We all know how important it is to stay hydrated, right? Well, the same is true for hair: moisturized tresses look more vibrant and are less prone to frizziness and breakage.
While all hair needs hydration to thrive, some hair types are especially vulnerable to dryness. If you have long or curly hair, the natural oils produced by your scalp have a harder time making their way to the ends of your hair. If you’re a little older, your scalp makes less of those oils in the first place.
Moisture matters. The thing is, your hair can’t exactly drink eight glasses of water a day. So how do you keep those hairs hydrated and happy? Start by following these tips:
Don’t Overwash
It’s funny: your hair gets wet in the shower, but it also gets dried out. That’s because shampooing your hair too often strips hair of its natural oils, which leaves it dry and brittle. To avoid this, shampoo just two or three times a week. Sounds gross? You can always touch it up with a little dry shampoo in between washes.
Turn Down the Heat
It’s not just how often you wash that matters—how you wash makes a big difference to your hair’s hydration. Too-hot water will strip those good oils from your hair, so make sure you’re showering at a safe temperature. At the end of your shower, rinse with cool water to seal cuticles and lock in moisture.
Pick Moisturizing Products
Choose your hair care products wisely. Look for natural, moisturizing ingredients like almond oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, aloe, and shea butter. If you see sulfates listed on the bottle, skip it—those harsh chemicals can dry out your hair and scalp.
Eat (and Drink) Right
A diet rich in vitamins and minerals can do wonders for your hair. Make an effort to eat a balanced diet including iron, vitamin D, vitamin B13, and omega-3s (you’ll find that last one in certain types of fish). For bonus points, choose a conditioner that includes vitamins. Oh, and make sure to drink plenty of water.
Mask Up
Treat your hair to a moisturizing mask every week or so. Of course, if your hair is especially dry or damaged, you can apply the mask more often. Look for a deep conditioning treatment that’s rich with moisturizing agents, like the argan-oil-infused Intensive Hair Mask from Madison Hair.
For a quick fix between treatments, spray dry hair with Madison Hair Dry Conditioner. The avocado oil in the spray will hydrate your hair nicely.
Pull the Plug on Heat-Styling
Avoid dryness by limiting your hair’s exposure to heat. That means skipping the straightener, curling iron, and blow-dryer as much as possible. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can also damage your hair, so wear a hat or a headscarf on long jaunts in the great outdoors.
Less frizz, less breakage, more shine—what’s not to love about hydrated hair? Remember, hydrated hair is healthy hair, and healthy hair is hair that looks and feels amazing. Take care of your hair! Once you’ve experienced the difference moisture can make, you’ll never look back.
