Something we don’t talk about nearly enough is how to take care of long hair. Did you know long hair requires different care than short hair? In fact, if you care for long hair the same way you do short hair, you can cause serious damage to your hair.
If this is news to you, don’t worry! We’re here to help. Keep reading as we share out 7 top tips on how to keep your long hair healthy and to give it the love and TLC it needs!
Related: How to Care For High Porosity Hair
How to take care of long hair: 7 top tips
From washing to drying and styling, we’re breaking down all the best tips on how to take care of your long hair.
1. don’t over wash your hair
If you have long hair, you shouldn’t shampoo it every day. Instead, opt for a schedule where you shampoo your hair every third day. If you’re someone who exercises or completes other strenuous activities daily, you can still rinse your hair daily and skip the shampoo. Or, you can choose to only condition your hair.
And when you do shampoo, focus more on your scalp versus your ends. They are most likely already dry and shampooing them will only dry them out even more.
Also, important, be sure to choose a color-safe and pH-balanced shampoo like our Color Care Shampoo that will protect your hair and help you maintain vibrant color.
2. avoid heat tools when styling
When it comes to drying your hair, it’s best to avoid heat tools altogether. Air drying is your best bet. If you’re looking for a safe and effective way to dry your hair, try the plopping method. While it’s especially effective on curly hair, just a heads up that it may add texture to straight hair. More on the plopping method in this blog post.
Or, if you absolutely must use heat tools, keep your usage to a maximum of one or two times a week and on low to medium heat.
3. maintain healthy hair with regular trims
Little known fact: split ends can actually cause your hair to stop growing and can contribute to making your hair appear thinner and duller. That’s why you’ll want to prevent split ends by getting your hair trimmed at least twice a year.
4. choose the right hair brush
Did you know that if you have long hair, you shouldn’t be using the same brush as your short-haired friends? Brushes or combs with fine bristles can cause friction and end up damaging or pulling out individual strands of hair. Instead of fine bristles, opt for a boar bristle brush (or vegan alternative) or wet brush. When brushing, start at the ends of your hair and work your way up to ensure that no pressure is put on your roots. This will also help to minimize damage.
It’s also best to comb or brush your hair on the days you don’t wash. Brushing your hair or massaging your scalp will stimulate your follicles and disperse your body’s natural oils, keeping them healthy and moisturized.
5. keep long hair well-conditioned
Conditioners are key for long hair both in and out of the shower. And the more tangle-free your hair is before combing or styling, the better. For best results, gently wring out your hair before applying conditioner in the shower. This will help the products penetrate the cuticle and moisturize the deeper layers of your hair.
Since in-shower conditioners only have a few minutes to “work their magic”, leave-in conditioners like our CC Cream Leave-in Conditioner are a great alternative. This formula is created with 96% natural ingredients including shea butter, baobab, and sunflower seed extracts. These ingredients work together to moisturize and nourish for more manageable tangle-free hair.
6. choose hair bands that don’t pull at the root
Remember all those scrunchies you have hanging around in your bathroom drawers? Well now is their time to shine! Scrunchies or plastic hair coils don’t pull your hair from the root and help your hair avoid any unnecessary stress. Use your scrunchies to rock a bun or ponytail and avoid knots too!
Only one word of caution here when it comes to scrunchies – the looser, the better. Avoid tight scrunchies that may cause hair breakage.
7. color your ends last
When coloring long hair, it’s important to remember to color your ends last (if you need to color them at all!). Longer hair is generally more porous, and therefore, takes color more readily and doesn’t need as much time to process.
Wrapping up
Taking care of long hair takes patience and dedication but the results are oh so worth it! And if you’re trying to grow long hair, keep in mind that the average human head of hair grows at an average of about half an inch every month, so keep these tips in mind and again, patience is key!
Now that you know how to take care of your long hair (current or future), you’ll be able to maintain healthy and beautiful hair for life! And, if you’re looking to switch up your shade for the season, be sure to check out our line of permanent hair colors – we’re the first to be certified by the USDA BioPreferred ® Program!
