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| © Teddy / Rawpixel |
By Emma Taubenfeld, Reader's Digest
Drop the kitchen scissors and step away from the boxed dye. We all want beautiful, strong, and healthy hair, but many of us are a little guilty of taking matters into our own hands when it comes to hair. Hairstylists are professionals for a reason, so it’s typically best to leave the big changes to them—but when it comes to caring for our hair every day, there are some things you may be doing incorrectly without even knowing it.
If you prefer going for the sleek look and like to pull back your hair into a tight bun or ponytail every day, you are adding stress to your scalp which will ultimately cause thinning. “To get a sleek look overnight without pulling your hair tight, spray your hair with a little water, brush it, and tie it down with a scarf,” suggests cosmetologist Ghanima Abdullah. “For more sheen and hold, smooth in a few drops of natural oil after spraying the water. Then you can make your ponytail a little looser in the morning, but still have it sleek.”
“Clarifying shampoos strip the hair of buildup, and that’s great—once in a while,” says Abdullah. “Even if you have really oily hair, clarifying shampoo is not meant to be used every time you wash.” The shampoo will successfully remove the oil from your hair, but eventually, this will cause an imbalance to your scalp. If your scalp is lacking oil, it will naturally want to produce more, so if you are continually stripping the oils from your head, you may end up with even more oil than you started with. Abdullah recommends trying a dry shampoo like Batiste to refresh your hair between washes.
“Hair gel, hair spray, and even curl-defining products contain ingredients that bind the hair in some way,” explains Abdullah. “That’s great for styling, but these sticky ingredients can also clog the hair follicles.” If the products you are using reaches your scalp, it will become more difficult to grow and retain hair. “Layer your hair products if you wish, but don’t reapply styling aids before washing your hair again.”
There is really no reason to wash your hair every day. Washing your hair too much will make it weak and with time, it could start to fall, break, and lose its shine. “Water removes the natural oils in your scalp and hair,” says Mayela Vazquez from Within the Trend. “Your scalp produces sebum which is excellent for dry hair. What you want to do is to brush your hair every night to distribute the oils from roots to ends and wash it every other day.” It’s also important to avoid washing your hair under hot water and over brushing it when it is wet in order to prevent damage. You may want to try using a natural bristle brush for a gentler approach.
“Please don’t try and highlight your own hair,” says NYC hairstylist Kali Ferrara. “Just don’t. It’s not worth it.” The chemicals in store-bought hair dyes are harsh and can easily break your hair off. The only solution to fixing any potential damage would be to cut it off. If you’re not sure what to do, it’s best for both you and your stylist to wait for a professional. “There’s a reason salon hair color is a multibillion-dollar industry, and it’s because it’s not out of a box. Each color is custom mixed to the client’s specifications.”
If you insist on coloring your hair at home, make sure you don’t mix brands. Each dye contains different components that could result in a chemical reaction that could ruin your hair or turn it an unexpected color. When it comes to taking care of dyed hair, Ferrara recommends doing a weekly hair mask.
“Trimming your own hair is something that your hairstylist will never be able to address,” explains Achintya Kolipakkam of Elegance Tips. “Once the damage is done, it is done.” You will likely have to wait for your hair to grow out before a stylist can fix the problem.
We are all guilty of this one. Hairdryers and straighteners are an easy solution to taming frizz or styling, but the excess heat can really ruin hair. Direct heat can cause damage to the strands leading to split ends and breakage. When you do use heat on your hair—because, let’s face it, it’s unavoidable—invest in a heat protecting serum to serve as an extra shield for your hair.
Don’t brush your hair if it doesn’t need to be brushed, especially when you start at the roots. When you begin at the roots, you will create a knot that will pull off too much hair and will weaken the roots over time. Gently brush your hair beginning from the bottom and untangling knots along the way.
Especially for those with long hair, it may be appealing to wrap your hair up in a towel to make it dry faster, but this common solution could really harm your hair. “If you really want to dry it without harming your hair, gently blot hair with your towel to speed the drying process, or better yet, use an old cotton t-shirt, which is less harsh on your hair,” suggests Jeremy Harrison of Hustle Life. “You might not see any differences now, but you’ll see them soon enough, and by that time, it’ll be too late to turn things around.”
See more at Reader's Digest
Drop the kitchen scissors and step away from the boxed dye. We all want beautiful, strong, and healthy hair, but many of us are a little guilty of taking matters into our own hands when it comes to hair. Hairstylists are professionals for a reason, so it’s typically best to leave the big changes to them—but when it comes to caring for our hair every day, there are some things you may be doing incorrectly without even knowing it.
Wearing tight hairstyles every day
 |
| © adamkaz / Getty Images |
If you prefer going for the sleek look and like to pull back your hair into a tight bun or ponytail every day, you are adding stress to your scalp which will ultimately cause thinning. “To get a sleek look overnight without pulling your hair tight, spray your hair with a little water, brush it, and tie it down with a scarf,” suggests cosmetologist Ghanima Abdullah. “For more sheen and hold, smooth in a few drops of natural oil after spraying the water. Then you can make your ponytail a little looser in the morning, but still have it sleek.”
Using clarifying shampoo as regular shampoo
 |
| © torwai / Getty Images |
“Clarifying shampoos strip the hair of buildup, and that’s great—once in a while,” says Abdullah. “Even if you have really oily hair, clarifying shampoo is not meant to be used every time you wash.” The shampoo will successfully remove the oil from your hair, but eventually, this will cause an imbalance to your scalp. If your scalp is lacking oil, it will naturally want to produce more, so if you are continually stripping the oils from your head, you may end up with even more oil than you started with. Abdullah recommends trying a dry shampoo like Batiste to refresh your hair between washes.
Using hold products on the hairline
 |
| © Nicolas McComber / Getty Images |
“Hair gel, hair spray, and even curl-defining products contain ingredients that bind the hair in some way,” explains Abdullah. “That’s great for styling, but these sticky ingredients can also clog the hair follicles.” If the products you are using reaches your scalp, it will become more difficult to grow and retain hair. “Layer your hair products if you wish, but don’t reapply styling aids before washing your hair again.”
Over-washing your hair
 |
| © esp2k / Getty Images |
There is really no reason to wash your hair every day. Washing your hair too much will make it weak and with time, it could start to fall, break, and lose its shine. “Water removes the natural oils in your scalp and hair,” says Mayela Vazquez from Within the Trend. “Your scalp produces sebum which is excellent for dry hair. What you want to do is to brush your hair every night to distribute the oils from roots to ends and wash it every other day.” It’s also important to avoid washing your hair under hot water and over brushing it when it is wet in order to prevent damage. You may want to try using a natural bristle brush for a gentler approach.
Coloring your own hair
 |
| © RainStar / Getty Images |
“Please don’t try and highlight your own hair,” says NYC hairstylist Kali Ferrara. “Just don’t. It’s not worth it.” The chemicals in store-bought hair dyes are harsh and can easily break your hair off. The only solution to fixing any potential damage would be to cut it off. If you’re not sure what to do, it’s best for both you and your stylist to wait for a professional. “There’s a reason salon hair color is a multibillion-dollar industry, and it’s because it’s not out of a box. Each color is custom mixed to the client’s specifications.”
If you insist on coloring your hair at home, make sure you don’t mix brands. Each dye contains different components that could result in a chemical reaction that could ruin your hair or turn it an unexpected color. When it comes to taking care of dyed hair, Ferrara recommends doing a weekly hair mask.
Trying to trim your own hair
 |
| © nicoletaionescu / Getty Images |
“Trimming your own hair is something that your hairstylist will never be able to address,” explains Achintya Kolipakkam of Elegance Tips. “Once the damage is done, it is done.” You will likely have to wait for your hair to grow out before a stylist can fix the problem.
Adding too much heat to your hair
 |
| © dowell / Getty Images |
We are all guilty of this one. Hairdryers and straighteners are an easy solution to taming frizz or styling, but the excess heat can really ruin hair. Direct heat can cause damage to the strands leading to split ends and breakage. When you do use heat on your hair—because, let’s face it, it’s unavoidable—invest in a heat protecting serum to serve as an extra shield for your hair.
Brushing too much
 |
| © Paco Navarro / Getty Images |
Don’t brush your hair if it doesn’t need to be brushed, especially when you start at the roots. When you begin at the roots, you will create a knot that will pull off too much hair and will weaken the roots over time. Gently brush your hair beginning from the bottom and untangling knots along the way.
Wrapping your hair in a towel
 |
| © PeopleImages / Getty Images |
Especially for those with long hair, it may be appealing to wrap your hair up in a towel to make it dry faster, but this common solution could really harm your hair. “If you really want to dry it without harming your hair, gently blot hair with your towel to speed the drying process, or better yet, use an old cotton t-shirt, which is less harsh on your hair,” suggests Jeremy Harrison of Hustle Life. “You might not see any differences now, but you’ll see them soon enough, and by that time, it’ll be too late to turn things around.”
See more at Reader's Digest
