Unhealthy hair? You should definitely care!

I am calling time on dead dull and lifeless locks with these healthy hair tips.

From lifestyle changes, foods for healthy hair and DIY mask for healthy hair as well as tips and tricks, I am showing you how to revive your locks with my top healthy hair tips.

Let's go get that shine!

Hydrated hair is healthy hair

Healthy hair tips

@les.essentiels wears the THICK halo in col. Dark Blonde 10 styled by @pinklablonde + @mtlfashiomstaaa

Hydration! This is the most simple of healthy hair tips. Hydration is the key to so many things, from healthy skin to nails, insides and hair!

Drinking more water can literally solve all the worlds problems.

Seriously, bad skin? Drink some water.

Wanna lose weight? Drink some water

Boyfriend actin' up? Drown him.

Unhealthy hair? Drink some more water!

Aside from drinking bulk bottles of h20, there are a stack of other ways to give your hair a much need hydration boost.

Wash your hair only twice or three times a week and switch to a deep condition and moisturising shampoo.

Look for ingredients such as avocado oil, shea butter, or olive and almond oil that lock moister into your hair.

Use a DIY moisturising hair mask once per week.

Coconut oil is a good base ingredient for a hydrating hair mask.

You can tailor your mask to your hair needs by adding ingredients such as egg, apple cider vinegar, greek yogurt and so many more.

You should also minimise your use of heat styling tools or at the very least use a heat protection spray.

Read: How To Hydrate Your Hair By Hair Type

Healthy hair tip, keep your showers cool

healthy hair tips

@juliaedwards wears the THICK halo in col. Medium + Light Brown 4/6.

Another great healthy hair tip is to turn the temperature down in your shower.

As comforting as a long hot shower can be, the hot water may be hurting your hair and head.

Hot water strips your hair of its natural oils causing it to dehydrate and become brittle and frizzy.

Have your shower lukewarm and then do a cold water rinse towards the end.

This will seal your cuticles helping to boost your hairs health and shine.

Read: How to protect your hair while you sleep

Eat right for healthy hair.

healthy hair tips

@sshelbs wears the THICK Halo in col. Dark Blonde + Light Brown #10/6

They say you are what you eat and this definitely applies to your hair!

Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet is a great healthy hair tip.

So what should you be eating for healthy hair?

In short, protein.

As your hair is mostly made up of protein, it is imperative for you hair health that you make sure you are getting enough of this in your diet.

So which foods are best for your hair?

Foods such as meat, eggs and beans are rich in protein and great for your locks.

Fatty fish such as salmon are also packed with protein.

However, you may want to keep your fish consumption to a minimum due to the mercury build-up that can occur over time.

Foods such as berries, spinach and avocados and anything else high in vitamin C and E will help with collagen production which is great for producing stronger strands.

Read: Is Your Diet Good For Your Hair?

Limit your sun exposure

healthy hair tips

Slip, slop and slap on a hat because UV rays are a killer when it comes to healthy hair.

Wearing a hat is a very simple healthy hair tip to protect your locks from not just sun damage, but pollution too.

If a hat isn't your style, (**looks like a 10-year-old boy) then you can also use products to protect your strands from the sun.

In fact, you can even get scalp specific sunscreens and hair treatments to help mend sun damage!

But the easier way to minimise sun damage is to avoid getting it all together, so might be worth sacrificing your look on those extra sunny days.

Read 10 Frizzy Hair Home Remedies You Can Try This Weekend

Use a Halo instead of permanent extensions

hair hair extensions

Shop Sitting Pretty Halo Hair

Extensions can be a great way to cover up damaged hair in the interim, however, one healthy hair tip is to opt for a non-permanent option such as a halo.

healthy hair tips

@p.joneshair wears the MEDIUM Halo in col. Dark Brown and Medium Brown #2/4

Permanet hair extensions can do more harm than good when it comes to damaged hair.

The glue or heat from their installation damages your locks and weakens them.

This can cause your hair to fall out as well as appearing dry and dull.

Sitting Pretty Co-founder, Taryn explains why halos are the best extensions for damaged hair in the video below.

Be mindful of ingredients

Healthy hair tips

makeupbyameliawebb wears the THICK Halo in Col. Beige Blonde #163

Another healthy hair tip is that your scalp absorbs most of what you use on it.

So, just like our bodies, we need to be mindful of what we are putting into our scalps.

Unfortunately, just like many foods, a lot of hair care products come full of nasty and toxic ingredients that can have some serious adverse effects on your hair.

Which is a bit of catch 22 when you think that you're doing the right thing by buying haircare products in the first place.

I'm not saying you need to go, full hippy, stop shaving your legs on only use homegrown DIY haircare from now on.

I'm simply suggesting you be more mindful of the some of the more common harmful ingredients found in over the counter and salon-quality hair products.

So which ingredients should you avoid for healthy hair?

  • Parabens
  • Triclosan
  • Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
  • Polyethylene Glycol aka PEGs
  • Phthalates
  • Dimethicone
  • Triethanolamine
  • Alcohol
  • PVP/ VA Copolymer

Read 10 Hair Loss Home Remedies You Can Do Right Away

Keep your hair healthy by avoiding heat

Healthy hair tips

@bellamurphy1 wearing the THICK halo in col. Beige Blonde + Dark Blonde 613/10 styled by @amandaalidabarnard

From washing to styling our hair endures more heat than Nelly.

But unfortunately, the solution isn't as easy as taking off all your clothes.

This healthy hair tip is to minimise your lock's exposure to the hot stuff, or at the very least, protect it.

I'm not suggesting you ditch your GHD (I'm not a savage) I'm merely asking you to protect your strands from the simmer.

So, how can you beat the heat when it comes to styling?

  • Build the foundation: healthy, hydrated hair is less likely to be damaged from heat styling. So use a good quality shampoo and conditioner as well as regular treatments.
  • Use the heat protection spray: DUH. We are adults now, just like we shouldn't be going outside without sunscreen (yes, even in winter) we shouldn't be styling our hair without heat production!
  • Turn the heat down: Unless you are trying to straighten natural full-blown thick ringlets, it is unlikely you need to have your straightener turned up to 400 degrees. Keep it to 2-300. All the heat protection in the world can't protect you from the highest heat setting on your styler.
  • Give your hair a rest: You do not need to straighten, curl or blow-dry your locks every day. Put them in a pony or go au natural. Just ditch the styling a few times a week and your hair will thank you for it.

Read Hair Hack: How To Create Heatless Curls

Sleep on Silk

Healthy hair tips

This healthy hair tip is so simple, you can literally do it while you snooze.

So, don't sleep on your hair's health.

Sleep on silk instead!

If you purchase anything for your hair and skin, make it a silk pillowcase.

Seriously, this is like giving yourself a hair mask and a facial every night.

Silk not only reduces your skin and hair's exposure to nasty chemicals but it also boosts its ability to retain moisture.

And as I've mentioned, hydrated hair is healthy hair.

Silk also minimised split ends as well as breakage and keeps the bedhead under control.

So now you can hashtag woke up like this without actually waking up looking like you've been electrocuted.

Read 5 Science-based reasons why you should sleep on a silk pillowcase

Stressless

healthy hair tips

@amy_isha_hembrow wears the

Stress is the enemy of all good things.

Seriously for healthy hair, glowing skin and getting slimmer, stress is a killer.

In fact, stress is a major cause of hair loss.

.....Now I understand that sentence probably made you stress out a lot more! but don't worry, I have some simple healthy hair tips to help you pump the breaks on the breakdown!

  • Exercise regularly: This doesn't have to be a hardcore cardio session (phew). Even a 20 minute or hour-long walk can be enough to get those endorphins going and help you relax.
  • Mediate and breathe: Short sharp breaths trigger our stress hormone production. So long deep breaths right into your belly are a simple way to let your body know your A-OKAY.
  • Take time for you, every day: allow yourself at least an hour to do something you enjoy. Cook, have a bath, read a book, learn to knit, garden. Whatever you're into, just do it.
  • Become a yogi: Yoga is great for your health and overall wellbeing. Get fit while you tackle your stress too.
  • Don't withdraw when you're stressed: taking time for yourself is great, but don't let stress keep you from your people. Hang out with friends and talk about your issues or, let them take your mind off it.

Read 8 Common Causes Of Hair Loss In Women

Get regular trims

healthy hair tips

@jessamyhairartistry wears the MEDIUM halo custom coloured.

I can hear your collective groans and, you all saying "but I want to grow my hair"

But having regular trims is actually great for healthy hair growth!

While, despite the long projected myth, regularly cutting your locks will not help them grow faster, it will help them grow stronger.

And look a lot better too.

By getting regular trims you're catching to root cause of frizziness, flyaways and brittle hair, which is usually caused when spilt ends move further up the hair shaft.

This means your hair will grow stronger as it won't be continuously snapping off mid strand.

Read 10 Proven Ways Of Growing Your Hair 3 Inches In 90 days