If you’re like me and went through that phase in high school where you straightened your hair every single day, then you’re probably stuck with extremely damaged hair. Now you’re in college with no time or motivation to put heat to your hair and regretting every single time you picked up a flat iron or curling iron. But you don’t have to live with your damaged locks forever! Here are some tips to repair your heat damaged hair and get your locks back to their natural beauty.
1. Avoid Using Heat
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This one may sound self-explanatory, but in order to undo the damage, you need to give your hair a chance to repair itself on its own. Do away with the flat iron, curling iron and blow dryer as much as possible. This will take time, but have fun with it and challenge yourself to see how many days you can go without using heat. For those times that you must use heat, make sure to set your tools to a lower temperature. Try to stay under 350 degrees, and always use heat protectant products.
2. Trim Your Ends Frequently
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The more often you get your dead ends cut off, the healthier your hair will be. Let go of the heat damaged hair so your stronger and healthier hair can grow out. Never sacrifice healthy hair to maintain a certain length.
3. Use a Protein Rich Conditioner
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This one is especially important for my girls with the curls. Your curls might not be as strong as they used to be, even if they appear to be curly. Adding a protein rich conditioner to your routine will help strengthen your damaged hair and maintain your healthy new hair.
4. Skip A Day or Two Between Washes
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Over washing your hair can strip it of its natural oils which can cause strands to become very brittle. When your hair is already damaged, you want it to be producing these natural oils. If you’ve been washing your hair daily and can’t go a day without it looking greasy, slowly lessen your hair washing. Try to skip out on washing your hair once or twice a week until you can go every other day. Add some dry shampoo and rock your day two hair!
5. Use a Hair Mask
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We’ve known how beneficial face masks can be for our skin but there is also a mask for your hair! These can be used when your hair is damp, when you’re in the shower or even on dry hair. Hair masks are a simple way to inject some more moisture into your hair. If you’re looking to repair damaged hair, it’s recommended to use this product once or twice a week.
6. Eat Nourishing Foods/Vitamins
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Some foods that help with hair growth and shine, and with breakage prevention include; eggs, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, fish and almond butter. If you’re not into these foods, you can also take vitamins for hair growth found at your local drugstore.
I hope these tips help you on your road back to healthy and natural hair! XO
Jess Carlson