Hair Care 101: Common Mistakes to Avoid

It’s easy to fall into a rut with your hair care routine. You develop certain habits that you believe are beneficial to your locks, without really thinking twice about their true effects.

Well, today, Nubi is here to take you back to those hair care basics. We’re going to share some common mistakes that so many people make. Learning what they are and how to avoid them could finally give you the hair of your dreams.

Over-Washing Your Hair

Let’s start with something that you probably do a few times a week; washing your hair. This is essential for keeping your hair clear of dirt, excess oil, product buildup, pollutants, and more. As a result, many people think that the more they wash their hair, the better. However, this isn’t actually the case…

Each time you wash your hair, you strip it of its natural oils, leaving it vulnerable to damage. Leaving a bit of time in between washes allows gives the oil a bit of time to build back up. This helps to keep your hair moisturized. It will also help to preserve your hair color – the more you wash your hair, the faster that color will fade.

So, how often should you be washing your hair?

There isn’t a universal answer. So many different factors influence this, from your hair type and length to your age and the environment that you’re in. Ideally, learn to listen to your hair – only wash it when it needs to be washed. For most people, this is usually every third day, although those with an oily scalp may need to wash their hair more often.

Conditioning the Roots of Your Hair

Once you’re done shampooing your hair, the next step is to use a conditioner. However, if you’ve been applying your conditioner to the roots of your hair, then this is another hair care mistake to avoid making. 

Why? Because conditioners are designed for the lower half of your lengths. Apply one to your scalp and you’ll likely end up feeling itchy and extra greasy. Product buildup will also occur much faster, meaning that you’ll end up washing your hair sooner than you should, which will start the whole vicious cycle again.

So, keep your conditioner focused on the ends of your hair. And, while you’re at it, make sure that you’re using a good conditioner too, such as Nubi’s Nourishing and Moisturizing Conditioner. This velvety formula is packed with proteins and plant oils. It will leave your hair feeling stronger, better structured, and deeply hydrated. It’ll also reduce the appearance of frizz and static, giving you locks that look silky smooth.

Using Excess Heat on Your Hair

You probably already know how damaging excess heat can be for your hair. It’s common knowledge that the overuse of heated styling tools can lead to the hair feeling dry, dull, and brittle.

However, this doesn’t mean that you need to forgo your favorite straightener or curling wand. Instead, simply make hair care a priority when heat styling your hair. 

Begin by applying a heat protectant product while your hair is damp. This will coat each hair to form a barrier between your hair and the heat. As a result, instead of burning your hair, any excess heat will burn off your heat protectant instead.

It’s also worth using styling tools that allow you to adjust their temperature. Everyone’s hair is different, meaning that there isn’t a single temperature that would work for us all.

However, some heated styling tools, such as Nubi’s Simply Sleek Brush, allow you to adjust the temperature emitted by the device. This way, you can go with the maximum temperature if you have very thick, coarse, or curly hair, or tone things down a little if your hair is thinner or finer.

Another form of excess heat that many don’t consider is hot water. If your hair care routine involves washing your hair with steamy water, then you’re unknowingly causing significant damage to your locks. Try turning the temperature down to lukewarm the next time you’re in the shower. It’s not just your hair that’ll thank you – your skin will as well!

Being Too Rough With Wet Hair

Whether it’s brushing out tangles or using hair ties, being rough with wet hair is another common hair care mistake that can cause a fair bit of damage over time. 

When your hair is wet, it’s at its most fragile state. Your strands are highly susceptible to damage and breakages, meaning that this is when you need to be particularly kind to them. 

Sure, de-tangling is easiest done when hair is damp. Many styling techniques also require damp hair. However, the important word to remember here is ‘damp’, rather than wet. Give your hair a little time to dry before working with it to prevent your strands from undergoing any unnecessary damage.

Blow Drying Your Hair When It’s Soaking Wet

Now that you know how damaging it can be to handle your hair too much when it’s wet, your new plan of action may be to partly blow dry it before de-tangling or styling. However, this is another hair care mistake to avoid.

Again, blow drying is something that is best done with damp, rather than wet, hair. Blow drying wet hair could end up leaving your hair damaged in the long run. Why? Because you’ll need to expose your strands to the heat from your dryer for so much longer in order to actually dry them. On the other hand, hair that’s damp will dry so much faster, keeping heat exposure to a minimum.

Of course, just like when choosing your other heated styling tools, be sure to pick a blow dryer that offers you multiple temperature settings. Nubi’s Blow Me Away is a blow dryer that boasts just that. This professional model has been designed to offer a customized drying experience. With two adjustable speed settings, three temperature settings, two concentrators, and a cool shot mode, you’ll be able to dry your hair to perfection.

Incorrectly Towel Drying Your Hair

So, if there’s not much that you can do with soaking wet hair but you need your hair to dry as quickly as possible, then this means that towel drying is the answer, right? 

Yes, but only if you do this in the correct way. Many people end up scrubbing at their hair with their towels in an attempt to dry it faster. However, as we mentioned earlier, you need to be gentle with your hair when it’s wet, so scrubbing and rubbing should definitely be avoided. 

Instead, use your towel to gently squeeze the water out of your hair. Make sure that you don’t twist your strands. Then, loosely wrap your hair in your towel for 5-10 minutes, before letting it air dry for another 5-10 minutes. After this, it’ll be ready to be blow dried, de-tangled, or styled.

Using Dirty Brushes and Styling Tools

Chances are that you wash your hair regularly, but do you do the same with your hairbrushes and hair styling tools?

For most people, the answer would be no, making this yet another common hair care mistake. 

Why? Because your hairbrush and styling tools are a breeding ground for different strains of yeast, mold, and bacteria. They may appear clean at first glance, but most of these microorganisms can’t be seen by the naked eye. However, once those unclean tools touch your hair, all of those impurities contaminate your precious locks.

The result? Congestion, scalp inflammation, psoriasis, dandruff, and a whole host of other problems you don’t want to be dealing with.

Fortunately, the solution is simple – keep your styling tools clean. If you use a lot of styling products in your hair, be it hairspray, creams, or anything else, then you should ideally be cleaning your tools every week. For everyone else, a good clean every 2-3 weeks should suffice.

Neglecting Your Scalp

It’s not just hair care that matters – scalp care is just as important. In fact, give your scalp the attention and love that it needs and this will filter through to your hair, leaving your mane looking so much healthier.

How do you know if your scalp needs some extra love? You’ll notice itching, sensitivities, hair loss, and possibly even pain. What can you do about this? Add some scalp care products to your hair care routine.

There are plenty of scalp treatments out there, along with scalp scrubs to give your scalp a good exfoliation. If you’d prefer to keep things simple, regular scalp massages can work wonders. This will boost circulation in your scalp, which will allow it to function more efficiently.

Sleeping With Damp Hair

When you wash your hair at the end of a long day, it can sometimes be tempting to give your hair a quick dry before crawling into bed. However, if your hair is still damp at this point, you’re leaving it susceptible to damage and breakages.

As you know, damp hair is weak and vulnerable. Going to sleep may not initially seem like an activity that will stress your hair out, but most people end up tossing and turning quite a bit throughout the night, often without realizing it. Each time you do this, friction is created between your hair and your pillow, which can result in those brittle strands snapping.

Ideally, make sure that your hair has been thoroughly dried before you head to bed each night. Not only will this mean that you’ll have less de-tangling to do in the morning, but you’ll also be so much more comfortable while you sleep!

Eating an Unbalanced Diet

You may not think that your diet plays a role in your hair care routine, but what you eat makes a huge difference to how your hair looks and feels. 

In order to thrive, your hair needs plenty of protein, fatty acids, and vitamins. For this, you’ll need to be consuming a fresh and balanced diet. Foods such as eggs, oily fish, pumpkin seeds, spinach, and walnuts will all help to give you the glossy mane of your dreams.

At the same time, stay away from sugar, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol. These foods can potentially contribute to hair loss.

Perfect Your Hair Care Routine With Nubi

Once you understand the basics, you’ll soon see that hair care doesn’t need to be complicated. So long as you avoid all of the common mistakes listed above, you’ll be giving your hair everything that it needs to look and feel its very best.

Click here to check out more bestselling hair care and styling products from Nubi.