Break This Rule: Brushing 100 strokes a day helps your hair
That image of Marcia Brady brushing her shiny blonde hair seems to have stuck with a lot of us. Sadly, doing the same with our own hair will only cause breakage, says Babaii. Plus, it can activate your oil glands and make your hair greasier, says Philip B. "Proper brushing is essential, because it helps to move the natural conditioning oils from your scalp down to the mid-shaft and ends of your hair," he says. "But a few strokes with a gentle, fine-quality brush is perfect."
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Break This Rule: Hair color damages your hair
This is one rule we can be happy is wrong. New York City hairstylist Ben Thigpen says, "This answer may have been different 15 or 20 years ago, but today hair coloring products (home or in a salon) are loaded with extra conditioners." Even bleach can be gentle, if it's properly used, says Clairol Color Director Marie Robinson. So don't be afraid to color, but do make sure you either see a qualified professional or very carefully follow your at-home instructions.
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Break This Rule: Only thick, dry hair needs deep conditioning
Thought you could skip the weekly sitting-with-goop-on-your-head ritual because you have thin hair? Nope. Los Angeles hairstylist Ange Grmolyes says, "If you have fine hair you still need to deep condition. If you don't [deep condition your hair] it will break and become even finer."
The key to conditioning fine hair is to get the right formula, says Johnny Lavoy, L'Oreal Paris Consulting Hair Expert. "Using a protein-based conditioner rather than a moisturizing one will keep fine hair healthy without being weighed down," he says.
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Break This Rule: Always use a comb on wet hair
Brushes get a bad rap when it comes to detangling, but celebrity hairstylist Sherri Jessee says brushes are actually "much quicker and easier on the hair than wrangling through tangles with a comb." The trick, she says, is to mist a leave-in conditioner or use a few drops of argan oil to coat the hair shaft and let your brush slide through easier.
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Break This Rule: Switch up your shampoo so your hair doesn't "get used to" it
It's a common problem: After a few weeks of using a shampoo and conditioner, your hair just doesn't look as good as it first did and it seems like your hair has gotten "used to" the products. In reality, hair doesn't actually get used to anything, says New York City hairstylist Danielle Irene.
What really happens is one of two things: Either your shampoo has too many surfactants (foaming agents that consequently dry out your hair), or it has ingredients that are coating your hair. Umberto Savone, creator of the Umberto Beverly Hills hair care line, says that if you often deal with flyaways, your shampoo is likely over-drying your hair; if your hair is flat it's being coated.
The solution is not to switch off between shampoos but rather to switch completely. Savone says that a good shampoo will do neither of these things to your hair, no matter how many times you use it. Look for sulfate-free products to minimize dryness and steer clear of silicone, which can coat your hair. Or, if you really can't give up your current products, Irene suggests using a clarifying shampoo every few washes to clear off any product build up.
Are you sick and tired of hair that falls flat, frizzes at the first sign of rain, or has ends drier than Seth Meyers' wit? Join the club.
As fellow card-carrying members of the bad hair day club, we know the feeling. Which is why we tracked down a ton of leading experts and stylists to find out why our hair disappoints on a regular basis.
The consensus? We're still following these so-called "hair rules" that are actually just really bad advice. Turns out some of the hair tips we think are no-brainers -- like conditioning after shampooing, blow drying from back to front, and combing hair from the ends up -- are actually wrong. Who knew?
Check out this list of hair advice you should completely ignore. And in case you're wondering just who is turning your hair world upside down, rest assured we talked to the best in the biz. People like celebrity hair and scalp expert Philip B., Pantene Principal Scientist Jeni Thomas, and celebrity hairstylist David Babaii (he does Kate Hudson's gorgeous hair).
Thankfully, our experts didn't just crush our hair reality. They also gave us plenty of hair advice to rebuild our world -- a new world full of amazing hair every day. So go ahead -- be a rebel and break these rules for your best hair ever.
