BEAUTY
How These Bad Habits Could Be Ruining Your Hair
By JELENA ASKA
Clean Your Brush
Hairbrushes accumulate product buildup, skin, and dust, so it’s important to clean them regularly. Soak your brush in water with some clarifying shampoo and scrub between the bristles with an old toothbrush; once you rinse it, let it dry, and spritz it with a bit of disinfectant.
Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo can keep your hair looking fresh and healthy for a little while longer, but it isn’t the best thing to use too often. Dry shampoo can trap buildup on your scalp and weaken your hair, so make sure to use a clarifying shampoo and a scalp massager to remove it completely.
Hot Water
Constantly washing your hair with hot water can dry your hair, increase hair loss, and cause scalp inflammation. Per Better Not Younger, around 100 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature, with a final cold water rinse to close your hair follicles and maintain scalp health.
Ponytails & Buns
Repeatedly wearing your hair in a tight bun or ponytail can cause excessive hair loss as well as hair breakage. Regrowth expert Lars Skjoth tells Mane Addicts, “When the hair is pulled into a tight hairstyle, it creates tension between the hair and the follicle and can tear the follicle.”
Brushing Wet Hair
Your hair is most vulnerable when it’s wet, so it’s advised to brush your hair before you wash it or “when it is almost or completely dry,” according to hairstylist Rob Reeves. He also adds that “you can use a wide-tooth comb on your wet hair … but make sure it has smooth tooth ends.”