Chopping off all your hair is not the only solution to remedy hair breakage – trust us. Though we’re sure you’d rock that super short pixie, we’re sharing nine reasons hair is breaking that you might want to consider before taking that leap.

So, let’s end the split end cycle, shall we?

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Lack of Moisture
There is reason conditioner is a part of everyone’s hair routines, but it is extremely common to lack moisture in your strands, whether that be from excessive heat, treatments, or a number of other reasons. Using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner is a great start, but spritzing a bit of leave-in moisturizer does wonders, too. We love It’s a Ten.

Too Much Heat
This one is obvious. If applying heat to your hair is part of your routine, don’t sweat it. But applying it too often is where you find trouble. Excessive heat from a blow dryer, flat iron, or curling iron will cause hair to weaken and split – especially on the ends and in the front where hair is often overworked. A good rule of thumb is to limit heat application to a few times a week (you can rock second-day hair or a pony on the other days) and be sure to use a heat protectant spray to prevent damage. Side note, stay under 400 degrees on your styling tools to be safe.

Not Getting a Trim
Who has avoided getting a haircut in hopes of growing a long, lustrous mane? Us, too! But the rumors are true – skipping your routine haircut will do more harm than good. The split ends and hair breakage isn’t worth it, so make sure to get a trim every four to six weeks.

Lack of Protein
If you are lacking protein in your diet, it will show in your hair. Since protein makes up your strands, it builds strong, healthy hair. When you do not have enough of it, your hair is likely to break. Improving your diet will surely help, but there are protein-rich products to supplement your what you are eating, like CHI Keratin Mist.

Color or Chemical Treatments
There is nothing healthy about treating your hair with dye or other chemical treatments like relaxing or perms. They take a toll on your hair, causing breakage and split ends and can have long-lasting negative effects when precautions are not taken.

If you think about it, going blonde literally strips the pigment from your hair, and chemically straightening your hair may give your strands the fried look. However, there are solutions out there to minimize the breakage. Our best suggestion when treating hair is to not do it often, invest in high-quality product, and schedule regular trims to keep ends from splitting.

Wearing Updos (All the Time)
Going for an updo may be convenient and cute, but styling your hair in a pony, braids, or a tight bun does more harm than good. Pulling the hair back weakens strands and causes breakage, especially near the hairline. If you are going to pull it back, it is best to let your hair down after a few hours.

Summer and Sun
Summertime is when stress melts away – except on your hair. From hours under the sun to soaking in the chlorine-rich pool, your hair becomes dry and weak, making it more likely to experience breakage. Using a leave-in treatment regularly in the summer and the colder the months to follow helps re-moisturize and strengthen dried-out strands.

Mishandling Wet Hair
Wet hair is more susceptible to breakage than dry hair, but it is often when it’s wet that it is yanked at, pulled at, and twisted the most. To avoid damaging hair when it is wet, only use a wide tooth comb, and do it gently. However, if you can wait until hair is mostly dry to run a brush or comb through it, that’s your best bet. Breakage also comes from throwing your hair up in a towel or wringing it out. It’s not as harmful to pat it dry.

Washing too Often
This is an ongoing battle for those of us with oily hair. It feels just wrong to go more than a day without shampooing, but it can actually cause breakage when you wash your hair too often, especially with the qualities of most shampoos. They tend to remove natural oils from your strands, which tells your scalp to produce more of those oils. You do not have worry about looking like a grease-ball in between washes, though. Try using a dry shampoo to soak up oils and volumize flat, oily hair. We swear by Batiste Strength and Shine.

By now, you’re probably convinced to chop off those split ends and get a trim.


This article first appeared on Hairstyle on Point

Have you ever been just too busy to take care of your hair? Few easy ways like keeping a check on what you eat and having proper sleep can rejuvenate your tresses like never before.

Myna Batavia, Co-Founder of Sinfully Myne, a Bengaluru-based wellness and beauty company, lists down tips to rejuvenate your hair when life gets busy: 

 * Oil you hair: Oil your hair frequently to keep it nourished and healthy. Different oils like olive oil, coconut oil and castor oil should be used. Massage the oil slowly into the scalp and leave it on for at least for two hours before shampooing.
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Oil forms a protective barrier around the cuticle and nourishes the hair shaft. Coconut oil has penetrative properties that nourish the hair shaft with its chain of fatty acids. The high protein content of castor oil fills in the damaged keratin spots of your hair.

* Get enough sleep: It's unfortunate how many of us forget the importance of adequate sleep. Lack of sleep not only puts you in a bad mood, it also affects your hair. It has been found in studies that sleep deprivation for a prolonged period of time can induce more oil production in the scalp, leaving your hair dull looking. Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sound sleep every night to keep your hair in healthy condition.

* Check what you eat: No matter what product you use, if you are not eating healthy, it will reflect on your hair. Since our hair is made of protein, your diet should consist of protein-rich food like lean meat, eggs, fish, pulses etc. Don't forget to eat a lot of green veggies like spinach, kale as well. If you want to bring back the shine to your hair, you should also consume seafood and fish oil that contains Omega-3 fatty acid. Alternatively, you can take biotin supplements.

* Choose the right products: Everyone has different hair, so choosing the product that works for your hair type is crucial. What is meant for oily hair, may not give the same results on your dry hair. What's more, try to avoid products that contain sulphates and paraben as they can cause damage to your hair.

* Stop washing your hair daily: Well, no one likes their hair oily and limp but washing your hair every day can do more harm than good. Shampooing twice or thrice a week should be enough to keep your hair clean, but those living an active life can wash their hair every alternate day. You can also co-wash your hair, which means washing your hair only using conditioner.

* Moisturize: Remember, moisturizing is the key to breathe new life into your hair. Always apply a conditioner after washing your hair. If you can't make time on the weekdays, make sure to treat your hair with a deep conditioning mask at least once a week.

Aafrin Anjum, Founder and Product Formulator of Herbs4Sure, a Gurgaon-based beauty company too have some tips to share.

* Always keep your scalp clean: It's a myth that if we wash our hair less more will they remain healthy. On the other hand everyone should wash their hair every alternate day with some natural organic nourishing shampoo. This way hair shafts will remain clean and dust will not accumulate in our scalp reducing the chances of having hair loss.

* Hot oil massage at least twice a week: Oiling our hair is always a good idea as it nourishes the scalp, gives calming effect and reduces the stress. One can use Cold pressed virgin Coconut oil in summers and Almond oil in winters for massage.

* Always condition after the shampoo: While shampooing cleans all the oils from the scalp most conditioners replenish lost lipids and proteins. So whenever you shampoo use conditioner after it. This way your hair will stay healthy and strong.

* Let hair dry naturally and avoid using chemical laced products: Going natural and organic is the simplest rule we can follow in our lives. Always remember 'Less is more', rushing to dry hair with heat is the most harmful thing we can do for our tresses. Avoid going for chemical treatments as it will become a vicious cycle. Just let your hair breathe and be healthy.
 
This article first appeared on Business Standard

Have you ever walked into a salon that was completely full of curly haired women, run by stylists who are experts in cutting and coloring curls? It's a transformative experience that every curly girl should have at least once in their life (but preferably every few months!). I experienced this on The Curl Revolution Book Tour, when we stopped in San Francisco's MaduSalon. Madu is a mecca for curlies all over California, and chatting with their stylists it's easy to see why.
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In one conversation, Madu colorist Devon Ramirez was sharing how she likes to use deep conditioner as a styler, and I had to take notes! Our readers tend to be nonconformists, using products and kitchen items in new and innovative ways, never limiting themselves to the instructions on the label, so I asked Devon if she'd be willing to share her favorite ways to mix products. Personally, I thought it was unexpected to use a conditioner as a styler, but I'd also love to hear if you've been trying this. Here are Devon's tried and true cocktails for curly, coily and wavy hair.

For Type 2 Wavy Hair
Use leave-in conditioner as a styler

For looser wavy hair I️ really love DevaCurl B'Leave-in because it's really lightweight but it gives the waves an extra boost and lots of volume.

Apply product with water for definition
When applying product to curls, it's important to make sure the hair is still very, very wet. This way the products will mix with the water and absorb into the hair. This keeps the moisture and hold without weighing the hair down. At Madu we'll often sprinkle a little extra water when working the product through to keep the hair moist. Marie [founder of MaduSalon] calls it "baptizing the curls."

Refresh by applying product to hands
For refreshing both waves and curls I️ really love Set it Free. Although I️ like to spray it in my hand and scrunch it into the curls. It's kind of thick and doesn't always spray well.

For Type 3 Curly Hair
Use deep conditioner as a styler

For type 3 curls I️ really love using the Heaven in Hair as a styler. It's really moisturizing and has a great amount of hold on its own.

Cocktail DC with gel to fight frizz
If you want extra hold then I️ add Ultra Defining Gel.

For Type 4 Coily Hair
Cocktail gel with pomade

For type 4 coily hair, my coworker Shannon came up with the best combo that we all use now. Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls with a small amount of Beautiful Mess. You mix the 2 in your hands, apply all over and detangle with your hands. The hold of the 2 helps to keeps the curls slightly elongated so you and really see the length of the coils.

For extra moisture
In order to keep curls moisturized, you want to make sure you incorporate a deep conditioner into your routine, at least twice a month. Sulfate free shampoos are a must, sulfates can over strip the hair moisture. Also, stay away from oils and most serums. Oil molecules are actually too big to actually penetrate the hair shaft and end up laying as a layer of build up on the hair while repelling actually moisture. If you do choose to use a serum, make sure it's water soluble and free of silicones.
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Pretty much all of these product combos can be used for a wash and go. You can air dry, hood dry or diffuse. Whichever is more convenient. At Madu we try not to recommend anything that would require you to need a hood dryer because that's obviously unrealistic.

 
This article first appeared on NaturallyCurly

These are the things hairstylists wish their clients already knew.
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1. After you've straightened your hair, spray some light hold hair spray on a paddle brush and run it through your hair. It'll smooth down fly-aways, make your hair super shiny and soft, and give it that extra oomph.

2. If you're using a curling iron or flat iron, always use a heat protectant. You wouldn’t reach into an oven at 400 degrees with your bare hands, don’t subject your hair to that kind of heat without protection!

3. A lot of people don’t know you can curl your hair with a straightener. I’ve taught a lot of clients how to do it.

4. If you're blowing out your hair at home, try to dry 80-85% of your hair before you start sectioning and round brushing it. It'll cut your drying time in half!

5. Bleaching your own hair rarely gets you the outcome you want. Just because you’ve done it before and it’s worked doesn’t mean it always will. See a professional.

6. As someone who's seen their fair share of over processed blondes and damaged hair, the best deep conditioner I’ve used is The Kure by Amika. It smells amazing and works wonders after multiple uses!

7. Not only is box color really bad for your hair, but it can also be super hard for us (and expensive for you!) to remove or change that color.

8. My curly haired queens, the more you touch and mess with your hair as it’s drying, the more it will frizz! And that includes any vigorous towel drying too. Try to gently squeeze downward with the towel or, even better, use a soft T-shirt.

9. If your stylist is recommending products to you, it’s not because they’re greedy and want your money. It’s because they believe in the product and know it will do great things for your hair.

10. And finally, if you're buying professional salon hair care products, buy them at a reputable salon from a stylist you know and trust.  Otherwise, there's a good chance that the product you thought was professional-grade is actually watered-down, expired, or maybe even a different product entirely.
 
 This article first appeared on BuzzFeed

Alright boys, it’s 4th of July weekend, and for 67.9% of Longhairs, that means you’re going camping. There are a few critical things you must know about camping with long hair before setting foot in the great outdoors, falling narrowly ahead of finding shelter, keeping warm, and gathering food.

If you’ve been following closely you may already be a vet on some of these tips. Especially if you’ve checked out last week’s blockbuster must-bookmark post: Long Hairstyles for Men. Little did you know how important these tips would become when your life is on the line, or even if you just need to roast some marshmallows.

Sleeping in the wild

When you’re out there amongst the pines and thousands of mosquitoes a good night sleep is essential to be fully charged for that 4:30am hike to the fishing hole. So when laying it down for the night in your 20 year old Coleman sleeping bag that your grandpa gave you, avoiding any potential hangups is critical. There’s a lot of things your hair can get caught in while in your sleeping bag: rusty zippers, velcro and that random hanging string – no idea what that does. For this, use the sleeping with long hair technique to ensure you get the rest you need for that big day of adventure.

Braid for hiking (especially with a backpack)

You’re going to get hot and sweaty on that 5 mile hike. With snacks and water in your backpack the last thing you need is your hair tangling around your straps, ripping out strands. To avoid any setbacks use any of our braid techniques to keep that mane tame.

Note* If your hair isn’t long enough to braid take a shirt sleeve and put it over your head, as seen in, How To Wear Your Hair While ___.

Your Longhairs Lid will be in high use during you camping experience

A lid for locks will probably be the most used piece of gear besides the sweaty pair of boxer briefs you haven’t changed in 4 days. Your lid works great to hold your lures, keep the sun out of your face, contain the smokey grime and grease from camping, and most importantly block the rays while you fill out a nap-lication lakeside.

Drying your hair

If you happen to fall off the boat, slip into a creek or get a chance to wash your hair, it’s critical you get it dry. There is no electricity in the outdoors and typically it’s much colder, so you want to make damn sure your hair is fully dry before going to bed. The best way to dry your hair is to hop on your bike, or borrow one from the kid a campsite over. Just tell him “hey kid, let me show you how fast this bike can go.” Get that wind flowing through those locks and within a few laps around the campground you’ll be dried up.

Use your hair as bug repellent

Much like a horse shooing flies with it’s tail, you can do the same with your hair. Bugs getting a little too close, one quick whip will keep them at bay leaving you free to finish setting up that tent.

So if you still don’t know how to make a fire, find warmth, catch fish, or find shelter, at least you know what to do with your hair while in the great outdoors. And that’s a damn good start.

Use these tips wisely.

This article appeared on the Longhairs