As moms we have plenty of things to keep us busy that come before trying to look amazing. But feeling good about ourselves makes us do better in all areas of our lives so it’s important that we make an effort to be confident in our appearance.
For me, after clothing, the most important characteristic of a great look is great hair. And since I’m all about finding ways to “do it all” while still having time for important things like sleep and fun, today I’m going to share some of my favorite mom hacks for great hair.
Mom Hacks for Thick, Full Hair
Stress, poor nutrition, and age can all contribute to hair loss, making many of us subconscious about thin, lifeless hair. As traumatic as premature balding can be for men, for women I think it’s dramatically worse. Men can still manage to pull off “sexy” without hair on their heads, but few women can pull that off.
An important note about these hacks: Just like sun damage, you don’t want to wait until the last minute to take action when it comes to thinning hair. When I started noticing more and more strands of hair in my shower drain, I started making changes to help me avoid the hair fate that befell both my grandmother and my mother (hair so thin that you could see their scalp from all angles).
Just as I didn’t wait until I had visible wrinkles before I started using moisturizer, I didn’t wait until I had bald patches to start taking action with my thinning hair. So, I started adding rosemary essential oil to my shampoo and conditioner.
Improve Your Health
All of those things you know you should be doing to be healthy are things that will improve the health of your hair. Meditation, a well-balanced diet, ample hydration, and regular exercise will curb hair loss that results from nutritional deficiencies and stress.
In the vitamin section of your grocery store, you can also find supplements designed specifically to help you grow thick hair. Most of them contain biotin along with other vitamins and minerals, but if you are already taking a multivitamin and/or eat a well-balanced diet, you can buy biotin supplements separately.
Massage Your Scalp
Massaging your scalp increases blood flow to your hair follicles and can also be very relaxing (i.e. reducing hair loss due to stress).
Mom Hacks for Healthy Hair
Change the Way You Wash Your Hair
Most of us wash our hair every day (or almost every day) in a hot shower. To maintain thick, healthy locks try to wash your hair only twice a week and in cold water. Your hair will retain more of its natural oils to protect your scalp and hair follicles.
And follow these shampoo tips to make sure you’re not making other mistakes when it comes to washing your hair.
After the shower, gently pat your hair dry and comb through (don’t brush wet hair!) to limit damage.
Avoid Heat Styling
Heat damages your hair so try to let your hair air dry if possible. If you have straight hair but want to create waves, try washing your hair at night and then place your hair in a loose bun on top of your head. Make sure it is loose so that it will dry. And make sure that it’s on top of your head so that:
- When you lay down in bed, you can rest your head comfortably on your pillow.
- When you take the bun out in the morning, the waves will start at the top of your head, not halfway down.
You know you have it right when you look at yourself and think, “there’s no way I’d go out in public with my hair like this.” It should look something like this:
If you just can’t bring yourself to subject your significant other to the top bun, a loose french braid can deliver similar results.
Don’t have time to let your hair curl itself overnight? Velcro rollers are a great, heat-free shortcut.
Blow Dry Properly
If you just HAVE TO heat style your hair, make sure to apply a heat protectant first. And you probably already know this, but just in case you don’t, blow drying your hair with your head flipped over (essentially, upside down) will create volume. Finally, use a diffuser (yes, even if you have straight hair!). It will add volume to any type of hair and eliminate frizz. Low speed, low heat is best for keeping your hair healthy.
Deep Condition Your Hair
Once a week you should deep condition your hair. You can use a store-bought deep condition or make your own. I use olive oil with a few drops of rosemary essential oil and tea tree oil.
I massage the oil mixture into my scalp and make sure each strand is coated, then put a shower cap on and let it sit for a couple of hours (you can leave it on overnight if you prefer).
Make Thin Hair Appear Thicker
While you’re waiting for the Women’s ROGAINE® and lifestyle changes to work their magic, you can create the illusion of thicker, fuller hair with a few simple styling tricks.
Change Your Part
If you normally part your hair on the right side, switch it to the left. Your hair will have instant lift since it will be trying to move back to its usual spot.
Use Dry Shampoo
Apply dry shampoo to your roots and massage in to give your hair an instant lift. A root lifter does the same thing, but the ones I’ve tried leave too much build up on my hair so I prefer to use dry shampoo.
Tease Your Hair
If you don’t want to stock dry shampoo, you can accomplish the same result by teasing your hair. A little teasing at the roots on the crown of your head will give your style some lift and create the illusion of thicker, fuller hair.
Get Highlights
If you color your hair, make sure to work in some highlights. Highlights add depth, which makes your hair look thicker. Make sure you work with a trained colorist who knows what they are doing if you are having your hair color-treated. Chemicals do cause damage, which can lead to hair loss, but the damage can be mitigated by a professional.
Great hair is a natural by-product of a healthy lifestyle. When age and life interfere, these tricks should help you maintain your lovely locks so you can be confident about your appearance. I’ve personally tried all of the tricks I’ve shared here and these are my results:
