Healthy Hair For the New Year
2020 is here, which means endless opportunities…opportunities for physical wellness, mental health, relationship improvement and (our personal favorite) hair goals! A new year is a fresh new slate, the perfect time to start implementing those healthy habits that always seem to get put off.
Below are some of the healthiest and simplest things to implement in your hair routine as the New Year begins! Having strong and happy hair can be as easy as switching up a few things in your daily routine, and making maintenance a priority.
Regular Trims
This has to be the number one tip that hairstylists give out year-round, but it is the hardest one for a lot of us! It is recommended to get into the salon for a trim every 6 weeks, or at the very latest, every 2 months or so. Give yourself your healthiest hair for 2020 by committing to regular trims and keeping your strands happy, trimmed and strong.
Pro-tip? Schedule your appointments a few months out in advance! If you are feeling particularly inclined, you can even schedule the whole year with your stylist in advance – most professionals prefer to have appointments booked in advance, anyways!
If your schedule is not consistent enough for a year of appointments, set an alarm or reminder on your phone every 2 months that will prompt you to squeeze in for a trim – your hair will thank you!
Choose a Color to Stick to
Rainbow hair is beautiful and colorful hair is such an amazing way to express yourself! Want a challenge? Focus on healthy hair in 2020, and try to pick just 1 or 2 colors and stick to them! The desire to rock a different, bright and popping shade every other month is a strong one – but more often than not it will leave your ends dry and damaged due to the chemical processing for each color change.
Commit to strong hair pick 1-2 colors for the year, maybe switching halfway through, or opting to stay with a natural color and leave the processing to a minimum. Either way, the goal here is less chemicals on your strands and more time for them to heal and fortify themselves from the inside out!
Rock Your Natural Texture
The secret to a gorgeous hairstyle is one that looks natural and effortless on you, and there's no better way to get a natural look than to work with what Mother Nature gave you! This year, stop fighting your natural texture and learn to embrace it! If you were born with curly strands, spend some time figuring out a hair care routine that helps to embrace your natural curls more often than singeing them into a different style.
If your hair is naturally straight, rock it! While there is nothing wrong with using a heat tool every so often to get you the curls or straight locks you don’t have naturally, try to spend more time loving your natural texture and body! The grass is always greener on the other side – love what you have. Using less heat will have the added bonus of making your ends happier and stronger, too.
Take Time to Detangle
Did you know that hair is at its most fragile state when it is wet? Brushing through quickly and pulling on your wet strands causes them to break, snap and pull – all of which results in split ends and lifeless hair. If you have natural curl to your hair, brushing when wet can actually damage the elasticity of your hair and cause your curls to lose their natural bounce over time.
Make it your goal to have strong ends in 2020! Use a detangling product on wet hair, like the RevAir Tribology Complex Bright Spot Shine Spray. It’s designed to detangle and add shine to wet locks, easing the detangling process! After applying detangler, gently comb through your hair with a wide-tooth comb, working in small sections so as to not pull on one area too much.
If you really aren’t a fan of combs or are tender-headed, opt for a brush that is designed to be used on wet hair and specifically says so on the packaging.
Condition Regularly
While cleansing your hair is important and helps to keep hair from being oily or weighed down, it is just as important (if not more) to regularly condition and deep condition your hair – especially if it is curly!
It is recommended to condition after every shampoo session, with deep conditioning thrown in as a secondary treatment 1-2 times a week depending on your hair’s natural texture. Curly and coily hair tends to be drier and needs an extra boost of moisture, so keep that in mind when planning your deep conditioning routine. Look for deep conditioning treatments designed to smooth and hydrate your cuticles and leave them on your hair for at least 30 minutes each time. If you do this regularly, 2020 will be your year of soft and shiny hair!
Cut Down on Shampoo
Most of us shampoo our hair more often that it really needs, leading to dry ends and scalps. A dry scalp can often present with flaky skin (commonly misinterpreted as dandruff), but have no fear, this is an easy fix! Try to cut down on the amount of times you wash your hair per week.
There are a few tricks you can use to extend the life of your hair before a shampoo, such as dry shampoo, hats, or wearing a protective style on oilier days that uses the extra oil to your advantage!
Use Heat Protectant
This is a simple one – but some of us need to hear it. Protect your strands from heat, every time! Let the new year inspire you to set consistent goals and follow through! Your hair will feel softer, less damaged and stronger with continued use of a heat protectant before any heat styling.
Try to find one that is designed for your specific hair type so you get the most out of your product! If you haven’t found one that you are in love with, check out the RevAir Tribology Complex line of hair primers! Wave Goodbye is a heat protecting hair primer designed specifically for hair types 1 & 2. Play It Straight is a heat protecting hair primer that is designed for hair types 3 & 4.
Protective Styling
In 2020, choose to put your hair first! Opt for protective styles on days when your hair is a challenge, or when you are trying to avoid heat for healthier locks.
Often times, throwing your hair up into a top knot or high ponytail is the easiest way to go, but it actually causes stress and damage to your ends that can result in them looking a bit ragged over time.
Check out our comprehensive blog on protective styling for more tips and tricks with this one!
Use Less Heat
Most importantly, make an effort to use less heat on your strands. It can be tough to avoid the straighteners and curling irons, but embrace your natural style, and look for options that use less heat when you do opt for a styling tool.
A good alternative to a blow dryer is the RevAir Reverse Air Dryer, which uses about ½ the wattage and heat of a standard hair dryer. Using the RevAir means you don’t need a round brush’s friction to get smooth ends, so you can cut down on the risk for breakage too!
If you do choose to use a heat tool, users can typically use a lower heat setting to achieve their normal results after drying with the RevAir versus using a standard hot blow dryer and brush or comb attachment.
There you have it – the comprehensive guide of small tweaks to your 2020 hair routine that will make a world of difference! Making these small changes will not only improve the health of your hair, but will also save you time in the long run!
Happy, healthy hair is easier to maintain and style – so you can get out the door quicker every day! If you have any questions about using these tips to get your best hair, or how the RevAir Reverse Air Dryer can help you cut down on heat exposure and drying team, don’t hesitate to reach out to our knowledgeable advisors. They’re here to help!
From the creative team at RevAir – Happy New Year! Here’s to a healthy 2020.
