Dry hair is every woman’s nightmare. Usually, only the ends of the hair are affected at first. If caught early, trimming the ends is enough to repair the first visible damage. However, this is often only a symptomatic treatment. It doesn’t take long for split ends to reappear.
One of the main causes of dry hair is over-washing. Each time you wash your hair, the oils that keep your scalp supple, prevent dandruff, and give your hair its natural shine are washed out of your scalp. The natural shine layer that covers each individual hair also prevents it from drying out. When sensitive hair is washed too often, the protective film is worn away and the hair dries out. The result: split ends and brittle hair. But this is not the only cause.
Other causes:
- Frequent hot blow-drying;
- Chlorinated pool water;
- Swimming in the sea and contact with salt water;
- Dry indoor air, e.g. in winter due to heating;
- Summer sun and ultraviolet rays;
- various hair products (e.g. perms, bleaches, chemical hair dyes).
How often should I wash my hair?
Under normal circumstances, washing your hair every other day or twice a week is sufficient. If you wash your hair frequently, it is recommended that you take a break of at least one day.
It is even better for your hair to increase the time between washes. Ideally, you should only wash your hair when it is dirty.
Adding moisture to your hair with special products
Only in rare cases is it necessary to wash your hair every day. For example, if your hair gets dirty at work and it is simply impossible to walk around with a dirty head.
If daily shampooing is unavoidable, use appropriate cleansing, conditioning and styling products to deeply moisturize dry hair.
If you have dry hair, after shampooing it is a good idea to use a conditioner with nourishing ingredients to protect the hair from harmful effects.
In general, wet hair should be handled with care and dried as gently as possible. Avoid rubbing with a towel. It is better to blot it with a towel and wring it out gently. Use a wide toothed comb rather than a brush.
Dry and style hair properly with a hairdryer
Let your hair air dry if possible. If you are blow-drying freshly washed hair, turn the dryer to a low temperature and keep it at least one foot away from your head, as the direct heat will dry out your hair.
When styling with a curling iron or flat iron, use a heat protectant to prevent dryness and damage. Heat protectant should be applied to damp hair and thoroughly distributed.
Beware of harmful ingredients
Many shampoos and styling products contain drying ingredients like silicones and parabens. Sulfates, alcohol, paraffin, and fragrances also dry out the hair structure. They cause “build-up” – the formation of a silicone film around the hair and on the scalp. Hair products containing silicone can often be identified in the ingredient list by suffixes such as “one”, “xane”, “conol”, etc:
- Dimethicone
- Cyclopentasiloxane
- Dimethiconol
However, there are also water soluble silicones (“PEG”) that act similarly to solvents. Identifying the drying and harmful substances in ingredients requires a degree in chemistry. That is why it is easier and better to use tried and true home remedies.
Adding shine and moisture to dry hair with home remedies
One very simple home remedy is an acid conditioner. It protects the hair from moisture loss. A cold rinse should be used after shampooing. Dissolve one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in one liter of cold water, then rinse with the acidified water. The rinse thickens the hair, helps prevent moisture loss and adds natural shine.
For very dry hair, olive oil can be applied with light massaging movements from the scalp to the ends of the hair and left for about 15 minutes. After washing off the olive oil, there will be no greasy film left on the hair.
You can use coconut oil. It should be applied to the ends or the entire length of the hair before and after washing.
