Let’s face it: Dry hair can be tough to deal with.
Ongoing breakage and dry, brittle ends can impact your self-esteem and take away from your favorite hair looks. If you’re constantly dealing with dry, brittle ends or constant breakage, you may throw your hair up in a claw clip or messy bun and call it a day. While everything is fine with these hairstyles, they can feel monotonous.
You deserve to feel confident with your hair’s natural look and feel. If you need help with dryness, revisit your hair routine, lifestyle, and chosen products. With the right nutrient-rich hair care products and better hair care habits, you can rehydrate your ends and get the soft, shiny appearance you crave.
Here’s how to revitalize dry hair, plus three secrets to building a more effective dry hair care routine.
Understanding Dry Hair
If your ends are rough, frizzy, or have a completely different texture than the rest of your hair, dry hair is probably the culprit. Dry hair can be challenging, and many factors can lead to dry, brittle ends. Some of the most common factors include:
- Environmental Changes: Hot summers, chilly winters, and windy days can cause more harm than good, especially if you regularly expose your hair to drastic changes in the weather. Cover your hair in the hot sun.
- Genetics: Dry hair can also run in the family. If you’ve always had dry hair, no matter what products you use or the routine you prioritize, you’ve likely inherited this from your parents or grandparents.
- Hair Type: Coily and curly hair is drier than straight or wavy hair, as it’s harder for the natural oils on your scalp to reach your ends. Every hair type requires a different routine, and you should use other shampoos and conditioners than your friends with straight, wavy hair.
- Chemical Treatments: If you’re constantly getting your hair bleached, treated, or colored, it could damage your lovely locks. These chemicals can dry out your ends, wreaking havoc on your hair and causing split ends, breakage, and frizz.
- Hot Tools: While there’s nothing wrong with curling or straightening your hair here and there, continued use can lead to excess breakage and dry ends. Anytime you apply heat to your hair, always use a high-quality heat protectant.
3 Secrets to Building an Effective Dry Hair Care Routine
Before you panic or wave goodbye to your favorite styling tools – remember that dry hair is preventable. Even if it’s genetic, with a few minor changes to your lifestyle and hair care routine – you can maintain your hair’s natural shine and beauty.
Here are three secrets to help you learn how to revitalize dry hair:
Revise Your Nighttime Routine
Did you know your nighttime routine may contribute to your dry hair? Bedding, nighttime rituals, and products can all do so.
Let’s start with your pillow.
A 100% cotton pillowcase could add to your dry hair problem. Pillows with a standard cotton pillowcase cause too much friction, especially if you’re tossing and turning in the middle of the night. The cotton material also absorbs the natural oils products by your scalp, reducing your hair’s natural moisture and leaving you with dry ends and breakage.
Unlike traditional bedding, silk has a smooth, silky texture that doesn’t pull at your hair cuticle or absorb any natural oils. Silk can reduce friction, tangles, and even bedhead.
Once you switch to silk, you’ll also want to consider other nighttime rituals. Some other habits to help you learn how to revitalize dry hair include:
- Apply your favorite hair oil to hair ends.
- Always put up your hair before bed.
- Avoid going to bed with damp hair.
Prioritize Hydrating Nutrients
Dry hair deserves a little extra TLC! Unlike other hair types, dry hair needs help retaining and absorbing moisture. The best way to combat dry hair is to fill your routine with hydrating natural nutrients like argan oil, aloe vera, coconut oil, and avocado oil. Many of these ingredients are natural humectants, which can help your dry hair attract and retain moisture properly.
You’ll want to look for these hydrating nutrients in all hair care products you use. Whether it’s a hair mask, shampoo, or hydrating hair oil, these hair care essentials should contain good-for-your-hair nutrients your dry ends can benefit from.
Always read the label and look for clean ingredients when looking for hydrating hair care to add to your routine. Avoid drying alcohols, sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, and formaldehyde, as these ingredients can strip your hair of its natural oils – leading to more harm than good.
Wash Your Hair
While this last tip depends on your hair type, washing your hair less can help you avoid dryness. Individuals with curly or coily hair should try to wash it every three to seven days, depending on hair type and how quickly their scalp gets oily. Washing your hair too often may strip your scalp of its natural oils, causing it to appear dryer after wash day. This overwashing is also true for individuals with a dry or itchy scalp.
When you opt to wash your hair less, you also don’t need to worry about blow drying, styling, or using hot tools as often, which will help prevent breakage.
Take Your Haircare Routine to the Next Level
If you’re tired of dealing with dry, brittle hair, it’s time to change your hair care routine and start prioritizing nutrient-rich products expertly formulated to revive dry, damaged hair. With a few simple changes to your approach to wash day or hair care, you can say goodbye to dryness for good and let your hair’s natural shine come through.
Read about the best protein treatments for curly hair next.
