5 Easy Ways to Heal Damaged Hair and Prevent Further Damage
When I was younger, I would spend two hours getting ready – just because I could. I enjoyed every step of my beauty routine and savored every minute of bathing, primping, and styling. Flash forward to today, and most days I get a whole 15 to 20 minutes of my daughter’s morning nap showering, getting dressed for the day, and maybe slapping on a little bit of makeup before scrambling as fast as I can to finish my professional work and household chores. I’m still the same girl who loves a relaxed and luxurious beauty routine, but at the end of the day, my family and work come first.
As much as I love my busy days (I’m a chronic over-scheduler and over-committer), I also recognize that it’s important to slow down every once in a while. While I’ll never turn down a chance to snuggle with my little girl, I am making a conscious effort over the next few month to purposely carve out time in my schedule for self-care. I’m finishing up a few personal projects that I’ve been meaning to finish for years, taking time each night to unwind with a good book, and allowing myself to spend a little more time on my favorite beauty routines – especially my hair care routine.
A summer filled with sunshine-y days, saltwater, chlorine from the pool, and way too many days without brushing my hair has left my hair a little worse for wear. Today I’m sharing five easy ways I’m repairing my damaged hair and sharing a 30-day hair challenge with Nexxus that I think you’re going to love!
5 Easy Ways to Heal Damaged Hair And Prevent Further Damage
1. Remove dead hair that is passed its prime.
As I mentioned earlier, I have a tendency to take on all of the responsibilities and decline all of the opportunities to relax, and that’s just not a sustainable way to live. I have a to-do list that feels like it’s a mile long with things I would like to do in my personal life, but those things always get pushed down below family and work responsibilities. For example, I literally didn’t get my hair cut for nearly two years. I know it’s not the world’s most important task, but it’s something that makes me feel better. Even though it would’ve probably only taken an hour out of my schedule, I kept pushing back my hair cut appointment for TWO YEARS. After I decided to commit to a proper self-care routine earlier this month, I actually got my hair cut!It was such a simple and quick thing to do, but I’m telling you, it made me feel so much more like myself. It also made my hair look and behave SO much better. If you have months (or in my case, years) of dead ends, go get them snipped off. You don’t need to cut off all of your hair or give up too much length, I promise. A simple trim will work wonders on the appearance of your hair, and you’ll notice your hair will look thicker and tangle less after the thin and dying ends are removed.
2. Choose a shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for damaged hair.
Whether you’re dealing with damage from color processing, sun/chlorine/heat, or heat styling, you’re going to want to use a shampoo and conditioner duo that’s specifically designed to heal damaged hair. Look for products featuring keratin protein and moisturizing ingredients and stay away from volumizing or clarifying formulas.If you’re a busy gal like me, don’t worry. You don’t need to make a trek to the salon or spend an arm and a leg to get quality hair care products to heal your damaged hair. Nexxus is one of my all-time favorite hair brands – especially for repairing damaged hair, and it’s available for an affordable price at your local Target. I picked up the new Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo and Conditioner last week after hearing my friend Teresa rave about it, and I’m going to be using this duo over the next month to restore my hair’s health.
The Nexxus Keraphix Shampoo and Conditioner are specifically designed to heal extremely damaged hair internally and externally, and their formula includes black rice and keratins to infuse your hair with high levels of natural proteins. If your hair has been damaged from color, heat, and/or bleach, the healing proteins in the Nexxus Keraphix formula are going to your hair’s new best friends. I’ve been using this hair duo for the past week, and I’m already extremely impressed. The shampoo is seriously one of the most moisturizing and luxurious formulas I’ve ever tested, and the conditioner leaves your hair incredibly soft. Plus, the scent is so, SO dreamy. It smells like expensive perfume, and it makes even the shortest shower seem ultra-luxurious.
30-Day Hair Care Challenge
I’ll be using the Nexxus Keraphix shampoo and conditioner exclusively over the next few weeks, and I will keep you posted on my results each week on Instagram Stories. I’m trying to get back into my hair care routine, re-establish healthy hair habits, and get my hair looking better than ever. Since it takes a month to establish a new habit, I’m committing to using these products for 30 days in addition to utilizing all of the tips I’m sharing in today’s post. I’d love to have you join in on this 3o-day hair challenge, so send me a message or leave a comment if you’d like to participate too. Let’s see if we can make our hair better than ever!If you want to pick up the Nexxus Keraphix shampoo and conditioner for yourself, you can head to your local Target or grab some online!
3. Avoid heat and damaging hair styles whenever possible.
No matter how busy I get, I am always a stickler for using the least amount of heat on my hair as possible. Heat styling can work miracles on your hair, but you always need to use it with caution. I like to let my hair air dry until it’s at least 75% dry before using a blow dryer, and I try my best to only use a curling iron or flat iron on my hair a few times a week.If you’re dealing with damaged hair, reducing the amount of heat you use on your hair will absolutely make a difference in your hair’s appearance. You’ll notice your hair looks and feels softer, and I bet you’ll see less breakage too! I made this change to my hair care routine around 10 years ago, and it’s one of the best beauty decisions I’ve ever made.
4. Make sure you’re using hair tools and accessories that won’t cause excessive damage.
Would it surprise you if I told you that your hair brush was damaging your hair? What about your hair elastics? If so, think about all of the time you’ve ripped little clumps of hair out of your head while trying to detangle a knot or remove a ponytail at the end of a long workout. While it’s extremely important to choose the right shampoo and conditioner for your damaged hair, you also want to make sure you’re using hair tools and accessories that won’t cause even more damage.Look for hair brushes specifically designed to detangle hair (they’ll have flexible bristles that are spaced far apart), hair elastics without metal clasps, and clips and pins that don’t snag your hair when they’re removed. This little tweak in your hair accessory purchases can make a big difference in the long run, and it won’t cost you any extra money.
5. Avoid hair styles that will damage your hair even further.
While it might be impossible to keep your hair down every day, you’ll want to avoid some hair styles if your hair is extremely damaged. Hair styles featuring very tight twists, small and tight braids, and lots of pins/clips/accessories just aren’t the best choice for damaged hair. And don’t even think about perms or styling requiring chemical processing. If you have fragile and damaged hair, those treatments are a big no-no. Take a few months to heal your hair, and you’ll be able to rock your favorite hairstyles in no time! In the meantime, rock simple looks like loose braids, curls, and ponytails!
If you have dry and/or damaged hair and are looking for a great shampoo and conditioner, you should definitely take a look at Nexxus Keraphix shampoo and conditioner. I’ve been using Nexxus products for over a decade, and I’m never disappointed by the quality of their formulas. Head to Target to pick up a bottle for yourself!
If you’d like to see another Nexxus 30-day challenge, check out Michelle’s post to learn how to elevate your everyday curls and watch her experience with Nexxus Therappe Shampoo and Humectress Conditioner!
