Hopping into the shower and washing your hair feels like second nature at this point. But it's totally possible you've picked up a few bad habits along the way that are working against your good hair days. Like overdoing it with keratin products or going ham with sudsing.
So we asked hairstylists to share different ways you just may be harming your hair, or even your scalp, and how to break those bad habits.
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Using the Wrong Shampoo for Your Hair Type
You wouldn't use a cleanser for oily skin if you have dry skin and vice versa. In the same way you're strategic about your skin care products, it's important to choose the hair care products that will work best for your hair.
"Using the wrong shampoo for your hair type can cause fine hair to become greasy when using a shampoo and conditioner that are too heavy, such as something for curly or coarse hair. Same for the inverse: dry or curly, coarse hair can become frizzy and undernourished by using a shampoo type that is aimed at a finer hair type that want volume," explains Kali Ferrara, stylist and colorist at Saks Fifth Avenue's The Salon Project.
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Forgetting Your Scalp
"Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp," says Mizani hairstylist Al Campbell. "Scalp buildup is real and often can result in inflammation, which can cause major follicle damage and aid in certain types of alopecia. Pay attention to buildup, dry scalp and flaking."
Try doing a scalp cleanse once a week making sure to take the time to really cleanse and exfoliate. You can use designated scalp cleansing formulas as well as tools that help you get a good scrub.
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Not Switching Up Your Shampoo and Conditioner
Our hair changes through the seasons, over the years and even throughout the month. If you're still using the same shampoo you've always used and have noticed your mane isn't quite as glorious as it once was, that could be a sign you need to switch things up.
"Just like farmers crop rotate every year, your hair takes all the nutrients it needs from your current regimen until it's satisfied and complete and can get lackluster, depleted or bored with the same old, same old," says celebrity stylist Brittany Gharring. "Change it up every month or so to offer your hair new vitamins and life again. Take notice of the season as well. I like to send my clients home with a smoothing shampoo in the humid summer months and a volumizing shampoo in the dryer winter months."
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Ignoring Hair Porosity
Hair porosity is your hair's ability to retain moisture and understanding it is important in your quest for gorgeous locks. "High porosity tends to need strength and moisture, while medium and low porosity tend to need more moisture than strength," explains Campbell. "If you use strength on low porosity hair that really needs moisture, it could result in a protein overload and cause even more dryness leading to breakage."
The bottom line? Listen to your hair, give it a water porosity test and cater to the characteristics of the cuticle.
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