It’s hard not to feel envious when you see someone with long and luscious locks.
More so, when you find out that they were born with hair that gorgeous while you are stuck with hair that is dull and rough. Frizzy, unmanageable hair that lacks shine is not uncommon among Indian women. However, a lot of women don’t realize that this is an issue with a fix.
With the right hair care routine in place, your hair, too, can make heads turn. Here is a list of simple tips that will help boost your hair’s health, making it long, silky, and soft.
1. Use a T-shirt to dry your hair, not a towel
While you may love rubbing your hair dry after a nice long shower, that act creates friction and fluffs up the cuticle, causing knots and breakage. So, instead, opt for a smooth cotton shirt when drying your hair. Use it to squeeze out the water, instead of trying to rub it out.
2. Rinse with cold water
Yes, it can be painful in winter, but this is a tried-and-true way to get smooth hair. The cold doesn’t just make you want to shrink up — it does the same thing to your hair. Warmth makes the hair cuticle (the outer layer of each individual hair) open, while cold makes it close up. Rinsing with cold water encourages your individual strands to stay flat.
3. Use a protective serum
If you want shiny locks, chances are you blow dry your hair — and if it’s a straight style you’re after, a flat iron’s likely involved as well. Though these do create a shiny appearance right away, over time damage from regular heat styling will actually reduce the luster and degrade the smooth texture of your hair. When you can, step away from the heat stylers and give your hair a day off.
4. Trap heat
Dampen the inside of a terry-lined shower cap with hot water, and wear it for 10 minutes while the conditioner is in your hair. The cap will trap in steam that opens up hair follicles, so your hair will really soak in all that good stuff.
5. Don’t rinse conditioner too well
Fight the instinct to get squeaky clean! After applying conditioner, Rinse with cold water until your hair is slightly slippery. The conditioner that’s left on your strands will keep working throughout the day.
6. Comb your hair when it’s wet, brush when it’s dry
You may spend hours combing the knots out of your hair at night, but you’re actually doing more damage to your hair with this action. Don’t worry, there’s a solution. Instead, comb your hair when it’s wet, and then switch to a brush when your hair is dry. If you’re trying to get out knots, start at the ends and then move up.
7. Get regular trims
Even if you’re growing out your hair, keeping up with regular trims is key for smooth strands. Even if your roots look amazing and polished, damaged and split ends will ruin that illusion.
Getting a haircut can feel like a daunting task but just getting your hair trimmed every few months can really help the overall look of your hair. Your hair won’t be weighed down by dead ends and the results will leave you with flowing locks.
8. Do an aloe mask
Aloe Vera doesn’t just help with burns — it also contains enzymes that encourage healthy hair growth. It also has a similar composition to keratin (the protein that’s the main building block of your hair), allowing it to easily penetrate hair. To do, dilute a small amount of aloe (the gel from a couple of pieces of the plant is key — if you’re using a prepared aloe vera gel, make sure it doesn’t contain alcohol) in a cup of warm water. Comb through hair, let it sit for 30 minutes, then rinse.
9. Get a silk pillowcase
Want a super easy way to smooth your strands? Switch to a silk pillowcase. Cotton absorbs moisture and will suck up all the necessary oils from your hair. Silk will maintain these oils, plus it’s super comfy!
10. Don’t wash more than needed
“Second-day hair” is everywhere, but not just because it’s super-easy. Unless you have hair that’s crazy-oily, you probably don’t need to shampoo every day. Over-shampooing can strip your hair of its natural oils, which help give it shine and prevent damage. Experiment with skipping a day to find a schedule that works for you. Not comfortable going totally au natural? Use a dry shampoo like Batiste Dry Shampoo ($8, drugstore.com), then simply style as usual.
11. Point your dryer down
Again, air-drying is best for your hair. But if you’re in a hurry or working on a serious style, be sure you’re blow-drying the right way. Use a diffuser so you aren’t scorching your strands, and point the nozzle down. That way, you’re encouraging the cuticle to stay smooth and flat (an updraft can make it open right up). Finish by giving your whole dome a once-over using the cool setting for the smoothest hair.
12. Create a clarifying rinse
Up softness and shine — and remove accumulated product built-up (yuck!) with an apple cider vinegar rinse. It helps to restore your tresses’ pH balance, gets rid of gunk, and closes up the cuticle. Best of all, it’s super-simple. Dilute a quarter-cup of cider vinegar in one cup of water. After your normal shower routine, pour it through your mane. Work it through from roots to ends, then rinse out (and yes, if you want even better results, rinse it out with cold water!).
13. Protect your hair from sun
Spending lots of time in the hot sun can fry your hair. It’s a good idea to protect your hair, just as you would your skin, by covering it up when you know you’ll be in direct sunlight for hours at a time.
Wear a sun hat if you are going to be in the sun all day. Before swimming, apply some oil and/or wear a swim cap, this will keep your hair safe from sea or pool water.