How To Take Care of Long Hair: Our Complete Guide

Does Long Hair Require More Care?

While every head of hair is different, long hair typically requires a bit more care than short strands. The reason: As hair grows longer, the older parts of your hair (from mid-shaft to ends) often become susceptible to dryness, breakage, and tangling. To compound matters, the natural oils from your scalp may also have a harder time reaching the tips, which can leave long hair feeling parched, stiff, and vulnerable to damage.

Dry, damaged ends aside, longer hair may be more prone to buildup and, by extension, may require a more thorough cleansing and conditioning routine. (Editor’s Tip: You can brush up on your hair-washing skills in our guide, Suds Up the Right Way—Here's How to Wash Your Hair Properly.) Finally, styling fragile long hair, whether you’re using hot tools or weaving complex braids, can also lead to accidental damage if not done gently and carefully. To help keep your long hair in optimal shape, you’ll want to adopt a routine that addresses dryness while managing and preventing damage. This brings us to our next point…

Good hair day by @dama.beauty.

How Do You Keep Your Hair Long and Healthy-Looking?

There are plenty of things you can do to keep your long locks looking and feeling their best. Here’s our best advice on how to properly take care of long hair.

Use length-strengthening products

The first step in any effective hair-lengthening routine is to use haircare formulas designed to strengthen your hair. These kinds of products help promote length retention by reducing breakage and split ends. We’re partial to a system like Redken Extreme Length. All the formulas in this line, which features a shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and leave-in treatment, are formulated with biotin and Redken’s Length Care Complex to help prevent breakage and encourage hair to grow longer and stronger. Whether you’re trying to grow waist-length strands or protect your ‘do from damage, you’ll want these products in your arsenal.

Restore hydration

When your long mane looks or feels parched, it may be time to reach for more hydrating hair formulas. We recommend starting in the shower with Redken’s All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner. This duo features an enriching Moisture Complex that replenishes moisture and creates intense softness. Plus, the formulas boast a smart, targeted delivery system that treats hair from the root to the core to the tip; this way, all three levels of strands receive the nourishment needed to remain soft and healthy-looking.

Your journey to soft, smooth hair doesn’t end with cleansing and conditioning. You should also treat your mane to a weekly, five-minute hair mask, like Redken’s All Soft Heavy Cream Hair Mask. Formulated with Redken’s highest percentage of Moisture Complex with argan oil, this mask strengthens hair, provides maximum moisture replenishment, and increases manageability and shine.

Good hair day by @baileyroseking.

Keep your lengths tangle-free

A cardinal rule when learning how to care for long hair is to always ensure you’re brushing properly. Long hair is particularly prone to knots and tangles, which means you need to be extra careful when detangling it. We suggest heeding the following tricks when brushing through princess-length hair:

• Soaking wet strands are more fragile and prone to breakage, so it’s important to squeeze out excess water before detangling. We recommend wringing out sopping wet hair while you’re in the shower, then using a microfiber towel or a cotton T-shirt to dry hair as soon as you step out.
• The way you dry your hair also matters: Aggressively rubbing your hair with a towel or T-shirt can cause friction and damage. Instead, try gently blotting hair to soak up extra moisture. Once your hair is fully towel-dried, you’re ready to begin detangling.
• Be sure to apply a leave-in detangler like Biolage Professional All-In-One Coconut Infusion Multi-Benefit Treatment Spray throughout your hair before brushing. This will give your hair some slip, which can help you break apart knots more easily.
• Use a wide-tooth comb to tackle knots at the ends of your hair before gradually working your way up. Combing from the bottom to the top makes removing any knots easier while keeping pulling and tugging to a minimum.

Pay attention to your scalp

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Healthy-looking hair begins at the scalp, so it’s essential to prioritize scalp care in your routine. Adding a pre-shampoo treatment like Biolage Professional Scalp Sync Purifying Scalp Concentrate is a great place to start. This exfoliating, clarifying, and calming formula refreshes the scalp from excess oil and product buildup in just one use. For more information on how to use Scalp Sync in your regimen, check out our article How To Manage Greasy Hair With the Biolage Scalp Sync Collection.

Scale back on heat styling

Whether you have waist-long hair or are sporting a layered bob, it’s best to limit heat styling when possible. Those with long tresses, however, should be particularly wary of the damage caused by heat styling since strands are more prone to breakage. Now, we’re not saying you need to ditch hot tools completely, but it’s best to let your mane air-dry when you can to keep it feeling healthy and strong.

Simplify your heat-free styling routine by using an air-dry product specifically formulated for your hair type and concerns. If you have straight or naturally wavy hair, create effortless beach waves with a texturizing spray like Pureology’s Style + Protect Beach Waves Sugar Spray or Matrix’s A Curl Can Dream Scrunch N' Go Defining Spray. Those with coarse or unruly hair, on the other hand, may want to invest in an air-dry styler designed to tackle frizz. We recommend a smoothing cream like Redken’s Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Leave-In Cream to keep flyaways and frustrating puffiness to a minimum.

Natural ringlets and coils come with their own set of styling needs—especially if they’re on the lengthier side. If you’re concerned about frizz or lack of volume, opt for a lightweight curl-enhancing formula like Mizani True Textures Perfect Coil Oil Gel. The unique oil-gel moisturizes, defines, and elongates curls and coils, making it a must-have for wash-and-go styles.

Good hair day by @eb.friseure.

When you do heat style, don’t skip heat protectant

Sometimes, glamorous waves are just what you need to pull your look together. When the time comes to heat style,always apply a generous amount of heat protectant from roots to ends before reaching for your hot tools. The Redken Thermal Spray 11 Low Hold is one of our all-time favorites. This lightweight, thermal heat protection hairspray is perfect for use with flat irons and curling irons up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and works to protect your hair. It also adds a clean-feeling, touchable hold to give your favorite hairstyles more staying power.

Good hair day by @ugcemilys.

Protect your hair while you sleep

Tossing and turning all night can wreak havoc on your hair, so taking the right measures to shield your lengthy locks is essential. We suggest gathering your hair into a loose braid or pineapple hairstyle while you sleep to avoid snagging and pulling.

In addition, cotton pillowcases can sometimes cause static, frizz, and tangles. As such, you may want to consider swapping them out for gentle fabrics such as satin or silk to eliminate hair-damaging friction. Making this small switch can significantly improve how your mermaid-length hair looks and feels when you wake up. And while we’re on the subject, try to avoid going to sleep with wet hair if you can—discover why in our article, Is It Bad to Sleep With Wet Hair? The Answer May Surprise You.

Good hair day by @dremalczewska.

Opt for loose hairstyles

We have a love/hate relationship with tight ponytails and buns. On the one hand, we love that they keep your hair from getting tangled or all sweaty during a workout. On the other hand, with all the pulling and tugging required to achieve them, you may be causing unnecessary fallout and damage. Skip the high-and-tight styles and go for loose braids and updos that won’t pull on your hair as much.

Pro tip: You may also want to consider trading in your regular hair elastic for a hair scrunchie or a hair bungee. The latter is a straight piece of elastic with clips on either end designed to wrap around the base of any hairstyle. Essentially, it allows you to create and unravel hairstyles easily without causing friction. You can also opt for hair accessories made from materials like satin or silk.

Maintain a haircutting schedule

Contrary to one of the oldest misconceptions in the hair world, you don’t need to skip haircuts to maintain long hair. You can snip an inch or so off every few weeks and still keep your luscious length. A regular trim or dusting can help rid your mane of split ends that can travel up the hair shaft and lead to breakage that may otherwise hinder your hair-growth goals.

How often you should go in for a trim depends on a few factors, including your hair type, haircare habits, and how fast your hair grows. Those who perm, color, or heat style color their hair, for example, may need to hit the salon more frequently. If you’re not exactly sure how often to book a trim, work with your stylist to determine a schedule that works best for you. When you can’t make it into the salon, keep your lengths feeling healthy between trims with a treatment like Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Anti-Breakage Leave-In Treatment. This formula provides heat protection and helps protect against breakage and split ends.

Next Up: 38 Easy Hairstyles for Long Hair We Can't Get Enough Of

Interested in more long haircare tips? Use our salon locator to book an appointment at a salon near you. For immediate pro advice, take our Hair quiz.

Header image credits (left to right): @dama.beauty and @redkenpro