Step 1
Following a balanced diet not only makes you healthy, it keeps your scalp producing the oil that coats, hydrates and protects each strand. Try foods rich in omega-3 fats, such as salmon and walnuts, if you want to zap dry hair or dry skin. The fatty acids are what your body turns into sebum, or skin oils. Keep hydrated with eight glasses of water a day – no cheating and substituting diet soda for water – to help your body produce that oil at maximum efficiency.
Step 2
Hot water sucks moisture away from strands, so forget about taking steaming hot showers. Wash your hair with warm water, massage shampoo into your hair gently and rinse with warm water. Work the conditioner into your strands, soak for the time directed and rinse with warm water. This next part is super important – always rinse your hair in cool water for at least 60 seconds after washing and conditioning. The cool water closes cuticles to lock in moisture and give your hair mega-shine. A cool rinse can literally be the difference between silken strands all your friends envy and straw-like strands all your friends pity.
Step 3
Show your locks the love with a weekly deep-conditioning treatment to help restore moisture. If you don’t want to spend your silver on salon brands, do a treatment at home using mayonnaise, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil or jojoba oil. Massage the treatment over your tresses, tuck your hair into a shower cap and let the treatment soak in for 30 to 45 minutes. Jump in the shower, wash away the treatment with shampoo and rinse with cool water.
Step 4
Lay off the styling products and tools, because what’s the point of eating right and doing weekly treatments if you’re going to sap away every drop of moisture during the styling process? The more products you use, such as gel or hairspray, the more build-up you creates and the more moisture destroyed. The more tools you use, such as blow-dryers and flat-irons, the more you cook moisture away — so use heated tools only when vital.
