Long, shiny straight strands and flowing curls dominate the runways and are a favorite among celebrities. But without personal stylists there to help you achieve it, long hair can sometimes feel out of reach.
Luckily, long hair doesn’t have to be as high-maintenance as it seems.
With just a few simple tricks, anyone can achieve long strands that are as strong as they are beautiful.
Keep reading to learn 7 essential tips for long hair care.
1. Don’t Overwash It
When it comes to learning how to take care of long hair, it might sound odd that there’s such as a thing as washing your hair too much.
After all, washing your hair is important for getting rid of the daily pollutants your hair picks up. The right shampoo and conditioner will help strengthen your hair and give it a soft, shiny finish.
But washing your hair strips it of its natural oil. It does the same to your scalp.
If your scalp is prone to dryness and you wash it daily, you’ll not only end up with a dry, itchy, irritated scalp, but your hair will suffer as well.
An unhealthy scalp means unhealthy hair. You might suffer breakage, or your hair simply won’t grow as quickly as it could be growing.
Instead, trying washing your hair every other day, or even less if your hair isn’t prone to getting too oily. If you can’t stand not washing your hair daily, you can use a dry shampoo to get you through until your next wash.
2. Hydrate
When you’re dehydrated, your entire body suffers. That includes your hair.
Upping your water intake will help encourage hair growth, not to mention strengthen your nails and give you beautiful, glowing skin.
Health experts recommend drinking a half gallon of water daily if you want to stay hydrated. That’s eight 8-ounce glasses each and every day.
If you notice that your hair lacks luster or isn’t growing as fast as it has in the past, your water intake could be to blame.
3. Use the Right Brush
Shorter hair doesn’t tangle nearly as easily as lengthy strands. If you’re used to having a bob or even a medium-length style, you might not put too much thought into choosing your hairbrush.
But an important step in learning how to maintain long hair is finding the right hairbrush.
You need a brush with bristles that are gentle enough to detangle your strands without yanking or tugging too hard. This will help you prevent breakage while still allowing you to get rid of tangles before they can become knots.
Another important tool for long-haired beauties is the right comb.
While you might have been able to get away with showering and waiting to brush your hair once its dry while your hair was shorter, that won’t fly with long hair.
Leaving your long hair wet and unbrushed will lead to tangles. As your hair dries, these may become knots.
But brushing wet hair can lead to damage. Instead, choose a wide-toothed comb. If you want to use a brush, choose a wet brush designed to be gentle on long wet locks.
4. Skip the Heat
Lengthy strands mean plenty of hair for trying out all kinds of updos and hairstyles. But if you want to keep those long locks healthy and strong, it’s best to only try out the hairstyles that don’t require heat.
This includes blow drying, straightening, and curling your hair with a curling iron.
Heat of any kind causes damage and breakage, especially to long hair. This breakage can keep you from achieving the length you’re dreaming of.
Look for heat free alternatives to achieve the styles you want. For instance, foam rollers are a gentle alternative to a curling iron. A hair mask can help straighten and de-frizz your hair as well as a straightener.
If you do need to use a blow dryer, be sure to use a heat protectant to reduce damage.
5. Choose the Right Conditioner
While you don’t want to overwash your growing strands, using a conditioner several times a week is important. Conditioners will help soften your hair and detangle it without having to tug and pull on it with a brush or comb.
If you want to soften your locks without making them heavy or oily, it’s important to choose the right conditioner.
Consider your hair, its thickness, and whether or not it is prone to becoming oily. Keep these in mind to help you choose a conditioner designed to treat your hair.
6. Take Your Vitamins
Vitamins are important for helping your hair grow and for keeping it strong.
If you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, you might think that you’re getting enough vitamins through your daily meals.
But it’s always a good idea to boost your intake with daily vitamins if you want strong, healthy hair. Look for a multi-vitamin with Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Iron, and B complex.
These are even more important for women over 50 years of age. Click here to learn more info about caring for and maintaining long hair after 50.
7. Get Trimmed
When you’re trying to grow your hair out, getting it cut might be the last thing on your mind.
But regular trims can actually help keep your hair healthy and even encourage growth. Getting a trim will help you get rid of split ends and other damage.
If you want to keep your hair growing long and strong, schedule trims every 10 to 12 weeks.
Long Hair Care
Letting your hair grow long means the chance for dramatic, beautiful hairstyles you simply can’t get with shorter strands.
But growing your hair out isn’t without its challenges. From avoiding heat and overwashing to hydrating and upping your vitamin intake, there’s plenty of things you need to do to keep from damaging your growing strands.
Following these 7 tips for long hair care will help you achieve lengthy strands that are beautiful and strong.
Cold winter weather can wreak havoc on your hair and skin. Use conditioner and a hair mask to combat dry, cold air’s effect on your strands, and check out these tips to learn how to care for your skin.
