Healthy hair habits

Natural hair care tips to look after your locks

Maintaining healthy and lustrous hair without the use of harsh chemicals is not only environmentally friendly but also beneficial for your overall wellbeing. Natural hair care involves a gentle approach that nourishes your hair from roots to tips. Here are some expert tips for how to look after your hair naturally.

Ditch the chemicals

"When looking for chemical-free hair products try to opt for shampoos, conditioners and styling products that are free from harsh chemicals like sulfates, parabens, and silicones," says Natalie Crank, director at HEIR Salon and HEIR Education (www.heir-salon.com and www.heir-education.com). "These chemicals can strip the hair of its natural oils and lead to dryness and damage."

Choose natural products

"Our scalp absorbs toxins and chemicals so there are clear benefits to using more natural ingredients and organic hair products," says Gina Conway, owner of award-winning sustainable salon Gina Conway Salon & Spa (www.ginaconwaysalons.co.uk). "Genuinely organic/natural products are generally more sustainable and produced on a smaller scale with more care put into the process, so find out about the story behind your choice. It’s worth remembering though that many natural ingredients cannot be organic, because they’re not ‘grown’, and it can be expensive to certify as organic, so do your research."

Check the ingredients

"Aromatherapy scents and essential oils are some of my favourite ingredients to look out for, as they deliver excellent results for the hair and the scalp," says Gina Conway. "Rose damascena contains vitamin C, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, while benzoin resin improves scalp and hair elasticity and smoothness and helps speed up wound healing. Ylang ylang oil’s incredible properties for the hair and scalp have been passed down through the ages. It treats your scalp, balancing the oil there, and helps prevent hair from becoming dry and brittle, boosting growth and helping prevent hair loss."

Feed your hair

"When it comes to hair health, what you feed your body is just as important as what you apply to your hair," says Abbas Kanani, superintendent pharmacist with Chemist Click (www.chemistclick.co.uk). "Nutritional deficiency may impact both hair structure and hair growth leading to hair loss. In some cases, an iron deficiency can cause weak, brittle hair and hair loss. When your body doesn’t absorb enough iron, it cannot produce enough haemoglobin to regenerate hair follicle stem cells. Haemoglobin is a protein found in your red blood cells that carries oxygen through the blood to grow and repair the cells in your body. Adding iron-rich foods such as red meat and a variety of beans, such as red kidney beans, edamame beans and chickpeas or iron supplements can help to boost your iron levels."

Combat free radical damage

"Vitamin A helps hair growth and reduces hair loss by helping glands in the scalp produce an oily substance known as sebum," says Abbas Kanani. "The damage from free radicals (harmful molecules in the body), can damage hair follicles causing hair to fall out. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that reduces the stress placed on hair follicles by free radicals. A lack of vitamin C can also cause anaemia, a side effect of which is hair loss. An added benefit of vitamin C is that it produces collagen, an amino acid which acts as a building block for thick and healthy hair. Foods rich in vitamin C include peppers, guavas, broccoli and citrus fruits."

Up your protein intake

"Hair is primarily made up of a protein called keratin," says Maz Packham, nutritionist at Nourishful Nutrition (nourishfulnutrition.co.uk and @nourishful_nutritionist). "So, for healthy hair growth, it’s important to ensure there is adequate protein in the diet to provide the amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. Think about your intake of eggs, nuts and seeds, legumes, meat and fish. Biotin is an important B vitamin that supports keratin production so eating a diet rich in foods such as salmon, avocado, eggs and sweet potato is important to optimise intake of this nutrient."

Be kind to your hair

"Gentle styling is something to consider," says Natalie Crank, director at HEIR Salon and HEIR Education (www.heir-salon.com and www.heir-education.com). "Minimise heat styling and use heat protectant products when heat styling is necessary. Trimming your hair regularly to get rid of split ends and prevent further damage can help to keep your hair looking healthy and feeling thicker. Aim for a trim every six to eight weeks."

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