Tired of dull, dry and damaged hair? It’s a challenge to care for your mane with a busy schedule. Here are some simple tips on maintaining hair that is healthy and refreshed.

Cleanse

When it comes to washing your hair, most individuals are not aware that it’s unhealthy to cleanse it everyday.

Megan Gardner, senior in psychology, suggested some of her healthy remedies on cleaning your hair.

“You’re not suppose to wash your hair everyday because it strips the hair from your natural oils,” Gardner said.

Gardner explained that she washes her hair at least every three days. She suggested that readers should do the same to keep those natural oils in their hair.

Linda Meraz, sophomore in management, shared that it depends on the person because some individuals could have oilier hair than others.

“Some people have oily hair on the top and dry hair on the bottom, so it’s kind of a battle,” Meraz said.

Meraz shared that she only shampoos the top of her hair rather her whole head.

This remedy is a great solution for those who wish to keep an even amount of moisture around the head.

Moisturize

Just like washing, it’s just as important to provide your hair with some moisture.

Meraz explained that consistently washing your hair without moisturizing it can damage the hair.

“It will be like washing your hands over and over again,” Meraz said. “You have to put moisturizer in your hair or it will be dry.”

Meraz shared that a professional hair stylist once told her that leaving in conditioner at the ends of the hair is an easy way to regain moisture.

“I usually leave it in at night, wake up next morning and wash it out,” Meraz said.

Gardner also shared her secret ways on maintaining moisturized hair.

“I do hair Keratin treatments daily,” Gardner said. “You can just buy them anywhere in the shampoo aisle.”

Keratin is known for its key structural component of the hair. Gardner explained that hair Keratin is a leave-in conditioner that helps repair damaged hair.

“Once in a while, I really like to do a coconut oil treatment,” Gardner said. “This helps me get moisture, prevent more damage and reduce frizz.”

Gardner explained that individuals are able to find coconut oil at any grocery store.

“I personally like using organic oil but they also have non-organic as well,” Gardener said.

Not all products will work the same for everyone, so consider taking the time to find a product that works best.

Styling with heat

Blow hair dryers, straighteners and hair curlers are bittersweet. Sweet because individuals are able to style their hair to their liking and bitter because it damages the hair massively. To prevent more serious damages, individuals should consider applying protective hair product before using these heated instruments.

“You should always use a heat protection product when dealing with heated tools for hair,” Garner said. “Styling devices can reach high temperatures and cause microfine damage to unprotected hair.”

Not using heat protection can lead to long term damages, such as split ends and dead hair.

“You can find these products in the hair section of any grocery or drugstore,” Gardner said.

Cut your hair

Cutting the hair can be scary for some, but it’s something that should be considered if wanting to grow long and healthy hair.

“You should cut your hair, once every six to eight weeks,” Gardner said.

Split ends are able to find their way to the ends of each hair, so individuals want to be mindful that cutting their hair only an inch can make a huge difference

It is suggested that thick hair should be cut an inch every eight weeks, while thin hair should be trimmed every six.

By not giving your hair a trim, split ends are able to move closer to the hair shaft, which can result in you needing to cut more hair off than desired.

Diet

Just as much as individuals should care for their hair, they should also watch their diet.

Having a healthier diet actually promotes healthier and shiner hair.

Hair contains a lot of oils and proteins, so consuming food that can benefit those essentials will help grow their hair longer and healthier.

Consider drinking water consistently to help hair follicles grow healthier and longer.