When it comes to haircare, you and I both know that a lot of us tend to have a pretty laid-back approach. Whether we have short hair, medium hair or long hair, it goes something like…
“Meh, I have hair – that’s great. I buy a shampoo that’s on offer, ask a friend to trim it every now and then, chuck a bit of gel on when I feel like it… Easy.“
The truth is, to help your hair long hair do the best it can do, you need to up your game a little. There are certain golden rules for men with long hair, which you simply can’t not follow, even if they are a bit of a chore. Why? Let’s find out.
Long Hair Needs a Little More Effort – Here’s Why
Having long hair can be awesome. You get to be the cool guy with long locks, who gets looks of admiration wherever he goes. People always want to touch your hair, and everyone admires your looks as well as the effort you’ve put in.
Yep – having long hair is synonymous with more attention. You get more eyes on you than the short-haired dudes out there, because your hair naturally stands out from the crowd.
Now – whether that attention is good (“His hair looks uber cool!”) or bad (“Eek, that hair needs a trim!”) – you get to decide.
Keen to know what the golden rules are?
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Rule #1: Conditioning is key.
You know what’s sexy? Long, soft and clean-looking hair (it’s a bonus if it smells nice!). You know what’s not sexy? Greasy-looking, clumped together hair at the top, and split ends at the bottom. Nope. That’s just not what you want – especially not when you have long hair. Make sure you wash and condition your hair well – and use a shampoo that’s hydrating enough if you do it every day. Conditioning your hair will make sure it’s lubricated enough to prevent damage and breakage during washing and styling – which will make sure split ends is less of a problem.
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Rule #2: Use a microfiber towel.
What’s wrong with just a simple towel you’ve found lying around? First of all, it causes more friction, as well as raises the cuticles of your hair strands – resulting in frizz. A microfiber towel, however, is a lot gentler on your hair, causing less friction and drying your hair a lot quicker than a regular towel wood. Plus, microfiber towels last longer than regular towels – so think of it as more of an investment.
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Rule #3: Ditch tight hats and loosen your ponytails.
ponytails
Yes, a cool cap can look extremely trendy – especially when we’re talking about long hair. But tight hats are actually a bit of a problem. You see, wearing a tight hat or tying your hair into a tighter-than-life ponytail can cause traction alopecia, or hair loss due to damage done to the hair’s root from pulling your hair too tight. Plus, wearing tight hats will make your hair frizz more – and frizz was never cool.
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Rule #4: Try going sulfate-free
There are many reasons to switch to sulfate-free shampoos, conditioners, pomades and all good things your hair wouldn’t survive without. Firstly, sulfates strip away natural oils, which help maintain healthy hair strands – and that can lead to dry, frizzy and sad-looking hair. Sulfates are not-so-good on the scalps too – they can irritate them and make them feel itchy. Thirdly – more breakage means more split ends, more trips to the barber – and less length!
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Rule #5: Eat the greens!
Yes, you heard us. What you eat matters more than you think. So, if your ultimate aim is to have awesome, long hair, you need to start paying attention to what you chuck in your body. Eat products that are rich in Omega 3s, vitamin B5, iron and vitamin E – and you’ll have healthy hair from within. Your hair will thank you.
