In the summer, you blame the heat and the light for your dry hair; in the winter, you suspect the cold and wind for robbing your hair of its moisture. Those things play a significant role when it comes to your dry hair.
But there’s still much to learn about dry hair, and there are a lot of techniques to hydrate any type of dry hair, so it feels smooth and supple. You’ve arrived at the right stop if you’re asking for advice on how to hydrate hair, especially dry hair. We’ve put together a list of hair-hydration tips (here’s one on what to look for in a curling iron) and hacks just for you.
The Most Common Causes of Dry Hair
Two factors can cause dry hair. One reason is that your scalp does not create enough natural oil to keep your hair moisturized. This may be genetic, or it may develop over time as the body’s oil production rate gradually slows as we age, resulting in dryer skin and, of course, dry hair.
It’s also possible that your hair’s condition or structure allows moisture to escape, resulting in dry hair. Three primary parts make up a strand of hair.
The medulla, or core, is the supporting component in the center. The cortex, which forms the middle layer, surrounds the medulla. The cortex is responsible for the shape, elasticity, resilience, and curl of your hair.
The cuticle surrounds and protects the cortex. Consider the cuticle structure as overlapping roof shingles. The hair seems glossy and shiny when the “shingles” are compact, and moisture cannot escape.
Hair might appear dull and fly away when the “shingles” relax, making it easier for natural oil and moisture to leave the inner structure, resulting in weaker and dry hair.
What Causes Dry Hair and What Can Be Done About It
Dry hair can be caused by many factors that disrupt the cuticle structure. Here are a few, as well as what you can do to rehydrate your dry hair:
Thermal Abuse
Those blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons, and hot rollers that give your hair such a glamorous look? They’re also a significant reason it could be dry. High temperatures dehydrate strands, particularly in the case of rollers and irons that come into close touch with dry hair.
What you can do:
Use thermal protective formulas before applying heat. These products act as a shield between the hair strand and the heat of irons and dryers, protecting dry hair from thermal damage.
Use ionic thermal tools if possible. According to the creators of these items, positive and negative ions occur in all substances, and hair is positively charged when wet. Negative ions are injected into the hair using ionic hair dryers, allowing water molecules to penetrate deep. Dry hair gets rehydrated as a result.
Turn the heat down a notch. Temperature settings are available on many high-quality irons and dryers. Select a lower setting if your hair is dry. Consider this: water boils at 210°F, whereas some irons and dryers may reach 450°F! Your dry hair will benefit from a lower heat setting.
Take a break from the sweltering weather. Experiment with non-heat styling hairstyles like buns, braids, and chignons to give your dry hair a break from moisture-depleting thermal equipment!
Over Washing and Under Conditioning
Shampooing too frequently or with a product that is too harsh for your dry hair will strip away your hair’s natural oils. However, you can never have too much conditioner— it’s dry hair’s greatest friend!
What you can do:
Use a shampoo formulated especially for dry hair. These are usually creamy instead of clear, and they may contain substances that help dry hair retain moisture, such as apricot kernel oil or aloe vera.
Don’t use shampoo every day. If your hair is dry, shampooing every day may not be essential. Allow your scalp’s natural oil to repair your dry hair by taking a day or two off between washing. Apply dry shampoo to your roots to freshen and absorb excess oil if your hair becomes flat or your scalp becomes overly oily.
On “off” days, condition your dry hair. Many people with dry hair enjoy the rejuvenating experience of a full-body shower. In that case, a few times a week, replace your shampoo with a rinse-out conditioner formulated for dry hair! You’ll feel like you’ve shampooed, and your dry hair will appreciate the added conditioning!
Exposing Your Hair to Too Much Wind, Sun, Saltwater, Chlorine, or Dry Air
Except when it comes to your dry hair, playing outside is both enjoyable and beneficial. Dry hair can be stripped of moisture by harsh or dry circumstances, UV radiation, and swimming in pools or the ocean.
What you can do:
Cover your hair with a nice scarf or cap. Not only do UV rays create dry hair when exposed to the sun or other severe environmental conditions, but they can also cause your attractive hair color to fade too soon! Hair can be kept healthy by wearing a protective layer over it.
Protect your hair from the sun. If you’re going to be out in the sun with your hair exposed, search for UV-protective leave-in sprays.
Waterproof your dry hair. Coat your hair with a heavy conditioning cream or a treatment oil and cover it with a swim cap before diving into the sea or pool. And since you’re going swimming, caring for your skin is also important.
In the event of inclement weather, increase your conditioning routine. In the colder months, use a thicker conditioner and add a weekly deep conditioning treatment to your hair care routine.
Too Many Chemical Treatments
Perms, relaxers, chemical smoothers, and hair color and highlights can all cause healthy hair to become dry.
What you can do:
Use a hair color that doesn’t include ammonia. Discuss your hair color options with your stylist; ammonia-free demi-permanent and permanent solutions, for example, are kinder to dry hair.
Hair color balayage is a good option. Consider balayage, a highlighting technique in which hair color or lightener is handpainted just on the ends and mid-lengths of your hair if your stylist highlights your dry hair. Because the look is natural and intentionally “rooty,” fewer retouches are required, which is better for your hair.
Look at non-chemical hair straightening options. Many good smoothing solutions are available now that may be applied before styling your hair to reduce flyaways and frizz while also adding hydration to dry hair.
Bad Brushes and Bad Brushing
Dry hair can be torn by metal brushes or brushes with uneven, jagged bristles, disrupting the hair cuticle and causing moisture loss.
What you can do:
Avoid brushing your wet hair. Wet hair is sensitive and delicate, and the bristles of a hairbrush can easily tear or break it.
Use a comb with a wide-tooth. Begin at the lowest point and work your way to the top to disentangle. To assist smooth the way, use a detangler or leave-in conditioner on damp hair.
Select a high-quality boar bristle brush. The boar bristle will gently spread your natural oils as you brush your dry hair.
Specific Hair Hydration Tips for Dry Hair
Everyone’s hair is unique, and what your dry hair need may differ from what your sister or closest friend requires. Here are some hair-care tips for various hair types.
Tips for Hydrating Curly Dry Hair
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Curly hair is drier than other varieties for a very basic structural reason: due to its twisty structure, oil from the scalp takes longer to travel along the length of the hair strand. As a result, curly hair requires more moisture than most other hair types!
Spritz, Then Use Water and Conditioner to Seal Your Dry Hair
It should go without saying: water is beneficial for dry hair, and it is! As an example, consider the following: Fill a spray bottle one-third with water and two-thirds with hydrating spray-on conditioner. Mist your hair until it’s damp but not dripping, then use deep conditioning oil or cream to seal in the first layer of moisture.
Prime Before Styling
If you want to use a blow-out or style cream before blow-drying your hair, put it over a leave-in moisturizing solution for more protection and moisture.
Make Time for a Hot Oil Treatment Once a Week
It’s simple and enjoyable! Comb through your dry hair with a wide-tooth comb after applying a rich treatment oil blend with components like coconut, gardenia, or Tahitian Manoi oil.
Cover your hair using a plastic hat and sit for 20-30 minutes under a dryer, in the sun, or in a warm room. Relax! After that, rinse, cleanse, and condition your hair with a heavy conditioner.
Tips for Hydrating Thick, Coarse Dry Hair
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The underlying structure of thick, coarse hair, like curly hair, often contributes to dryness. The form and volume of this hair type make it harder for the scalp’s natural oils to nourish it. In addition, to manage the structure of their tresses, ladies with thick, coarse dry hair frequently use chemical smoothers or heat tools, which can exacerbate dry hair.
Support Thermal Tools With Treatment Oils and Pre-styling Creams
To use a lower temperature setting on your blow drier, apply thick style oils or products to damp hair before blow-drying. What’s the benefit? Your blow-out will stay longer, allowing you to skip shampoo for a day or two.
Apply Conditioners in Layers
With this sort of hair, it isn’t easy to over condition it: the more moisture, the better for thick, coarse, dry hair. So, after every shower, use a thick, rinse-out conditioner and finish with a hydrating leave-in spray before style.
Apply a thorough conditioning mask once a week. Allow for five to fifteen minutes of penetration for a silky, smooth finish.
Take Your Supplements
B vitamins, magnesium, folic acid, sulfur, zinc, silica, and beta-carotene are all good supplements to take daily to supplement your diet with the nutrients that may be causing your hair to feel dry.
Tips for Hydrating Fine, Dry Hair
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Fine hair can sometimes get dry, and the rule is to hydrate gently to avoid weighing down fine strands.
Pick a Conditioner Designed for Fine Hair
It’s necessary to condition fine, dry hair, but the formula you choose should be a “rinseable” and lightweight conditioner for fine, dry hair that won’t sit on your hair and flatten it.
Avoid the Roots
Because fine hair is driest towards the ends, concentrate your conditioner on those areas and neglect the roots to avoid making them oily or weighing them down.
Tips for Hydrating Mature Dry Hair
Hormones alter, metabolisms slow down, and many women notice their hair becoming thinner and dryer as they age. Furthermore, as hair grays, it becomes coarser and wirier, which might be mistaken for dry hair.
Use Hair Color That Also Moisturizes Dry Hair
Many salon hair color formulas are designed specifically for mature, dry hair. As they cover gray hair, they provide further conditioning and softness. Talk to your hairdresser about these alternatives.
Overnight Deep Conditioning of Dry Hair
Why not attempt an overnight hair treatment? Nighttime facial creams rejuvenate dry skin, so why not try an overnight hair treatment?
Apply a thick, conditioning treatment oil or mask to your hair before going to bed, cover it with a plastic shower cap, and sleep like a princess. As usual, shampoo and condition your hair in the morning, and you’ll be amazed at how soft and silky it feels!
Get Regular Trims
It makes sense: your hair’s ends have been around the longest; thus, this is the driest and most damaged area of each strand. Regularly trimming your hair will help it keep looking healthy and fresh—and free of dry, broken ends!
Dry Hair Home Treatments
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Hair that has grown dry and brittle can be treated using home remedies. The following are 12 possible home treatments that you can try:
- Make dietary adjustments
- Using hot oils
- Take supplements
- Applying a coconut oil mask to the face
- Using hair care products that are tailored to your hair type
- Using beer to condition your hair
- Using mayonnaise and egg-based combinations
- Using a gelatin-based preparation
- Applying an avocado paste
- Applying a mask of yogurt and oil
- Making use of a banana mask
- Take preventive measures