10 Hacks for Healthier Hair • The Blonde Abroad

Don’t Wash Every Day

First things first: you don’t need to wash your hair every single day.

When you wash it, it strips your hair of natural oils that help coat the hair follicle and keep it healthy. However, if you’re like me and struggle with fine, oily hair that doesn’t look so cute when the roots are greasy—dry shampoo is a lifesaver!

Washing less will significantly help the overall condition of your hair.

Dry Condition Between Washes

You use dry shampoo to absorb the excess oils from your scalp and keep it looking fresh…but what about the ends of your hair?

Did you know that you can also dry condition your hair? Yep! Dry conditioner is one of the best-kept secrets when it comes to hair hacks.

Pumped with Omega 9 (Oleic Acid) nutrients that lock in moisture, along with Pro-vitamin B5 and Vitamin E to nourish your hair, Waterl<ss Dry Conditioner goes a long way to de-frizz your locks, as well as adding softness and shine.

Here’s what my usual wash routine looks like:

• Day 1: After I wash my hair, I usually wear it down and straight (and let it dry naturally without heat)
• Day 2: A little bit of dry shampoo goes a long way! It gives my roots a bit of lift and I usually wear it straight or run a low-heat curling iron through it
• Day 3: My hair is greasy, there is no way around it at this point. I hit my roots with dry shampoo and then apply a dry conditioner on the ends to keep them from getting brittle. A braid or some sort of updo is great for the third day.
• Day 4: Hats and scarves are my best friend on day 4—and then I repeat the wash cycle.

My go-to solution for extending the days between washes? Waterl<ss Dry Shampoo & Dry Conditioner!

You can find both of these and more from their collection online or in-store at Sally Beauty.

Be Careful with Hair Ties

Avoid hair ties as much as possible, or opt for non-damaging options (think scrunchie-types!). While I’m a big fan of fun updos and braids—especially when it comes to no-heat hairstyles, the small elastics almost always cause breakage…which is no good!

Years ago, someone gave me this sage hair advice: treat your locks like a delicate silk scarf—this means realizing that it can be permanently damaged by everything from tiny snags to intense heat.

Opt for a Silk Pillowcase

One thing I swear by is sleeping with a silk pillowcase! 

Silk pillowcases are healthier for your hair than cotton ones. Why? Cotton tends to “grab” or hold onto your hair which causes it to twist at the root throughout the night. The result? Damaged hair and serious bedhead in the morning. Cotton also tends to draw the moisture out of your hair.

However, silk pillowcases are more delicate on your hair and avoid both stripping your lovely locks of essential oils and don’t cling—meaning way less breakage.

Minimize Your Heat Use

I’m all for opting for no-heat hairstyles as often as possible. Fun fishtails, sweeping French braids, or messy Dutch braids—I’m a big fan of the no-heat looks.

However, sometimes I can’t get those mermaid-esque waves without a bit of heat. So, the best way to keep your hair healthy while still applying a bit of heat?

Use a heat protectant! 

The Waterl<ss Heat Shield Protect and Re-Style is my go-to when I’m using heat on my hair.

Find an At-Home Hair Mask

How often do you get your hair treated? And I don’t mean just color!

In between highlight and cut appointments, I like to pop into the salon for a professional strengthening treatment. While they are a bit of an investment, it helps my hair in the long run! However, if going to the salon isn’t an option—you can find excellent hair masks to use for at-home treatments!

Look for ones that repair and strengthen your hair.

Avoid Overprocessing Your Hair

I get highlights every few months to make my hair *pop* but for me, I’ve found a sweet spot where it’s quite close to my natural color, and I’m able to space out my appointments to help keep the integrity of my hair intact.

The truth of the matter is that any kind of processing to your hair will damage it—essentially, you have to choose between extremely healthy hair or over-processed hair. If you are a natural brunette but lighten your hair to white blonde, there is no remedy to that much damage.

You can do hair masks and get cuts to prevent split ends, but your hair is much, much more susceptible to damage. My suggestion is to find a happy medium with your hair color—something close to your natural hue, or try to get it colored less often.

Take Supplements

What hair “hacks” do you have to help make your hair healthier? I’d love to hear in the comments below!