Dry. Damaged. Dehydrated. It’s all the same, right? 

Absolutely, not.

The hair boss gives her verdict on when you should reach for the hair mask and when it’s time to call in the professionals.

We’ve all been there. Whether it’s after a holiday and we’ve been drenching our locks in sun, sand and pool water or we’ve been burning the candle at both ends and the hair mask has fallen by the wayside for a few weeks, there’s nothing worse than your hair feeling, well... like straw.

But what’s the difference between needing to up your hair mask game or calling in the professionals to help repair the damage?

Maria, Founder and Stylist at Red Door Hair Studio explains: 

Dry or damaged?

“To understand whether hair or dry or damaged, you first need to understand the structure of the hair. At the core of the hair is what’s called the hair’s cortex.

Around it, are the cuticles. The cuticles lie on top of the cortex and in healthy hair, it’s what gives it a healthy, shiny appearance. When these cuticles are damaged or weakened they become rough and they expose the cortex - making hair vulnerable and prone to snapping and frizziness. 

Dry hair is caused by a lack of natural oils within the hair, which can often show up with similar signs to damaged hair in that it can be frizzy and unruly.” 

How do I tell the difference? 

“You likely need a hair professional to properly diagnose your hair as dry or damaged. But as a general rule, damaged hair breaks easily when pulled and often has visible split ends. 

Whereas dry hair is often coarse and rough to touch and accompanied by white flakes of skin at the scalp.” 

What causes dry and damaged hair? 

Hair can become damaged for a whole host of reasons. Maria explains the main culprits: “Everyday environmental factors such as the wind and UV rays can tangle the hair which can ruffle the cuticle. If you combine this with heated tools and over-colouring, it can leave your hair cuticles permanently open, meaning your cortex is exposed and resulting in permanent damage.

Just like damaged hair, dry hair can be caused by a whole host of reasons. Environmental factors and over styling can play a part but factors such as poor nutrition and lack of essential vitamins is often the main culprit.

What can I do about it?

Okay, so we’ve told you the bad news. But the truth is, most people will suffer with dry and damaged hair at some point in their life, so what can you do about it?

The boss gives her top five tips for treating dry, damaged hair: 

1. Start damage-control during the colouring process 

“Prevention is always better than the core. And protecting the hair should start during the colouring process. Ask your stylist to use a cuticle protecting product such as Olaplex during your hair colour session.

During the colouring process your hair cuticle is roughened to allow for the colour to penetrate the hair, Olaplex works with the colour to effectively close the cuticle leaving it soft, shiny and ensuring it’s not exposed to the elements.” 

2. Take time to find the right colourist 

“It sounds like a cliche but healthy hair colouring requires a lot of skill. A good hair stylist and colourist will always offer you a complimentary consultation, this is so they can assess your hair and prepare you for what is achievable.

Want to go from dark brown to blonde in one sitting? A good hair colourist will tell you no. Be prepared to listen - your hair will thank you for it.” 

3. Rinse with cool water at the end of a wash 

“Warm water opens the hair’s cuticle, whereas cool water closes it. Whilst I don’t suggest showering in cold water, giving your hair a ten second blast once you’ve washed your conditioner out will help leave it soft and shiny. 

4. Get a regular trim 

“Lots of split ends cause the hair to become overly dry and without trimming those split ends, the split will continue to move further up the hair causing further damage. Depending on the length, I’d recommend getting a trim between every  6 - 8 weeks at least. Every 4 weeks for those with short, more styled hair styles.” 

5. Up your deep conditioning treatment 

“Outside of the salon, you should also be treating your hair at home. Once a week, carry out a deep conditioning treatment. If your hair is super dry, accelerate the results with heat. Apply a mask, put on a plastic shower cap and give it a five minute blast with the hair dryer. Remember, I said that heat opens the cuticle? In this case it will open the cuticle and allow the heat to penetrate to the core of the hair.” 

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