Mindful Ways We’re Using Hair Styling Products This Year

Saying we’re banishing our heat styling tools is sort of like committing to cut chocolate out of our diets—and, let’s be real, that’s a big ask. Our curling irons, blow dryers, and flatirons usually have pride of place in our morning routine for good reason: they make us feel like a million bucks and they get us out the door fast. With that in mind, we’ve whipped up a handful of tips for ways you can support your hair better this time around without sacrificing your best styling pals. Let’s do this.

Back to the Basics

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how much you pamper your hair if you’re not properly cleansing and conditioning it from the get-go. That’s why we’ll remind you over and over (like a well-meaning parent who nerds out on science) that a high-quality shampoo and conditioner are your best bet for resilient locks. Choose a formula that’s free of parabens, sulfates, and any other ingredients that strip your hair and leave your texture dry and brittle. If you’re already a part of the Strands fam, you’ll know our products also happen to be SLES- and SLS- free, sulfate free, paraben free, cruelty free, phthalate free and mineral oil free! Win-win.

How to Bring the Heat

This is slightly uncommon knowledge, but the settings on your heat tools can often make or (literally) break your hair. While temps should vary based on your hair type, it’s usually recommended that you stick within the 200-300 degree bracket. That means you can crank things up to the suggested max for thick hair but keep things cooler for fine strands. If there’s one rule of thumb we can leave you with it’s this: avoid your tool’s highest heat settings as it’ll damage even the most durable textures. Another way to keep your flatiron around is to opt for one made with ceramic. This protects hair from negative ions found in the heat of the iron. The more you know…

Break Up with Split Ends 

There’s no better way to protect your hair from damage than to get a regular haircut or trim. Frayed ends might be just the ticket for your ankle-cut jeans but splintered hair fibers are never a good look on anyone. Whether they split into a “Y” shape or the “feather” with multiple parts, taking off an inch or two reboots your hair and protects it from further damage. You can schedule regular maintenance with your hairdresser and prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft and harming it further. There’s no magical way to keep split ends at bay, but a routine trim will do wonders for your mane in the long term. 

Just remember that all your lifestyle tweaks and products are only supplements to a healthy hair care regimen. If you’re serious about preventing damage, it all starts by building a custom formula that’ll strengthen and renew your tresses while supporting your specific biological hair needs, resulting in a system that’s as unique as you are. Once that’s in place, you’re already well on your way to your best hair ever.