There are things I know I should stay away from. I’m looking at you, ~~blow dryer. But oh, the urge is there. Every curly-haired person knows that the blow dryer is our best friend. So, what to do? Let your hair dry naturally?
According to Hair Shaft Damage from Heat and Drying Time of Hair Dryer, a study of how blow-drying your hair actually affects it, to let your hair air-dry actually causes more damage than using a hair dryer at the right temperature and distance. Sound confusing, right? Well, hair swells when it comes into contact with water. If your hair remains wet (during the length of time it takes to air dry -- 2 hours according to the study), then this puts pressure on the delicate proteins that keep your hair intact and can lead to more harm than good.
The healthiest way to dry your hair is to let it dry naturally (about 80% dry), and finish it off by using your blow-dryer on the coolest setting by holding the dryer 6-inches away and moving it in a continuous motion.
But this is just one step. Using paraben-free shampoo is very important, as is drinking about 80 ounces of ~~~water daily (which can be very hard if you’re on the go). But where there’s a will, there’s a way!
~I tried a curling product for the first time in over 10 years and although it made my curls look more defined, it made my hair a bit crunchy and I realized that it wasn’t the best choice for me.
~~I blow-dry my hair almost every day. Hah! I’ve washed it for the past three days, but with a paraben-free shampoo that I’m currently obsessed with. For the past two days, I only used the conditioner. I have to admit, using that curling product sent me down a good path. So, no regrets here.
~~~Guru is always telling me that I need to drink more water, especially when we go to the gym. Yep, I was born rebellious. But seriously, water is good. We’re chronically dehydrated so, there’s that.
