Being a mom can mean that you are constantly on the go, and always making a point to first think about the needs of your little ones before paying attention to yourself. But, everyone deserves a little self care scattered throughout the day, and moms are no exception. One way to make yourself feel instantly put together and confident is to make sure your hair looks nice. As a busy Mum, like many of you, I am always looking at ways to make your hair look better.
This doesn’t have to mean spending an hour wrestling with the curling iron or popping into a salon, there are a few easy tips that can instantly upgrade your hair, even if you only have 5 minutes to yourself in the morning.
- Sleep on a silky pillowcase
Regular cotton pillowcases can increase dryness and frizz after a night of tossing and turning. But, silky pillowcases like those made out of silk or satin can allow hairs to easily slip past one another while you toss around, while giving the hair a little polish.
Silky pillowcases can also help distribute healthy scalp oils down the hair shaft, meaning that you wake up to less frizzy hair with healthy oils and more shine.
This may seem like a strange change, but give it a try and you will likely even be packing your silky cases for vacations to avoid going back to cotton. As a bonus, these materials are better for your skin, too. Silk or satin can be less drying on your skin, and avoid face creases that may turn into fine lines long term.
- Have a go-to hair clip
Sometimes leaving your hair down is just not an option. For days that you don’t have time to do anything to your hair and it’s looking unruly left down, have a go-to hair clip for a 15 second polished look.
Brush out and gather your hair at the nape of your neck, then twist it all in one direction and clip it upon the back of your head with a large neutral-colored hair clip.
For a messier look, pull down a few strands of hair in the front to frame your face, and no one would be able to guess that your hair was uncooperative this morning.
- Do a quick in-shower hair mask
Hair masks don’t have to take all evening. They don’t even have to be done outside of the shower.
If you have an extra 5 minutes in the shower, you can add a little moisture and shine back into your hair.
Simply wash your hair as usual, then wring out as much water as possible and apply a generous amount of your favorite hair mask or deep conditioner. Your hair will be damp and the steamy shower will it help it do its things a little faster.
Let it sit for at least 5 minutes (or as long as you have), then rinse out and enjoy silkier hair all day.
- Comb through a hair oil
A good hair oil can be an instant hair pick-me-up, especially if dry and damaged ends are part of your problem.
Argan oil is a good one that works for most hair types. Simply apply some to your hands and work through the mids and ends (avoiding the root so it doesn’t look flat and oily). Or, drizzly a little oil into a paddle brush and brush through the mids and ends of your hair for a really evenly distributed application.
You will end up with less frizz, more shine, and an instantly more put together hair look.
- Braid or twist your hair up damp the night before
If your mornings are chaotic, but you have a little extra time in the evenings before bed, you can do the majority of your hair “styling” before you hit the hay.
If you are a night showerer, wring out your damp hair and apply all of your usual hair products while wet. Then, either braid a few braids and secure with an elastic, or try 2-4 sections twisted and secured with a soft scrunchie. Your hair will slowly dry in the braid or twist while you sleep, and lock in the shape it is in.
In the morning, all you have to do is unbraid or untwist, shake it out, and spritz in a little product to help it last (if you want). Depending on the twist or braid you went with, you will likely end up with effortless waves, curls, or crimps that look like you spent way longer on your hair than you actually did.
- Use a volumizing spray or dry shampoo for second-day hair
Second day dirty hair is no longer a problem. In fact, the grittier, tousled look is in.
In order to boost the volume and keep some scalp oils at bay on day 2 after washing, spritz in some dry shampoo or root volumizer products at the root, then massage through the top of your hair and muss up the rest a bit.
This is an especially good tip for anyone experiencing female pattern hair loss or extra hair shedding — volumizing sprays are your friend.
You will likely boost volume and be left with that cool girl on-purpose-messy look.
- Finish your shower with a cool rinse
One of the easiest ways to instantly upgrade your hair washing day, is to end the shower with a cool water hair rinse.
Hot water can open up cuticles, but after you’ve completed your conditioning step, you want those cuticles down and smooth.
Cool water can help smooth down the hair cuticle, this can help with moisture retention, increase shine, decrease frizz, and make your hair feel overall smoother.
Check out my tips on dealing with hair loss too for more information.
Jill Barat, is a Doctor of Pharmacy at Strut Health with a unique background in specialty pharmacy, innovative compounding products, supplements, and integrative medicine with a passion for helping patients live their best lives.
