It’s the dream of every woman on the planet to have hair that’s healthy, soft and silky. We spend lots of time trying to get it that way so that we can look our best, but it often fails to hit the mark. There’s no one single technique that works perfectly for everybody, but here are some simple things that can really help.

Know Thy Enemies

First of all, it’s important to know what things damage your hair. These can be:

• Over-styling with curlers, straighteners and excessive blow-drying
• Chemicals and pollution in the air
• Exposure to wind, sunshine or saltwater
• Stress. smoking, diet and your sleeping patterns

What’s keeping your hair from being as soft and silky as it should be? Try to tackle as many of these causes as you can and you will see a dramatic improvement in the health of your hair.

Stop Styling

One way to get your hair back to its natural, healthy state is to go cold turkey on the styling products. Give your hair a chance to recover and it’ll regain some of its luster. If your hair’s been over-styled a lot, you might want to try a deep conditioning treatment. This is a treatment that uses a very powerful conditioner for a short period of time. Follow the instructions on the package.

Protect Your Hair

Because there are so many things in the environment that can wreak havoc on your hair, keep it protected when you go out. Wear a scarf when you’re in the sun and tie it up on windy days. If you go swimming a lot, stay out of the ocean or swimming pools that use chemicals like chlorine.

Condition, Condition and Condition More

Simply using the right conditioner is a great way to keep your hair’s silky smoothness.  Know your hair type and choose a conditioner that’s made especially for you. If your hair is fine, use something light. If it’s thick, choose something tougher. Experiment a little bit to see what works, and you can also ask your hair stylist for a recommendation.  You should consider a product such as Nioxin.  Check out my Nioxin review.

If you are interested in learning more about going natural, check out my post on Going Shampoo Free.

Natural Bristles

The brush you’re using may also rough up the texture of your hair. Use a brush with soft bristles for your after-shower brushing. Brush your hair out while it’s still wet and be extra gentle with it.

Proper Diet for Healthy Hair

What you eat has a huge effect on the way your hair looks and feels. Make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet that includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and drink plenty of water. Make an effort to get all the daily recommended vitamin dosages you need. Protein from nuts and lean meat is also good for your hair. A simple daily multi-vitamin can really help you and your hair get the essential vitamins and nutrients that it needs.

For more detailed information about what foods you can eat for healthy hair, check out this article from WebMD. Top Ten Foods For Healthy Hair.

Home Remedies for Hair

Chemicals can cause lots of damage to your hair’s health even while making it look good and helping to control it. But all-natural remedies give your hair health benefits without the side effects. Black sesame, coconut oil, beetroot, mashed banana, and egg white are just a few of the natural remedies you can use. You might even have them in your kitchen cabinets right now.

Finally, listen to your hair. Pay attention to when humidity or sunshine is causing trouble. Always use the right conditioner to counterbalance the effects, and no matter what you do, always be gentle with your hair. Hair is sensitive and treating it too roughly will make it lose its natural shine.