Care for Your Hair

Having perfect hair has always seemed like an elusive dream to me. Someone else's hair always seems to have a better cut, better color or better texture. Sometimes this has been due to a new stylist I've tried and haven't been satisfied with. More often it is probably because I haven't given my hair the kind of care it deserves.

Here are some common mistakes (I am guilty of some...) that many people make in dealing with their hair.

* Washing Your Hair Everyday--Your hair only needs to be washed every other day or even every third day. Washing daily can strip away oils. If your hair is naturally oily, use a mild ph-balanced shampoo. I found out that all shampoos fade color so I will not be washing my hair as often!

* Not Getting Haircuts--Your hair will look much healthier if you get regular haircuts. It's a good idea to trim those split ends.

* Using Too Much Conditioner--Too much conditioner weighs your hair down. Be sure to thoroughly rinse out the conditioner. If you don't, it will counteract your other styling products.

*Overheating/Overdrying--Yes, I'm guilty of this one. Blow drying, curling, using a straightening iron are all hard on your hair. Use a blowdryer on damp, not dripping wet hair.

If you are using a round brush, hit your ends with the Cool setting. The cool air will set your style and you will have less frizz.

* Ponytail and more ponytails--This causes stress and breakage at the band. Never use an uncovered elastic (even covered ones can damage hair) and NEVER sleep in your ponytail. Alternate the fastening point 1/2 inch up or down from time to time.

* Brushing too much--Never brush wet hair. Use a wide-toothe comb on wet hair. Hair does not need to be brushed 100 times.

*Using Hair Spray--Hair spray contains polymers that lock out humidity. It's the polymers not so much the alcohol that dries hair. Use just enough to hold your style.

* Wrapping Your Hair in a Turban--Yikes! I was doing this every time I washed my hair! This is very hard on your hair. Notice those little baby hairs around your forehead? That's partly where they come from. The weight of your towel pulls at your roots and causes breakage especially since your hair is wet. Use your towel to gently squeeze off the excess water. Let your hair air dry as much as possible. To be environmentally friendly, use old t-shirts to gently squeeze out excess water.

I can't restore my hair to the color or texture I had as a young girl but I sure can take better care of what I have now. Do you have any other hair mistakes to add to our list?