4 Things You're Doing to Ruin Your Hair - Nada Manley

So much depends on hair, you guys. So much. I know it sounds crazy, but for me, good hair equals a good day. On a bad hair day, my entire outlook changes. I want to hide my head. It ain’t pretty.

That’s a lot of pressure riding on my temperamental curls.

And I know I’m not alone. Most of us feel better when their hair looks gorgeous, so we spend hours trying to get it that way, which damages it, which makes it look bad, which gives us more bad hair days. It’s a vicious cycle.

No matter the hair type, gorgeous hair is healthy hair. So that’s why I’ve asked a few top stylists to share the most common ways that women damage their hair. Is one of these 4 Hair Destroyers keeping you from your next good hair day?

Hair Destroyer #1: Destructive Detangling

Fernando Salas, the creator of White Sands Haircare, claims that most women destroy their hair when they attempt to detangle it. He recommends switching to the Bottoms Up Method when combing wet hair. Wet hair is delicate hair, and detangling it the wrong way can damage it.

“When you comb hair from the bottom up, you are working with less surface area to untangle at one time”, explains Salas. “Working in smaller sections like this is key. When you try to comb from the top down, think of how much hair you are attempting to pull a comb through at one time.”

The right tools are also essential. Salas recommends a wide toothed bone comb and White Sands Haircare’s Spray Leave in Conditioner ($15).

White Sands SprayLeave In Conditioner, $15, WhiteSandsProducts.com

Hair Destroyer #2: Crazy from the Heat

Johnny Lavoy, celebrity stylist and Artistic Director of the Moda-Rey Salon & Spa, says the most common hair mistake that women make is “blow drying incorrectly and without using some sort of heat protectant. Ultimately, this ends up damaging their hair!” Lavoy recommends protecting hair with Infusium Repair + Renew Leave-In Treatment ($7.99)

Treating your hair gently can also save time. “My favorite time-saving hair care/styling tip is to get your hair 90 percent dry before you blow dry. Use a really absorbent towel–that way your blow-dry time will be cut in half.” Another way to cut your blow-dry time in half is to use a product designed to do just that. Shu Uemura Art of Hair Straightforward Time-Saving Blowdry Spray ($39) is an oil spray that coats hair for smoother, shinier hair in half the time.

But possibly the best way to protect your hair from the heat is to skip it altogether. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day In-Shower Styler ($24) is designed to be applied in the shower, then lightly rinsed. It leaves behind a host of products designed to help your hair air dry beautifully. HydroHair is another product formulated to be applied to wet hair, bringing out the natural curl and allowing it to air dry beautifully.

Infusium Repair + Renew Leave In Treatment, $7.99, Target

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day In Shower Styler, $24, LivingProof.com

HydroCurl, $28, HydroHair.com

Shu Uemura Art of Hair Straightforward, $39, Barneys

Hair Destroyer #3: Sun Scorched

The summer sun may be fun, but it’s also damaging, zapping hair of shine and wreaking havoc on your color. That’s why it’s critical to protect it whenever possible. A big floppy hat can shield your hair and skin from the damaging rays, but the right products can also help. Cuvee Beauty Protective Treatment ($45), is a lightweight serum spray that guards hair against UV rays.

Cuvee Protective Treatment, $45, Revolve.com

Start protecting your hair color in the shower with specially designed products, like Schwarzkopf GLISS Color Guard Shampoo & Conditioner ($5.49 each), which has a UVA/UVB filter. Schwarzkopf ‘s stylists recommend squeezing the excess moisture from your hair before applying conditioner so that your hair absorbs the product better. Bare Republic has an entire line of organic products designed to protect your hair from the sun, from UV Protecting Shampoo and Conditioner to the 5-in-1 Protecting Mist and the UV Thermal Shield ($14.99-$17.99)

Schwarzkopf GLISS Color Guard Shampoo, $5.49, Target

Bare Republic Eco Active 5-in-1 Mist, $14.99, Target

The experts at Hotheads hairbrushes recommend wearing a hat and looking for UV inhibitors in all of your styling products. Another tip? Saturate hair with water before you plunge into the pool to seal the hair cuticles and protect it from chlorine. Post-swim, use a gentle detangling brush, like the Mini G from Hotheads, to detangle and remove sand.

Mini G hairbrush, $19.50, HotheadsHairbrush.com.

Hair Destroyer #4: Wishy Washy

One of the biggest hair culprits is washing hair too frequently, especially when harsh detergent shampoos are used! Fortunately, there are many products designed to help you stretch the time between shampoos. Skip your shampoo on occasion and just rinse hair and condition, or try a co-wash (a conditioning hair wash). Another option? Use a dry shampoo between washes to refresh hair and absorb oil. Or try styling your hair in a chic bun between washes.