Caring for Long Hair

Long, loose locks are the trend on the runway and red carpet this season. Long hair is beautiful, sexy, lush, but it can be hard to maintain. When healthy and well cared for, long hair looks spectacular whether loose, pulled back, worn in an updo, or any combination of styles. But unhealthy, messy, or damaged, long hair looks terrible any way you wear it. Prone to damage, breakage, split ends, unruly in the summer or dry in the winter, long hair needs special care to stay healthy and gorgeous. Here’s how to care for long hair.

• Wash your hair gently but thoroughly several times a week. Use a top quality shampoo that is formulated for your type of long hair — dry, normal, combination, or oily. Scrub the hair on your scalp and massage down to the ends of your long hair.
• Use a top quality conditioner on your hair every day. Pay special attention to long hair’s ends, adding extra conditioner and pressing into the ends of your long hair gently
• Rinse long hair with warm, then cool water — not hot. Hot water can damage your long hair, causing it to look frizzy and become difficult to manage and style.
• Dry your long hair gently with a soft towel or cotton T-shirt, squeezing out excess moisture. Never wrap long hair in a towel, twist, and place on top of your hard to dry, as this will cause hair to become damaged and rough.
• Consider using a leave-in conditioner or detangler. If your long hair is curly or thick, these leave-in styling products can keep hair soft and manageable.
• Invest in a top quality hairbrush with natural bristles and wide toothed comb to detangle your long hair. Comb through wet hair from roots to tips, making sure the ends are completely tangle free without pulling on the ends to make them so.
• Dirty brushes make dirty long hair. Be sure to remove hair that gets stuck in your brush or comb every day. Then wash and dry your brushes and combs once a week. To clean hair brushes and combs, soak in warm water and shampoo for 5 minutes, rinse, and let dry on a towel overnight.
• Make every attempt to let your long hair dry naturally, but if you must use a blow dryer, keep it on a cool setting and avoid pulling long hair while you dry it.
• Choose hair accessories wisely-not all of them are suitable for women with long hair. Avoid elastic bands and opt for soft cloth ‘scrunchies’ instead. Use styling combs and bands with strong teeth, as week ones will break off in. your long hair and get tangles. Experiment with updos, braids, and other hairstyles that suit you, but be sure you don’t tug, pull, or wrangle your long hair in any way that can cause damage.
• Trim your long hair every 6-8 weeks to remove split ends and excess hair weight that can make hair oily, frizzy, or dry.
• Protect long hair from perspiration when you exercise, chlorine when you swim in a pool, and the sun when you are outside in the summer months. Pull long hair off face and neck, apply extra conditioners when needed, cover hair in a hat, and cleanse hair thoroughly after it has been exposed to excessive sun, salt water, chlorine, sweat, or other elements.
• Your lifestyle shows in your long hair. Excessive stress, lack of sleep, smoking, and poor eating and exercising habits make it harder to keep your hair healthy. Eat a nutritious diet rich in vitamins and protein, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, get some rest, avoid cigarettes, and your hair will boast its health.

Want beautiful, head-turning tresses? Take care of your long hair and look beautiful every day!