Bad hair days happen to the best of us. But here’s what to do when you’re having a few too many of them.
Bad hair days are inevitable. Such is life. But what happens when bad hair days follow bad hair days follow bad hair days and you find yourself Googling “Why do I have shit hair?”
Well, it turns out you’re not alone on that front - there’s been a whopping 350% increase in Google searches for shit hair in the last few months.
Let’s start by reassuring you that your hair isn’t shit. Maybe in a bit of a slump. Perhaps in need of some salvation. But it’s not shit. It just may mean you need to reassess some of your life choices and make a few (easy!) changes.
Brush your hair more
This sounds counter-productive, because the more you brush your hair, the more hair you lose, right? Not really. When you brush your hair, you’re losing hair that’s already fallen out - brushing doesn’t cause it to fall out. A regular brushing routine can actually improve your hair health by keeping it free from knots and tangles, stimulating circulation of blood flow in your scalp to rejuvenate the hair follicles, and distributing your natural oils from roots to ends.
Treat your scalp like your skin
Your poor, neglected scalp. But did you know that strong, healthy hair starts with a strong, healthy scalp? Improve hair health literally from the root by making sure to regularly exfoliate to keep the follicles clean and fresh to promote stronger hair growth, and nourished to prevent flaking and irritation. A little head massage will go a long way for improving circulation and blood flow (also, you deserve that moment of self-care).
Go easy on the dry shampoo
Dry shampoo is the epitome of the saying, “Too much of a good thing.” While a hair saviour and freshener when in a pinch, layering it on thick and neglecting a regular hair washing routine can contribute to dull hair and a flaky scalp, and impact hair growth. Use it as and when needed, but make sure you don’t use it too many days in a row and you’re not using it as a replacement for a hair washing routine.
Calm down
Look, we know telling you to calm down might just do the opposite. But a calmer, less-stressed state can actually help your hair. Sounds wild, but here’s how it works: When you’re stressed, it can force hair follicles into the resting phase of the hair life-cycle, then after a few months, that’ll all come out when you brush and wash your hair and you’ll panic that you’re going bald. But that can easily be managed by looking after your mental health (meditation, anyone?) and prioritising your wellbeing with regular exercise and a nutritious diet.
Check your nutrients
Whatever’s going on on the outside is because of something that’s happening on the inside. Your diet and the nutrients, vitamins and minerals your body absorbs impacts your hair (and skin and nail) health. Make sure you’re feeding your hair from within - more wholegrains, good fats, and protein, and limiting processed foods, saturated fats and refined sugar (but, hey, everything in moderation is okay). It also pays HUGELY to take a daily supplement packed full of some hair and body-loving natural ingredients like Aéde Hair Activist. It ticks the regular boxes for supplements that are great for healthy hair - zinc, biotin, and selenium - but has so many more clinically-proven and results-driven vitamins and minerals (think: riboflavin, niacin, vitamin c, iron, marine collagen, silica, saw palmetto, ginkgo biloba, and horsetail) to help improve scalp health, boost blood circulation, fight free radicals that can damage hair cells, support collagen production, and strengthen hair. Consider it your daily dose of wellbeing that’ll help you have infinitely less shit hair.
