Hair has always been an important part of who we are. It starts growing on our heads when we are still in the womb. Every day, we are dealing with our hair in some fashion – brushing it, washing it, styling it, or treating it. So it is fit to devote one of my blog posts to the do’s and don’ts of hair care. This is important especially if you are active – your hair needs even more extra care. 

DON’T Wash your hair every day

It may seem counterintuitive, but washing your hair every day can mean a greasier scalp because of its overcompensating to produce more oils. This can also cause dryness and flakiness because of the dryness in your scalp

DO aim to wash every other or third day 

If you have that friend that brags about only washing their hair once a week, they should take note that not washing often enough can impair hair growth because of the build up of sebum on the scalp. 

How to prolong your clean wash 

If you have hair past shoulder length, you know washing it is a THING. Even with bobs or lobs, the styling can get complicated and you need to carve out time to do the deal. Even blowouts take time to go to the salon and be at the appointment, plus the financial cost. We all feel great with a clean styled head of hair, but as fitprofessionals, we need to make it last!

• Don’t condition your roots: Unless you want your hair to look flat and weighed down. The same principle applies to an argan oil or hair treatment – start from the mid-shaft and work your way down
• Spritz dry shampoo right after your blow-dry: Most people save this for the day in-between, but preemptively spraying this can keep the scalp and hair fresh and fend off oiliness, especially during workouts
• Save your sweaty SoulCycle class for a hair wash day: I structure my workouts around my hair wash days. This is necessary to do when you have long hair like mine! I wash on heavy cardio days, and then rely on a sweat-wicking hat or headband for days when I lift, do yoga, or walk for active recovery 

DON’T Make these blow-drying Mistakes 

• Forgetting hair protectant product: Some kind of frizz protectant or other hair buffer like a styling cream or oil will protect your hair the same way SPF will protect your skin from the heat in the sun. I like Bumble and Bumble’s Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Heat Protectant or Playa Ritual Hair Oil, both of which have UV protection
• Air drying or drying sopping wet hair: Both can cause split ends.The ideal is to let hair air dry a little bit, and then dry gradually increasing the temperature. And DO NOT SLEEP ON WET HAIR. Not because it will make you catch a cold, which the Mayo Clinic assures us is impossible, but because hair is at its weakest when it is wet. The inevitable tossing and turning on the pillow will cause breakage and pick up any fungal flora present on bedding.
• To get your hair to air dry faster, try one of these microfiber hair tie scrunchies

How to make your hair have a ton of volume

Remember, the higher the hair, the closer to God!

• Learn how to tease hair with a proper teasing comb. It’s super easy and I have a Youtube video on my DAOFitLife YouTube Channel showing you how. This Bustle article also has good tips.
• Use a texturizing spray, like this one from Garnier or Oribe (for a higher end pick)
• Top off your style by spraying some Liquid volume from Unite, and tousle your hair with your fingers

How to smooth unruly curls

If frizzy, unruly hair is your problem, you will definitely want to read these tips from top hair pro John Freida.

DO protect your hair while you sleep 

• Invest in a silk pillowcase: Fishers Finery, J Jimoo, LilySilk, MYK Silk, Ravmix, Olesilk, and Slip all have options for this investment that will keep your hair from breaking and help it retain its natural oils. 
• Don’t wear your hair in a bun or ponytail: This constant “pulling” can cause breakage and even hair loss. Opt for  a low braid and wake up to some nice beachy waves. I like to top mine off with OGX’s Antisocial overnight hair mask which also gives a really nice glow in the morning. Or, wear your hair in a silk bonnet or wrap if you have a curlier style.

DON’T Wear Ballerina Buns or Ariana Grande Ponytails on the Reg

• Again, the constant “pulling” caused by these styles can cause breakage and hair loss. 
• Not to mention, wearing your hair so tight could potentially be responsible for constant headaches. 
• This goes for you guys and your man buns to. The man bun topknot may look cool, but it’s bad for your hair. 

DO wear hair in a low pony or low manbun

• Change the placement every day to avoid breakage from repetitive stress to the area
• Buy hair ties  that specifically list as no-breakage, like one of these

DO watch the placement of your gallon-sized handbag or gym-bag

• Hairdressers can easily tell which side your carry your purse on; that constant pull of the strap on your hair can cause some serious breakage
• Be sure to sweep your hair to the side to avoid contact with the bag strap 

DON’T Brush your hair like Marcia Brady 

• It’s good to brush your hair; it invigorates the scalp and distributes essential oils. The general recommendation is twice a day, morning and night. 
• Brush from the bottom up, to avoid pulling at the root 
• DO NOT EVER EVER EVER brush wet hair. You might as well hack at it with a chainsaw. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb like this one from Lily England to detangle gently. The product which comes super cheap on Amazon also comes with a detangling brush. 

DON’T DIY Color 

For god’s sake, please do not color on hair that should only be left for professionals. I can’t tell you how many stylists I ran into that told me they had panicked clients calling them in the middle of the night crying because they tried to dye their roots. One wrong move and you could irreversibly bleach them. The color on the box can be very misleading – it’s a lot to do with the chemistry of your hair, which is why a professional often has to mix several different formulas.  Different textured hairs dye differently and that is why if you have someone specifically that can dye your hair and knows hair color and the real chemistry behind it- keep them forever! It can be *extremely* expensive trying to undo the DIY damage (Neda knows this first hand the hard way and if you like she can share some pretty epic stories). During lockdown, hair dye spray was my best friend. You can get this super cheap from brands like TRESemmė.

DO Eat your healthy fats and protein

Your hair can’t be healthy unless your body is healthy. Taking care of yourself from the inside, drinking plenty of water, and focusing on nutrition will give extra shine and body to your hair. Some of the top hair superfoods are salmon, eggs, almonds, nuts, seeds, avocados, and sweet potatoes.

More Articles: 

Are you brushing your hair correctly? Follow this expert advice (Salon Invi)

Beauty moves that may be hurting you (Cosmo)

13 hair care mistakes that may be damagingy your hair (Buro)

14 best foods for your hair (Healthline)