How do you treat dry hair?

Dry hair – what helps?

Weak, dull and brittle: that's what dry and damaged hair looks like. There's one thing that helps to counteract it: lots of moisture.

Things to know about dry hair

The scalp: When hair is dry, the scalp is usually brittle. It flakes, feels tight and shows through redness and itching that it is lacking essential nutrients.

Hair structure: Brittle hair feels porous and rough and is difficult to comb. The reason for this is that the protective sebum film is very thin.

Helpers from nature: Hibiscus: The plant contains vitamin C and certain softening ingredients that quench the “thirst” of dry, damaged and brittle hair and make it appear softer.

What causes dry hair?

In order to be able to do something about it in the long term, it is helpful to know something about the possible causes of dry hair.

Very often they lie in the care and styling. Shampoos or other products that are unsuitable for the hair structure, too much heat when blow-drying, straightening or curling hair, chemical treatments such as bleaching and hair dyeing are the most common care mistakes.

But hormonal fluctuations, UV light or a lack of nutrients can also lead to straw-like hair.

The right care for dry hair

Washing & Shampoo: The fact is that even the gentlest hair wash always removes a little oil and moisture from the hair. It is therefore best to wash dry hair only every second or third day.

Shampoos with moisturising ingredients such as aloe vera or glycerin are ideal. 

Dry hair also needs moisture-binding care products. Shampoos for dry scalps and straw-like hair contain plant oils, waxes or urea, which coat the hair shaft with protection.

 You will not find sulphates in these shampoos, which dry out the hair even more. Massage the shampoo gently into the dry scalp and then distribute the foam into the lengths of the hair - this way you can prevent the already damaged hair structure from being further damaged.

Drying: Hot air from a hair dryer can dry out damaged hair even more. Therefore, let your hair air dry if possible. Or set the hairdryer to the highest blower setting but the lowest heat setting and hold it at a distance of around 30 cm from your hair. 

Important: Always direct the airflow downwards from the roots, so that the cuticle layer of the hair lies better and is not subjected to additional stress. Result: The hair structure looks healthier and the hair shines more.

 For dry, curly hair, hair dryers with diffuser attachments are ideal, as they dry the hair gently without ruffling it - this way the curls stay nicely bundled. 

Speaking of which: dry hair is generally susceptible to mechanical damage. That's why you should comb or brush it carefully even when it's dry. Ask your hairdresser to recommend a hairbrush that's best suited to your hair structure.

Hair care & conditioner: Dry hair often suffers from breakage, split ends or frizz. Behind this are small, protruding hairs that affect the shine and suppleness. Special anti-frizz and anti-split end products, such as a special hair treatment or a nourishing oil, help to combat this. 

If your hair structure is generally rather frizzy, so-called straightening products that smooth the hair are also ideal. A hair mask or treatment is a must once a week. It contains particularly high concentrations of nourishing ingredients. 

If the ends are very dry, special hair end fluids or hair oils that at least temporarily fill in split ends with light silicone oils can help.

How to style dry hair

Dry and damaged hair doesn't like styling products that can remove additional moisture, such as hair sprays containing alcohol, blow-dry lotions or styling foams. 

On the other hand, styling products containing fat, such as hair wax, styling creams or hair oils, are perfect. They all seal in moisture in the hair and make it supple again. If you want your hair to be particularly shiny, blow-dry it in sections using a round brush.

The best tips for styling and hair care for dry hair

1. Regular head massages promote blood circulation and also stimulate sebum production a little.

2. The air is particularly dry on aeroplanes. Simply spray your hair regularly with a moisturising or thermal water spray.

3. At night, work some jojoba or coconut oil into longer hair and braid it into a loose braid.

4. If dry hair is “electrically” charged: Rub some hand cream between your palms and run it over your hair.

5. In the sauna, protect your hair from the dry heat with a towel turban or special sauna hat.

6. In the summer, always wear a hat, cap or bandana when you are in direct sunlight. Treat your dry hair to a touch of  hairspray with UV protection . It contains special substances that absorb bleaching and drying UV rays and at the same time care for your hair. 

7. Capsules containing omega-3 fatty acids can help the scalp produce more protective fats.

8. Particularly important for dry hair: eat a balanced diet! Lots of fruit and vegetables, the occasional meat, regular pulses , nuts and whole grain products provide important vitamins and trace elements that can help you build a healthy hair structure.

9. Wash your hair once or twice a week - not more often. When you wash your hair, oil is removed from it, which is slowly rebuilt by the sebaceous glands in the scalp. If you wash your hair too often, this process cannot take place quickly enough, and the result is straw-like hair. 

The best hair treatments for dry hair – self made

Using plant power to combat straw-like hair

Dry hair craves natural fats. Oils, for example, bond perfectly with the scalp and hair, contain nourishing softeners and can form a new protective layer that gives the hair shine and strength. Olive oil is particularly popular . A few drops applied neat to the hair after washing will give it an immediate, beautiful shine. 

But be careful not to use too much oil, otherwise the hair will look greasy. For thin hair, a few drops are enough; for thicker hair, you can use up to a teaspoon of olive oil. 

An olive oil hair treatment for dry hair is recommended before every third hair wash. To do this, massage olive oil into the dry scalp and straw-like hair like shampoo, then leave it to work for 15 minutes under a towel.

Instead of olive oil, you can also use other oils. Evening primrose oil, argan oil and borage oil combine particularly well with skin and hair, but they are a bit more expensive than coconut or jojoba oil, for example. 

Why not try a honey hair treatment to care for your dry scalp! The active ingredient propolis contains many nutrients for dry hair, while honey can relieve itching.

 To make the hair treatment, add five tablespoons of honey to half a litre of water and distribute the mixture through damp hair after washing your hair. Squeeze out and leave under a towel for about 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

Do you love avocados? This fruit is not only delicious, it also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which make avocados ideal for the care of straw-like hair. To make an avocado hair treatment, mash the pulp and add a teaspoon of olive oil. Massage everything in and leave under a towel for half an hour.

Then wash your hair with a shampoo for dry scalp and rinse well.

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Even our grandmothers swore by egg yolk to care for straw-like hair. Mix an egg yolk, two tablespoons of lemon juice, a tablespoon of olive oil and a sip of beer together and spread this hair treatment on dry hair. Rinse after five minutes and wash with a shampoo for dry scalp.