Your hair says a lot about you. Whether you color it, cut it, wear it naturally, like to do intricate styles to it, or always wear it the same way, you know how you like your hair. But what about the condition of your hair? Do you wish your hair would be shinier? Bouncier? 

You only get one head of hair. You need to make sure you take care of it the best you can. Your hair is constantly changing. From summer hair, to winter hair, to pregnancy hair, to post-partum hair, to heat-styled hair, to everything else you do to it, your hair is never the same from week to week or day to day.

What You Can Do Out of The Shower

Taking care of your hair doesn’t only mean washing it properly. There are things you can do to keep your hair looking its best that don’t require lathering. 

• Eat right
• Get enough zinc
• Get enough protein
• Water, plenty of water

Great hair starts from within. Like when you go overboard on the greasy food and feel like crap the next day. If you don’t eat right your hair will look dull and lifeless. You need to eat foods that are great for your skin and hair. 

• Fish
• Beans
• Eggs
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Leafy greens
• Yogurt
• Again, water

Even if you don’t like a ton of these foods, there are enough options for you to get a few in. The easiest is to make sure you are drinking enough water. 

How to Take Care of Your Hair in The Shower

So then in the shower you need to make sure you are listening to your hair’s needs. Everyone needs a different kind of shampoo and conditioner. You’ve been doing your hair for years. You know what makes it look greasy and what makes it look dry.

• Know your hair type
• Monitor how different hair products react with your hair
• Get the right shampoo for your hair
• Apply conditioner evenly and for the correct amount of time
• Don’t over wash your hair

If you are unsure what kind of hair you have, try to make an appointment at a reputable salon. Or if you have a friend that is really good with hair or has fabulous hair, ask them. If you are using the wrong kind of shampoo for your hair you’ll never get the results you want.

If you don’t like the way one product leaves your hair, try another. Just because your mom used only one kind doesn’t mean you have to. Experiment. There are also hair care lines that will personalize products. Prose is one that will help you find the right products for your hair type. 

The conditioner is key. If you aren’t getting it evenly throughout all of your hair, it’s not going to do its job. Plus you have to be patient. Leave it on for the full two to three minutes the directions say. Find if a regular conditioner or a leave-in is best for your kind of hair.

This one is very important. If you remember nothing else, remember this. Do not over wash your hair! No more than once a day. In fact, you shouldn’t be washing your hair every day anyway. Please stop if you do. 

Other Things to Keep in Mind

Just a few more things to keep in mind to keep your hair happy.

• Try to minimize the amount of heat styling
• If you do style with heat, do it on the lowest setting
• Trim your hair every few months
• Don’t drastically color your hair
• Try to change your part and where you put your hair up to reduce breakage

Taking care of your hair is a daily, constant thing. But if you treat your hair right it will pay you back. Remember how you feel when you have an amazing hair day and you try to remember what you did so you can do it again the next time? Well imagine doing that every single day and you’ll be on your way to more amazing hair days.