7 tips for healthier hair.

“A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” -Coco Chanel

Last week, as you know I chopped my hair off, and I had such a fun time chatting all things hair with Sam from paintloveblend.com, while she transformed my mop.  Whenever I get my hair done I seriously pick the brain of my stylist, because I want to learn all the secrets to my best hair.  Have you done this?  I recommend it.  So today I’m going to share everything I’ve learned with you!  Here are my top 7 tips for healthier hair.

#1: Don’t wash your hair every day.  There are so many benefits to not washing your hair everyday, it is so good for your hair (less heat, less damage, less brushing it when it’s wet, less drying your scalp out, etc. etc.)  It also saves you time and money, as your spending less time blowing out and fixing your hair, and spending less on hair products.  You can train your hair over several months to go several days between washing (I now go 7, and it’s amazing).  I wrote a whole post on how I do it here.  The key is using the right products, and dry shampoo.   I also use this dry shampoo and it’s my favorite ever.  I tell everyone who asks me about it because it’s the besssst! (It has to be bare too, that’s the lightest best working one from that brand.)

#2: Use good hair products, and no sulfur!  Great shampoo and conditioner are the key to a good wash that extends your blow-out.  And also, helps your hair stay healthier.  I’ve used Living Proof’s No Frizz line in the past and love it, but right now I’m using this Oribe Shampoo and this Oribe Conditioner and I am obsessed.  It’s on the pricier side, but since I only wash my hair once a week, and the 8.5 oz bottle of shampoo and the 6.8 oz bottle of Conditioner lasts me around 5 months.  Seriously. I got the ones I have at Christmas time and they still haven’t run out.

#3: Detangle your hair before you shower.  Hair is at it’s most vulnerable when wet.  This is not when you want to work out all the tangles, it will create the most breakage.  Always start brushing from the ends up.  Never start at the roots.

#4: Use the right kind of brush. I recommend getting a professional opinion on what type that is for your hair, because everyone has different hair, but I swear by dual bristle combo brushes like this one.  They do all the detangling of a wet brush and distribute your hair oils like a boars hair brush at the same time.  And seriously, my hair breakage dramatically decreased when I started using one of these. (ps. my girls love it too, because it feels so nice when you’re brushing your hair.)

#5: Get your ends trimmed.  If your hair is looking a little blah, schedule a trip to the salon and get your ends trimmed.  You’ll be amazed what cutting off your split ends will do to improve the health  of your hair.  If you are in Connecticut, I highly recommend Sam at paintloveblend.com.  She is a hair genius and also so fun.  It’s nice when your stylist is fun, it makes the time sitting in the chair a lot more enjoyable.  (Especially for me since my thick hair means I’m usually in the chair for 3-4 hours usually.)

#6: Use good styling products.  Styling products protect your hair not just from heat but also from the environment.  (Think sun, pollution, etc…) Make sure you pick the very best and come up with a cocktail that works for your hair.  I LOVE Living Proof styling products.  This nourishing oil is EVERYTHING if you have thick, coarse hair like mine.  And I love this hair spray (it smells amazing too).  Living Proof’s entire styling line is so good, everything I’ve tried has improved my hair, and the great thing is they have tons of great options depending on what you need (thickening, removing frizz, adding volume, protection, etc.) Check out the whole line here.

#7: Eat healthy.  I know this sounds silly, but your hair is just an extension of your body, so if you want to have healthy hair you have to live a healthy life.  Eat good nutritious food, and don’t put bad things in your body.  I try to eat well every day (even though I love my McDonalds Diet Coke, and I love some good peanut butter ice cream) for the most part we eat nutritiously.  Lot’s of veggies and fruit and it does wonders for my skin and hair.  Oh, and drink lots of water, and never, ever, ever smoke.  Never.  Not enough evers, for that one…