It’s been a long semester. Let’s hope that your hair isn’t starting to show it. Use these quick tips to put your hair through a mini rehab. Believe me. It will come out shinier and happier on the other side.

Step 1: Go for a trim.

Seriously do not skip this step. The longer you go without a trim, the more severe the breakage and split ends become at the bottom of your locks. If you don’t want to go to the salon just for a trim, then buy a pair of hair cutting scissors and reserve them only for hair cutting  (this will also come in handy if you need to trim your eyebrows). Cut at least a 1/2 inch from your tips or have a friend do it for you. Your hair will thank you.

Step 2: Deep Condition

If you don’t have a leave in conditioner or don’t want to go buy one, you can use olive oil to soften your hair. Heat some olive oil in the microwave, until it is just warm (about 20 seconds). Once it is warm apply the warm oil to dry hair and comb it through to coat the hair. If you have a dry scalp be sure to apply oil there to help moisturize the dry areas. If you’re hair is oily, then avoid getting any oil right on your scalp, instead just focus on the ends of your hair. Once your hair is covered place your hair in a shower cap or wrap your hair in a towel. Let your hair relax for 5-20 minutes, depending on your preference and shampoo the oil out.

Step 3: Clarify your hair.

When you clarify your hair, it takes out all of the built up product that accumulates in your hair and makes it heavy and dull. An easy and inexpensive way to clarify is to use vinegar. Fill a cup with about a 1/2 cup vinegar and cut it with at least 1 cup water. After shampooing pour the vinegar mixture over your hair. Let your soaked hair rest for a minute or two and then wash it out. If you don’t want to use vinegar in our hair, then ask your stylist about a good clarifying shampoo to try using.

Step 4: Get Extra Shine

Always rinse your hair with cold water at the end of your shower. When you wash with hot water, it opens the pores of your hair (just the pores on your face). When you wash with cold water, it will close these pores and seal the nutrients from your shampoo and conditioner into your hair, which will make your hair shinier and healthier.

Step 5: Give Your Hair a Break

If you flat iron, curl, or blow dry your hair on a regular basis try to give your hair a day or two where you do not use any of these styling tools or loads of product. This “off day” will give your hair a chance to recover, which will make them healthier and less damaged. And for the days when you use styling tools, make sure you put some type of product in your hair before styling even if it’s not specifically a heat protector. Any product will at least create a slight barrier between your hair and the styling to lessen the possible damage to your hair.

What Do You Think?

What are your best healthy hair tips? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Beauty

7 Comments

  1. avatar Rebekah says:

    @Lia: My hair goes past my butt, so I know how to take care of long hair. I’ll divulge my secrets–it’s a bit long, but trust me: it’s not difficult or expensive.

    1. You have to have a good shampoo and conditioner. I use Pantene. Find one that suits your hair type–even if you have wavy or curly hair and you want straight, get a wavy/curly shampoo and conditioner. Using a product that isn’t right for your hair type will just fight it and make it frizz up. Don’t bother with shampoo that promises to make your hair a different texture than it actually is, either. And don’t use a 2-in-1–you want to put the shampoo on your scalp and the conditioner on the length. You’ll find yourself fighting to give the length of your hair decent conditioning with a 2-in-1; in the end, it’s just a waste.

    2. Wash your hair every other day, and brush it once or twice a day. You don’t need to wash it every day if you use your hairbrush to distribute the oil throughout your hair.

    3. Use Dawn dish soap in the shower if your hair gets greasy. It’s designed to cut grease and isn’t hard on your hair. After you use the Dawn, shampoo and condition your hair normally.

    4. Use a little oil if your hair gets dry. Sometimes dry hair can lead to split ends. If you have a few extra dollars, go on the Internet and buy a bottle of essential oil–my favorite scent is clove–and add in about 1/4 teaspoon to 3 teaspoons of olive oil. You can keep this mixture in an old allergy pill or vitamin bottle if you like. Then, use Q-tips to put just a little on your hairbrush and comb it through. Don’t use a lot, but just a little makes a world of difference.

    I don’t usually use heat on my hair, personally. It would take too long to make any difference. But I don’t need to! My hair is really low-maintenance compared to some people’s routines, and the most expensive product it requires is the Pantene shampoo and conditioner stuff.

    Hope this helps!
    Rebekah Aimee

  2. avatar tammy says:

    my hair and i are so close and to be honest i seriously didnt know the torture i was putting it through!!! i mean i straighten my hair until it steams thanks for the advise im going to take much better care of my hair!

  3. avatar Lia says:

    A few weeks ago my hair was really long. I hadn’t cut it in 2 years because I wanted to grow it out. My split ends were so horrible and dry that I went to the salon and cut half off to get rid of all the split ends. I feel so naked. :(

    So, thanks. I’ll follow these tips to help my hair stay alive this time!

  4. avatar WestMeetsSouth says:

    At many points in my life I have decided I needed to cut my own hair, not always the best decision. Anyways I have learned that a good way to trim your hair without creating any weird slanted line or something is to cut into your hair vertically to create a softer look and doesn’t take off as much hair (it can also hide some mistakes!!) :)

  5. avatar Julie says:

    @Meaghan I have heard of thinning shears before, but I’ve never had any experience with them. But that is definitely a good alternative to trusting someone else with your hair!

    Thanks!

  6. avatar meaghan says:

    I have been to broke to go to the salon and cutting my own hair is a pretty scary thought. My split ends were getting really bad so I decided it was time to do something about it. I knew my grandma had a pair of thinning shears, so I decided to divide my hair into sections (almost like I was straightening it, but smaller sections) and use the shears on the bottom inch and a half of my hair. I wasn’t sure how well it would work, the amount of hair lost wasn’t very much compared to how much hair I had worked the shears through. When I was finally done I looked for split ends it was obvious that there was a dramatic improvement between the before and after. Long story short, if you are too broke to afford the 6 week trims but you want healthy looking hair, I would suggest investing in a pair of thinning shears. I know it says to buy a pair of scissors, but if you are too nervous to cut your hair, the shears are the better option. For those of you who don’t know thinning shears are the scissors that are like two combs with tiny little sharp edges.

  7. avatar Aleida says:

    Thanks for the advice. I’m in desperate need for a trim but haven’t had time to go to the salon and I’m worried about leaving my hair in the hands of someone who isn’t exactly experienced. At least I can take care of the rest of it!

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