It’s easy to get into a routine. But it’s difficult to unlearn things that you thought you knew. Particularly, when it comes to your hair. After all, don’t you know what’s best? It’s been with you all of your life. However, there is much more to it than that.
Thus, we’ve gathered a list of the most common hair mistakes people make according to professionals. Don’t worry, there are fixes too and they just might be a lot simpler than you’d expect.
Whether your hair is thick and curly, thin and fine, or anything in between, we’ve got you covered.
Don’t use cotton towels on your hair! They can cause breakage. Instead, try microfiber towels. They’re much gentler and abosrb more water without causing frizz. Who wouldn’t want to cut drying time in half?
If you don’t have a microfiber towel, use a cotton t-shirt. Just make sure it is 100% cotton. Towels cause too much friction while a cotton t-shirt helps to retain moisture and are much more gentle with your strands
Rinsing with cold hair is better than using warm or hot water. The cold water helps to preserve the hair’s color and keeps it shinier.
Satin bonnets are detrimental when it comes to protecting your hair. Just like silk pillowcases, they help to retain the moisture in your hair and prevent breakage. They’re also great for preserving hairstyles as well!
A lot of people skip getting a trim because they want long hair. But in order to achieve long, healthy hair, a trim is essential. A trim simply removes the “dead” ends of your hair making way for healthy hair to grow.
When applying heat to your hair, you need to protect it. Some people skip this step, though it is essential. Before using any heating tools on your hair, simply apply a heat protectant.
It’s easy to use too much product on your hair. Doing so does more harm than good. Instead, use less and work it through from roots to ends.
8) Go to Someone Who Knows Your Hair Type
You wouldn’t go to a chef for a tattoo, would you? The same applies to your hair. Go to someone who knows your hair type and can work with it.
Using the cheapest tool can cost you in the long run. Save yourself the time and trouble by going for the more expensive, better quality option. You’ll thank yourself later.
If your twist-out is starting to look old but you don’t want to redo it all, no worries. Just touch up the edges. It makes a huge difference! Your hair will look brand-new in no time.
11) Rejection is a Lesson
If your hair starts to reject your usual products, it could be that there’s product buildup. Keep an eye on your hair and how it reacts to products. It could save your locks!
12) Don’t Bleach on Your Own
You may be persuaded by celebrities who claim to have done it on their own, but don’t be. Unlike shampoo, bleach doesn’t lather. In turn, it tends to lead to patchiness. Save your money and go to a professional.
Sleeping on regular pillowcases can dry one’s hair out and cause breakage. The friction between your hair and the pillowcase is the reason for this. Silk pillowcases help hair to retain its moisture.
Daily use of hair tools causes gunky product buildup on them. To prevent this, clean your hair tools as much as possible. At least once a week should do.
15) Protect Your Hairline
Braids and sleek styles are a great way to switch up your style. The problem is, these styles tend to pull on the hair. This results in breakage along the edges. If your hairstyle hurts or if you notice small bumps along your hairline, the style is too tight!
16) Not Everything Happens Overnight
Don’t believe the hype. Most celebrities who achieve this look do so after multiple treatments. Time is your friend here.
17) Chemically Straightening Hair
Chemically straightening one’s hair can permanently damage it. The chemicals can weaken the hair, leading to breakage. It can also burn the scalp and lead to permanent hair loss.
You’re not quite done with your hair if you haven’t applied some sort of light hold spray after straightening your hair. Use a paddlebrush to run the product through. It’ll add shine and keep it smooth.
19) Overdoing It with the Blowdryer
Excessive blowdrying can cause drying and split ends. Thus, leading to breakage. If you do happen to use your blowdryer often, try using it on the cool setting.
20) Touching Up Your Roots
Touching up your roots uses harmful chemicals that can damage your hair. Hair color treatments use peroxide which open the hair cuticles. In turn, each time you dye your natural hair color, you’re damaging the youngest strands.
There are few things as relaxing as a hot shower in the morning. However, doing so can strip your scalp of its natural oils. If you must take a hot shower, finish it off with a cool blast of water.
Know as much as you can about your hair! Your hair type, curl pattern, porosity, thickness, etc. It helps when deciding on the best way to take care of it.
There’s no need to wash your hair every day. Some advise washing your hair every few days. But for thick, coarse hair, once a week or so is ideal.
24) Playing with Your Hair
Though it’s tempting, stop playing in your hair! Doing so only causes frizz. The same pertains to excess drying with a towel. Try to avoid it!
25) Don’t Go to Bed a Wet Head
Going to bed with wet hair causes breakage! It’s also pretty uncomfortable. Not to mention the tangles and matting you’ll have to deal with in the morning.
26) Skipping the Deep Conditioning Process
Deep conditioning is imperative to healthy hair. How often depends on your hair’s porosity. Doing a deep condition once a week is a safe bet to start.
27) Hot Oil Treatments, Please
Hot oil treatments are a great way to keep your hair moisturized and shiny. Though it isn’t necessary to do it everytime you wash your hair, it’s a great method to include in your regime.
28) Applying Heat to Wet Hair
This girl went viral after making this terrible mistake. It’s more likely to happen when you’re in a rush and haven’t allowed your hair to dry completely. The heat will burn your hair follicles and can result in… this.
Before taking out your twists, braids, and bantu knots, make sure your hair is completely dry. It will be less frizzy and thus, lasts longer.
While coconut oil has become quite trendy in recent years, it’s best not to put a lot of it on your hair. Some even advise not to put any of it on your hair at all. Why? Because it’s insanely difficult to wash out. It also dries the hair out (contrary to popular belief) of those with dry, brittle, and coarse hair.
Do your research and see what would work best for you.
When doing a twist-out, place a metal clip at the root of each section. Not only does it shorten drying time, but it adds lift. And it looks stunning!
If you’re cutting bangs, make sure your hair is clean, dry, and styled the way you plan to wear it. Don’t cut them in a straight horizontal line. Instead, cut up and into them so if you mess up, it won’t be as noticeable.
33) Don’t Smush Your Hair
Using a diffuser is great. But some people use it wrong, defeating the purpose of its use in the first place. Hold the diffuser at an angle so it doesn’t smush your curls.
The nozzle is there for a reason. It’s there so the metal grate on the blowdryer isn’t pressed onto the actual hair. Doing so can burn the hair.
There’s no quick-fix to getting hair to grow back. But there is castor oil. It’s a natural ingredient rich in vitamins and fatty acids that helps hair to grow. Give it time but many people swear by it.
We all love a good hairwrap. The problem though is that most of them are made from cotton. If you love your hairwraps and want to protect your hair, invest in a good wig cap. It will protect your hair from the hairwrap’s cotton-drying material.
37) Not All Fantasies Are Good
While fantasy colors look great, you shouldn’t be doing them on yourself. Always go to a professional when trying to achieve this look. Otherwise, the damage caused could result in having to cut your hair or applying a (professional) dye over it.
Choosing hair tools is an important task. It’s essential to choose the right products, including the right tools. Failing to do so can cause microtears in your strands. After all, brushes come in various bristle strenghts. Not everybody needs thick bristles.
Steamers are a great tool to have in your hair arsenal. They’re great to use for deep conditioning and daily styling. The moisture helps to promote blood circulation which in turn, aides in hair growth.
For women with coarser, curly hair, combing through dry hair is a big no-no. Avoid it at all costs! Make sure your hair is damp before attempting to comb it and start at the ends.
Don’t set your heating tools to the highest heat setting. Doing so will only damage your hair. Temperature settings vary by hair type but you don’t want to go too high.
While many people do it, many professionals advise against it. Bleaching your hair actually causes your hair to swell and dissolves your hair of its melanin. If you do decide to bleach, go to a professional!
To avoid knotting when washing your hair, wash going up and out. Nobody likes to deal with tangled and knotted hair. It takes the fun out of everything.
44) It Matters Where You Buy
Don’t be fooled when you see a professional hair product in places other than a salon. Likely, it’s fake. These companies do not sell to anyone without a license.
45) Shampooing with Sulfates
Try and steer clear of cleaning your hair with products that contain sulfates. This is especially important for those with curly hair. It’s because sulfates strip and dry out your hair. This causes brittleness and frizz.
Box hair dyes are made as a “one size fits all.” But we all know that everybody’s hair is different. You can see the damage that they can do in this photo. There is a lot of discoloration and her hair has become fragile at the ends.
47) Loosen Up Those Buns!
Putting your hair into a bun is extremely convenient. However, it can be quite damaging. Tight hair ties can pull at your hair’s shaft causing breakage. If you must wear a bun, wear it loosely and not as frequently.
48) Use Products Made For You
If your hair is curly, purchase products made for curly hair. It sounds simple but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t follow this rule. Reading and researching before you buy is a great practice.
Washing your natural hair in twists makes life a little easier. Since it’s already detangled, it’s much easier to manage. Give it a try!
50) Trust Your Hairdresser
If you can, try and stick with the same one. Over time, they’ll get to know your hair and can make suggestions based on what’s best for you. Make sure that this person listens to your concerns and addresses them!
If you do decide to bleach your hair, use something that’s going to maintain its health.
This purple hair mask helps to “reduce brassy discoloration neutralize yellow tones.”
A Denman brush is a coarse-haired girl’s best friend. They are great for detangling coarse hair and results in less shredding. Use it only when your hair is wet!
53) Don’t Condition Your Scalp?
Okay, so this has been a pretty debated topic. If you’re scalp tends to be dry, then you need to condition it. However, if your scalp produces enough oil on it’s own, then just apply the conditioner to the ends and the mid section.
Apple cider vinegar has many uses. Would you believe that loosening up knots is one of them? After you’ve had your hair in a style for some time, it can knot up. Just mix the vinegar with water and spray it on your hair. Make sure the mix is majority water.
The products you use really matter! While not every top-of-the-line product is going to work for you, it’s still important to look into these trusted brands. As mentioned, do your research!
Have you been making any of these mistakes?
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