7 Easy Tips for Stronger, Healthier Hair

Life isn’t always easy for your locks. After all, your hair is exposed to everything from harsh heating tools to abrasive products and even the stress of your late-night deadlines. If you feel like your hair looks lifeless, dull, thin, or damaged, you don’t always need a complete makeover to see results. In fact, there are small, simple changes you can make to your hair care routine to help protect your strands and see big results. Don’t believe us? Try these 7 easy healthy hair tips and track the changes. We promise you’ll love your new locks.

1. Skip Sulfates

You might love the feeling of sudsing up in the shower, but your beloved bubbles could actually be damaging your hair. Most shampoos contain sulfates (aka, detergents) to give them their signature suds. Detergents can strip hair of its natural moisture and leave it feeling rough and dry. Read the ingredients on the back of your shampoo and try a gentler option that is sulfate-free. Your hair will still get clean even without the cascade of bubbles, and as an added bonus, you’ll probably need less conditioner.

2. Stimulate Your Scalp

Slow-growing hair is frustrating, especially if yours already feels thin and damaged. One of the easiest ways to achieve healthy hair and encourage growth is to start at the scalp. Stimulating the scalp increases blood flow and helps move oils out of follicles for longer, stronger hair. The best part? You don’t need any special tools or products. Simply concentrate on using your fingertips in a circular motion when as you shampoo or massage in your favorite serum. Take five minutes a day to stimulate your scalp and destress – your hair will thank you.

3. Go Easy on the Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a total lifesaver when you’re short on time. A quick spritz to soak up excess oil and refresh yesterday’s style? Sign us up. Still, dry shampoo can definitely be a case of “too much of a good thing” when you rely on it too often. Dry shampoo can lead to dryer hair that breaks more easily. And just like makeup and products can clog pores on your face, dry shampoo can get caught in your scalp’s follicles, clogging them. Clogged hair follicles can inhibit growth and natural oil production. Use dry shampoo when you need to, but not more than twice a week.

4. Brush Better

You probably learned how to brush your hair as a child and haven’t thought much about it since. Hey, it’s not rocket science: insert brush and drag down. Changing the way you brush, however, could help stimulate your scalp, reduce oiliness, and save your delicate strands from unnecessary fallout. Take time to brush your hair, starting from the roots and carefully distributing oil from your scalp to your dry ends. Brush your hair before getting in the shower to avoid tangles and opt for a wide-tooth comb when your hair is wet. You’ll get smoother, less-damaged strands simply by brushing your hair more intentionally and with more care than usual.

5. Mask Up for Healthy Hair

You might use masks for your skin, but have you ever used them on your hair? Masks are usually used to concentrate good-for-skin ingredients where you need them most, so consider that principle when choosing a mask for your hair. If your strands feel dry and dull, look for a mask rich in vitamin E. Hoping to grow your hair out? Masks with castor oil can help. If you find that your color is fading too quickly, look for a mask that deposits a little color when you use it. Whatever your hair issue, there’s a mask for that.

6. Give Your Scalp Extra Nourishment

Obviously, having a healthy scalp plays a big role in having healthy hair. Studies show that the condition of the scalp can affect both how much your hair grows, and how much hair you retain. To help keep your scalp healthy and happy, experts recommend avoiding products that contain silicones or dimethicones. These can clog follicles and affect the scalp’s natural oil production. For extra scalp-nourishing power, check out our Hair Regeneres™ Advanced Hair Thickening Serum. It’s formulated to optimize the scalp environment and make hair look thicker and fuller with a unique anchoring complex.

7. Turn Down the Temp

Hot water might be your shower temperature of choice, and while it helps you destress after a busy day, it could be wreaking havoc on your hair. You don’t need to crank your shower on cold to see results, but turning your shower temperature down to lukewarm when you rinse out your shampoo and conditioner can help you lock in moisture and avoid dry-out from hot water. Or, if you can’t bear the thought of turning down the temp, use the heat as a tool: Put on your favorite hair mask or rich conditioner and then pop on a plastic shower cap while you shower. The heat will help the ingredients penetrate the hair shaft and you’ll still get to enjoy your usual shower ritual.