How to care for and maintain your hair health
Damaged hair can be caused by UV rays, wind, swimming, chemical treatments, incorrect washing and more. We all know it’s better to prevent hair from getting damaged in the first place, but life happens and so does hair damage. Don't stress. With the right products and a little TLC, you can restore health, shine and manageability to your hair pretty quickly.
Our step- by-step guide to caring for damaged hair will help bring shine and health back to your locks, without breaking the budget.
01
Dry and flaky scalp
While a dry, flaky scalp relates to your skin, a healthy scalp helps promote healthy hair. While it’s the skin acting up, it can also show up in the lengths of your hair as dandruff-like flakes. Also, in some cases, the scalp can become so dry that it affects new hair growth. If this happens, the lengths of your hair could become brittle and prone to damage. A dry scalp can be caused by sunburn and dehydration, but it can sometimes be a skin condition like dandruff or psoriasis. If you are unsure, seek medical advice to help alleviate the condition. If it’s simply that your skin is too dry, treat your scalp as you would your skin - with lots of care!
Browse products to help with a dry, flaky scalp, or keep reading for our treatment tips and recommendations.
How to treat and help a dry, flaky scalp
Step 1 of 4
Sun protection for your hair and scalp is essential. Wear a hat or even a scarf to shield your hair and scalp from damage caused by the sun. When applying sunscreen, remember to apply some to your partline, too. It’s exposed to the sun as much as the skin on the rest of your body!
Step 2 of 4
Use a great value shampoo and conditioner that’s formulated for a dry scalp. You could also try exfoliating your scalp. Simply massage an exfoliating hair product into your scalp. It will help to remove any built-up skin cells that might be causing dryness and flakiness. By removing these cells, you’ll also improve the absorption of moisturising ingredients.
Step 3 of 4
A hair treatment oil can help soothe a dry, itchy scalp and heal sun damage. Massage it in, then leave it on overnight. Wash it out in the morning and condition your hair to prevent knots. Repeat this routine every night until your scalp feels better.
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Every couple of washes, try swapping your regular conditioner for a hydrating hair treatment mask. It will soothe and hydrate your scalp while nurturing your damaged hair. And don’t forget, to stay well hydrated from the inside. Drink plenty of water, and make sure you’re eating lots of Omega 3-rich foods like avocado and salmon.
02
Split and frayed ends
Split ends are typically caused by heated styling tools, sun exposure (even in winter) and swimming. The only way to get rid of split ends is by trimming them off. However, you can prevent them from happening in the first place.
Browse products to help protect your hair below, or keep reading for our treatment tips and recommendations.
How to protect your hair from split ends
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Schedule a trim every six weeks. We wouldn’t suggest trying this at home though. Book in with your hairdresser who will have a 360 degree view of your head and can snip it into shape in a balanced way.
Step 2 of 3
Give your damaged hair some extra love with regular conditioning treatments. Choose one that hydrates and strengthens. Apply the bulk of the product to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair as these sections are the most likely to split and fray. Remember to be gentle with wet hair, as it’s more prone to splitting.
Step 3 of 3
Go easy on blow-drying, straightening and curling. Heated styling is a major culprit when it comes to split ends. So whenever you style your hair, protect and nurture it with a leave-in heat protector.
03
Dull and dry hair
Dull and dry hair can be caused by over-washing, not giving your hair enough hydration, sun exposure and environmental factors like pollution and mineral deposits from hard water or swimming in salt and chlorine. Consider protecting your hair when you’re out in the elements with a hat or swimming cap. You can also nurture this kind of damaged hair back to health though.
Browse products to help hydrate your hair below, or keep reading for our treatment tips and recommendations.
How to treat and repair dry hair
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Check your shampoo and conditioner. Use hydrating formulas that contain nurturing, shine-enhancing ingredients like shea butter and argan oil.
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Use clarifying shampoo once a month to remove buildup from pollution and mineral deposits. Wash twice, then follow with a good moisturising hair treatment.
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Nourish your hair at least once a week with a protein-based moisturising hair mask. This will help replenish moisture and return hair’s strength and elasticity. Apply the treatment to the mid-lengths and ends, and let it work its magic for one to three minutes.
Step 4 of 5
Use leave-in conditioners, even on days you’re not heat-styling your hair. They’ll help prevent moisture from escaping, as well as encourage shine and manageability. Spray a leave-in conditioner through mid-lengths and ends and gently comb through with a wide-toothed comb.
Step 5 of 5
Consider a nourishing oil as part of a weekly hair routine. Use a product that contains argan oil. Massage it through wet or dry hair and pop on a shower cap. The heat from your scalp will become trapped in your shower cap and help the oil to penetrate the hair shaft. Shampoo it out after 30 minutes and follow with your regular conditioner. For a more intensive treatment, leave it on overnight and shampoo in the morning.
04
Chemical damage
Chemical hair treatments, like colouring, perming and relaxing, or straightening, can take their toll on your tresses, sometimes leading to irreparable hair damage. These treatments change the hair shaft and leave it open to environmental damage like sun damage, pollution deposits and more.
Browse products to help repair and protect treated hair below, or keep reading for our treatment tips and recommendations.
How to avoid chemical damage to your hair
Step 1 of 3
Use colour-safe shampoo and conditioner. These formulas help to preserve your hair colour for longer. This means that you can stretch out the time between colouring appointments, which will help lessen any damaging effects of chemical hair treatments.
Step 2 of 3
A weekly protein mask will help keep your hair strong. It minimises damage, as well as helps to prevent colour fade. Many protein masks combine both strengthening hair repair benefits, as well as moisturising, which is great. If yours doesn’t focus on hydrating too, use a moisturising conditioner or hydrating hair treatment afterwards.
Step 3 of 3
If these hair treatments have left you with very damaged hair, you might want to chat to your hairdresser. The two of you can work together to come up with a hair repair strategy that suits your budget and lifestyle.
05
Last word
Before you start any hair repair strategy, you’ll want to identify the exact type of hair damage you have. Sometimes, your hair damage could be caused by more than one thing. Your hairdresser can help you ascertain the exact issue, but this guide is a great starting point.
Finally, be sure to read the ingredients of the products you use, to ensure the risk or irritation or allergies is minimised. Always follow the instructions on the packaging to avoid any potential mishaps.