12 Tips for How to Fix Dry Hair

If you have started following me in the last year or two, then you may not know that I used to have SUPER long hair. I’m including a photo below for you all for reference so you can get an idea of just how long my hair was. It’s actually all my own hair & I never had extensions or anything. I’ve had naturally pretty thick & healthy hair for most of my life. When I chopped my hair off (read more on that liberating experience here) it changed a lot. I was styling it more & in turn putting more heat on it & really just had to figure out how to deal with my new short hair. Your hair texture changes over time based on so many factors: age, length, products used, hormones, diet, time of year, where you live, etc. As it changes, you may find yourself having dry hair when you aren’t used to it. I went through a phase where my hair was extremely dry, to the point of not even wanting to wear it down because I thought it looked so broken, particularly in the front. I decided that something had to change, so I really focused in on my hair health. Today, I’m sharing 12 tips for how to fix dry hair.

A fun throwback to when I first started blogging & I did a quick tutorial on how I curled my hair. Fun fact: this is the first shoot I did with the photographer Vanessa I’ve been working with ever since. I have updated & much improved hair curling tutorial I’ll link below.

>Related: How I Curl My Hair

How to Fix Dry Hair

Today I’m sharing my tips for how to fix dry hair & the best dry hair treatments to fix your hair. These are all based on my personal experience & recommendations that have been given to me over the years, so I hope they are helpful for you all. I’m also including products that I’ve used for you all to shop, too. Below are my 12 tips for how to fix dry hair.

Vitamins & Supplements

Chances are, you aren’t getting all the vitamins & nutrients you need from the food you’re eating. This is why taking vitamins & supplements is so important. I added in a few to my routine + got better about taking the ones I already had on a more consistent routine & it has made such a difference. Not only in my hair, but in my skin, nails, & overall health!

Book a Haircut

When my hair was super long, I swore my secret was micro-trims. Not every hair dresser seems to get this, but luckily mine totally does. I would go in every six or eight weeks to get a tiiiiiny bit of the dry ends cut off of my hair. This made all of my hair healthy & in turn, would ensure it kept growing & stayed healthy. It sounds counter-intuitive if you are trying to grow your hair out or trying to strength it to cut it, but trust me, it works. If you are Dallas based, my SIL (sister-in-law), Jessica Watts at Lost Hairdressers in Victory Park is the best of the BEST!

Hair Masques

I didn’t use hair masques until a year or so ago, but they have been such a game changer for me. I know I was behind the game. I never really needed them when my hair was longer, but now that it is shorter & I tend to style it more, these have been essential. I will put one in for awhile before I wash my hair & then rinse it out in the shower.

Check your Temperature

No, not that way. I mean the temperature of your water when you shower. If you shower with really hot water, the hair shaft can swell open & then it might not close, which means moisture will be lost when you style it. If you are like me & you can’t stand a cold shower for too long, consider just rinsing your hair with cold water for a minute before you get out of the shower!

Switch up your Shampoo & Conditioner

Try out a new shampoo & conditioner to see if it helps your hair. The one you are using may be drying your hair out even more! I have been using a few different ones that I rotate between. I usually use a whole bottle of one kind, then switch to another. Other people I know use a different kind each time they wash their hair & rotate through them that way. This can help you figure out which one makes the biggest difference, but I also think it just helps keep your hair & products fresh! This also goes for your dry shampoo & any leave in conditioners.

Beauty Sleep

We all now how important sleep is for all things related to beauty, but I’m talking about the importance of your pillow case. I use a silk pillow case, which helps ensure my hair isn’t breaking off at night while I’m sleeping. Silk pillowcases are also so helpful to ensure all of your skincare products aren’t soaking into a pillow. Another thing to do is to sleep with your hair down. If you wear it tightly pulled back at night, you may be breaking even more off at night while you sleep.

Time Your Washes

Shampoo helps make sure your scalp is clean from dirt & sweat, but it also strips your hair of it’s natural oils. If you wash your hair too often, you will be washing away all of the oil that keeps your hair healthy. I often need a little dry shampoo in between washes. However, I’ve learned that there is a balance. If you are going too long or using too much dry shampoo, your hair my dry out & then become more damaged from not washing it. I’ve found that it’s best for me to wash my hair three times per week if I am wearing it down every day. If I’m wearing it back in a bun or a top knot, I can spread it out longer. It just depends on your hair, so take some time to play around with what works best!

Check Your Towels

If you wrap your hair up in a towel after you shower, you may be breaking more of it off. If you think this is the case, consider a microfiber towel that will help ensure your hair isn’t breaking off when you wrap it up in a towel. A new towel is a super easy fix that makes a big difference!

Heat Protectant

You 100% need to be using a heat protectant. Keep it in the drawer right next to your blow dryer so you don’t forget. Seriously, this is so SO important. You need to do this before you dry your hair & before you put any type of hot tool on it. I’ve used a few different ones & really don’t have one that I feel like is my holy grail just yet.

Hide from the Sun

The sun can actually damage & dry out your hair, particularly if you spend a ton of time outside. I almost always wear a hat when outside for more than few minutes. This obviously helps protect your face from sun damage, but it also helps protect your scalp & in turn, your hair. I throw on a baseball cap for walking the dogs or running outside & a boater style hat when on vacation, at the pool, etc.

Turn Down the Heat

This sounds so simple, but seriously. Stop using your hair dryer on high. Turn your straighter, curling iron, or wand down a little on the heat. It makes SUCH a big difference over time & will help prevent your hair from breaking off or becoming more damaged. My favorite hair tools have adjustable heat settings, which is key when buying them. This also means that you should let your hair air dry as much as possible before blow drying. I try for letting my hair be 80-90% air dry before blow drying it. I use all of the T3 tools & I love how you can drastically turn down the heat on them. Plus, they are super high quality which I think helps ensure that your hair isn’t getting over-fried.

Hair Oil & Serum

Putting oil on the end of your hair is so important. Oil starts at the scalp, so your ends are more likely to get dry. If you use dry shampoo, then that product is absorbing a lot of the oil & can dry out your hair in other places where there isn’t as much oil (i.e. the ends). It’s important to put oil back in your hair where it needs to be to ensure it doesn’t get too dry!

A few of my current favorite haircare brands with products that help with hair dryness alphabetically are: Alterna, Colleen Rothschild, Moroccan Oil, Living Proof, Navy Hair Care, Olaplex, & The Ouai.