Hair is everything. We all know that bad hair days can put such a downer on your day – often leaving you questioning ‘why can’t every day be a good hair day?’. Well, we’ve got the secret to having a good hair day every day, and it starts at the root. Incorporating simple habits into your routine can have transformative results for your hair – so what are you waiting for? Start your healthy hair journey today with the help of RUSH’s specialised expertise in haircare.
1. Regular Trims
Regular trims are the key to keeping hair looking fresh and healthy, as it helps to seal the ends of the hair – preventing breakage, damage, and those pesky split ends. We’d recommend getting your haircut every 6 – 8 weeks to keep the hair looking its best. Clients often fear losing length, but getting a trim regularly will benefit the hair over time, as once split ends start to appear, the damage will continue to work its way up the stand. So, listen to your hairdresser when they tell you to get a cut!
2. Use a Wide-Tooth Comb
A wide-tooth comb should be an essential in everyone’s healthy hair journey. This is because of the wider spaces between the teeth, making it easier to detangle and brush the hair – without causing too much damage. A wide-tooth comb causes less friction and pulling when brushing the hair – in comparison to a normal hairbrush – meaning the wide-tooth comb is much gentler on the hair and causes far less breakage.
3. Avoid Heat Styling
It’s time to embrace your natural hair texture and put down the heat styling tools – especially if you’re beginning your healthy hair journey! The constant use of heat styling can negatively contribute to your hair’s overall health, weakening the hair over time, and ultimately leading to more breakage. We’d recommend leaving your hair to dry naturally instead of using heat styling tools, such as hair straighteners or hair dryers. Within a week, you’ll notice a massive difference in the texture of your hair.
4. Use a Silk Pillowcase
Silk pillowcases have been cropping up all over social media – and for all the right reasons! Silk is naturally smoother than other fabrics, such as, the classic cotton pillowcases. This is because sleeping with a silk pillowcase reduces the friction caused by any tossing and turning throughout the night. Silk pillowcases are ideal for reducing frizz and hair breakage – and an added bonus is that they look really pretty!
5. Eat a Balanced Diet
Certain foods can contribute to your hair’s overall health. Diets high in processed foods, excessive dairy and sugar, unhealthy fats can stimulate the production of sebum, leading to dirtier hair. We’d recommend following a balanced diet to maintain a healthier feeling scalp and improve the overall structure of your hair. Foods that are high in vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and biotin, such as eggs, salmon, spinach and avocados, are all a great addition to your diet if you’re looking to grow extra lengths.
6. Stay Hydrated
Say it with us – hydrated hair is healthy hair! Being properly hydrated prevents split ends and a brittle hair texture. Staying hydrated strengthens the hair’s overall health – nourishing the hair from the root to the tip. This will make the hair less prone to breakage, as water is a key ingredient that supports the retention of vitamins for your hair – meaning that upping your daily water intake can massively contribute to your hair’s growth and overall health!
7. Protect Your Hair from the Sun
As we approach the warmer months, it’s not only your skin that will suffer from the effects of the sun. Sun damage from harmful UV rays can come in the forms of dehydrated, dull, damaged hair – meaning breakage, dryness, fizziness, and a brittle texture. If you suffer from sun damaged hair, we’d recommend staying out of the sun at its peak heat periods (between 10am – 2pm) and wearing a cap or hat. Vitamin D may be good for your body, but your hair will end up suffering! Take care of your hair during sunnier days and your hair will thank you!
8. Avoid Over-Washing
Over-washing the hair can strip the hair of its natural oils, which can cause the scalp to dry out. Unfortunately, over-washing also causes the scalp to naturally produce more oils to rehydrate it, meaning the hair can often be left feeling dirtier or oilier. We’d recommend challenging yourself to go longer between washes, slowly washing your hair less and less.
9. Use a Sulphate-Free Shampoo
Many shampoos are silicone-based, meaning they can easily build up on the hair and scalp, clogging your pores and suffocating your hair growth. The silicones found in most shampoos create a barrier around the hair strands, which traps oil and prevents the scalp from being able to breathe. We’d recommend using a sulphate-free shampoo which allows your scalp to breathe, whilst also being the gentler and more environmentally friendly option.
10. Deep Condition Regularly
Regularly deep conditioning your locks is a great way to strengthen the hair structure at the scalp, ultimately rehydrating the hair. Deep conditioning provides your hair with nutrients that are vital to reversing the effects of hair damage, like protein. On top of this, deep conditioning helps combat common hair problems like dryness, frizz, breakage and dullness. Deep conditioning with coconut oil nourishes the hair, but it should be used cautiously on the scalp, as it can be heavy and contribute to oiliness.
11. Massage Your Scalp
Scalp massages may be the key to promoting healthy hair, as they boost the blood flow to your scalp, whilst also relieving stress and promoting relaxation. Increased blood flow to the scalp can promote the growth of thicker healthy hair. But unfortunately, this isn’t a one-and-done approach to healthier hair. You’ll need to be consistent with your scalp massages and it unfortunately may take several months for your hair growth to become more visible.
12. Protect Your Hair When Swimming
Protecting your hair whilst swimming is an essential when starting your healthy hair journey – this is due to the harm caused by chlorine. We’d recommend wetting and conditioning your hair before going for a dip, to offset the damaging effects of chlorine. Chlorine can weaken the hair’s structure, meaning more split ends, whilst leaving the hair more prone to breakage. Wear a tight-fitting swim cap and use shampoo specifically designed for swimming to rehydrate the hair.
13. Use the Right Hairbrush
When embarking on your healthy hair journey, it’s essential that you have the right hairbrush in hand to brush through your luscious locks. We’d recommend trying a boar bristle brush, which glides gently through your hair without causing too much damage. Boar bristle brushes evenly distribute your scalp oils to the rest of your hair, ultimately protecting and rehydrating your damaged strands. For more advice, read our expert guide on how to pick the right hair brush for your hair type.
14. Avoid Tight Hairstyles
Wearing your hair down is the best way to prevent the hair from becoming damaged, as tight hairstyles, such as ponytails, cause tension and pull the hair at the root. The constant wearing of a tight hairstyle will overtime affect the structure of the hair, leaving it more prone to breakage – wear your hair down and let your luscious locks flow!
15. Reduce Stress
We know that it’s sometimes hard to reduce stress, but that might be what’s stopping your hair’s growth – your hair has a mind of its own! Stress can cause your sebaceous glands to go into overdrive, so if you find yourself being stressed often and you think that that’s the root cause of your hair not growing, then try relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga or walk in fresh air.
Book Your Hair Appointment Now
Ready to start your healthy hair journey? Book your hair appointment with our skilled stylists at Rush or find a hairdresser near you to embark on a personalised healthy hair journey. Our experts are here to bring your hair dreams to life.
FAQ's
How often should I trim my hair to maintain its health?
Regular trims are the key to keeping hair looking fresh and healthy, as it helps to seal the ends of the hair – preventing breakage, damage, and those pesky split ends. We’d recommend getting your haircut every 6 – 8 weeks to keep the hair looking its best.
What type of comb should I use to detangle my hair without causing damage?
A wide-tooth comb should be an essential in every swimmer’s cosmetic bag. This is because of the wider spaces between the teeth, making it easier to detangle and brush the hair, without causing too much damage.
What type of hairbrush is best for maintaining healthy hair?
When embarking on your healthy hair journey, it’s essential that you have the right hairbrush in hand to brush through your luscious locks. We’d recommend trying a boar bristle brush, which glides gently through your hair without causing too much damage. Boar bristle brushes evenly distribute your scalp oils to the rest of your hair, ultimately protecting and rehydrating your damaged strands.
Are there alternative styling methods I can use instead of heat styling tools?
Embrace your natural hair textures to reduce the need for heat styling and products are damaging to the hair. Heat styling tools are the culprit when it comes to breakage and split ends. So, we’d recommend trying to leave your hair to dry naturally instead of using hair straighteners and hairdryers which can end up making your hair look oiler.
What are some hair-friendly foods I should include in my diet?
Foods that are high in vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and biotin, such as eggs, salmon, spinach, and avocados, are all a great addition to your diet if you’re looking to grow extra lengths.
What measures can I take to protect my hair from the sun's damaging effects?
If you suffer from sun damaged hair, we’d recommend staying out of the sun at its peak heat periods (between 10am – 2pm) and wearing a cap or hat. Vitamin D may be good for your body, but your hair will end up suffering!
How often should I wash my hair to avoid over-washing?
Over-washing the hair can strip the hair of its natural oils, which can cause the scalp to dry out. Unfortunately, over-washing also causes the scalp to naturally produce more oils to rehydrate it, meaning the hair can often be left feeling dirtier or oilier. We’d recommend challenging yourself to go longer between washes, slowly washing your hair less and less.
How often should I use deep conditioning treatments?
We’d recommend using deep conditioning treatments once a week. Whilst these treatments are great for nourishing and rehydrating the hair, they are also known to weigh down the hair and cause product-build up, leaving the hair feeling greasier and dirtier. Use these treatments sparingly!
Are there any hairstyles I should avoid to prevent damage to my hair?
Wearing your hair down is the best way to prevent the hair from becoming damaged, as tight hairstyles, such as ponytails, cause tension and pull the hair from the root.
