6 Hair Tips To Try At Home

Nothing feels as amazing as being pampered by a professional, but when we can’t get a hair appointment it’s time to roll up the sleeves and treat ourselves at home. You’d be surprised at the difference it can make not only to your hair, but to your entire mood. Here are 6 hair tips to show your crown some lovin’ at home.

  1. Warm Oil Treatment

This can be used as a pre-poo treatment or on clean hair. The warm oil will help add moisture, strengthen, and nourish the scalp and hair.

  • Heat 2-6 tbsp of desired oil (olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, etc) in the microwave until it’s warm to the touch. Be sure to use a microwave safe bowl
  • Apply to the scalp and hair using your fingers or with a dropper. Section the hair into 4 and massage oil from root to end. Carefully detangle each section to help evenly distribute the oil. Cover with a plastic cap for 20 mins minimum
  • Rinse out and continue with your regular hair routine
  • For an extra treat, add 2-5 drops of peppermint oil to stimulate the scalp and create a tingly sensation. Note: Avoid if you have sensitive skin/scalp. Be sure to perform a test patch. And if you hate the smell of peppermint, avoid this entirely.
  1. Dust Ends 

Snipping or dusting the ends of our hair eliminates split ends and prevents further breakage. Overall this contributes to healthy hair growth and can instantly improve the appearance by trimming a minimal amount.

  • Sift through your hair and with small scissors, snip 1⁄4” or less when you come across any split or rough ends. It may be helpful to separate hair into 4 sections to keep track of what has been cut
  • Best done on dry hair

NOTE: Keep in mind this is not meant to reshape the hair, but to simply clean up the ends. Don’t get carried away and start cutting inches. You have been warned.

 

  1. Add Heat/Steam to Deep Conditioner/Hair Mask 

Adding steam or heat to your hair opens up the follicle to better absorb moisture from products (especially on low porosity hair). It’s also useful to help unclog pores in our scalp and encourage healthy hair growth. Don’t forget, hair growth starts at the root so it’s important to keep our scalps happy.

You can do this by using a hooded dryer, a thermal cap, or putting on a plastic cap and using your own body heat.

  • Apply a deep conditioner or hair mask to clean hair
  • Apply heat to the hair (in whatever way you choose) for a minimum of 20 minutes
  • Rinse product out of hair and proceed with your regular hair routine
  • Can be done weekly, bi weekly, or monthly depending on your hair porosity and regular hair regime
  1. Create Slip with Hair Products 

One of the best hair tips I got from a curly stylist; massage, massage, massage in your hair products. Why? It creates slip. And slip equals moisture.

What is slip?

Yes, you guessed it, slip should feel slippery! It is how smooth a product feels as it’s being worked through the hair. It relates to how lubricated the hair feels and how easy the product glides from root to tip.

Whether we are talking about conditioner, leave-in conditioner, deep conditioner, etc, all of these products should make your hair feel hydrated as you are using them. The more you massage the product in, the more it will hydrate the hair (adding slip).

If you have textured hair, this is especially beneficial because it begins to clump those beautiful waves, curls and coils together. It will help reduce frizz and add definition during the styling process. You can also add a bit of oil to any of your hair products to encourage slip (useful tip for shampoo).

Some oils you can use for slip:

  • Coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, jojoba oil
  • Raw honey or agave

Massaging products and creating slip does require a little extra time to be spent on our hair, but it’s so worth it! A little TLC in between hair appointments goes a long way.

  1. Use a Silk Bonnet/Pillow Case 

Tossing and turning throughout the night can cause breakage to our hair and increase frizz (no thanks). Try using a silk bonnet to reduce friction and protect our precious hair while sleeping. If silk bonnets just don’t stay on throughout the night, opt for a silk scarf. This is hands down, one of my favorite hair tips to share.

How to Use:

  • Plop your hair in a pineapple on top of your head. I like to use a silk scrunchie for this =). If your hair is shorter, you can do two ponytails: one at the top and one in the middle
  • Wrap the scarf around your head and tie in a knot or bow at the top

So you still can’t get a silk scarf to stay on? Then maybe it’s time to try a pillowcase. Swap a cotton pillowcase for a silk/satin one and rest easy at night. There’s no need to worry about anything falling off your head and your hair can still reap the benefits.

Another perk to using a silk/satin pillowcase, is it can help reduce wrinkles by providing a slippery surface for our skin. Win-win!

 

  1. Track Hair Growth with Pictures 

I know the feeling all too well when you think you’re doing so much good for your hair, but it just doesn’t seem to grow. Well, guess what? It IS! Sometimes we can’t see our growth because we see our hair 24/7.

The fix? Pictures.

Take a selfie with your crown and revisit that photo in a couple of months. You’d be surprised how much it has changed over the course of a few weeks. If it hasn’t gotten longer then maybe it’s gotten fuller. Volume means growth, too! Don’t just strive for length, strive for healthy hair. Just because hair is long, doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

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What are some of your favorite hair tips for home care?

Leave your recommendations, comments or questions below.