Sometimes, no matter how many hair care products we slather on, we just can’t stop our tresses from breaking or getting frizzy. If you’ve been trying to rescue your crowning glory to no avail, perhaps you’ve been making some hair care mistakes without even realising.
Not to worry. We’ve got you covered every step of the way, from the washing to drying and maintenance. Avoid these commonly overlooked boo-boos and you’ll be having healthier hair in no time.
Read on to find out more about common hair care mistakes to avoid!
- Hair washing mistakes -
#1: Using hot water for hair washing
Photo from @hansgrohe via Instagram
A hot shower may feel refreshing, but excessively high temperatures will affect the condition of your hair, robbing it of its natural moisture. Scalding hot water might also cause your scalp to become red and inflamed.
Get into the habit of using cool or lukewarm water instead. You’ll also save on the water bill as less energy will be used.
#2: Lathering shampoo straight onto your hair
Photo from GirlStyle
Many people pump shampoo onto their hands, and start lathering directly on the hair and scalp. However, all the rubbing can cause your hair to break, so it’s better to work up some bubbles on your palms first before starting on your scalp.
Do also make sure that your hair is sufficiently wet, otherwise it will be harder for the shampoo to foam up properly.
#3: Forgetting to massage your scalp during hair washes
It’s especially easy to be guilty of this when you have very long hair. When your tresses are piled on top of your head, your scalp becomes harder to reach when shampooing, and you might just miss out on it.
Ensure that you give your scalp a thorough massage - using your fingertips, not your nails - to get rid of any nasty buildup and stimulate blood circulation.
#4: Letting conditioner touch your scalp
Photo from @lushkharkov via Instagram
Conditioner is only meant to moisturise the ends of your hair. Applying it onto your scalp can result in clogged follicles, which leads to hair fall. If your scalp is dry and itchy, use a proper scalp mask to help rejuvenate it.
Photo from @wonderlushie via Instagram
LUSH’s Roots Hair Treatment ($55) is a highly-raved hair and scalp mask lauded for alleviating dandruff, itchiness, and sensitivity. Infused with spearmint, it gives a cooling, tingly sensation, and also helps to stimulate hair growth.
#5: Shampooing too frequently or too little
Photo from @drjacobsnaturals via Instagram
Our hair comes with natural oils that help moisturise it, and washing it too frequently will strip it of its shine. You don’t want to be washing your hair multiple times a day as that will make it dull and rough.
It is recommended to wash your hair on alternate days, or every 2-3 days if you can take it. However, we tend to get sweaty easily in Singapore, so if that’s not possible, limit it to once a day at the max - even if you shower twice daily.
Try not to go without shampooing for too long if you have an oily scalp, as excess sebum will clog hair follicles and eventually lead to thinning hair. It’s all about keeping a good balance based on your individual hair and scalp condition.
Photo from @batistesg via Instagram
One way to keep your hair looking fresh without washing is to use dry shampoo. Batiste has many different scents of dry shampoo which you can get at Watsons ($3.90 for 50ml, $12.90 for 200ml).
- Hair drying mistakes -
#6: Wringing your hair after a shower
Photo from Shutterstock
It’s tempting to wring your sopping wet mane after a shower, but that only stresses the tresses. Instead of twisting at full force, gently squeeze using your hands or a towel to let the water out.
#7: Leaving post-shower hair in a towel for too long
Photo from Cheap Staked via Pinterest
Bundling your wet locks in a towel turban is a great heat-free way to get it semi-dry. But you might want to think twice before putting on a face mask and losing yourself in a book with that on, because prolonged contained dampness can cause frizz and breakage. Furthermore, the weight of the towel on your head can cause stress to your roots.
Keep your towel turban on for no longer than 2-3 minutes, just to soak up a bulk of the water. After that, get rid of any excess water through air-drying or using a hair dryer on low heat.
#8: Rubbing vigorously when towel drying
Photo from MUJI
Sometimes you just want to dry your hair as fast as possible without having to use a hair dryer, so you wrap your towel around your locks and rub vigorously.
While that might be an effective way of drying hair, it’s not the healthiest. The friction between your hair strands will cause split ends and frizziness. Instead of that, gently blot your hair on a towel and leave to air-dry.
#9: Placing the hair dryer too close to your hair on high heat
Photo from Digital Trends via Pinterest
Overly high temperatures from a hair dryer can damage your hair and scalp. That’s not to say that hair dryers are all bad, though. Use a cooler setting and hold it about 20cm from your hair for drying without frying.
- Hair styling and combing mistakes -
#10: Combing and using heated styling tools on wet hair
Photo from GirlStyle
Hair is at its weakest when wet, so the tugging from combing will increase the chances of it breaking.
Using hot styling tools on wet hair is even worse. We’ll skip the Science lesson, but long story short, hair cuticles get damaged more quickly under high heat when wet, giving your locks a coarser and less shiny texture over time.
#11: Scraping your scalp when combing your hair
We’re all busy bees here, but even if you’re in a rush, make a point to comb your hair delicately - especially if you’re using a fine-toothed comb with sharper teeth. Scraping your scalp as you go along will damage hair follicles.
#12: Yanking on tangled knots of hair
Photo from Azom Materials
We get it, knotted hair is hella frustrating. But don’t take your anger out on the poor mane that you’ve spent months growing. Yanking hard on snarls does more harm that good as it causes the hair to break.
Photo from @tangleteezer via Instagram
Invest in a detangling brush to help get rid of any nasty clumps in your hair. The Tangle Teezer, aka the “original detangling brush”, has gentle silicone teeth that get the job done. Get it at Sephora from $30.
This brings us to the next point…
#13: Combing your hair only when you’re heading out
Photo from @jessyluxe via Instagram
Prevention is better than cure, so comb and brush your hair regularly to avoid reaching the “bird’s nest” stage. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to be chilling at home all week - a little TLC each morning will prevent tangles from forming. This will minimise any pain and damage you’ll have to go through later on to get everything out of a knotty mess.
#14: Tying your ponytails too high and tight
Photo from Jeff Spicer via Getty Images Europe
We love Ariana Grande’s signature high ponytail, and more power to you if you manage to recreate it - just not too often. While tight, high ponytails are super sleek, having your hair constantly yanked that way is damaging to your scalp and will result in a receding hairline. The tension caused by your hair ties can also lead to hair breakage.
If you absolutely must have your hair tied, try switching between different ponytail styles, including looser, lower ones. Of course, the best thing to do would be to let it rest completely whenever you can.
#15: Not using heat protectants before styling hair with hot tools
Photo from @lucidolsg via Instagram
Heat protecting sprays and mousses are a must when using flat irons or curling tongs. Direct heat can severely damage the hair shaft and make it more brittle. We recommend the Hair Curl Lotion from Japanese brand Lucido-L, which you can purchase at just $9.20 from Watsons.
Photo from @charlinehasablog via Instagram
Alternatively, use heatless styling tools such as the Dyson Airwrap ($699), which solely relies on air to curl hair. It’s pricey, but comes with different barrel sizes and brush heads, with many saying that it’s worth the splurge for healthier hair.
- Hair maintenance mistakes -
#16: Skipping hair serum and masks because you’ve already used conditioner
Photo from GirlStyle
Using conditioner alone is not enough; You still need to make time for masking. This is similar to how we still use face masks even though we already have moisturisers. Using a hair mask once a week will deeply nourish your hair as the stronger formula penetrates the hair shaft better.
Top that off with some leave-in serum, which can be applied throughout the day to combat drying air-con or frizz-inducing humidity. We love mise en scène’s fragrant serums, which cost an affordable $15.90. Check out our mise en scene review to find out where to get them!
#17: Going to bed with hairspray and styling product still on
Photo from Oh My Girl
Just like how you shouldn’t go straight to bed with a full face of makeup after a wild night out, you should also avoid going to bed with hairspray and other styling products still on. Wash them out thoroughly before retiring for the night, as the gunk and chemicals can dry out your hair as well as clog your scalp.
You also don’t want them to get transferred to your pillow, in turn dirtying your clean hair on other days.
#18: Sleeping with wet hair
Wet hair will be more susceptible to breakage as you toss and turn in your sleep, and chances of dandruff developing are higher.
Not only that, the dampness can cause your pillow to develop mould, leading to fungal infections on the scalp and respiratory problems.
#19: Avoiding regular trims when growing hair out
Photo from @shunjimatsuo via Instagram
It seems counterproductive to cut your hair when you’re trying to become Rapunzel, but it does help to get tiny trims every couple of months - just for the sake of banishing any unhealthy split ends. An inch at a time won’t hurt, and healthier hair means lesser breakage.
In fact, frequent breakage gives the illusion of slower growth; The constant snapping of hair strands means that they never get to reach their full potential.
On top of that, split ends that are left untreated for too long will just become more severe and go higher up the hair shaft. That’s a recipe for additional brittleness.
Check out our other hair care articles:
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Text by: GirlStyle SG
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