10 Simple Ways to Repair Damaged Hair
Color it...straighten it...curl it...whatever you do to your hair, just beware! Over-lightening, over-styling, and overdoing it can cause your hair to become brittle, broken, and damaged. Here we’ll discuss ten simple ways to repair your hair if it’s already damaged, and, if it’s not, how to prevent the damage from happening in the first place.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #1 - Lower the Temperature on Your Hair Styling Tools
Everyone loves their styling tools, right? They’re the “magic wands” that give your hair the curl, waves, or sleekness that you weren’t born with. However, using them too much or on too high of a heat setting can wreak havoc on your locks!
One of the biggest faux pas is styling hair with a hair styling tool that’s set at too high of a temperature. Unless you have super coarse or thick hair, you can probably achieve the look you want with a medium temperature setting. If possible, skip heat styling altogether or use a thermal protectant product to shield your hair from heat damage.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #2 - Treat Your Hair to A Healing Hair Mask
Hair masks typically contain high concentrations of moisturizing and reparative ingredients like oils and vitamins. Since they’re thicker than regular conditioners, they tend to stay put when you apply them to damp hair which gives the product more time to deeply penetrate into the hair follicle. What’s more, a hair mask will keep working long after you’ve rinsed it out.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #3 - Handle Hair That’s Wet with Care
When hair is fine, curly, or fragile it’s most vulnerable to damage when it’s wet. So it’s important to handle your wet tresses with care. We advise never pulling a brush through wet hair unless it’s a brush designed to be used on wet hair.
If you’re trying to detangle your hair, it’s best to use a wide-tooth comb. Also, when you’re done washing your hair, avoid vigorously rubbing it with a towel to get it dry as this can put stress on the hair. We recommend, blotting it with your towel, t-shirt, or microfiber cloth instead. It’s also best not to put your hair up with a rubber band when it’s wet as this can cause damage too.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #4 - Use A Leave In Conditioner
As the name implies, a leave-in conditioner is designed to be left in your hair after you shampoo and not rinsed out. A leave-in conditioner provides all-day protection for your locks and will help smooth, moisturize, and defrizz damaged hair. We recommend Arganatural’s Repairing Coconut Leave-In Conditioner infused with hair healing argan oil.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #5 - Go to the Pros
If your hair has suffered serious abuse, home treatment may not be enough to save its soul. If that’s the case, it might be time to throw in the towel and seek the help of a professional. Professional, salon hair treatments have higher concentrations of the nutrients your damaged hair needs and are formulated to help hair that is over-processed, weak, or really parched.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #6 - Trim Your Ends
To prevent hair from becoming a damaged frizzy mess, it’s best to get regular trims to get rid of and prevent split ends which can damage hair further. Don’t worry, you don’t have to lose your length, just have your stylist “dust” the ends to keep your hair strong, un-frayed, and healthy.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #7 - Keep Hair Hydrated
When skin gets dry, it appears dull and cracked, which is why you moisturize it. The same principle applies to dry hair. When hair is dry, it causes hair to become brittle and fragile which leads to damaged hair and hair breakage. For this reason, it’s important to keep it moisturized with a moisture-rich daily conditioner to prevent your strands from getting too thirsty. We recommend Arganaturals Repairing Coconut Conditioner infused with argan oil to deeply condition dry, damaged hair from root to tip.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #8 - Sun & Swim Safely
Swimming can be great for your body but not so much for your hair. Chlorine, saltwater, etc. can strip hair of color and make it brittle and break. For this reason, we recommend that you take measures to protect your hair by wearing a swim cap.
When heading out for a day in the sun, be sure to wear a hat to prevent your hair from too much sun exposure which can fade hair color and dry out your tresses. Another recommendation is that you apply a hair mask to your hair before you head out, that way you can protect and treat your hair while having fun in the sun.
After soaking up the sun or going for a swim, it’s also advised that you shampoo and condition your hair with gentle, moisturizing formulas like Arganatural’s Coconut Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #9 - Shampoo Smart
When choosing a shampoo for repairing damaged hair, it’s important to select one that is sulfate-free and formulated with natural ingredients like Arganatural Coconut Repairing Shampoo infused with argan oil, coconut, and other hair-healthy ingredients.
To avoid drying out the hair, we recommend that you try to avoid shampooing your hair too much. Use a dry shampoo If you need to refresh your hair or scalp.
Lastly, don’t wash your hair with hot water! Try using cool or lukewarm water and end with a shot of cool or cold water to help close the hair cuticle and promote smoother and shinier hair.
Repair Damaged Hair Tip #10 - Find A New Hair Color
Do you have color you have to touch up often or a color that requires a lot of bleach or highlights? If so, you might try showing your roots for a bit longer, using a touch-up spray between redos, switching to a color that’s closer to your own shade, or switching out your permanent formula for a less-damaging semi- or demi-permanent formula. Another recommendation is keeping your real color as a base and getting highlights every few months to brighten your complexion and blend in grays. The less maintenance your hair color requires the better to keep hair healthy and damage-free.