The end and the beginning of the year is laden with festivities and amidst all the celebrations and buzz, one might neglect their hair and skin. On the other hand, it is also paramount for most people to look their best at the New Year’s party or on the trip they take at the end of year.
Looking for the perfect way to fulfil your ‘New Year, New Me’ resolution? This blog will help you set new goals for hair and establish a hair goals checklist. If you want to start 2023 with a new set of practices, you should incorporate them in the last few days of December itself to set up the momentum. Embarking on new habits, no matter how small scale they may be, is a great way to change the overall pace and attitude of your life. The more positive habits you include in your daily routine, higher are the chances that you reap their benefits in other aspects of your life as well. These simple, yet effective tips will help you in reaching your dream hair and prepare you for the New Year 2022 celebration.
In order to achieve healthy hair, it is necessary to form a few habits and a hair care routine.
1. Understand your hair and its needs
The first step of hair care is to understand your hair type accurately and not treat your hair in a way that is not fit for your hair type. There are frequent instances of people not recognising that they have curly hair and treating it the way straight or wavy hair would be treated, leading to irreparable damage to their curls and making their hair frizzy and rough. Straight hair falls flat from the roots to tips, wavy hair has a slight curl towards the tip and is not as smooth as straight hair, and curly hair tends to have a ‘S’ pattern and often undergoes tangling. After you have determined your hair type in its natural form, only then should you form an appropriate hair care routine pertaining to your hair type.
2. Healthy diet
Beauty comes from within, and this saying applies to hair as well. If you are looking to improve your hair health, you need to start off with focusing on your overall health by incorporating foods in your diet that are rich in protein, iron and vitamins. Pulses, tofu, nuts and seeds, lentils, quinoa, oats, and certain vegetables are excellent sources of protein. Proteins are the building blocks of our body and to reverse the damage caused to your hair by external factors, a high amount of protein must be present in your diet. For vitamins, the intake of fruits like oranges, strawberries, bananas, apples and papaya should be increased.
3. Oiling
One of the key techniques of preventing dry hair and replenishing moisture in your hair is by oiling your hair often. Coconut oil has been used for hair care since eons, and for good reason. It has been found that it is similar to the natural hair proteins and can easily penetrate the hair shaft, thereby reducing the moisture content absorbed into your hair. It is also known to combat itchy scalp and dandruff. There are several other natural hair oils that are meant for serving particular purposes. For example, castor oil, which is rich in vitamin E, vitamins and protein, is best known for promoting fast hair growth by enhancing blood circulation. Tea tree oil works wonders for preventing dry scalp and dandruff. Argan oil is great for repairing damaged hair and especially, split ends. Depending on your needs and demands, you should choose a hair oil such as the Mantra Herbal Bhringraj and Hibiscus Nourishing hair oil and use it 1-2 times a week, for 2-4 hours before you shampoo. If you wish to get better results from oiling, it is advisable to heat the oil prior to use.
4. Frequent hair wash days
A clean scalp is mandatory to have healthy hair. If dirt and dust keep accumulating on your scalp, your hair is prone to getting damaged. Using mild shampoos and shampooing twice, followed by conditioning should be the common hair wash routine. The number of hair washes in a week depends on the level of physical activity you are involved in and the amount of sweat that is being produced by your scalp. Hence, it is on you to fix this number. With that said, washing your hair one or two times a week is important. It is also necessary to try and stick to an individual brand’s products so that your hair does not come into frequent contact with multiple chemicals. Using a leave-in conditioner like the Ashba Botanics Leave-in conditioner helps improve the softness and luster of hair.
5. Frequent trims
In order to prevent hair thinning and split ends, go for a trim every 3-4 months. This not only ensures that your hair stays in the shape that you had originally cut it but also prevents your hair from developing split ends, which is a direct sign of damage.
6. Stay away from heat and chemicals
With the advent of multiple hair appliances and products, it is tempting to use them all to get the most attractive-looking hairstyle. However, the damage that is done to your hair by the heat and chemicals of these products is long-lasting, and tends to show up at latter stages in life. There are several alternative methods to obtain curls or waves without resorting to tools, setting your hair without using a spray, and straightening your hair on the daily using a straightener. If you must resort to styling products, choose mild and more natural ingredient-based products like the Ashba Botanics Hair Styling serum.
Now that we have discussed what you should do, let’s talk about what you should not do.
1. Stress
When you stress, so do your tresses. Stress is not only created in the mind; it permeates to all parts of your body and shows symptoms. When your body is stressed, the hair follicles enter a resting phase, thereby stunting growth. It is thus desirable to eliminate as many sources of stress as possible and remain in a calm state of mind.
2. Not changing pillow covers enough
Our pillow covers receive a good amount of dirt from our hair on a daily basis, in addition to chemicals from our skincare as well as hair care. If they keep accumulating on the cover for days on end, it could be detrimental to our hair. It should be made into a habit to change pillow covers every 3-4 days.
3. Aggressive handling of hair
Do not show even the most minor sign of strength or aggression on your hair. If you are brushing your hair, begin from the tips and make it up to the roots. Do not go to bed with wet hair, as it is more prone to breakage.
At the end of the day, you need to listen to your hair and understand it, because nobody knows your body better than yourself. These are some general tips that can help with improving and preserving the quality of your hair, but it is of prime importance to keep your hormones and health in check to ensure that these tips work effectively.
- Srishti Chakraborty
