“The most common causes of heat damage include chemical processes such as color and chemical relaxers, as well as heat damage from using hot tools daily. Environmental factors, such as hard water, UV rays, and even extreme cold, can also cause damage,” explains Susan Ford, master stylist and creative director at Asha Salon Spa in Chicago. The good news: There are plenty of ways to bring locks back to life. Here are six of the best things you can do when dry hair needs some extra TLC. While these won’t repair any damage (more on that in a minute), they will add plenty of moisture. In turn, this makes hair look and feel softer and smoother—always a good thing. [Try Hair Food Avocado & Argan Oil Smoothing Hair Mask ($3, walmart.com).] Plus, well-hydrated hair is less likely to break and snap when brushing or styling. Top tip: Letting a hair mask sit on your hair for even a few minutes is helpful, but to really up the ante, apply on damp hair, then pop on a shower cap and leave on overnight. The shower cap locks in heat, helping ingredients better penetrate the hair (and keeping your pillowcase from getting gunky). Rinse out in the morning, and you’re good to go. RELATED: 6 Hair Masks to Revive Dry, Damaged Hair Your best bet is to seek products that specifically call out bond repair, like Olaplex No.3 Hair Repair Perfector ($30, sephora.com). One of the OGs in the category, this can be used weekly or as often as three times per week and works in just 10 minutes. We’re also fans of Amika The Kure Multi-Task Repair Treatment ($29, revolve.com), which has been clinically tested and shown to repair hair by 74 percent after just three uses, thanks to its bond-cure technology. Split ends may seem innocuous, but they can make your hair look damaged and frizzy; if they travel further up the hair shaft, they can also cause more serious damage. Set a reminder on your phone, pre-book when you’re at the salon, do what you must, but make regular trims a non-negotiable habit. Two, brush hair before showering since shampooing can potentially cause more tangles. And finally, post-washing, make sure to spray on a detangling spray or leave-in conditioner before brushing; this will give the hair some slip and minimize how much you need to pull and yank to eliminate knots. We can’t get enough of the multi-tasking Odele Leave-In Detangling Tonic ($11, target.com)—a clean, affordable formula that detangles, hydrates, and protects hair from heat and pollution.
