We take a lot of care in what we do to our face and the products we put on it, but do we pay that much attention to our hair?
Here are five things you might be doing to your hair everyday and why you should stop.
STOP: #1 Taking hot showers
Treat your scalp the same way you treat your skin.
You certainly wouldn’t wash your face with hot water because it will dehydrate your skin. Likewise, it will do the same to your scalp (and hair!).
Plus, too much heat may cause the overproduction of oil. So unless you like shiny flat hair, learn to shower without steaming up the whole bathroom. (I know it’s hard, but you need to find a better way to wake yourself up in the morning!)
STOP: #2 Shampooing just once
Those struggling with an oily scalp, this is for you. I used to struggle with oily hair at the crown of my head at the end of each day, but shampooing twice has done wonders for me.
Here’s how it works: Think of it like double cleansing your skin. First, the oil cleanser gets rid of the surface dirt and makeup. Next, the foaming cleanser goes deep into your pores and gets rid of all the excess sebum and treats your skin.
Similarly for your hair, the first wash loosens the grime and dirt in your hair, while the second rinses it out.
Lather a 20-50 cent amount of shampoo in your hand then work it into your scalp with your fingers (not your nails!). I know you love a good lather, but resist the urge to use more shampoo if it does not foam up as much as you would like it to.
Now rinse it all off! Shampoo again by taking an even smaller amount of shampoo (about 10 cent size). This time, it will lather and wash all the gunk out.
I find myself using a lot less shampoo with this method, and my scalp feels a lot fresher without having to use a harsh shampoo.
STOP: #3 Using the wrong conditioner
Keratin conditioners have become huge recently, but it does not mean that you should head out and get one just because the ends of your hair feel dry.
Sure, it will help with split-ends, but treating your hair with too much protein can instead make your hair feel hard and brittle because of its strengthening properties. You should instead, be looking for a moisturising conditioner like Davines Essential Hair Care Lovely Smoothing Conditioner.
Our hair needs a balance of both moisture and protein, so likewise, if the ends of your hair feel a little too “soggy” when they’re dry, you need a protein conditioner.
STOP: #4 Wrapping wet hair in a towel
We have all seen something like this — a female star getting out of a steamy shower or bathtub, proceeding to wrap her hair up with a towel and walking out in her bathrobe.
Well the truth is, this is really bad for your hair. Your hair is the most fragile when it is wet, so twisting it into a roll and flipping it up above your head is going to damage the hair shafts and pull at your roots. If you absolutely must put up your hair, use a cotton t-shirt instead of a towel.
Note: The same principle applies to brushing your hair when it is wet — be gentle! Use your fingers to comb through your hair instead.
STOP: #5 Pulling out your hair tie roughly
We all know how tying our hair too tightly causes a receding hairline in the long run.
Here's one more thing to look out for — how you pull out that hair tie. See all the hair strands sticking to it? That’s your proof. Elastic bands with metal and glue joinings tend to grab onto hair and cause them to break as you pull out the hair tie.
Try using a Twist Band, which is made of a soft piece of elastic, and be gentle with your hair. (If you’re tugging it very tightly while pulling the rubber band out, no product will work.) Remember to tie your hair loosely too!
Twistband Hair Ties 3 Pack, $6.95, is available at bellabox.sg. For more information, visit www.thetwistband.com, and follow Twistband on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Davines Essential Hair Care Lovely Smoothing Conditioner, $29 for 250ml, is available at Asterspring and selected Davines hair salons. For more information, visit www.davines.com, and follow the brand on Facebook.