Let me be brutally honest here… I don’t consider myself a hair or beauty expert by any means.  I enjoy trying new products and testing new styles but I keep my overall routine pretty minimal.

I don’t like spending a lot of time on my hair (or any of my beauty routine for that matter) but I DO like to look well-maintained.

Given my low-key style, I’ve been surprised lately at how many people have been asking for hair advice and tutorials, but before I get into any content about my favorite styling tips and tricks… I wanted to start with what I believe to be the most important aspect of beautiful hair… KEEPING IT HEALTHY!

Today, I’m sharing my top four tips for maintaining healthy hair

Disclosure:  the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission when you shop using these links at no cost to you.  Affiliate income allows me to provide free content, and I always appreciate your support in using my links when you shop!  

1.  Don’t Wash Daily

For most of my life, I was an everyday hair wash kind of gal. with coarse, thick hair like mine that can take FOREVER and it’s also just not healthy to strip your hair of its natural oils and style it so frequently.

I still get pretty oily when I don’t wash frequently, so I stick to an every other day washing routine.  I know many people can get by with much less hair washing than this… and I would if I could but even the best dry shampoo only gets me through day two looking and feeling fresh.

Oh, and when I DO wash my hair… I follow the “wash, rinse, repeat” rule and wash it twice.  I also use this ridiculously inexpensive scalp brush to make sure the shampoo gets worked into my roots and scalp to eliminate product build-up and oils.  Seriously, the best $2 I’ve ever spent!

2.  Use Dry Shampoo

When you’re cutting back on washing your hair as often, dry shampoo is a lifesaver!  I’ve tried pretty much all of them at this point so I’ll share a couple of my faves:

Best Natural Option:

Primally Pure!  Use code THEPLUSLIFE for 10% off the dry shampoo & anything else on the site!  They offer dry shampoo options for both dark and light hair.  I started using this option (along with Primally Pure skincare) when I found out I was pregnant and love it! The scent of the dark hair option is a bit chocolatey due to the cocoa powder used.  I love that the product doesn’t add a gritty texture to your hair and it actually FEELS clean.  Sometimes dry shampoos make my hair feel even dirtier than it actually is, and I hate that.

Best Drugstore Option:

Before finding out I was pregnant, I consistently used the volumizing version of the Not Your Mother’s Dry Shampoo called Plump For Joy.  You can get it here from Target for less than $5!  I like the fruity scent and the volumizing aspect… the other options from the brand don’t work as well for me, so I recommend you go for this exact product.

Best Higher End Options:

My two favorite higher-end dry shampoos are Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo and Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo.  I have loved and enjoyed both of these products in the past and highly recommend them if you’re looking for something a bit more luxurious than the drugstore option or if you don’t care about natural products.

3.  Heat Style With Care

When possible, try to air dry your hair.  I like to do this on lazy weekend days or on days I’m working from home all day and don’t need to have styled hair.  I try hard to avoid blow-drying and heat styling my hair on the same day… although I do it on occasion when hair washing day falls on a day of a special event, etc.

I’ve been using Hot Tools Brand hair styling tools for years now, and think they’re an incredible value!

My Favorite Heat Styling Tools

• Shop my favorite hair dryer here (includes a free gift of a flat iron or ceramic waver through 12/28/2019 or while supplies last!).
• Shop a similar item to my favorite flat iron here.  Note:  I have a 2″ Hot Tools Flat Iron for quick styling but it appears they have since redesigned it with not great reviews.  I have linked the 1.5″ instead that is more in line with the quality of the product I own.
• Shop my favorite curling iron here.

You may be surprised to hear that I am not at all brand loyal to heat styling products like protectant sprays or serums.  I tend to pick up whatever I find at Ulta or the hair salon and haven’t noticed much difference between the products I’ve tried.

4.  Take Vitamins

Yet another life change I made when going through our fertility struggles and now my pregnancy is being consistent about taking vitamins.  This is a pregnancy habit I intend to maintain long after babies arrive.

I currently take prenatal gummy vitamins that contain Biotin, known for supporting hair health.

My favorite gummy prenatal vitamins:

These Nature’s Bounty Prenatal gummies are berry flavored, contain biotin, folic acid, and other essential nutrients plus they’re budget-friendly at less than $10 at Target.

If you’re looking for a Biotin/hair skin and nail vitamin that isn’t prenatal, here are a few of my favorite options.

My favorite gummy hair skin and nail vitamins:

These Nature’s Bounty Hair Skin & Nail gummies contain biotin and collagen & have a nice citrus flavor.

My favorite soft-gel hair skin and nail vitamins:

These Nature’s Bounty Hair Skin & Nail vitamins contain biotin and are infused with argan oil.

What Are Your Tips?

I hope you find these tips helpful!  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Also, what are your best tips for healthy hair? I’d love to hear them in the comments!