5 Bad Hair Habits to Leave in the Last Decade

Happy 2020! We are coasting into this new decade with new ideas and hope for progression considering the past! There are tons of affirmations and reminders everywhere on the web and social media on how to make our next steps our best steps and the good things to take with us to the future, but what about the ones we should leave behind? Let’s talk bad lifestyle habits… What are we leaving in the last decade?

1. Poor Diet: As often as this is being talked about, it’s probably a little baffling reading this, but it’s not always about how you look in terms of losing weight or toning up your body, this also applies to your hair! If you’re wondering why your hair hasn’t thrived the way you’d like, the first thing to look at (after products and practices) is your diet. Consuming leafy greens, legumes, fruits (especially berries) and healthy proteins is the best formula for growing and/or reviving your hair. Also… Drink Water! You can’t expect hydrated hair without providing it internally.

2. Aggressive Styling/Shampooing: Roughing your hair up won’t produce the results you’re looking for. It’s very important to be mindful of how you “handle” your tresses. Some examples of where you could be a bit more gentle in your routine include (but aren’t limited to) showering/washing your hair with water that’s too hot, shampooing roughly and scratching the scalp, towel drying and blow drying when your hair is soaking wet (because the more heat you apply, the more you’re at risk for damage!).

3. Not Listening to Your Hair’s Needs: Our bodies have many ways of telling us what we need to add or change in our daily habits. By listening to it, we can solve a ton of problems with minimal effort. The same applies for your hair! You can literally tell some of what it needs just by examining it in the simplest ways. For example, per acclaimed hairstylist, Josh Rosebrook, you can perform a stretch test to see if your hair needs moisture or protein. “Take an inch of your hair and stretch it, if it doesn’t stretch or breaks, feels dry and rough, it is brittle/damaged and needs moisture treatment,” Rosebrook said. “If the hair stretches far and does not return and/or breaks, feels mushy, gummy or cotton candy like, your hair needs protein.”

4. Neglecting the Scalp: We covered this a bit back in December in this article, but scalp care is crucial because it’s where new, stronger, healthier hair comes from. It needs love, too!

5. Poor Maintenance: Maintenance is just as important, if not more important, than styling. If you put a lot of work into getting something to look great, but it’s not properly maintained, it won’t hold up against any challenges — & our hair faces many of those. Taking the time to tie your hair up properly at night, avoiding repeating the same styles that could cause breakage (ponytails, top knots, etc.) and protecting your hair from the sun are minor ways you could help your curls along just a little better!