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Summary: In this blog, we learn how healthy hair may be more attainable than you think! Read up on our 7 healthy hair tips below...

We all want hair that looks like it’s just walked out of the salon every day, but when our hair has to endure everything from environmental, habitual, and nutritional stressors it can be a tricky thing to keep feeling fab and looking lush.

In today’s blog, you’ll find the 7 things you need to do to say “bye-bye” to bad hair days and “hello” to happy, healthy hair for good.

Trim regularly

If you want healthy hair, you need to be getting your hair cut on the reg by a professional hairdresser to keep split ends and frizziness at bay.

Have a short style? To maintain your look and length, aim for every 3-7 weeks.

Mid-length? 3-4 times a year should suffice, to help touch up layers and dust at the ends.

Long locks? The longer your hair, the older it is so long hair is typically more susceptible to breakage, split ends, and can appear thinner. Check in with your hairdresser every 8 weeks.

Get savvy with shampooing

More often than not, people typically wash their hair far too frequently, and with the wrong products. Typically, you shouldn’t need to wash your hair more than 3-4 times a week but this is dependent on the type of hair you have.

It’s important to wash hair regularly enough to prevent the buildup of sebum, dirt, and bacteria because that can damage your hair and scalp. So what’s the problem with washing it regularly?

Well, when you wash your hair, you strip it of the essential natural oils so washing your hair more than necessary causes the oil production glands to go into overdrive. If you’re stripping away the natural oils too often, they try to replace it. So in the long term, over washing will make your hair greasier! 

And what are you washing your hair with? There’s an abundance of shampoos and conditioners on the shelves in stores, so it can feel overwhelming when it comes to choosing. You want a shampoo that’s paraben and sulphate-free, has high-quality ingredients, is effective at repairing damaged hair, and promotes the regeneration of hair cells and key proteins.

Try Cel’s Microstem Shampoo and Conditioner - this duo protects the hair against day-to-day damage, strengthens each hair strand to prevent breakages, and encourages high cell turnover, helping hair grow thick and long!

Read up on how often you should wash your hair according to your hair type here.

Don’t rush the brush

Brushing and combing your hair is good for getting the tangles out and for keeping hair neat. But, did you know there’s a technique to it? You should actually be brushing from the bottom, working your way up to the top.

Start on the ends to remove the knots, then brush from the middle to the end, and finally from the top to the bottom. When you brush from the top straight away, you’re likely to pull the hairs from the follicles, and break the hair strands rather than untangle them. This also creates those dreaded split ends, which in turn cause hair to tangle more easily. And how often should you be brushing? Once in the morning and once before going to bed, for about a minute each time.

Hair brushing should also be silent. If you hear any scraping or ripping, it means you’re brushing too hard. Most hairdressers also recommend a wide-tooth comb, rather than a brush, and to be extremely gentle when combing through wet hair. Wet hair is more vulnerable to breakages, so at hair wash times, it’s best to comb through it before you wash it, or after it’s dried. Use a detangling spray/serum or a leave-in conditioner to prevent over stretching the hair when combing out after washing.

Be a pro with protein

Hair is made up of proteins, the main one being Keratin. Keratin is what gives your hair its strength and shape: these proteins form the hair strand whilst the follicle keeps the hair in place.

Without Keratin, hair can become weak, limp, and lifeless, which makes it prone to damage, so we often need to replenish the proteins and protect them where we can.

You can ingest protein from certain foods such as meat, fish, eggs, lentils, almonds, milk, and broccoli or, you can use protein treatments on your hair, to nourish it externally and directly.

However, you can overdo it, so you need to strike the balance just right. Too much protein and not enough moisture can leave hair feeling dry and brittle, which itself can make hair vulnerable to breakages. You can find serums and hair masks that give you an at-home protein treatment, or you can go to a salon for protein treatments.

Every part of your body benefits from a diet that meets the recommended amount of daily protein. The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound.

Make friends with masks, serums & oils

Hair masks and oils can provide your hair with the extra moisture it needs to stay strong and look shiny, and balance out the necessary work of Keratin.

Cel’s Microstem Hair Thickening Mask is specially formulated to provide nourishment, moisture, and protect against day-to-day damage. Using Ginseng and Keratin to strengthen each and every hair strand, it will undoubtedly provide your locks with the protection it needs!

The ends of our hair are susceptible to breaking, which is why you may find split ends there. Brushing, drying, styling, and just playing with your hair leaves the ends of our hair open to damage, and can often make them feel dry.

Hair oils and serums are created to moisturise and protect the most vulnerable part of our mane, so apply them to the ends of your hair after washes and before brushes. They’ll make them feel softer and appear shinier and protect them from developing split ends.

Bulk up your biotin

This vitamin is the key to strong, healthy hair. It’s sometimes referred to as Vitamin H or B7, and it boosts cell renewal and cell growth, which keeps hair thick, healthy, and strong! Biotin is actually important for a lot of functions in the body, so it’s important to have enough of it in our diets.

Biotin deficiency has been linked to damaged hair and hair thinning. There are supplements that contain Biotin, which helps to improve the condition of hair, nails, and skin. 

Try including more biotin-rich foods like eggs, salmon, and sunflower seeds to help keep your locks bulked with biotin from the inside out. Make sure you eat the right food for healthy hair.

Use protection

We all know that the sun is responsible for skin damage, but do you ever think about what it’s doing to your hair?

Your scalp, although mostly covered by hair, is exposed to the sun. Once the scalp is burned, it can be seen in your parting, and it can begin to flake, which could be mistaken for dandruff! Plus, sun exposure to your scalp also puts you at risk of skin damage and skin cancer.

Sunburn to the scalp damages the follicles that the hairs grow from. This discourages hairs from growing, making the hair appear thin and limp. Protecting the scalp is particularly important in the sunnier climates, so don’t neglect it! Apply SPF sprays and wear hats when you’re in direct sunlight.

Sun exposure can also cause hair itself to appear damaged and dull. The same way that the sun can affect the shade of your skin, it also causes a change to your hair shade too. The UV rays reduce the amount of melanin your hair produces, so hair actually fades in colour! Plus, the oxidative stress from sun exposure and heat causes hair to feel dehydrated and brittle. Protect and moisturise your skin and hair continuously when exposed to the sun.

Final thoughts

Caring for your hair can be part of a nourishing self-care, pampering experience. Following these easy, relaxing steps to protect your hair and help repair any damaged strands. Healthy hair is possible!