Five Ways to Give Your Hair Some Love

Guest Author - Samantha Jackson

Sometimes it’s very hard to love your hair. And when you find that a "bad hair day" has turned into a "bad hair week," it's time to do something about it.

The tips I have for you today are not the usual type of beauty advice you're accustomed to reading. We're going all the way down to the "root" of the problem and show your hair some love. So here we go with 5 easy ways to love your hair!

1. Be Patient - Whether you're dealing with a tangle of wet hair fresh from the shower or a knotty mess first thing in the morning, you need to be patient as you brush your hair. If you rush, you risk breaking the hair and tangling it even more, so please take your time.

I have long, thick hair that tangles easily, so I usually turn on some music and sing to myself as I work my way from the ends up towards the roots. Be patient with your hair and it will reward you with beautiful results.

2. Be Kind - Show some kindness to your awesome hair by giving it a wonderful scalp massage. You can add some scented oils for added pampering. Massage will stimulate the hair follicles and help with the distribution of oils down the hair shaft.

Once you're done with the massage, do a gentle cleansing and then a deep conditioning. Set aside 30 minutes to let the conditioner do its thing while you put your feet up. Adding a little bit of honey to your deep conditioning will really make your hair shine! Rinse your hair very well with cool water, gently comb with a wide-toothed comb and let it air dry for best results.

You can even catch up on some YouTube videos while your hair dries naturally. Just type "hair styles" into the YouTube search box and you'll find a ton of ideas for new hairstyles.

3. Do Not Envy - When you find yourself thinking that someone else's hair looks better than yours, stop for a minute and take a break. We all compare ourselves to others (I speak from personal experience), but feeling bad about your own looks because of that comparison is not getting you anywhere.

Take a good look in the mirror and find something – anything – that you can like about your hair. The color, the curls, the way it shines… we all can find at least one thing that we like. Then, say to yourself, “I love my hair, my hair is amazing, I love my hair even when it does not do exactly what I want it to do, I don’t anyone else’s hair but mine”.

You might think that sounds silly, but say it anyway. You have a lot of power over what you say and what you think! Doesn't it feel better to say nice things about your hair instead of negative things?

4. Keep Your Hair Protected - The number one way to protect your hair is to stay away from using heat during styling. There are many of ways to style your hair without a hair dryer, curling iron, flat iron, etc. Just go to YouTube and search on “heatless hair styles” to get started.

Another way to protect your hair is to avoid daily shampooing. Of course you want to you’re your hair clean, but you don't have to wash it every day. I recommend washing hair two to three times a week.

Another way to give your hair the luxurious treatment it deserves is to sleep on a satin pillowcase. It's gentle on both your hair and your skin so you get a double pampering treatment!

5. Don’t Give Up – Sometimes we get tired and feel like giving up on our beauty routines, but don't do it! You don't want to lose all of the progress you've already made. If you have a bad hair day, show your hair some love and give it a nice little flower, a headband, a cute hat or any other ornament you want. Remember, there are plenty of natural hairstyles that will work for your type of hair.

Keep your head held high and show off the beautiful hair you've worked so hard to achieve. Remember, love your hair and it will love you back!