Want healthy hair for now, tomorrow, and the rest of your days? You probably know it's a marathon, not a sprint. Many of us have put our lovely locks through a lot. Between hair products with harsh chemicals, aggressive salon treatments, dyes and colorants, even great hair can become damaged hair before you know it. The good news is that there are a few proven, simple ways to put your hair health first, giving you one less thing to worry about when you get up in the morning. Let's get to it.
1. Revisit Your Hair Care Routine
Adopting a proper hair care routine as early as possible is a surefire way to achieve a healthy and happy head of hair throughout your life. If you leave hair for too long without a proper maintenance routine, it will be more difficult to turn it around, but not impossible. Your routine will depend in part on your hair type. Women with straight hair may want to address oily hair more than curly girls. If you have curls, frizz and hair breakage may be your particular pain point. And we all know that dry hair needs moisture. In general, however, every hair care routine includes the following basic steps:
- Cleansing hair without removing its natural oils
- Conditioning to moisturize and strengthen your hair strands
- Lock in moisture to keep your hair looking and feeling nourished
- Detangle using a wide tooth comb
- Avoid (or protect against) heat styling tools
- Feed your hair the good stuff with hair masks and other spot treatments that nourish and replenish your mane
NBD, right? Not so fast. If you're using products with sulfates, parabens, colorants, and phthalates, you could be doing more harm than good to your locks. Throw out the bad and welcome the good with Lu. Free of harmful substances but full of healthy proteins, natural superfoods, and science-backed wisdom, Lu's entire line of shampoos, conditioners, and styling creams were meticulously designed to be incorporated into your daily hair care routine. And if you need to repair damaged hair, switch to the gold standard for hair nourishment with Lu’s Rescue Collection. By focusing on the root cause of hair damage from chemical dyes and straightening treatments, heat irons and the environment, this collection focuses on recovering your hair’s tensile strength and can even help fight hair loss.
2. Know When to Wash
Introducing a regular hair care routine doesn’t necessarily mean washing your hair every single day. In fact, daily washes can remove too much hair oil, or sebum, and can leave hair looking dry and more prone to frizz. If you have curly, long hair, you can go longer between washes than your friends with straight hair that’s more prone to excessive oil. Get to know your hair by skipping a day between washes and paying attention to how your strands look and feel. Rather than bombard it with product, you'll be doing your hair a favor by washing it whenever it feels like it needs it.
3. Go Natural
Product buildup caused by low-quality shampoo and conditioner can clog hair follicles, slow down hair growth, and ultimately lead to long-term damage. That’s why Lu shampoos, conditioners, and styling creams are formulated with natural oils, like moringa seed oil, murumuru butter, and Shatavari-infused glycerin, that work with your hair, not against it.
4. Dry the Right Way
Hair is weakest when it's wet, so when you dry your head vigorously after a shower, you might be roughing up those cuticles and causing your locks to lose their glow and go dull. The only thing worse than drying wet hair with a rough towel is using a hairdryer, which can lead to cuticle damage and hair loss. So, how do you break these lifelong habits? The healthiest thing for your hair is to leave it to air dry. This method retains moisture and will leave curly girls looking fabulous for longer between washes. If you don’t have time to wait, make the switch to a bamboo or microfiber towel and wrap your head instead of rubbing it. These specialist towels have densely packed fibers that are made to work with your hair and will keep it moist after the shower.
5. Eat Hair Healthy Food
If you’re watching what you eat as part of your wellness journey, there’s no reason you can’t think about your hair when you're planning your weekly meals. Look out for foods which contain vitamin A, biotin, vitamin C, iron and zinc, which all play a role in hair growth and sustainability. And don't forget to add protein to your diet to boost strength and shine, too. Do you remember when abuela used to tell you to eat two eggs per day? She may have been on to something. Eggs contain vitamin A, biotin, vitamin D, Iron, zinc and protein, and are a great way for your hair to start the day. But eggs aren't the only source of protein for your hair. Keratin makes up 95% of hair, which is why adding more to your hair care routine is a great idea. Impossible Keratin™️ by Lu, a vegan keratin formulation found in every Lu product, goes one step further than other keratin products by actually increasing the hair's tensile strength.
6. Protect Your Hair From the Sun
Sunscreen is one of the first things we pack in our bags for a day at the beach, but our hair also needs protection from the sun to keep it healthier for longer. Exposure to the sun’s UVA and UVB rays for long periods of time has been shown to damage the hair cuticle, which is the outer layer of hair. This can cause hair to look dull, sad, or dry. It also increases the friction between one strand and another, causing knots, tangles, and roughness. Impossible Keratin™️ offers UV protection against those harmful rays. Pro tip: to protect your hair and pamper it at the same time, apply one of our leave-in styling creams before stepping out into the sun.
7. Get Regular Trims
Hair growth comes from follicles in our scalps, not from the ends, which means it’s a myth that getting a hair trim makes it grow more quickly. However, there is evidence to show that regular trims can help hair recover from damage. Chopping off split ends and broken hairs stops hair growth being stunted and prevents damage to the hair shaft. As an added bonus, fresh cuts release the hair’s bounce and remove the tapered look that can arise from split ends.
There’s no reason to sacrifice your long-term hair health for the latest trends and fashions. These simple and practical steps will help you enjoy a vibrant, luscious mane for years to come. What’s your best healthy hair tip? Let us know in the comments!
