6 steps to healthy hair that cost NOTHING.

By JO ABI

It’s Spring Racing time and my hair is about to be styled to within an inch of its life for an extended period of time. Because there’s no point finding a fab dress, awesome shoes and semi-comfy shape wear unless your hair looks PERFECT.

And that means:

• Blowdrying;
• Straightening;
• Curling;
• Spraying;

Fastening with various torture devices such as bobby pins.

Sometimes I straighten it THEN curl it (because the curls look better this way)…

Sometimes I curl it first THEN put it up in a bun (because it looks fuller this way)…

If my hair was a person it would hate me. Quite possibly it would run away from me screaming in terror, hiding behind a bush, quivering in fear. My hair should look terrible. It should look weak, straw-like, thin and damaged.

But it doesn’t. It’s really really healthy. It’s healthy because of what I do IN BETWEEN challenging styles, six little tricks and tips that cost absolutely nothing.

So get yourself a glass of champagne, sit down and prepare to be amazed because I am going to share them with you.

Clink, clink (we just clinked our champagne glasses together).

1. Wash your hair a maximum of three times each week.

I’ve never understood why some people wash their hair every single day. I think they equate clean hair with overall cleanliness but your hair doesn’t like to be washed every day. It needs time for natural oils to build up and nourish. Get into the habit of washing it every other day or even less.

In fact, I find it much easier to style my hair the day after a wash so the day before the races, wash it then put it in a bun or a low ponytail. Better still, let it dry naturally. Then it’s ready to be styled the following day.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Dove. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words. 

2. Always make sure your hair is dirty before colouring it.

Before colouring your hair, whether you do it at home or at the hairdresser, make sure it hasn’t been washed for a couple of days. My friend who is a hairdresser told me that hair colour turns out much better if it is applied to dirty hair. Not sure why.

But what I do know is that all that natural oil coats and protects your hair from harsh chemicals. And by the way, the hairdresser is going to shampoo it twice and then condition it after the colour has finished developing so it doesn’t make much sense to wash it beforehand as well.

3. Never brush it while it is wet.

Brushing your hair while it is wet is a bad habit. STOP IT. Just finger comb it then give it a blow dry. You don’t need to brush your hair straight out of the shower. You hair is in a weakened state when it is wet and it needs lots of TLC, not harsh brush strokes.

I always make sure to finger comb it in the shower while the conditioner is working and then it’s ready to be dried and styled.

And forget all that old-movie-inspired 500 brushstrokes at bedtime (or was it 100) because that’s just nuts. Although old-movie-inspired sleeping on a silk pillowcase is probably a good idea. Not that I’ve ever done that.

4. Use intensive repair shampoo and conditioner, even if you think you don’t need it.

For as long as I can remember I always use intensive repair shampoo and conditioner. Why not? Shampoo and conditioner is pretty sophisticated these days and they don’t tend to leave any sort of heaviness or film on your hair anymore so you can use the best, most nourishing products, even if your hair is already healthy.

You hair can never get enough of a good thing, especially during racing season. It needs all the goodness, nourishing and repair it can get.

5. Let it dry naturally at least once a week.

I try and let my hair dry naturally after being washed at least once a week, preferably two. Why use heat on it if you don’t have to.

There are so many simple hairstyles you can do with wet or semi-wet hair so you give your hair a break in between styling sessions and hairspray applications. I normally wash it, let it hang lose while I get dressed and have breakfast and then put it in a bun or low ponytail for work.

6. Never try and brush a style out.

You can leave your hair out for the races so long as you have an awesome hat or fascinator or headband to wear. But you’re always going to put a bit of hairspray in it, right?

The last thing you want to try and do if you’ve styled your hair in any way, especially complicated styles involving lots of pins, is try and brush it all out later. Talk about torture. Don’t do it. It’s best to wash it out later with love and tenderness. Then give it a good finger comb (I’m a massive fan of the old finger comb) so it isn’t traumatised any further than it already has been.

FINAL TIP: If you do happen to get champagne in your hair (hey, it’s the races, it happens more often than you’d think) then definitely give your hair a wash when you get home and let it dry naturally. Hopefully that champagne bottle was shaken and opened up after YOU won, not somebody else.

See you at the races!

Looking for some hair colour inspiration? Look no further..

Worried about how your hair is going to handle the (styling) heat this party season?  Look no further than Dove Hair Therapy Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner  to keep you hair healthy enough to get you though. Created with  a NEW MicroSheet Technology, this unique formulation works to repair dry, fatigued and damaged hair, leaving your locks well nourished and healthy. The MicroSheet technology means that  the conditioner is more evenly deposited on the hair fibre and as a result during the rinse, when water flows down the hair fibres, the hair bundle swells (when the hair feels slippery), this process forces fibres apart and detangles the hair, leaving it healthy, soft and smooth. The perfect base for any party hairstyle!