2020 had been a rollercoaster for most of us but we made the best out of it, right? Many of us spent more time with our family while others paid attention to one’s health and wellness. Let’s start 2021 on the right foot - with 7 tips on how we can achieve a healthier and fuller-looking hair.
Eat Well and Eat Smarter
A well-rounded, healthy diet is essential in providing the right nutrients that your hair needs. This means a nice blend of vitamins, protein, zinc and healthy fats. Foods that are high in healthy fats and proteins, especially, can pave a way for stronger hair growth. (Heads up for people with hair loss and thinning hair!) These are some power foods that are full in various vitamins and are optimal to boost your hair’s health for these nutrition:
Protein: Eggs, lean meat, poultry
Zinc: Fruits, nuts, leafy green vegetables like spinach
Omega 3 fatty acids: fish like salmon, flax seeds, chia seeds, yoghurt
Healthy fats: Olive oil, avocados
At the same time, cut out bad foods like greasy junk food, overly sugary food and alcohol.
Know your Hair (and Yourself!)
Often see phrases like “For oily hair”, “For frizzy hair”, “For dry hair” on a hair product and you aren’t 100% sure what hair type yours belong to? Knowing your hair type and its needs is crucial in determining what type of products is suitable for your hair.
Other factors to consider would be your habits, lifestyle and activity level. Whenever in doubt, do a (free and) quick consultation the next time you visit the salon. Ask about your hair type, hair strength, scalp health, products recommendations, treatment recommendations, hairstyle options…
Use Suitable Hair Products for Your Hair
Choosing the right products for your hair needs is very important. You wouldn’t want to layer on additional “essential” oils on your oily scalp, right? Using the wrong hair products can cause hair damage and create more problems than you already have. Secondly, always look at the ingredients and avoid harmful ingredients like ammonium lauryl sulphate or sodium lauryl sulphate.
Shower Gently
Your hair is very vulnerable when your hair is wet. When shampooing, conditioning and drying, be gentle with your hair and avoid rubbing harshly. Instead, take the chance to enjoy the process - massage your scalp gently when shampooing and let the ingredients do the job - not your fingers nor nails! Massaging your scalp also helps to boost blood circulation and promote hair growth.
Secondly, avoid showering in very hot water too. Hot water strips the natural oil protection layer on the scalp and hair and increases the chance of hair and scalp damage, especially for people with itchy, dry and sensitive scalp/hair. It leaves our hair more vulnerable and can cause problems like hair loss, brittle and damaged hair (check our post on split ends!) in worst case scenarios. Singapore is already so hot, so let’s just settle with warm or cooler water during our showers, yeah?
Don’t Over Do Products
Apart from extreme temperatures, don’t overdo products too. Sometimes, a simple hair care routine with a few products works best for your hair! Also, use only a sufficient amount of product for your hair. Often, people lather on their conditioners, serums and hair oils which can be too greasy for the scalp and hair.
Don’t Over Do Washing
Some would recommend minimising the number of times we wash our hair to a maximum of once per day. Because washing too frequently strips the scalp and hair of its natural oils, washing too frequently is said to be a contributor to oily hair. Of course, it can sound ironic too - if you have oily and greasier hair, it is more likely that you would shampoo more often than those with dry hair. Ultimately, there’s no fix number but just don’t over do washing and risk depriving your scalp of its essential oils!
Maintain Your Mane
Get regular hair trims to prevent or remove those nasty split ends.
Visit the salon monthly for hair and scalp treatments for a more thorough nourishment
Avoid frequent heat styling, bleaching or dyeing
Always use a heat protectant when heat styling at home to minimise damage
For people with longer hair, do allow blowdry your hair and scalp thoroughly and avoid sleeping with wet scalp or hair. It is best to air dry or have your hair dryer at the lowest heat setting.
When brushing wet hair, avoid harsh brushing as wet hair is more prone to breakage
Avoid wearing hair accessories too tightly - let your scalp breathe