Who doesn’t love having long beautiful hair? Did you know, according to a survey, around 87% of Indians prefer having long hair on women?
But let’s be honest, handling long hair every day can be pretty challenging for anyone as it requires following tons of routines and tips.
However, with prominent approaches and techniques available in the hair care industry, it’s common for people to get confused about what steps one should follow and what they shouldn’t.
Therefore, in this article, I’m going to mention various steps and tricks that should be followed in order to maintain your long hair.
Tips for Maintaining Long Hair
1. Trim Your Hair Regularly
As your hair grows long, it tends to become prone to damage as the tips, which are initial strands of your hair, become older compared to the rest of your hair. Due to this, they become weaker as time passes.
They either split or break, which can eventually slow down your hair growing process. Therefore, you should trim your hair regularly to encourage your hair growth.
Trimming those thinned and fried strands at the ends can help avoid unwanted hair breakage.
2. Avoid Using Heating Tools on a Daily Basis
Using hair tools such as straighteners, curling iron, blow dryers, and more tools with high temperatures can damage your hair. Therefore, you should avoid using these hair styling tools daily and keep them for occasions or only use them once or twice a week.
You should also stick to air drying rather than using dryers, as air drying is the safest way to keep your hair healthy.
3. Get a Good Hair Brush
At times you might find your long hair not looking as beautiful and healthy as you wish and one of the primary reasons behind this dullness is due to lack of moisture in your lipids form.
An ideal Lipid can be described as sebum in your scalp that can secrete through your hair follicles. However, a large number of people don’t want their hair to look oily or sticky.
In such cases, a hairbrush plays a significant role as it helps in distributing the sebum on your hair evenly without making it too oily.
If you have fine hair, you should look for boar bristles, if you have medium hair, you should get a nylon/boar combination, and if you have coarse hair, then the nylon model would be ideal for you.
Make sure to be gentle with your hair and scalp to avoid any hair damage.
4. Use Scrunchies or Hair Bands that aren’t Pulling Your Hair at the Root
While tying your hair up, it’s crucial you make sure you use hair bands that aren’t pulling you too tightly as it might cause unwanted hair fall.
Scrunchies are considered a great option to tie your hair with as it doesn’t pull out your hair at the root. Also, it keeps your strands strong.
5. Wash Your Hair Correctly
In order to maintain your hair, it’s vital to know the correct way to wash your hair. You should ONLY shampoo your scalp as it’s the area where most of your oil buildup takes place.
There you should gently take shampoo and gently massage it into your scalp using your fingers by gently massaging your scalp, while shampooing can encourage your blood circulation.
Ensure you are not using your nails to massage your hair as it can result in damaging your scalp and cause unnecessary hair fall.
You should directly put any shampoo on the length of your hair as it doesn’t really have oil buildup, and shampooing it can cause excessive dryness, which can make your hair look dull.
Instead, the hair strands automatically get clean when you rinse off your hair after shampooing it. Another thing you need to do after washing your hair with shampoo is to use a good conditioner.
Now here, you need to ensure you are only applying the conditioner on the length of your hair to keep it well moisturized. Don’t apply conditioner on your scalp, as it will make your roots oilier and make them appear greasy.
6. Use a Clean Cotton T-shirt or Hair Wrap For Drying Your Hair
Cotton T-shirts are soft, due to which it doesn’t catch on your strands and doesn’t cause breakage. Also, cotton t-shirts help absorb the water from hair without over-drying your hair as it contains fibers, due to which cotton t-shirt is considered an ideal and affordable choice to dry your hair.
How to Use a Cotton T-Shirt For Drying Your Hair?
Take a clean cotton T-shirt and wrap it around your hair and then squeeze out the excess water from your hair. Don’t rub or wring your hair strands as wet hair is delicate.
Now place your head on the opening of your t-shirt, and press your hair to soak up the water. Gently move and wrap your t-shirt around your head, covering your entire hair, and then tuck the opening of the t-shirt in the front of your hairline.
People with fine hair should keep their hair wrapped for around ten to fifteen minutes. If you have thick and curly hair, then you should leave it on for around twenty minutes.
7. Oil and Massage Your Scalp
Oiling and massaging your scalp is extremely good for stimulating your hair blood flow and providing nutrients essential to keep your hair healthy.
Even though the hair follicle contains an oil gland, still your scalp can get dry due to several factors such as the use of heating tools, dust, heat, and even a thin layer of dust that can clog the pores of the scalp.
By giving yourself an oil massage once a week, you can ensure your scalp is moisturized, and your pore unclogged.
However, while massaging your scalp, make sure you aren’t putting too much pressure and be gentle with your fingers to avoid damaging your hair.
Types of Oil You Should Use on Your Hair
1. Coconut Oil
Using coconut oil on your hair is considered an age-old remedy. It helps boost your hair growth process as it contains essential fatty acids and vitamins that can help nourish your scalp.
Since coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, it can moisturize your hair. It can also help you provide that gorgeous shine to your hair. Coconut oil can also help repair your split-ends frizziness and protect your hair from losing the essential proteins.
2. Argan Oil
Argan Oil is extremely rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, which can help make your scalp and hair healthier.
Argan oil contains fatty acids such as linoleic acid and oleic acid that are great for moisturizing your hair and preventing dryness and dullness.
Also, argan oil can help in reducing frizziness from your hair and provide glow and shine to your hair. Another great benefit of using argan oil is its ability to improve and prevent various skin conditions on your scalp that can cause hair fall, such as psoriasis.
The anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties of argan oil can help treat dandruff and improve the overall health of your scalp.
3. Castor Oil
Castor oil is a traditional remedy for treating several hair problems such as dandruff, dryness, dullness, and more.
Castor oil is loaded with vitamins, proteins, fatty acids, and various antioxidants that can help make your scalp more nourished and prevent your hair from getting dry and dull.
Apart from moisturizing your hair, castor oil contains antimicrobial elements that can help treat fungal and bacterial overgrowth from your scalp.
Fungal or bacterial overgrowth might end up causing hair damage such as scalp inflammation but using castor oil can help treat this fungal overgrowth as the oil is loaded with antimicrobial elements.
Using castor oil for oiling and massaging your hair is a great way to promote hair growth at a healthier rate. Castor oil is also high in ricinoleic acid, which might help in improving the blood circulation of your scalp and provide nutrition to hair follicles, making your strands stronger and causing less breakage.
Due to this, there is no surprise to why companies all around the world are using castor oil as one of the significant ingredients in that hair products.
4. Sesame Oil
Sesame oil is another popular oil highly used by people, especially people with Vata (straight and thin) type hair, as it can help prevent frizziness and also reduce your split ends.
Sesame oil is rich in vitamin B1, copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus. Apart from treating frizziness, sesame oil also provides your scalp with deep conditioning that can help make your hair smooth, shinier, and healthier.
Also, if you face dandruff issues in your hair, then sesame oil might be able to get rid of that, as well as it contains several anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that might help get rid of dandruff issues.
8. Choose Chemical-Free Hair Products
In order to avoid taking care of your long hair, you need to make sure you have cut down all chemical-based hair products.
Using chemical-based shampoo, conditioner, styling products on your hair can lead to excessive hair fall and might have adverse effects.
Instead, you should focus on mild, lightweight hair shampoo and conditioner, which will help keep your hair moisturized and won’t cause damage to your hair.
9. Maintain Proper Diet
Apart from hair products and tools, handling long hair also requires a proper healthy diet. Just like your body, your hair also requires proper nutrients. Due to this, you should consume foods that are loaded with the below-mentioned nutrients:
1. Protein
Your hair follicles are made through protein which makes it essential for you to consume protein on a regular basis. Lack of protein can lead to weak hair follicles, which can cause hair loss. Therefore you should have protein-based foods such as yogurt, eggs, fish, and more to keep your long hair healthy.
2. Vitamins
Vitamin B, C, D, and E work in your hair growth and prevent hair fall. Not having the right amount of vitamins can lead to premature hair graying, which can make you have looked entirely dead.
There, your diet should include green leafy vegetables, almonds, tomatoes, avocados, and more. Not only will this diet help your hair healthy but also boost your hair growth.
3. Omega-3
Omega-3 is considered excellent for hydrating your scalp and preventing it from getting dry. Also, omega-3 can help prevent hair loss issues and boost your hair growth.
Therefore, you should include Omega-3 in your diets, such as oats, fatty fish, walnuts, and more.
10. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Not consuming water can often lead to dehydration which can result in your skin as well as your scalp facing dryness. A dehydrated scalp can make your hair frizzy, brittle, and limp.
Drinking water is rich in elements such as iron, zinc, calcium, and copper, which can make your hair healthier and prevent breakage by strengthening the roots of your hair. Therefore, you should consume a good amount of water every day.
11. Sleep on Silk Pillows
Pillows that are made through cotton and linen contain rough textures, which can result in causing unwanted hair damage every time you lay your head down.
The absorbing ability in this pillow might even remove some of the hair products applied to your hair. Therefore, you should invest in a silk or satin pillow which can help provide your hair the care and support it needs.
Silk pillows can help retain the moisture and oils from your hair, along with decreasing the friction that could cause hair breakage and tangles.
12. Use Homemade Hair Masks
Apart from the right shampoo and conditioner, your hair also requires a weekly mask that can make your hair more shiner, hydrated and prettier.
People often purchase chemical-based hair masks, which actually result in making your hair more damaged and causing hair fall.
Instead, we just suggest using a homemade hair mask using natural and affordable ingredients without any damaging properties. Here are some of the DIYs hair masks that you can make:
1. Avocado, Olive Oil, and Honey Mask
Take half avocado in a bowl and add around one tbsp of olive oil, one tbsp of honey, and three drops of essential oil. Now stir all the elements until they have entirely combined, and you get a good thick consistency.
Now apply this mixture of avocado, olive oil, and honey to your damp hair gently using your fingertips slowly. Begin with the bottom of your hair and then go on upwards to the rest of your hair.
Once you are done applying the mixture, cover your hair using a shower cap to avoid any mess and let it sit for thirty minutes. Then rinse off your hair well. This is a great hair mask for boosting the moisture in your hair and making them look more lively.
If you are someone that uses styling tools regularly or dyes your hair color from time to time, then you should try on this hair mask to keep your hair healthy.
2. Egg White and Lemon Mask
For this process, start by taking one egg white in a bowl and squeezing half of the lemon juice. Mix together both the ingredients well, and then apply the mixture to your scalp and hair.
In order to avoid any mess, cover your hair with a shower cap and leave this mixture on for around thirty to forty-five minutes. Then you can rinse off this hair mask using lukewarm water.
This egg and lemon mask is excellent for people that face greasy hair issues as it can help remove excess oil from your hair without making it too dry and dull. Lemon juice can help boost the shine of your hair and make it look more lively.
3. Almond Oil, Oats, and Milk
Start by taking half a cup of oats in a bowl and adding two tbsp of almond oil. Then add half a cup of milk and mix all of them well until you get a good consistency paste.
Now apply this almond oil, oats, and milk mask all over your scalp and hair and keep it on for around twenty to forty minutes and then rinse. This is an excellent mask for boosting moisture in your hair and making your hair look more hydrated and shiny.
If you have dry and lifeless hair, then you should definitely try on this hair mask once a week.
4. Rinse your Hair with Green Tea and Apple Cider Vinegar
Take around one cup of green tea and add one tbsp of apple cider vinegar, then add two to three drops of peppermint oil and mix them well together.
Now massage this mixture into your scalp for a few minutes and pour this mixture on your damp hair and leave it on for ten minutes and then rinse using cold water.
This mask is perfect for your scalp as green tea is loaded with various anti-inflammatory properties, and peppermint oil contains hydrating properties.
This mask can prevent your itchy and irritated scalp and help it become more hydrated.
5. Cinnamon and Coconut Oil
Start by taking an equal amount of cinnamon essential oil and coconut oil in a bowl and blending both components together. Now apply this mixture on your scalp gently and massage your scalp well for five minutes.
Leave this cinnamon and coconut oil mask on for around thirty to forty-five minutes, and then rinse. This mask will help stimulate your blood circulation along with boosting your hair strength and growth.
6. Avocado and Banana Hair Mask
Take a bowl and add one small ripe banana, and then add medium-sized ripe avocado. Now mash it well together to form a thick paste. Now add one tbsp of wheat germ oil and olive oil and mix it well.
Now apply this paste on your hair, starting from the roots to the tips covering your entire hair, and leave it on for thirty minutes. Then rinse it off well.
Avocados are rich in nutrients like Vitamin E, and bananas are loaded with carbohydrates, potassium, and vitamins that can help make your hair thicker, moisturized, and prevent your hair from breakage.
7. Amla and Shikakai Powder
To make this hair mask, start by taking an equal amount of amla and shikakai and reetha powder. Then add water to form a paste. Then gently apply this paste onto your scalp and hair.
Leave this hair mask on for around thirty minutes, and then wash it off well. Amla is rich in fatty acids that can help make your hair more robust and moisturized.
When combined with shikakai and reetha, it makes a powerful herbal blend that can be extremely beneficial for your hair. This hair mask helps strengthen your hair follicles and provides shine to your hair.
FAQs
1. How Many Times Should I Detangle or Comb my Hair in a Day?
You should comb your hair twice a day, once after waking up and once before going to sleep. This will help distribute natural oils available in your scalp to your entire hair. Also, detangling your hair before sleep will help prevent hair fall when you are asleep.
2. Should I Use Hot Water on My Hair?
No, we suggest not to use hot water on your hair as it might cause frizziness and make your hair dry. Instead, you should use lukewarm water that will help eliminate excess oil from your hair without making your hair too dry.
3. Should I Wash My Hair on a Daily Basis?
No, you shouldn’t wash your hair daily because it can remove the natural oils from your scalp and result in making your scalp and hair more dry and weak.
Conclusion
Long hair is gorgeous, but they are equally hard to maintain. But with correct information and methods, you can easily take care of your hair.
Therefore, here we have mentioned tons of tips, tricks, and information that can help you manage those long locks easily.
Apart from essential tips, we have also mentioned tons of DIY hair masks that can help make your hair healthier and easy to manage.
If you have any concerns about your long hair, then tell us in the comments.
