Understanding Dry Hair
If gorgeously glossy hair seems like a pipe dream to you, don't worry, we've got you. Yup, dry hair sure can put a dampener on your shiny hair fantasies, but we know the cure.
By switching up your haircare routine and introducing ultra-moisturising products, as well as tweaking your diet, lifestyle, and styling habits, you can transform your tresses from brittle to bouncy in no time.
Our illuminating hair care for dry hair guide includes practical tips and all the knowledge you need to tackle your lacklustre locks.
We cover practical guidance and product recommendations, including:
- The causes and characteristics of dry hair
- How to care for dry hair at home using specialised hydrating products
- Diet and nutrition
- How stress causes dry hair
What Causes Dry Hair?
Do you often find yourself wondering, "why is my hair so dry?" It's one of the most common hair worries there is, and it's usually fixable once you know what's behind it.
Several factors may be at play here. They could include the likes of:
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A dry scalp: a dry scalp and dry hair often go together, though you can just as easily have an oily scalp and dry ends. As your mane can't hydrate itself, it needs to drink from your scalp's natural oils. If then, you're suffering from dry hair, your scalp's probably dry as well.
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Ageing: you might have wondered why your hair has become brittle and dry over the years. Alas, we're afraid it's an age thing. The older you get, the more the texture of your hair will change. This is because the hair follicles shrink and sebaceous glands may produce less oil, causing (yes, you guessed it) parched hair.
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Hormones: hormonal issues, such as the menopause or hypothyroidism, can restrict your scalp's oil production. As a result, the hair can be left thirsty and malnourished.
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Hair type and texture: we all love the bounce of natural curls and waves. These looks do, however, come with a big caveat. Specifically, your natural coils and curls make it hard for your scalp's sebum production to glide down your hair, which might be one reason for your dry ends. Don't fret, though! Check out how @mxxed nourishes her parched curls with Cliphair's Quench the Thirst collection:
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Over-washing: washing your hair every day might seem like "the right thing to do". However, it can end up diminishing your hair's nourishing, natural oils. The predictable result is thirsty hair. So, as it happens, the best hair care for dry hair routine involves washing your hair about two or three times a week.
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Heat styling: it's difficult to beat the amazing looks of bouncy blow-outs, poker-straight tresses, and cascading curls. Unfortunately, your hair health pays for them. Extreme heat exposure frazzles the hair's cuticle, bringing about lacklustre and scorched hair.
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Chemical treatments: another common reason for women asking themselves, "why is my hair so dry?", is because of procedures such as bleaching, dyeing, perming, or relaxing hair. These punishing treatments can make the hair highly porous, which might mean your locks struggle to retain moisture.
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Missed heat protectant: we're afraid to share the news with you that clamping scorching straighteners on unprotected hair is a one-way ticket to dry, damaged hair. So, make sure you protect your hair first with a heat protectant spray.
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Harsh chemical products: you might not be aware of all the nasties that are in the hair products you use right now. We're talking about the likes of isopropyl alcohol, heavy fragrances, and sulphates. Sure, they lather well and lift product buildup, but it's worth using them with care. These chemical hair products strip your hair of natural oils, which can leave it looking dull and lifeless.
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Environment: something else that can wreak havoc on your hair is living in extreme environments such as hot climates. The life can be easily sucked out of your tresses by sun exposure, high temperatures, and salty or chlorinated water. The other extreme isn't great for your hair, either; cold and windy environments, as well as polluted city air and hard water, can disrupt the natural balance of the hair and scalp.
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Underlying health conditions: your hair's ability to retain moisture can be affected by certain health issues or stress. If you have any other symptoms alongside your dry scalp and hair, contact your GP for professional advice.
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Genetics: being able to blame some of your hair dryness woes on your parents is always handy. But in all seriousness, reduced sebum production can be hereditary. So, if your mum or dad suffered from dry locks, you probably will, too…
Signs You Have Dry Hair
You might not be entirely sure, at least at first, whether you do have dry hair. After all, what counts as a "normal" level of hair dryness or moisture? Also potentially distorting the picture is the fact that we all get affected by dry hair at some point in our lives, usually in the cold winter months.
But if you have two or more of the below symptoms all year round, you might suffer from a more entrenched dry hair condition:
- Dullness
- Rough texture
- Brittleness
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Frizz that won't quit
- Tangling
- Hair breakage and split ends
Dry Hair vs Damaged Hair, What's the Difference?
They may be closely linked, but dry hair and damaged hair are not the same thing:
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Dry hair is hair that lacks moisture. It might feel rough, look dull, and become frizzy, but its internal structure can still be healthy.
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Damaged hair, on the other hand, has experienced structural changes to the shaft. This may have come about due to excessive heat, bleaching, or chemical processing. It might feel weaker, it tends to break more easily, and it may have less elasticity than healthy hair.
The great news is that hydrating treatments can help improve both dryness and the appearance of damage.
If, however, your hair suddenly becomes extremely dry and it occurs alongside hair loss, skin changes, or other symptoms, it's sensible to ask your GP for advice.
The Best Dry Hair Treatment Routine
Shampoo and Conditioner for Dry Hair
Are you suffering from tired tresses that are in desperate need of revitalisation? In that case, you'll want to be sure of finding the right shampoo and conditioner for dry hair.
By this, we're referring to products that are designed to nourish, hydrate, and moisturise. Whatever shampoos and conditioners you're considering, check their ingredients lists and keep an eye out for these hydration heroes:
- Argan oil
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Shea butter
- Hyaluronic acid
- Vitamins A and E
- Essential fatty acids
If you're wondering how to care for dry hair at home, our deep moisturising products contain goodies such as shea butter, baobab seed oil, and rice proteins.
These are ideal dry hair products. Depending on the specific product chosen, their moisturising and nourishing formulas may help reduce dryness, enhance shine, combat frizz, and reduce the appearance of split ends.
Hair care products from Cliphair can be used to boost hydration on natural hair and hair extensions. Our Deep Moisture Conditioner, for example, is one of the best conditioners for hair extensions because it helps smooth the cuticle, minimising the appearance of frizz. This can help improve softness and shine.
You don't have to just take our word for it, though! Look at the reel below to discover how @_laviniamartin uses Cliphair products to breathe new life into her hair:
Deep Conditioning Treatments and Hair Masks
Is your hair drier than the Sahara Desert right now? Well, in that case, it might need a touch more TLC.
Slathering on a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week promises to rehydrate those locks. Choose rich, creamy formulas that are packed with baby-soft-hair-inducing ingredients such as argan oil, shea butter, and keratin.
Masks are an inexpensive alternative to salon treatments. Consequently, they're a savvy solution when planning how to care for dry hair at home. Intensive masks work their magic by penetrating the hair shaft for longer. Follow the timing on the pack, usually 10 to 15 minutes. Longer doesn't mean better.
Comb through with a wide-tooth comb to ensure every strand is covered. Leaving a rich mask on overnight can leave hair limp rather than soft, so stick to the time on the pack.
Alternatively, make like @elliecraven0 and incorporate your mask into a daytime hairstyle. We love how she creates a sleek bun using her Cliphair Deep Moisture Hair Mask:
Which Product Do You Actually Need?
Working with hair since 2007, Cliphair knows what does and doesn't work for reviving dry hair and hair extensions.
So, whatever product(s) of ours you use, you can be confident that they have been formulated to help support dry hair and extension care.
Here's a quick guide to the ones you should choose:
- The Deep Moisture Shampoo cleanses gently while preserving moisture.
- The Deep Moisture Conditioner restores hydration after every wash and helps reduce frizz.
- The Deep Moisture Hair Mask provides an intensive moisture boost once a week, or whenever your hair feels particularly dry.
Think of it this way: the shampoo and conditioner are your daily maintenance, while the hair mask acts as your weekly reset.
Caring for Dry Hair Extensions
As hair extensions don't have any connection to the scalp's natural oils, they sure get extra thirsty.
That's bad news, because when extensions become dehydrated, they can:
- Lose shine.
- Feel rough.
- Tangle more easily.
- Blend less naturally with your natural hair.
- Make colour differences more noticeable, as dry hair reflects less light.
So, to preserve your look, you can't afford to neglect one in favour of the other. Instead, you'll need to do everything you can to keep your natural hair and your extensions looking healthy and beautifully blended.
To achieve this, treat them to the shampoo, conditioner and mask routine set out above. Make sure you focus the product on the lengths and the ends, avoid overloading bonds on permanent extensions, and always be gentle when detangling.
For more tips on how to get your hair pieces good as new, check out our guide to how to revive dry hair extensions. You've also got the option of browsing our clip-in hair extensions collection for seamless matches.
Styling and Maintenance Tips
Heat Styling Precautions
We all know heat styling is damaging to our hair, even if we're blessed with the healthiest of locks.
Implement the following into your hair care for dry hair routine to protect your locks from excessive heat:
- Wash less frequently (washing less means styling less).
- Air-dry your hair for a cool and natural texture.
- Use low heat settings on your hair dryer or styler.
- Apply a heat protectant spray.
- For your wash routine, use products that moisturise and strengthen.
Gentle Styling Habits That Protect Moisture
Scratchy towels, vigorous brushing, and even the wrong type of pillow can cause dehydrated tresses.
Check out these tips to ensure you're not ruining your hair care for dry hair routine by making the following rookie mistakes:
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Towel drying: you may think you're protecting your hair by rigorously drying it with a towel to cut down on blow-drying time, but the friction from the towel damages the surface of your hair. Instead of rubbing, pat dry and squeeze the excess water from the hair, which is far less damaging.
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Swap your regular towel for a microfibre towel: The towel's softer material and gentle absorbent qualities are kinder to your hair. The key is to gently squeeze, then blot those tresses with the towel, don't rub!
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Brushing when wet: wet hair is delicate, so don't hack away at it with a regular hairbrush. Use "The Wet One", a detangling hairbrush from the Cliphair accessories range that is specifically designed to be safe to use on fragile wet hair. The flexible teeth glide gently through knots, which helps reduce pulling and breakage. Always start at the ends and work upwards in sections, rather than dragging the brush down from the roots.
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Cotton pillowcase: indulging in some beauty sleep? Check your pillowcase first. Cotton is highly absorbent, meaning all those lovely, nourishing products that are meant to be hydrating your hair are slurped up by your pillowcase instead.
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Alternatively, invest in a silk or satin pillowcase. These smoother materials create less friction overnight, so hair looks smoother in the morning.
Lifestyle Habits for Healthier Hair
Diet and Hydration
Beauty radiates from the inside out. So, while it's great to invest in ultra-moisturising products and fix all your bad hair habits, there's something else you shouldn't neglect nourishing your insides.
If you desire hair that dazzles with a mirror-like shine, make sure you're incorporating these goodies into your diet:
- Plenty of water, which supports your overall health.
- The Omega-3s you'll find in salmon, nuts, and seeds.
- Antioxidants, as are present in berries, beans, and spinach.
- Healthy proteins, such as Greek yoghurt, beans, and eggs.
Stress and Hair Health
It isn't a secret that excessive stress and anxiety are bad for us. But you might not have been fully aware of the impact it can have on your hair.
Stress can affect your overall hair health and disrupt the normal hair growth cycle. So, while stress is rarely the only cause of dry hair, ongoing stress can make existing hair concerns feel worse.
What's the solution? Well, we can't control external circumstances, but we can control our own inner lives. Incorporating the following stress-reducing techniques, then, will be an important part of your hair care for dry hair:
- Prioritising good-quality sleep.
- Staying physically active.
- Taking regular breaks during busy days.
- Practising relaxation techniques such as mindfulness or deep breathing.
- Making time for activities you genuinely enjoy.
In short, it's about going for those quick wins or whatever unwinds you, while also accepting that life happens. Your hair, not to mention your all-round body and mind, will thank you.
Transforming dehydrated hair into luminous locks certainly takes a holistic approach. By investigating all areas of your life, from diet and lifestyle to hair products and styling habits, you can develop a powerful and reliable hair care for dry hair routine that works.
Remember to stay consistent and patient, and gleaming tresses could be well within reach.
