We know you can’t always help it, but some common hair care habits are more likely to damage your hair than you realize. Here are 6 mistakes you should avoid if you want to have healthy hair.
Straightening your hair every day: the most common mistake
Using a hair straightener in the morning—and sometimes later in the day for a quick touch-up—is routine for many of us. But did you know that this habit can damage your hair? With each successive use of the straightener, your hair becomes weaker, more brittle, and increasingly dry. If you absolutely can’t go without your favorite tool, use it at a lower setting—between 250°F and 375°F—no more than twice a week, and try to avoid running the straightener over the same section of hair multiple times or holding it in one place for too long.
Brushing wet hair too vigorously
When hair is wet, it is more fragile and prone to damage. Yet we are often in a hurry to detangle our hair so we can move on to drying and styling, which means we may brush it too aggressively. This increases the risk of pulling on the hair strands and causing breakage. To avoid this, it’s best to use a brush that is gentle on your scalp, like the Altesse Studio detangling brush made from bio-sourced nylon, which is specially designed to effectively remove knots without causing pain or breakage.
Altesse Studio :When detangling, start at the ends of your hair and work your way slowly up to the roots. Be sure to be as gentle as possible with your hair! |
Using a plastic hairbrush: an unsustainable choice!
The list of reasons not to use a plastic hairbrush is long:
- The stiff, pointed bristles of plastic hairbrushes can damage your scalp and hair
- Plastic hairbrushes tend to pull out your hair while detangling
- Plastic hairbrushes generate static electricity
- Plastic hairbrushes are neither sustainable nor durable
Swapping out your regular plastic hairbrush for a boar bristle brush will transform this everyday hair care routine into a truly nourishing ritual. Sturdy and long-lasting, boar bristle hairbrushes are gentle on your scalp and distribute the natural oils it produces evenly throughout your hair, leaving it nourished and shiny. What’s more, this type of hairbrush doesn’t cause static, helping to reduce frizz. No wonder it’s THE hair care accessory to make your hair look healthier and healthier every day!
Washing your hair every day
Washing your hair every day can throw the sebaceous glands in your scalp out of balance, causing them to overproduce sebum to compensate. This creates a vicious cycle in which you feel like you have to keep washing your hair every day to combat greasiness. However, over-washing actually strips your hair of even more of its natural oils, especially if you use shampoos high in surfactants and silicones! The best way to avoid this is to wash your hair less often and brush it twice a day with a high-quality boar bristle hairbrush instead. This helps cleanse the scalp of sebum accumulated at the roots and distribute it through the strands, leaving your hair evenly coated in its own natural oils.
Wearing your hair in tight styles
Have you ever heard of traction alopecia? It’s a type of hair loss caused by excessive pulling on the hair, especially at the top and sides of the forehead. To prevent this condition from developing over time, avoid wearing your hair in tight buns or ponytails and opt for looser styles instead. Swap out your tight hair ties for satin—or, even better, silk—scrunchies, which won’t pull too hard on your hair or cause unnecessary friction.
Going to bed with wet hair
We’ve all done it, but sleeping with wet hair can encourage the growth of harmful bacteria and disrupt the delicate balance of the scalp. Wet hair also tangles easily, which means you might wake up with more knots. So, make sure your hair is dry before going to bed, and try using a silk pillowcase to prevent your hair from becoming dry and frizzy while you sleep.