If I have been able to improve my hair in less than a year, you certainly can too! Not long ago, my hair used to be dry, frizzy, and never seemed to grow. It would sort of "fray off" in pieces at the end. It was so frustrating! This is what led me to start my own brand of nature-derived hair products and share the knowledge. I just know these tips will help you too.
So I know first-hand that these hair tips will help you. Just remember that there are so many different hair types that results can vary – not only that but to confuse the issue even more, we often have many hair types on our heads! Don't be discouraged when you see photos or TikTok videos that share perfect hair because nobody has perfect hair, no matter what you see online.
Hair Tip 1: Wash your scalp, nourish your hair.
You're probably familiar with those TV commercials where people wash their whole head of hair with big bubblelicious shampoo, yes? Well, it's time to trash those images.
You don't need big bubbles. Bubbles don't equal better washing. Often, big bubbles mean more cleansers. You don't need to scrub the lengths of your hair. When you wash the scalp properly, the shampoo will run down the length of your hair washing it effectively as it slides down water – and that's enough. We have more on that in our blog post called "Partial Hair Washing" which you can find [HERE].
But don't go away quite yet! We're just getting started...
Be gentle on your scalp. Just wash it when you need to, and nourish your hair by adding on conditioners, leave-in conditioners, and a gel after – if you have wavy, curly or coily hair.
HAIR TIP 2: LESS IS BEST
And on the topic of hair and scalp washing, do this less often. You don't need to wash your hair every single day. You actually shouldn't even need to wash your hair every 2nd day, but sometimes – if you've been sweating a lot, working with sawdust or paint, for example, then you have our permission to do so ;)
Everyone's hair is different, and some people may need to wash more often, but washing less can also mean less ingredients being flushed down the drain which can be unnecessarily harsh for the environment.
Use fewer products too – fewer conditioners (or at least lighter ones), less gels/mousse and hairspray, less oils. Remember that as much as the oils your scalp produces can run down the lengths of your hair, these products can also run up the shaft toward your scalp – and they can cause damage or irritation to your scalp.
HAIR TIP 3: WAVY AND CURLIES GO EASY ON THE PRODUCTS!
I've researched this topic vastly, and there are so many confusing ways we're suggested to look after our waves and curls that it blows my mind! It's not that difficult, really.
We just need to wash the scalp and nourish the hair, since wavy and curly hair can be drier because the oils our scalp produces take much longer to glide down to the hair lengths – especially as your hair gets longer.
After you wash your scalp, condition your hair.
After you wash the conditioner off, put on a leave-in conditioner (on wet hair).
After you put on the leave-in conditioner, add a gel. The gel will form enough of a film over the leave-in conditioner you just added, that it will help form and support your hair waves and curls as they dry. That's it, it's all you need.
HAIR TIP 4: HAIR OIL BETWEEN WASHES
We worked diligently to create a hair oil that is super light and everyone can use. Since you already have a leave-in conditioner on your hair, adding hair oil will further protect your hair between washes and help to prevent moisture and hydration from leaving your hair – whether because you're touching it, rubbing it against clothing, or because of the simple element of evaporation. Hair oil will also prevent frizz, which is caused by your wiry hairs rubbing against each other.
If your hair oil is making your hair look greasy, then you're using too much hair oil or the hair oil you've chosen is just too heavy for your hair type. Yes, coconut oil is amazing for hair use, but it should never be used on its own because it's very heavy and difficult to wash off – pick your hair oils carefully.
We have a great article on the different oils for hair [HERE]. Give it a read, you'll love it!
HAIR TIP 5: COMB WET – AVOID HAIR BRUSHES
I know what you're saying, "But I love my hair brush!"
Forget it.
The bristles on a brush are too close together and are typically made of plastic. Plastic pulls the hair and the same goes for the bristles on a hairbrush. Use a wide-tooth comb instead and make it your best friend – regardless of the hair type you may have.
Comb your hair while it's wet and when you have a leave-in conditioner on it. Separate it into sections using your hands, and focus on a section at a time. You will pull less hair out this way, especially with leave-in conditioner on.
Do you have fine, limp, straight hair? (Type 1 hair) That's fine – using a light leave-in conditioner should not make your hair heavy, limp, or oily. Find one that works for your hair type and love it – your hair still needs protection, and a leave-in conditioner is the best thing you can use to protect your hair from the elements and from pulling and playing with it, even when it's fine and thin. This will prevent your hair from breaking and splitting at the ends.
HAIR TIP 6: SPLIT ENDS NO MORE!
The trick to avoiding split ends is to nourish your hair length – the hair itself, not the scalp. There is no reason whatsoever for anyone to have split ends if you're looking after your hair. If you have split ends it's because your hair is DRY. It's not nourished, or protected.
Best advice for avoiding split ends:
Wash your hair lengths less often (see advice number 1 up there!)
Protect it with a leave-in conditioner after every wash.
Protect it between washes with a light hair oil between washes.
Trim it, a little at a time if you must. But trim it to avoid the splits from zipping up!
Protect your hair even before you wash it. If your hair is extra dry because you've been highlighting it, dying it, or using heat to style it, it will be extra dry. We'll cover this topic next on our list.
HAIR TIP 7: AVOID HEAT AT ALL COSTS
Yes, sometimes you will need to dry your hair before going out, or to curl those pesky weird waves that had a party of their own, but avoid it as much as possible.
If you regularly blow dry your hair, use a cold setting on your dryer. Most dryers nowadays come with a cold setting – and you don't have to spend hundreds on a new dryer.
If you must use a curling iron, use the lowest setting you have available, and protect your hair first! Shall we talk about a leave-in conditioner again or are you getting the picture yet? ;) Hair oils can be wonderfully protective as well – be sure to find some that will contain ingredients like grapeseed oil or argan oil, which can withstand high temperatures.
NOTE: Keep in mind that all oils will thin out at high temperatures, just as they do on a frying pan when you're cooking – so don't think that because you added an oil your hair will be fine using as much heat as you want. HAIR TIP 8: TRIM. CUT. DO SOMETHING!
Damaged hair will always be damaged. Hair is dead, and split ends are just not able to fix themselves regardless of how much product with protein you add to them. Suck it up buttercup – just trim it.
Untrimmed hair that is dry and has split ends will continue to split upward like a zipper. Your tiny split end will soon run up to be a 1" split end, or worse! Get used to trimming your hair every month, even a little bit. Hair typically grows 1/2 an inch per month, so if you get used to trimming a tiny bit every month, before you realize it in a year you will have an extra 6" of fresh, luscious, gorgeous hair!
HAIR TIP 9: IF YOU SELF-HIGHLIGHT / SELF-COLOUR
That's me! I have been cutting, styling, and self-highlighting my hair all my life. I think I have been to the hairdresser a dozen times only! It's an obsession!
There's one thing I can advise after years of experience: Use a highlighting kit that includes a cover with dotted lines where you can pull your hair through, like this one here:
The beauty of these kits is that they will allow your hair to be highlighted yet look natural by pulling small strands of hair through and avoiding touching the scalp. They're awesome! I have also reused these plastic covers many times over by washing them thoroughly with soap and water after each use.
I have also used them to create low-lights and they work equally as well. I buy my ingredients regularly at a hair salon or a beauty store rather than at the drugstore, and with a lot of consultation from the experts, have found the right colours for me – because "the box" is not typically accurate since we all have different hair colours throughout our hair.
Self-highlighting in this way has protected my scalp from the harsh environment that bleach and ammonia cause to the scalp – it's damaging. There's no way to sugarcoat it.
And if you self-colour your whole head at once, please visit a hairdresser and let the professionals do this for you. They can also foil your hair so that regrowth colouring does not touch the scalp to harm it. Colourants harm the scalp microbiome big time.
Most important lesson to be learned here: Avoid harming the scalp. Healthy hair grows from a healthy scalp, and chemical dyes and colourants harm the scalp microbiome terribly, which can affect hair growth.HAIR TIP 10: THE SCALP MICROBIOME
If you don't want to get to 80 years old with thinning hair, this is probably the most important lesson you should learn throughout your hair journey: Understand there is a delicate microbiome of bacteria and fungi that protect your scalp daily. Constantly. It's there for a reason and you need to protect it.
The microbiome on your scalp is like the "gut flora" that's in your stomach. It's all over your skin, including the scalp. When it's thrown off its game it will create:
An itchy scalp
Oily scalp
Dry scalp
Irritation, redness, soreness, blistering
Scalp issues such as dandruff, eczema, and psoriasis of the scalp.
Hair thinning, hair fall, hair loss (eeek!!)
You want to avoid doing as much to your scalp as possible: Less washing, no conditioners on the scalp, less hair pulling back tight, no hairspray or spray "dry shampoos", less heat, less sun... LESS IS BEST.
We have a whole blog post dedicated to the microbiome [HERE] and it will explain in detail what it is and how to best protect it. Don't skip this one – it's super important!
QUICK ROUTINE GUIDE
Here's a quick guide for your new hair journey. Adjust it to your specific needs and hair type and as your hair health improves. You will very quickly begin to see beautiful changes!
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YOUR HAIR PRODUCTS MATTER
I started this journey because I was frustrated with all those so-called "natural" hair products, as they didn't perform like I wanted them to. I later learned that they have so many synthetic and non-natural ingredients that I became discouraged – not only because they didn't harness the beauty of what nature was providing, but because of their effect on the environment. I urge you to choose kinder, gentler products for your hair as they make all the difference to the results and quality of your hair.
Have a look at our products, shop from our store in Canada, and love the hair you're with!
What does your hair routine look like? What is the health of your hair right now? Please do comment and let us know if you have any questions that we can help you with.
Happy hair days ahead!