over time. Moreover, daily hair washing can cause damage not only to the scalp but also to the hair.
Winter brings cold weather and low humidity, making our hair prone to dryness, brittleness, and breakage. To protect your hair from these conditions, you should enhance hair moisture with dry conditioner and hair oil. Spray dry conditioner (water-based) onto your hair daily and apply hair oil to help lock in moisture. You should also avoid over-washing your hair because excessive cleaning can strip away your hair's natural oils, leaving it dry and brittle. Over-washing can also fade color and cause hair to fade faster. Aim to wash your hair 2-3 times a week and use products specifically designed for color-treated hair. For curly, dry hair, this texture slows down absorption, so shampoo once a week (although you can increase it to twice). But if you have straight hair, this texture requires shampooing 2-3 times a week.
2. Use Wooden Hair Comb
The hairbrush is an item that comes into contact with our scalp and hair every day, so you need to invest in the highest quality product possible. If you're using a plastic comb, switch to a wooden or horn comb with soft teeth for daily hair brushing. Several studies have shown that plastic combs can be the cause of some hair and scalp problems. The rough and stiff plastic comb can damage the hair with frequent brushing, leading to breakage and hair damage. Also, due to its composition, plastic combs do not provide the same scalp massage benefits as other materials. Therefore, they are less effective in promoting blood circulation and stimulating hair growth. However, when using a wooden comb, you can minimize these issues.
To combat static hair, ladies, change your habits by using wide-tooth wooden combs to brush your hair, combing with a wooden comb that does not cause static, keeping the hair obediently in place without being frizzy or messy. Wood is gentle and unlikely to cause irritation to users. A wooden comb is also believed to improve blood circulation. Each time you brush with a wooden comb, the scalp is gently massaged. Therefore, a wooden comb is a safe choice for sensitive or dandruff-prone scalps as it does not cause strong scratching. The most recommended type of wooden comb is bamboo. This is because bamboo is gentle and familiar in daily life. The process of producing a bamboo comb also uses fewer chemicals than other types of wood. Various types of wooden and horn combs are also proven to make hair smoother, less prone to breakage than other combs on the market.
3. Regularly Trim Split Ends
Hair ends are the weakest, most vulnerable part. However, we often focus on caring for the scalp and hair roots while unintentionally neglecting the hair ends - an equally important part that contributes to the overall beauty of the hair. Therefore, it's easy to lead to damaged, dry, and split ends. When one hair strand starts splitting, other strands quickly follow suit. In winter, dry hair is prone to split ends, especially if you frequently style it with heat, leading to more split ends. Split ends are not the only sign of hair damage. Dry and tangled hair is also a form of damage. However, if you want to find split ends, carefully inspect your hair by examining it in good light. Split ends often appear at the ends of the hair, but they can also occur anywhere on your hair.
The condition of split ends and hair damage can manifest in various forms. Therefore, moisturize your hair daily with serums to replenish moisture. You can use natural products like egg hair masks because eggs contain plenty of protein and beneficial fatty acids that promote healthier hair. Also, don't forget to regularly trim split ends every 6 weeks. Use super-nourishing shampoo, conditioner, or products specifically for chemically treated hair. Every 5 days, perform a cool hair mask treatment (can be done at home), and after about a month, increase the frequency to once a week. If possible, you can visit professional salons to undergo direct keratin infusion into the hair shafts (instead of home treatments). This method will have faster and more noticeable results compared to home treatments. Additionally, you can explore the range of 3-step or 5-step hair repair products at professional salons.
4. Limit the Use of Hair Dryer
A hair dryer is a necessary tool in our daily lives, speeding up the hair drying process after shampooing, especially in humid or cold winter seasons. However, using a hair dryer is not ideal because it damages your hair more quickly, making it dry and prone to breakage. Therefore, it's best not to use a hair dryer to blow dry your hair after shampooing. If absolutely necessary, try to set the hair dryer to cool mode (although it takes longer to dry your hair). Perhaps many of us do not realize that a hair dryer, despite being a compact and convenient device, emits the most significant amount of radiation. When we turn the hair dryer on and off, that's when the radiation is most intense, and the stronger the hair dryer setting, the higher the radiation. Only use it when necessary, such as in winter when you want to dry your hair. And remember not to use it for too long; dry your hair with a towel first, then use the hair dryer at a moderate level and only dry your hair to about 90% dryness.
You must know that no matter how healthy your hair is, it cannot withstand high temperatures. Many people often choose the highest heat setting, which helps dry your hair faster, but in the long run, it will make your hair drier and more prone to breakage, not to mention becoming brittle if you use it too often. In cases where you have to use a hair dryer, pay special attention not to blow dry your hair when it's still wet. When the hair is still wet, it is very sensitive, and blow drying it at this time can easily damage the hair and strip away its healthy shine. Therefore, make sure to completely dry your hair after shampooing and let it air dry slightly before switching on the hair dryer at a low setting. This will help reduce hair damage and prevent excessive breakage. Additionally, you should regularly nourish your hair, using hair care products like olive oil hair serum, coconut oil, grapefruit oil, etc., to promote faster growth, thickness, and softness of your hair, and choose a suitable and high-quality hair dryer, which will help you maintain strong and bouncy hair as desired.
5. Shampooing with Beer or Vinegar
Beer contains important ingredients such as barley and malt, which are rich in essential proteins for nourishing and effectively repairing damaged hair. Beer also contains natural sugars that make the hair shinier. It is rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, sucrose, and proteins, all of which are important nutrients necessary for hair growth. Beer also contains a compound called Silica, which can make hair thicker and stronger. Particularly, beer contains a lot of Biotin, known as a miraculous ingredient that promotes rapid hair growth, prevents dandruff, and reduces hair loss. The combination of proteins, vitamin B, and other compounds like Maltose and Sucrose in a bottle of beer accelerates hair growth, repairs damage, and enhances natural shine. Due to these miraculous effects, many women use beer to shampoo their hair to keep it healthy and strong.
Vinegar acts as a conditioner, making your hair smoother and shinier. In beauty care, vinegar is especially good for the skin and hair. Thanks to its main component, acetic acid, which has antibacterial properties, vinegar helps kill bacteria, and is very effective in reducing inflammation and infection, making it suitable for protecting the skin, hair, and scalp. Using vinegar helps clean the scalp, remove dandruff, and cleanse the hair. Additionally, vinegar helps increase skin elasticity, reduces dryness, hair loss, and naturally nourishes the hair, leaving it shiny and healthy. In traditional practices, vinegar is often trusted for shampooing and scalp massage to effectively treat dandruff and scalp fungus, safely. After thoroughly shampooing your hair, pour a little beer or vinegar onto your hair and let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse with warm water to ensure it's clean. By doing this hair treatment, your hair will be beautifully shiny and significantly reduce split ends.
6. Eating Foods Good for Hair
A beautiful, healthy, and silky hair is the desire of many. Along with hair care steps, a nutritious diet will stimulate hair growth to achieve thicker and longer hair. Typically, hair grows about 1.25 cm per month and 15 cm per year for an average person. To achieve such rapid growth, hair relies on factors such as age, health, genetics, and diet. While you can't change factors like age and genetics, diet can be supplemented to stimulate hair growth. In fact, a diet lacking in nutrients can lead to hair loss. Therefore, incorporate some healthy foods into your daily diet such as salmon, sardines, avocado, and various nuts to ensure your body receives ample nutrition. Supplementing foods rich in protein helps hair growth as hair follicles are primarily made of protein. Studies also show that consuming more biotin can improve hair growth, especially in those deficient in biotin. Additionally, supplementing vitamin C for your hair is essential. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties, prevents damage caused by free radicals, addresses hair loss issues, and keeps your hair smooth. So, eat some citrus fruits or dark green leafy vegetables as they are excellent sources of vitamin C for your body. Spinach is a healthy green vegetable containing beneficial nutrients like folate, iron, and vitamins A and C. All these components can promote hair growth. Spinach can support the sebaceous glands in producing sebum due to the presence of vitamin A. This oily substance helps moisturize the scalp to keep your hair healthy. A cup of spinach (30 grams) provides up to 54% of your daily vitamin A needs.
7. Wearing Hats When Going Out
Hair is a rather vulnerable part of the body and is also the most frequently exposed to the external environment. Like the skin, hair can age if you don't take care of it and shield it carefully. Don't think that there are no UV rays in winter. UV rays directly contacting the hair and scalp can cause continuous breakage and shedding, without stopping. Therefore, factors from the external environment can adversely affect your hair and your winter hair care routine. Winter is a dry season, and going outside without wearing a hat will quickly make your hair dry and damaged. For women, having to work or move outdoors can be really uncomfortable. This not only causes body odor but also affects the skin and hair due to dust. That's why you should wear a hat when going out to protect your hair from the harmful effects of dust, wind causing tangling, and to shield your face from the sun's rays.
Furthermore, with the variety of hats available in the market today, each with different styles suitable for every individual's preference, you should get yourself a wide-brimmed hat when going out in the sun and a brimmed hat or bucket hat when the weather is mildly sunny or not sunny at all. Of course, hats are tools for you to protect yourself from some external factors. They shield your head and scalp from the sun. Keep your eyes protected and clear in the rain. Provide you with a shield from wind and dust - flexibility is what is needed from good-quality hats. Additionally, you should choose a helmet with air vents. This will help improve air circulation inside the helmet. Minimize the feeling of stuffiness and sweating, which makes hair sticky. Therefore, choosing a suitable helmet is the first step in the tips to maintain your hairstyle while wearing a helmet.
8. Avoid Going Out or Sleeping with Wet Hair
Heading out with wet hair can lead to hair damage due to environmental factors. Your hair might dry out due to the cold weather. It's not advisable to wash your hair in the morning as it's challenging for your hair to dry completely before you go outside. Therefore, you should wash your hair in the evening and air-dry it on a cool setting. Moreover, many people often wash their hair at night and go to bed immediately afterward. This habit can cause extremely dangerous consequences such as skin infections, hair loss, headaches, and more. When hair is wet, the water residue on the hair slows down blood circulation, affecting blood circulation, resulting in headaches. If sleeping with wet hair occurs frequently, it can cause chronic headaches.
In addition, wet hair is an ideal environment for the growth of fungi, bacteria, and dandruff, leading to scalp infections. At the same time, mold and bacteria damage hair follicles, making hair more prone to breakage. To achieve the best results in maintaining your hairstyle while sleeping, absolutely avoid going to bed right after washing your hair. This is a serious yet easily made mistake. Sleeping with wet hair will dramatically alter your natural hair style. It affects causing hair to stand up or clump down in a disorganized manner, making it extremely difficult to adjust back to its original state. Additionally, stepping out with wet hair can increase the risk of breakage. Hair strands are more susceptible to damage due to the expansion of water molecules. In places where freezing occurs in winter, dermatologist Janet Prystowsky advises girls to blow-dry before going out. The scalp may have a negative reaction if the hair is still wet. So remember not to go out or sleep with wet hair.
9. Moisturize Overnight
Our hair is constantly exposed to smoke, dust, and sunlight, leaving harmful effects on it. Additionally, beauty routines such as straightening, curling, coloring, and blow-drying weaken and cause hair loss over time. Furthermore, an imbalanced diet lacking essential nutrients also deprives the hair of necessary components, leading to brittle and weak hair. Therefore, moisturizing your hair with a hydrating cream overnight is an effective hair restoration method. It helps nutrients penetrate deep inside, assisting in rapid hair recovery. Hair conditioning with a deep hydrating cream helps your hair regain smoothness and beauty. Moreover, after a long sleep, hair creases are difficult to maintain due to natural sleeping positions. Unwanted hair creases, tangles, spikes, and frizz occur. Hair losing its style upon waking up requires more time for grooming every morning. Especially in unexpected situations, imperfect hair can easily make a negative impression on others.
The habit of applying oil to your hair at night before bed is as important as moisturizing your face. Nighttime is when your body rests. Your hair does too, and oils are absorbed more quickly and effectively at night. So, before going to bed, don't forget to moisturize your skin and hair! Choose a moisturizing oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids for your hair. Additionally, you can wrap your hair in a silk scarf or wear a satin cap to protect your hair from tangles in the morning. Properly moisturized hair will be softer and less prone to changes in style even while you sleep. Choose suitable moisturizing oils, serums to hydrate your hair, helping it shine with health. Oil is an effective way to maintain short hair while sleeping. Before bed, apply a small amount of coconut oil or argan oil to your palms and evenly distribute it over your hair. A small amount of oil won't affect your hair the next morning, and you won't need to wash it because most of the oil will be fully absorbed by your hair.
10. Body Moisturization
Hair growth is significantly affected when the hair roots lack water. Eventually, the hair becomes fragile, coarse, and prone to breakage. It even slows down the hair growth rate. Therefore, in any case, it is best to incorporate water as one of the essential components of your hair care routine. Dehydration can leave your hair dry and stiffer. Not drinking enough water can also slow down the hair growth process, so make sure you drink at least 3 liters of water every day. Especially, always carry a water bottle with you to remember to drink water regularly. When you adequately hydrate your body by drinking enough water, your circulation system is regulated. This contributes to the health of hair follicles and stimulates hair growth. If the hair roots do not contain enough water, it will certainly lead to dryness and brittleness.
In addition, supplementing collagen is also extremely important for our bodies and hair. In the human body, this type of protein accounts for 30% of the protein content. Many people know collagen as a miraculous remedy for effective facial skincare. It carries connecting functions that help the facial skin look fresh, healthy, and smooth. However, alongside such excellent advantages, Collagen also serves as a hair care remedy, optimizing hair recovery. Many studies have shown that collagen contains a Biotin (vitamin H) content that best supports the development process of hair follicle cells. Biotin in collagen drinks acts as a stimulating 'medicine' to help hair grow long, evenly, and healthily. It can be concluded that if you want to prevent the signs of weakening due to the body's collagen decline, protect your beautiful hair, take action immediately. You should think about supplementing collagen for yourself and consider choosing the smartest and safest method.
