8 things you need to stop doing to your hair

We're going to go through 8 common mistakes you might be making that can be affecting the health of your hair.

Some of these require a simple swap of products and others might go against what you have been taught. But they are all tips that we know will benefit your hair when implemented. This list is not in any order of importance, they are all equally important.

1. Leaving oil on your scalp for a prolonged period

Oil should not be on your scalp for longer than overnight. Oil is naturally sticky, so if you are walking around with oil on your scalp, you’re allowing dust to stick to your scalp. Even when braiding your hair, the stylist should not be adding an oil to your scalp because that oil will stay on your scalp until your next wash day and it’s aggressively adding build up. If you want to add something to your scalp on your non-wash days, we recommend a water-based product, not an oil-based solution. For that reason, when you use our Scalp Elixir we recommend leaving it on your scalp for 1 hour or up to overnight before washing it off.

2. Washing your hair less than once a week

The purpose of washing your hair is keeping your scalp clean. Keeping your scalp clean means that your hair follicles can thrive. Prolonging your wash days can result in scalp build-up which we have explored in-depth in an article you can find here. The effects of scalp build up can result in itchy scalp, dry scalp, dandruff and hair loss.

3. Neglecting your scalp

This is where your hair grows from, and it is skin. For the longest time, in mainstream media, the focus has always been on hair. As soon as hair grows out of the follicle and breaks through the scalp the strand is dead. So if your hair is damaged, dry etc you can only "fix" it temporarily by coating it with the right products. To get the “root” of the problem or to maintain the health of your hair, you need to focus on your scalp and make sure it is the healthiest it can be. Massaging it, applying topical scalp focused oils, like our Scalp Elixir and keeping it clean with our Shampoo Brush. This will give you amazing benefits in the long-term.

4. Wearing your hair in tight hair styles often

This habit is the number one reason why people suffer from traction alopecia. We have a detailed article which you can read here. Traction alopecia is caused when there is continued tension at your hair follicle. This can be caused by tight braids, long/heavy braids, microbraids, tight ponytails. You get the general picture. It’s fine to do these hairstyles every once in a while, but do it sparingly and don’t keep these styles in for a long time

5. Heat styling without using heat protectant

This is the equivalent of not wearing sunscreen before you go out. It causes damage. Prior to applying heat to your hair, whether it be blow drying and especially if using heat tools, you must apply a heat protectant. We recommend using a water-based heat protectant, not oil-based. You need to coat your hair very well with heat protectant to ensure you are getting the adequate protection. Doing that with an oil-based heat protectant is guaranteed to make your hair look greasy.

6. Using regular bath towels to dry your hair

Regular bath towels cause too much friction against your hair. Opt for a microfiber towel which have finer threads, so they are gentler on your hair and absorb the right amount of moisture from your hair without causing frizz. This is especially important for our curly/coily hair girls.

7. Blow drying your hair when it’s very wet

When heat styling you want to limit the time as much as possible to protect your hair. It’s best practice to blow dry or diffuse your hair when your hair is already 70% dry. Get six more simple heat styling tips here.

8. Sleeping on cotton pillowcases

One of the easiest changes to make. Cotton is an abrasive and absorbent material. Which means its roughing up your skin and hair while you sleep. Satin on the other hand is soft, slippery, and non-absorbent. So, your hair, and skin, is treated gently all night and moisture remains on your hair and skin instead of being absorbed by your pillowcase. Swapping out your cotton pillowcase for a satin pillowcase like ours makes a notable difference.