Before I over-curled and did not properly apply heat protectant spray, I had long locks down to my waistline. My hair is slowly getting that long again. Long hair is far from low maintenance. In order to keep your hair beautiful and healthy, you need to know how to maintain long hair. These hair care tips for long hair will help you do just that.
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Don’t Use Just Any Shampoo
Using cheap shampoos might work well for you, but it never did for my long hair. They made my hair feel dry and brittle. It was the opposite of healthy.
Switching to a new shampoo can instantly make your hair healthier. The more natural it is, the better it is for you to maintain long hair. However, there is nothing wrong with shampoos that aren’t entirely natural.
Our Picks
Oway Smoothing Hair Bath ($37.95)
This smoothing hair bath is perfect for both straight and curly hair. It visibly smooths hair, fighting frizz and preparing your hair for styling. The bottle features an aluminum cap to keep it plastic-free, but you can add a pump if you want. It’s packaged in amber glass that can be recycled, and is vegan and cruelty-free!
Why You’ll Love It
- Fights frizz for a smooth, sleek appearance
- It helps control unruly hair
- Suitable for straight hair as well
- No synthetic fragrances or color dyes
Simply Organic Refresh Hair And Scalp Wash ($22.95)
Simply Organic Refresh Hair and Scalp Wash is a detoxifying shampoo specially formulated to give your scalp and hair the deep clean they need. It helps remove excess product residue and dirt for a clean that you can feel.
Why You’ll Love It
- Available in multiple sizes
- Doesn’t strip the hair of natural oils
- Controls excess oil production from the scalp
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Suitable for all hair types, including color treated hair
- Provides UV protection
Massage Your Scalp While Washing Your Hair
When you do wash your hair, make sure that you take your time to massage your scalp. My grandmother used to do this when I was growing up. She said it helped keep your hair healthy. Upon further research, it turns out that she was right! Massaging your scalp helps stimulate blood flow to encourage nutrients to be delivered throughout the hair follicle. Do this while washing your hair to maintain long hair.
Protect Your Hair From Styling Tools
Using curling irons or straightening tools can make your hair look glorious, but they can also do quite a bit of damage. Use them sparingly, and avoid using them at all if you’re out of heat protectant spray. Tresseme Heat Protectant Spray smells great, and it’s available at most dollar stores.
Don’t Blow Dry Your Hair With Heat
Heat can damage your hair. If you want to keep your hair healthy, put down the blow dryer. Instead, wring your hair out before you get out of the shower. Then, take a towel and run it straight down your hair. You can wrap it around your hair to gently squeeze too. This is the ideal way to dry your hair without leaving it a tangled mess.
If you must blow dry your hair, use the lowest setting possible. The more heat you expose your hair to, the more likely it is to become damaged.
Use Conditioner
Conditioner not only helps protect the hair, but it can also keep it moisturized. To take care of long hair, you want to keep it as moisturized as possible. Start in the shower with a conditioner after washing your hair. Your moisturizing journey doesn’t stop in the shower, though.
Pick Up Some Leave In Conditioner
Not only will leave in conditioner keep your hair moisturized, but it can also make it easier to brush. Leave in conditioner is my go-to product to fight frizz during the colder months, too. You can find leave in conditioner almost anywhere from your favorite brands.
Use Dry Shampoo To Avoid Over Shampooing
You don’t usually need to shampoo your hair every night. We’re all different, though. If you absolutely have to in order to appear presentable, go for it. Personally, I don’t wash my hair every night.
However, that can lead to a little bit of excess oil. That’s where dry shampoo comes in. It can help absorb oil to make sure that you look great and you don’t have to over-shampoo your hair.
Try not to use dry shampoo for more than one day, though. The product can build up on both your scalp and hair follicle. When that happens, you’re hurting more than you’re helping.
Detangle Long Hair Properly
It can be tempting to rip a brush through those tangles but don’t. Tangles themselves can put extra stress on your hair. It’s important to remove them, but you need to do so in the correct way to take care of long hair.
If you brush your hair in the shower, make sure that you use a wide toothed comb or a brush that is designed to be used on wet hair.
If you’re not brushing your hair in the shower, try to let it dry first. Hair is more likely to break if you pull on it when it’s wet compared to when it is dry. If you can’t wait, make sure that you use leave in conditioner first.
Start combing out the tangles from the bottom. Slowly work your comb or brush through the hair to gently remove tangles. Make sure that you are gentle and avoid pulling on the hair when you can. This can lead to breakage.
Eat A Balanced Diet
Healthy hair doesn’t start at the scalp. It actually starts with what you’re putting into your body. Make sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet with different foods. You want to make sure that you get plenty of vitamins and nutrients from the foods that you eat. If you’re not able to do that right now, consider taking supplements to make sure that your body has the vitamins and nutrients that it needs to take care of long hair.
Don’t Pull Your Hair Up Too Tightly
Not only can this lead to breakage, but it can also make it harder for nutrients to travel down the strand of hair. Instead, wear your up loosely if possible. If not, limit how often you pull your hair back to maintain long hair.
Provide Plenty Of Hydration
Conditioner and leave in conditioner are both great ideas, but you’re going to need more than that to take care of long hair. The longer your hair is, the more quickly it will dry out. That means that you’re going to need some extra products. A weekly hair treatment, such as a hair mask, is essential. Pick up some hair oil as well. You apply it to your hair once a day and can do it in under a minute. It provides extra moisture without making your hair look greasy.
Hot Water Counts As Exposing Your Hair To Heat
When you jump in the shower, it can feel great to take a scalding hot shower that leaves your skin so red you question whether you just burnt yourself. Nothing about that is actually good for your physical health, though. The hot water exposes your hair to heat, which can be drying. You might be causing more damage than you realize.
Instead, stick with a lukewarm shower. On those days that you’re dying to take a hot shower, pull your hair up in a bun to avoid heat damage. This is one of the best ideas to take care of long hair with minimal effort.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated has quite a few benefits for your entire body. One of the ways that water benefits you is by keeping every part of your body hydrated, and that includes your hair. Hydrate your hair from the inside out to maintain long hair.
In Conclusion
Maintaining long hair requires using as many of these hair care tips as you possibly can. That’s how you prevent damage, split ends, and keep your hair healthy. If you’re still struggling, consider looking at your diet. Make sure that you’re getting these vitamins that are essential for healthy hair.
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