A good hair day can make the world seem rosy, and yet we know it can be fleeting. Sometimes temperamental, our hair can feel like a puzzle we’re trying to solve. A once tried and true haircare routine can suddenly go awry and cause a bad hair day the next. What gives?

Lucky for us, we have a renowned former stylist at hand! Much of the brains behind the innovative formulas and clean beauty approach at Hair La Vie came from our very own Carla Rivas. We wanted an insider’s point of view on real solutions to real issues. We want to know her secrets to attain the elusive, perfect hair? Besides, the best part about having secrets is spilling them.

First things, first.
How to know which products to use?
Look at the ingredients and do research as to what each one does. How transparent is the company? If they give you lots of information, you have more means of comparison when doing your research; that’s always a great sign.

This one seems simple, but the answer is often either not enough or too much.
How often and when to moisturize?
Be sure to condition after every wash and in between heating style.

Is it important to minimize heat-styling?
Natural is always best, so yes, minimizing heat on your hair is better for healthier hair. However, if you find yourself heat-styling often, make sure to always follow up with a good hair treatment or mask. Moisture is key for healthy hair, so not protecting your hair will strip it fast! You’ll have dead ends and dry hair much quicker than if you were being preventative.

No one ever said their hair had too much shine! Between varying porosity and product build-up, we want to know what really works.
What can you do to seal the cuticle?
My trick would be the cold-water rinse and apple cider vinegar once a month.

Why shouldn't you touch your hair too much?
I know we all love to run our fingers through our hair, but it's best to avoid it. You can actually remove much-needed oils by touching your hair, and this can cause frizz and lead to breakage if done often.

Getting back to basics and the foundation of perfect hair. Should you prioritize a great cut or simply keep up with trims?
The answer is BOTH! First, get the great cut you WANT, and upkeep it every 2-3 months to either bring it back to the desired length or remove dry, damaged ends. This will help with stronger, shinier hair.

Can I embrace second-day hair or wash every day?
Oh my God, please embrace third and fourth-day hair!!! The longer you can go without washing, provided you don’t use a lot of styling products, the better. Your natural oils are what’s best for your hair. And if you have oily hair, it’s probably because you’re overwashing, so the longer, the better.

What role does diet play?
It plays a huge role. Hair is made mostly of keratin and would need protein to grow. So healthy lean protein is great to help with that. Many vegetables have tons of biotin and B6, so the higher the nutrients, the better our hair. And the big one for me, because I love my coffee, is caffeine. In some cases, small amounts can help lower the DHT hormone, which helps your follicles.

Do I need to invest in a great stylist?
It’s not about the cost of the stylist but rather the quality of information. A great stylist will know when to say no to outlandish requests. And be able to explain in great detail why. Usually, that results in higher costs but way better hair. So, unless you are a fully natural get-up-and-go person, I think it’s a great investment.

Final thoughts

There you have it! While each of us has individual hair types, many of these secrets apply to everyone. Much of the focus is about eschewing commonly held habits that can be too harsh on our fragile strands. Healthy haircare is about being preventative, protective, and relying on naturally derived ingredients to give your hair the support it needs. Now that you’re in the know remember, perfection is subjective and simply means attaining your healthiest dream hair.