‘Tis the season for changing up your look, freshening up and matching your internal vibe. If this means changing up your hair color or look drastically, here are some beneficial tips to keep your hair healthy through this process. There is so much information online from so many different people, all with different experiences, partnerships and types of hair, so this guide gives holistic information that could be applied to anyone’s routine, regardless of hair type or porosity.
Tip #1: Find a good Hair Mask
While this tip might seem inherently obvious, I advise you to look into a good hair mask within your budget that fits your hair’s needs. If you bleached your hair, a toning mask could be beneficial to neutralize your bleach and prevent brassiness. If your hair is damaged or brittle, a bond repair hair mask can help to strengthen your hair’s fibers, slowly promoting strength, shape and elasticity. If your hair is dry, a hydrating or softening mask can help to moisturize your dry ends, creating a smoother, refined look. Overall, hair masks do not have to be pricey regardless of hair concerns. Brands like Dove, Garnier and L’OrĂ©al all have hair masks that are budget-friendly and actually work! My best advice is to do research regarding your hair goals about the best hair mask or products for your in-the-shower routine that fit your budget and help you achieve your dream hair.
Tip #2: Make sure you use Heat protectant
When researching for this article, no piece of advice was mentioned as much as this one. In an ideal world, we would not use heat on our hair to prevent further damage, moisture loss and loss of shine; however, this is most likely not realistic for everyone. Some frequently use a hairdryer or diffuser, and others wake up with a bad hair day and need to fix it with a straightener, so as long as you use heat on your hair, you should find a good heat protectant. Whether this means using products with heat protectant built in or buying a specific cream or spray just for this purpose, these products help create a barrier to help reduce cuticle damage and keep your hair looking shiny and healthy. Again, when looking for heat protectant products, there are many budget-friendly options that can also reduce frizz, bond repair and assist in achieving the perfect blowout.
Tip #3: establish an overnight care routine
It is undeniable that having healthy hair is a continuous journey that stems throughout the day, meaning to prevent hair damage at night, the best thing is to find an overnight routine that works for your hair. Whether this means oiling your hair the night before a shower, using a silk bonnet or utilizing a protective style on your hair as you sleep, researching an overnight routine based on your hair goals can help protect and strengthen your hair overnight. For all types and porosities of hair, I overall recommend using a silk pillowcase to establish shine and smoothness, frequently changing your pillowcase to not only benefit your hair’s health but also to keep your skin clean and using a protective style or protective measure such as a bonnet, hair wrap, etc.
Overall, when using heavy products on your hair to change the color or texture, make sure to research products and methods that strengthen your hair and prevent damage.