Caring for hair requires a degree of commitment and devotion. Long, luscious locks don’t simply maintain themselves. To maintain your mane on a daily basis, we’re here to present you with hair care 101 – all of the essentials you need to know to care for your hair. Remember human hair extensions act like natural hair and need a bit of extra TLC.

Handle the Heat

Straighteners tame our tangled tresses and curlers give us bombastic bounce but veering away from hot appliances is your best bet. Don’t use appliances daily; give your hair a break and use them on special occasions. There are endless ways to cultivate chic looks without heat; for straight locks use a boar bristle brush and set your hairdryer to cool to craft heavenly hair without the damage. Plait your hair while wet for instant mermaid-like waves.

Tie it Right

The wrong hair tie is responsible for a world of damage. Opt for non-tug hair bands that are flexible and contain no metal. Such pesky ties will end up tugging out hairs and can cause split ends.

Dare to Dry Au Natural

Brush your hair before you wash it as brushing damp or wet hair can lead to increased damage. Once you’ve washed your hair, you may wish to brush again but most of the knots and tangles will already have been eliminated. If possible, let your hair dry naturally as often as possible. Excessive blow-drying leads to dry, brittle and damaged hair.

Oils and Serums

There are an endless array of oils and serums on the market. Treat your hair as often as possible. Invest in appropriate shampoos, conditioners, oils, serums and masques. Try to add a little oil and serum every time you wash your hair and masque hair at least once a fortnight.

You Breed What You Feed

What we eat goes into every part of our body. It is no different with your hair. Made from keratin (just like your nails), human hair thrives on protein. We won’t bore you by ordering you to eat healthily; we will only say that a balanced diet is heralded as ideal for good reason. Up your protein levels if you wish to see an improvement in the growth and quality of your hair. Eggs, meat and vegetables are ideal sources. A good multi-vitamin, or a particular vitamin that you may be lacking, are also ideal to keep levels topped up. A good way to test whether your hair may be low in protein is to keep check of your nails, skin and eyes. If they are all looking dull and dowdy, believe that your hair is feeling the same!

Water, Water, Everywhere!

Our body thrives on moisture. Our skin needs it to keep supple. Our hair needs it to prevent it becoming dry and breakable. Adults are advised to drink approximately two litres of water a day (that translates to about 8 glasses).