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Five Hair Mistakes You Are Probably Making. Right Now! OMG! Stop!

Published 07.29.2007 | Permanent Link | Comments (23)

So after a long discussion with Phillip during my haircut last weekend, I realized something. I get question after question about hair products. Which product should I use? What will fix this problem and that problem and can you recommend a good shampoo?

But sometimes, it's not really a product that will solve your hair's problems. Especially if your problem is frizz, breakage or general all-around limp blahness. Sometimes these problems are caused by our bad habits -- bad habits that you might not even realize is a bad habit. Lord knows it took me long enough to figure all this stuff out.

So forgive me if this is all old news for you, but here are five bad habits a lot of women do, and five bad habits all women need to STOP DOING before plunking down the cash on expensive salon fixes.

1) Don't put your hair in a ponytail overnight. Soooo tempting, I know. But hair bands (even the "ouchless" ones) are NOT your hair's friend. They cause breakage and stress at the band AND at your scalp. And breakage and stress = frizz and flyaways. The occasional ponytail during the day is fine, although if you regularly wear your hair up, you should consider switching to a clip instead.

2) Don't shampoo your ends; don't condition your roots. Shampoo 101, here, kiddos, and it applies to pretty much all hair types. "But my hair is..." No. Try it.

3) Don't overtreat the problem. This one is the same idea as proper skincare: throwing tons of harsh oil-control products at acne-prone skin actually makes your skin overcompensate and produce more oil. You're trying to achieve balance, not beat your hair and skin into submission. Trust me, you won't win.

If your roots are oily, toss the oil-control shampoo in favor of a clarifying or volumizing one. If your hair is dry, do a deep conditioning treatment once a week, but use something gentle everyday (and check your styling products for high alcohol content...these could be the culprit). Switch up your shampoo occasionally -- I think most hair will benefit from a clarifying treatment every now and then.

4) Don't wrap your hair in a towel turban after the shower. I do this one. It's been easier to resist since my hair is shorter, but Phillip was able to look at my hairline and scold me about it. You know all those crazy short baby-hairs around your forehead? Quit the turban habit and you'll see a lot less of those, PLUS more natural lift at your roots. The weight of the towel is pulling at your roots and causing breakage, especially since you're wrapping it when it's wet and at its most vulnerable. (Oh, and those small shammy-like turbans aren't any better. While they aren't as heavy as a towel, you tend to wrap them much tighter, which causes the same problem.) Use a towel to gently squeeze off excess water and then let your hair air-dry instead.

5) Do use the cool setting on your blow-dryer. Would you believe I had no idea why my blow-dryer even had a cool setting for years? Finally, I asked a stylist for a detailed blow-drying tutorial and she revealed the secret: When drying your hair with a round brush, hit your ends with cool air to set the style. And BOOM! Less frizz, and my hair stayed curled under or flipped out or straight or however else I styled it.

Do you have any other mistakes to add? Have you ever had a forehead-slapping I-can't-believe-how-simple-that-was hair moment that solved everything for you?

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Comments (23):

Sharon said:

So, not to sound like a complete idiot who doesn't know something that maybe the whole rest of the universe knows...but:

I put my hair up in the pony tail to sleep mainly because if I leave it down I get too hot, sweat like crazy (ew!) and then end up breaking out where the hair was trapped between my face and the pillow. I am the only one in the world that has this problem?

I have the baby hair problem to the EXTREME and would love to follow your advice but bad skin on my cheeks and forehead is almost worse than bad hair...

Posted on July 30, 2007 11:06

Kimmy said:

The solution the the overnight pony-tail:

Many hair supply places will have these, but especially ones that cater to African-American hair.

Buy a hair cap.

It's like a shower cap but made of lightweight, breathable fabric instead of plastic. You simply pile your hair on top of your head (no clips or anything, just a loose pile)... hold that with one hand, and with the other hand, slip the cap over. You may have to stuff some hair up under it that didn't make it in, but once it's in... you're set.

Mine stays on all night. And in the morning, I take it off, and my hair is still often much the same as I left it the night before, style-wise. And, no damage.

Posted on July 30, 2007 11:19

robin m said:

I sleep with satin/silk pillowcases and they have really alleviated the "halo" effect from all the breakage. I also don't turban, I rarely heat-style my hair, I don't shampoo my ends (but I do condition-only "shampoo" most days, too, fwiw). I only use boar hair brushes or combs that don't rip my hair. I do color my hair, but I baby the hell out of it the rest of the time.

I don't know if I can live without putting it up in a ponytail/bun to sleep, though. The cap is a good idea.

Posted on July 30, 2007 11:22

OneSmartCookie said:

I was all pleased with myself for following the rules until I got to number 4. Wait... no turban? But...?? What do I dooooo? I thought I was doing the right thing by not blasting the hair dryer at soaking wet hair. Are you telling me that I will achieve the same level of pre blow drying dry-ness without using the turban? You've never steered me wrong before, but I'm sorry to say that I am doubting this.

Although... going without the turban might bring a measure of dignity back to my morning routine.

Posted on July 30, 2007 11:30

Deborah Svoboda said:

Great tips! The best one I ever got from a stylist was...paper towels. I have super-fine, easily-damaged curls, so blow-drying is something I avoid doing as much as possible. Just blot your hair dry with paper towels and squeeze gently...cuts down on the amount of blow drying you need and the damage it can cause, especially to fine hair.

Although, I did get some very weird looks the other day at the gym for it. White paper twoels work MUCH better than the yucky brown ones in public restrooms!

Posted on July 30, 2007 11:57

KatieMick said:

Don't fight your hair texture - work with it as much as possible. I have thick naturally curly hair. In the summertime, I don't even try to blow it out straight - I use a diffuser, let it be curly, with a smoothing milk after it's dry to tame the little frizzies. I have gradual layers cut in to enhance the curl and also to avoid the trapezoid-head effect that can come with all-one-length-curly hair. Roseanne Rosannadana is not a good look.

Beating your hair into submission, much like trying to reason with a three year old, is an exercise in futility.

Oh - also ask for a hairstylist that is experienced with curly hair when getting a haircut. If you don't, you run the risk of getting your hair cut WAYYYY too short; your stylist has to allow for, um, shrinkage.

Posted on July 30, 2007 12:06

erika said:

Please add: don't attempt to cut your own hair. Whoops! Too late!

Posted on July 30, 2007 12:12

Stephanie said:

But... but... if I don't wrap my hair in a turban, then my clothes will get all sopping wet.

I have a ponytail question. I don't wear one when I sleep (I actually appear to be one of the few who cannot stand having my hair up when sleeping), but I wear ponytails pretty often. Any suggestions for what to use instead of hair bands? I'm sure I can't get away with anything other than hair bands for when I need it to stay up at the gym, but I'm open to suggestions for when I wear a ponytail other times. (P.S. My hair is pretty thin, although there is a lot of it, and I always need two elastics to get it to stay in place.)

Posted on July 30, 2007 12:25

Valette said:

But... but... if I don't wrap my hair in a turban, then my clothes will get all sopping wet.

This is true! My hair is suuuper long, down to my butt, and if I don't wrap it for at least five minutes everything gets very wet. And I can't stand the feeling of wet hair down my back.

Does the turban thing apply to short-term use as well? Is five minutes just as bad as 30?

Posted on July 30, 2007 13:27

katishere said:

i too can not get away from the towel turban thing. maybe on the weekend when i have more time to hang out and let it air dry. seriousl my hair is super thick and straight and would just make my shirts sopping wet.

i started using an anti-frizz serum and that helps my hair dry faster but i just *need* to turban my hair. there's no getting around it.

Posted on July 30, 2007 14:01

jomama said:

I am so guilty of the ponytail to sleep thing, but twisted into a bun is my everyday style, so that's going to be a tough habit to break.

As for the no turban rule, I think I can deal with that, but I have to ask for for the people who are concerned, what about a terry cloth bonnet? I used to have one years ago and I would put it on after I washed my hair so I didn't have to worry about the towel falling off whenever I bent over. Just towel dry so it's not sopping wet, and slap on the bonnet.

Posted on July 30, 2007 14:05

jamimess said:

I have been having huge hair dilemmas related to exactly these issues. I had my hair cut at a "curly girl" salon about 5 weeks ago. Was pleased with the cut; they cut it dry, curl by curl, which helps prevent shrinkage issues. Since then, I've been using their "no poo" cleanser, plus conditioner, plus a leave-in conditioner, plus a light styling gel. I really like all the products, but I swear, I am having more issues with frizz than I ever did before I started all this nonsense! I have medium textured, curly, not-too-frizzy hair, but I've been getting a layer of frizz toward the crown. Very annoying.

They are also fans of the paper towel scrunch method, and if you want to be environmentally conscious, they recommend old t-shirts instead. I've been using my shammy towel, turning my head upside-down and scrunching upward gently, and I find that leaving a little more water in my hair actually gives me larger, more "piece-y" curls. However, my hair takes a year and a half to dry. I put the shammy towel around my neck like a cape to prevent my shirt getting wet. I also lift my hair a little at the roots and clip it (about 6-8 clips), which takes off some of the weight and helps it dry better. And if I have time, I diffuse it dry.

The problem: I'm spending more time than I think is reasonable on my hair. And I don't think it looks appreciably better than when I used to spend 3 minutes on it and shampoo it with all that sodium laureth sulfate that's so bad for you. Is it possible it's just going to take two months for my hair to settle into its new routine, after being mildly abused for years?

Help is appreciated; I'm considering calling the salon for assistance! (They're in NY and I'm in CA. And yes, I got my hair cut on vacation in NY because I am nuts and wanted to try it out. The stylists had GORGEOUS curls. And no, I haven't dismissed the possibility that my hair changed after having a baby 9 mos ago, except that it didn't change with the birth of my first baby, 3 years ago.)

Thanks for the post and the tips, Amalah!

Posted on July 30, 2007 16:26

robin m said:

I think the turban TOWELS are ok - like those quick dry towels? Just don't lift your hair up like that over your head when it's wet. Hair is much more fragile when it's wet than you think.

Also this applies to when you are washing it - don't pile it on your head and soap it up - just massage your scalp and hair in its natural position.

Posted on July 30, 2007 16:55

Alison said:

But I love my turban! I love it. Is it really that bad?

Here's a question for all of you who sleep with your hair in a ponytail? Are you doing a top-of-the-head ponytail? If not, how do you sleep on it? I always want to put my hair up when I sleep, but the bump it makes on the back of my hair is too uncomfortable when I'm lying on my back.

Posted on July 30, 2007 17:32

Amy Corbett Storch said:

Ok! So just checking in on the comments. (You know, LIFE.)

Alternatives to the overnight ponytail, besides the cap: I'll gently pin my bangs back with bobby pins, or wrap my hairline in a wide headband or plain cotton scarf (ripping up an old t-shirt works really well), knotting the fabric wherever it won't bug me. I sleep on my side almost exclusively, so knotting it at the back of my head works. It might not stay put all night, every night, but it works well enough to keep the oil slicks at bay AND is way gentler on my hair.

As for the towel turbans: AH KNOW. I've been doing this for ages. I had no idea it was a bad thing. But seriously, do whatever you can to avoid it for more than a few minutes. Like Robin said, your hair is SO delicate when it's wet. Paper towels, old t-shirts, wrap a towel around your shoulders for awhile and then hit your ends with a diffuser. Don't pile your hair up, and don't put a lot of pressure on your hairline.

And for jamimess: I'm not a curly hair expert, so I'm not really sure what to tell you. Could be old damage, could be the products you're using. There's no crime in going back to your old shampoo and seeing what happens. While I know I tend to delve into Grand Sweeping Pronouncements here, I'm way more of a fan of "you do what works for you" than anything. If you don't see an improvement or see more frizz, then ditch whatever they sold you and go back to whatever you were using. And then find a salon and stylist near you. (Also! I always say: don't buy products on your first visit with a stylist. Establish a relationship and make sure you see eye-to-eye with them before subscribing to their newsletter, yanno?)

Posted on July 31, 2007 00:19

Tamara said:

I am pretty good about all of these except the first one. I leave my hair down at night, but during the day?? I am the queen of the ponytail. In this humidity, my wavy (but irritatingly, only in the back of my head) hair tends to grow and resist my attempts to straighten it. Anyway, I have always wanted to use a clip, but my hair is incredibly thick. Freakishly thick. So thick that whenever I try a new hair salon, all the hairdressers come over and touch it. I have never found a clip that is big enough or strong enough to pull it all back. I end up breaking ALL OF THEM. Does anyone have a better suggestion? Right now, the only thing that works is a heavy-duty, ouchless Goody rubber band.

Posted on July 31, 2007 09:06

JunieB said:

My hair is extremely short. How do I avoid not shampooing the ends or conditioning the roots when the ends and the roots are about 2-3 inches apart? I'm thinking I should start using waaaay much less product than I already do?

Also, from time to time I give my hair a good rinse with plain white vinegar, as I've heard this will help rinse out extra product and leave a nice shine (which it does). Good idea or bad idea?

Posted on July 31, 2007 12:30

jen said:

beauty confession: I always comb out my hair when it's still soaking wet from the shower. this goes against the "your hair is super delicate when it's wet OMG you are torturing your hair if you brush it out of the shower" but I do it anyway. I have straight hair and if I'm in a rush, I can get away with a shower+brushing+air dry.

sigh. that felt good.

Posted on July 31, 2007 15:16

AmyM said:

NOOOOOOO!!!! You're taking away all that is sacred! First, I have to ditch the cheap shampoo and now you're going to make me give up my turban AND my bedtime ponytail. I'm really starting to wonder if you are some sort of sadist.
So anyhow...
is it ok to comb your hair w/ an extra wide tooth comb when it's wet, or is THAT a 'no-no' too?

Posted on July 31, 2007 18:36

AmyM said:

And just so we're clear... if you try to take away the cream from my coffee or my precious falafel, I'm done here.

Posted on July 31, 2007 18:39

BridehoodRevisited said:

I had no idea about the towel turban thing. Ack! That explains a lot.

Posted on August 1, 2007 10:48

robin m said:

AmyM, if you are gentle with the comb and the comb has no "extraneous" items on it that will tear your hair (seams, etc) then it should be fine. If your hair is long, start combing at the bottom and gradually go further up.

Posted on August 2, 2007 13:12

amani said:

i use a turban sometimes but thts not my problem.

im 13 and i like my hairrr, but not 2 school.
i straightened my hair 2 school but my mom didnt let me. So i tried 2 blow-dry my hair everytime i got out of the showerr. she didnt approve of tht either.

So wht do i do 2 my hair 2 school now?
i put it up in a ponytail like once a week,
but wht do i do for the other 4 days?
PLEASE HELP ME!

email me at syedaam@aol.com & let me know.
p.s. i have silky wavy hairr.

Posted on September 11, 2008 17:30

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Amalah is a pseudonym of Amy Corbett Storch. A Washington D.C.-based freelance writer. The Smackdown is published on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. You can follow Amy's daily mothering adventures at www.amalah.com. Also, it's pronounced AIM-ah-lah.

Amy also documented her second pregnancy in a Weekly Pregnancy Calendar, Zero to Forty.

Amy is mother to delicious preschooler Noah and baby Ezra. NomNomNom.

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