You know what they say: you always want what you can’t have. Girls with straight hair want cascading curls and those with wavy locks tame them to poker-straight perfection. Oh, the choices!
All this experimenting can leave your locks sizzling - and not in a good way. Yep, we’re talking about that familiar hiss of a hair straightener as steam rises from your lifeless locks – sorry hair, we just can’t resist! As well as breakage, this damage manifests itself in split ends, fluffiness and fast colour fade. But guess what - you can still get your sizzle on (the good kind) without your hair suffering.
How to treat heat damaged hair
How to fix heat damaged hair is a constant quest as it’s inherently dry and often coarse, so whether the daily struggle is fighting frizz or dealing with split ends, we have the answers.
How to fix heat damaged hair? It’s kind of a rhetorical question, as we all know what our biggest hair sins are. An addiction to your straighteners? Unintentionally frying our hair on the sun-lounger while we catch a few rays? A love for freshly coloured hair? We get it. These are some of the joys of life, but sadly, your hair doesn’t love them quite as much as you do.
The biggest culprits behind heat damaged hair are our hallowed heated appliances, sun damage and chemical treatments, whether at that salon or at home. Heat damage occurs when the protein bonds in the hair are broken, showing up in a variety of ways including limp, dull and lacklustre locks. First up, bad guy number one - hairdryers, straighteners and tongs. We know you’d rather stick your fingers in your ears and pretend you didn’t read that, but facts are facts team. While they are undeniably the best inventions for smoothing, shaping and styling, like ever, they have their downsides, and that comes courtesy of that sizzling 240-degree heat. But, come on this is 2020, and there is always a magic formula to help repair and protect heat damaged hair.
Heat damaged hair fix: dial down the heat
While they can all damage the hair if used too frequently, causing hair to become dry and frizz-prone, simply reducing your use of tools will make a huge difference to the quality and texture of your tresses. The only promise you have to make is that you’ll always ensure you use a heat protector spray to avoid unnecessary heat damage. That’s it, easy. You, and your hair, can thank us later. Our fave is Aussie SOS Heat Saviour Conditioning Spray. Infused with the delicious smelling Tasmanian Pepperberry this protecting and soothing elixir acts as an invisible shield against the damaging effects of every type of heat damage.
Heat damaged hair fix: protect hair from the sun
Sun damage and chemical treatments both have the effect of weakening the hair’s cuticle along its length, making some areas thinner and more porous than others, which in turn can lead to breakage along the length. Whether it’s a frizzy halo at the roots, a band of flyaways in your mid-lengths or parched tips, limiting your contact with these two hair criminals is the first step. But don’t think of it as a break up, just a dose of hair therapy while you learn how to love yourself (and your hair).
Heat damaged hair fix: moisture therapy
When it comes to managing heat damage, a lot can be said for how you care for your hair every day. Cutting down on the frequency of washing to just a few times per week limits the opportunity for the hair to get stretched and weakened through contact with water, so heal hair from the outset with Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo. Enriched with Australian Macadamia Nut Oil and aloe leaf juice it gently cleanses the hair from root to tip while repairing damage.
Whether it’s heat damage, the weather, product build-up or simply neglecting your strands, it pays to set aside a few minutes each week to apply a hair mask specific to your tress trouble. Like a super-charged conditioner, masks drench the hair in vital nutrients and hydration for shinier, healthier strands. Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor gives your hair heat protection and repair against heat damage (we’re not biased at all). It also contains Australian Macadamia Nut Oil Extract. Keep your luscious locks in tip top shape. Apply a generous amount to damp hair once a week and let it work its magic before rinsing out. Rinse with cool (not hot) water and style.
If you have a bit longer, indulge your injured locks with our heat damaged hair treatment of choice. Aussie SOS Revive Hair Mask & Cap Shot takes just ten minutes to get to action, drenching parched and brittle strands with indulgent moisture, that repairs locks from root to tip. With antioxidant-rich Tasmanian Pepperberry, Lemon Myrtle and Caviar Lime leading the line-up, these Australian superfruits, combined with Aussie’s wonder formula, help protect against hair-ravaging environmental aggressors such as pollution and UV rays, whilst nourishing the hair deep down.
It's not just thick manes, coarse hair or totally troubled tresses that can benefit from oil; even thin, fine types can reap the rewards too. When you’re looking at how to help heat damaged hair, oil is the answer. It nourishes the hair follicle, coating the hair to reduce frizz and over time smooth even the most wiry, brittle strands. Aussie 3 Miracle Oil Reconstructor helps visibly repair heat damaged hair, leaving it soft and shiny without any of the usual grease or weigh down. There are few ingredients that banish frizz quite like Macadamia Nut Oil but paired with Jojoba and Avocado Oil this trio of hair heroes restore and revive even the most lacklustre locks. It works for any type of hair and manages to condition on both wet and dry ends - all depending on your needs.
So, to all those compulsive straighteners and curlers, we say style away! (But this time, without the heat damage).
For more on how to repair and protect hair against damage, take a look at our Aussie beauty hair hacks.