The real secret to healthy hair may not lie in which shampoo, conditioner, and styling products you choose (though they do make a difference), but in the little things that you do every day.

In combination with carefully selected hair products, working these habits into your daily and weekly routine can help your hair appear longer, stronger, and healthier.

Get a trim regularly

You’ve heard it before that in order to grow your hair longer, you need to get it cut more frequently.

The reasoning behind this lies in damage like split ends. The ends of the hair are the driest and can split. The longer split ends are left to their own devices, the further they can travel up the hair shaft, leading to lackluster locks.

A regularly scheduled trim minimizes this kind of damage and keeps your hair whole and healthy.

Give your hair a break

You get to rest on the weekends, why shouldn’t your hair? This study shows what you already know; heat styling damages hair. The weekdays may require you to blow dry, straighten, or curl, but the weekends are for more casual styles.

Let your hair air dry on the weekends, or even during the week if you can manage it. Forgo the tight ponytails and headbands as well. The tension and pulling of tight hairstyles also cause stress and damage to your hair and can even lead to hair loss.

Luckily, there are many air-dry products on the market, from cremes to mousses to sprays that are designed to give you fuss-free, damage-free style.

Be smart about heat

If you absolutely must blow-dry your hair, don’t use the hottest setting and keep the blow dryer six inches away from your hair to minimize heat damage. Don’t linger over any one spot for too long.

Getting that perfect blowout will take a little longer this way, but your hair will thank you.

As far as curling irons and flat irons go, use the lowest possible setting and always, always use a protective styling product.

Want curls without the heat? Put damp hair into braids before going to sleep for beachy waves or use heatless curlers for soft, healthy waves or ringlets.

Your hair doesn’t need 100 strokes

It’s an old wives’ tale that you need to brush your hair one hundred strokes to keep it healthy and shiny. While brushing with a boar bristle brush does help distribute your hair’s natural, healthy oils, but they also cause tension just like a tight ponytail would.

Get the best of both worlds and look for a brush that contains both plastic and boar bristles, and don’t feel the need to go for those one hundred strokes. This study shows that less frequent brushing is best, so aim for just enough to untangle and style your hair.

Wear a hat outside

You wouldn’t spend a day in the sun without sunscreen, but do you think about protecting your hair from damaging UV rays?

Studies show that both common UVA and UVB rays can potentially damage the hair shaft. While UV-shielding hair products aren’t nearly as common as sunscreen, a big, beachy hat will do the trick. Extra points for cool summer style.

Up your deep conditioning routine

A weekly deep conditioning treatment can make a world of difference. You can help make up for all the heat styling and tight hairstyles that you’ve forced upon your hair by treating it right.

Set aside a day a week when you can indulge in a deep conditioning mask and let your hair soak up all kinds of moisturizing, strengthening, and botanical goodness.

While you’re at it, why not take an hour to treat yourself to a spa day, complete with a bubble bath, candles, and a face mask. Opt for a natural, spa-fresh hair mask like the Hair La Vie Mask for the ultimate stress-melting, revitalizing experience.

New season, new products

When the seasons change, so should your hair care regime. Just like a cozy sweater is what you reach for in the winter, heavier, moisturizing products are what’s best for the colder months.

When it starts to get warmer, heavy products weigh your hair down, and you should opt for lighter serums, mists, and styling products to support your summer style. The Hair La Vie Serum is a great product you can use for healthy styling on hot days. It's great to use on curls to keep frizz down during humidity or just to keep your hair sleek, light, and manageable. 

Resist the call of a hot shower

Few things are as soothing as a steaming hot shower, but hot water can dry out both your hair and your skin. Hair that's been color-treated takes a double whammy as hot water washes out dye more than cold water does.

Don’t fret; this doesn’t mean that you have to resign yourself to ice-cold showers, but turn the dial to a lukewarm setting to care for your hair.

Final Thoughts

You may not think much of your daily hair routine. It is, after all, routine. These little steps add up by the end of the week, and sooner than later you’ll notice a difference.

When starting a hair care routine, remember to choose the highest-quality products with naturally derived, plant-based ingredients. Your hair deserves it.

Looking for deep salon-level conditioning you can enjoy at home? That’s the Hair La Vie Mask. Replete with essential oils and other natural ingredients, this is your main line of defense against dry, lifeless hair. Our aromatic blend will leave your hair feeling soft and strong.