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How to Take Care of Your Hair: 25 Hair Care Tips You Need to Know

We gathered the best hair care advice from Hair.com in one place so you can have your healthiest mane yet.

Whether your hair is long or short each head of hair is unique, with its own quirks and needs. This can sometimes make it hard to find the hair care tips and products that are right for your mane. Lucy for you, there are some hair care rules that everyone should follow, no matter their hair type or concern. If you’ve ever wondered, how do I take care of my hair daily, we’ve got you covered. We scoured Hair.com and curated a list of the best tips, tricks, and products that are a must-have for any healthy hair care routine.


Keep scrolling for a guide on how to take care of your hair the right way.

How can I get healthy hair naturally?

Identify your hair type.

When it comes to caring for your hair, understanding your mane’s texture and needs is the first step. Take notice of the look and feel of your strands sans product. Is there some waviness, or is it totally flat and straight? Do you often experience frizz, a crispy-feeling texture, or oiliness at the roots? Understanding your hair type will help you find the right products and techniques for your hair.

Invest in salon-quality products.

We love shopping at the drugstore as much as the next person, but there’s a reason the best stylist and colorists rely on high-end hair care—if you want your hair to look the best, you’ve got to use the best! If you’re unsure where to start, ask your stylist for at-home hair product recommendations and they’ll let you know which products to stock up on.

Maintain regular haircuts.

Split ends can put a serious damper on the look and feel of your mane—which is why chopping them off now and then is essential. You should book a trim appointment anywhere from every few weeks to every few months, depending on your hair type, current chop, and hair goals. Click here for everything you need to know about how often you should trim your hair.

If you’re searching for a way to protect your mane from split ends between appointments, use a hair treatment like Pureology Strength Cure Split End Salve Treatment. This strengthening formula helps prevent split ends while providing velvet-like softness and shine

Try a pre-shampoo treatment.

Pre-shampoo treatments can help you begin to achieve your healthy hair goals before you even wash your hair. Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment is the first step to correcting hair damage inside and out. When used as a pre-treatment prior to shampooing this highly reparative rinse-off formula works within your hair to strengthen hair bonds weakened by stressors like hair color, lightening, aggressive brushing, daily heat-styling, and more, while also smoothing and conditioning your hair’s cuticle for a silkier, healthier appearance—and does all of this in as little as five to 10 minutes!

Don’t overwash your hair.

It’s a common misconception that you should wash your hair every day. Many hair pros warn that over-shampooing can strip your mane of its natural oils (a big no-no if your strands already suffer from dryness or damage). Stick to shampooing twice a week or every other day and use a dry shampoo like Redken Deep Clean Dry Shampoo in-between washes to give your mane a refresh.

Shampoo the right way.

If you apply shampoo all over your mane, it’s time to rethink your technique. Unless you feel a lot of product build-up on your strands, focus your shampoo application on your scalp where most of the product residue and oil build-up. After giving your scalp a good scrub, the suds will travel down your strands washing away any build-up and impurities. Applying shampoo to your scalp instead of all over your head will help to prevent your strands from looking and feeling dry.

Care for your scalp.

Much like the skin on your face, the skin on your head needs TLC to look and feel its best. One of our favorite ways to care for our scalp is with a scrub. Kérastase has a range of scalp scrubs we can’t get enough of, including Kérastase Chronologiste Pré-Cleanse Régénérant. This revitalizing and purifying pre-shampoo scrub is infused with charcoal and hyaluronic acid to help purify and remove impurities for a balanced scalp.

Only apply conditioner to mid-lengths and ends.

Much like your shampoo, where you apply your conditioner can make or break your healthy hair care routine. Conditioner is formulated to moisturize and hydrate your strands, not your scalp. In fact, applying conditioner to your scalp can cause your roots to look oily faster than usual or even clog the follicles on your scalp. So when it’s time to conditioner your mane, only apply the creamy formula to your mid-lengths and ends.

Limit heat styling.

You’re likely the proud owner of a hair dryer, curling iron, and flat iron. When it comes to keeping your mane healthy, however, it’s best to avoid heat styling as much as possible. Applying excessive heat to your hair can cause damage, dryness, and color fading. Stylists recommend using any hot tool at its lowest setting and priming your hair with a heat protectant like Mizani Style Shifter Society Heat Screen Heat Protectant Spray when you do decide to heat style. This weightless, heat-protectant spray formulated with rose water extract shields your hair from heat damage up to 450°F.

Find the right hair treatment.

Hair treatments are one of the easiest ways to achieve your hair goals. Whether it’s a rinse-off or leave-in treatment, these targeting products will address your most pressing hair care concerns. Not sure which hair treatment is right for you, we’ve got you covered with our easy-to-use hair treatment guide.

Skip hot showers.

There’s nothing more relaxing than a hot shower, but your favorite self-care routine may wreak havoc on your strands. Washing your hair with hot water can lead to frizz before you even begin styling. When possible, wash your hair in lukewarm or cold water instead of hot.

Detangle with care.

Let’s be real—no one loves spending time detangling their hair. Detangling is easily one of the most frustrating steps in a hair care routine. However, if not done correctly detangling can leave your mane worse off than it started. Use our step-by-step guide to ensure you’re detangling your hair the right way.

Ditch rough towels.

Your bath towel may be great for drying your body but keep it far away from your mane. The rough cotton texture can pull at your strands creating frizz and damage. Instead, use a hair towel that is made specifically to gently dry hair.

Brush often—but correctly.

Much like detangling, brushing incorrectly (or with the wrong tools) can cause damage and create more tangles. Click here for our full guide to brushing your hair the right way, depending on your hair type. As a rule of thumb, always use a hair detangler like Redken One United Multi-Benefit Hair Treatment Spray before you begin brushing to ease the process.

Leave hair color to the professionals.

There’s nothing more tempting than walking down the haircare aisle at your local drugstore and seeing all of the hair color options, but if healthy hair is what you’re after we implore you to make an appointment with a trusted colorist. A colorist will be able to assess your mane, take into consideration your hair color goals, and come up with a plan that maintains the integrity of your hair.

Don’t pull hair too tightly.

We love a snatched ponytail as much as the next person, but tight styles put unnecessary stress on your strands that can lead to breakage and even hair loss. If you can’t give up the snatched look completely, leave your favorite tight hairstyles for special occasions.

Rely on low-manipulation styles.

When it comes to hair care, sometimes less is more. When looking for your go-to everyday look, consider a low-manipulation style that doesn’t put too much strain on your strands.

Protect your strands from the sun.

We know how important it is to protect our skin from harmful UV rays, but did you know your scalp and strands can also benefit from protection? The easiest way to protect your strands from sun damage this summer is to incorporate products formulated with UV protection into your hair care routine.

Protect your strands from salt water and chlorine.

There’s nothing we love more than beachy, windswept hair, but without the proper protection, your favorite summer activities can wreak havoc on your hair. The most important thing you can do to protect your hair from chlorine or saltwater before heading to the beach or pool is to rinse your hair with fresh water. By rinsing your hair with fresh water before jumping in pool water, your hair will absorb more of the freshwater and less of the salt or chlorine.

Invest in salon treatments.

If you’re looking to take your hair care to the next level, there’s nothing better than a salon treatment. Whether your hair needs some serious moisture or a protein boost, a salon treatment will give your results you’ll never be able to replicate at home.

Never DIY chemical treatments.

Much like hair color, you should never attempt a chemical hair treatment like a relaxer or keratin treatment at home. If applied incorrectly, you can seriously damage your hair. Save yourself the disappointment and just make a salon appointment.

Don’t let hairstyles overstay their welcome.

Whether it’s a protective style like box braids, a messy top knot, or extensions, keeping the same hairstyle for too long can cause stress and damage to your strands. When installing a long-term hairstyle, be sure to ask your stylist when you should remove it. And always take down your daily hairstyles before going to sleep.

Don’t sleep with wet hair.

Your hair is most fragile when it’s wet, which means it’s extra important to treat your wet strands with care. When you toss and turn in your sleep, your strands can become tangled and damaged—even more so when they’re wet. Always dry your hair completely before going to bed, and protect your strands with a silk or satin scarf or pillowcase.

Take care of your body.

It may be at the bottom of the list, but this is one of the most important tips to help you achieve your healthiest hair. If you want your hair to look its best, be sure to eat whole foods, drink lots of water, get plenty of rest, and move your body once a day. When your body looks and feels its best, your hair will too.

Know when to ask for help.

If you are following all of our hair care tips but are still dealing with issues like breakage and hair fall, it may be time to make an appointment with a trusted doctor. A dermatologist who specializes in trichology can help you get to the root of your hair woes and put together a plan to get your mane back on track.

Ready to stock your shower with our best salon-quality products? Shop all of your hair care needs at Hair.com

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