Why Is Your Hair So Dry? 15 Tips on How to Fix Dry Hair

What are the main causes of dry hair, and what can you do to keep it hydrated? Here are our top tips on how to fix your dry hair.

Having dry and brittle hair is one of the biggest pet peeves for many of us, and is the ultimate definition of having a bad hair day.

It not only feels rough and unpleasant to touch, but can also take a serious hit on your self-esteem, especially if the issue has persisted over a long period of time.

There are many factors that can contribute to having dry and damaged hair, from sun exposure to excessive thermal styling with poor-quality tools or a bad diet. Sometimes, achieving healthy and vibrant hair may sound like mission impossible.

Luckily, that’s not the case - if you are suffering from one of the most common problems, we’ve got you! Let's take a look at some of the tips on how to fix your dry hair, and rock a strong and shiny mane with all the confidence.

What is dry hair?

Before we dive in on how to fix dry hair, first it’s important to understand what it is exactly.

Dry hair is one of the most common hair issues, and it can affect anyone - regardless of the hair type. It occurs when the scalp doesn’t make enough oil to moisturize the hair, or the moisture escapes because your hair has been damaged.

When the hair loses its natural oils and moisture, it becomes dull, brittle, and has a lifeless appearance. More specifically, this happens due to a lack of moisture in the cortex layer - the middle layer of the hair shaft, and the one responsible for the strength and elasticity of the hair.

When the cortex becomes dehydrated, and the hair loses its ability to stretch and bounce back, this often leads to split ends, breakage and frizz.

On top of lack of moisture in the cortex, the cuticle layer (the outermost layer of the hair) may also appear rough and lifted, giving the hair an irregular texture. This makes it even more prone to damage. Overall, dry hair lacks vibrancy and appears unhealthy.

What are the causes of dry hair?

There are many possible causes of dry hair, such as genetics, unhealthy lifestyle, environmental factors, frequent exposure to high temperatures with low-quality heat styling tools, as well as chemical treatments.

So, if you are wondering how to fix dry hair, keep in mind that understanding what causes dry hair in the first place will be essential for taking the right measures. Now, let’s take a look at all of these factors with a little bit more detail:

• Excessive washing: if you are washing your hair too frequently, this may strip it of its natural oils, which will leave it dry and brittle. For most people, it’s recommended to avoid washing it more than 2-3 times per week.
• Hot styling tools: regular use of heat styling tools without taking the right measures - such as investing in a high-quality flat iron with temperature control, and applying heat protectant - can also lead to dry hair.
• Chemical treatments: excessive chemical treatments, such as coloring and perming, can lead to serious hair damage. This happens because they damage the cuticle (the protective outer layer of the hair), and leave cracks in the exterior.
• Sun exposure: exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can also cause the hair to become dry and brittle. That’s because UV radiation breaks down the proteins in the hair shaft, and damages the cuticle. Keep your hair hydrated, and always make sure to wear a hat before going out.
• Environmental factors: exposure to harsh weather conditions such as wind, cold, and dry air can also cause the hair to become dry and lifeless.
• Hard water: water that is high in mineral content can make the hair dry and brittle.
• Age: as we age, our hair tends to become thinner and drier due to changes in hormone levels. When hair gets older, it decreases the production of natural oils that keep it hydrated.
• Poor nutrition: a poor diet that lacks essential nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals can also lead to dry hair. For this reason, it’s very important to eat foods that promote strong and healthy hair.
• Medical conditions: certain medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, psoriasis, and eczema can cause the scalp to become dry, which in turn leads to dry hair.
• Medications: some medications such as chemotherapy drugs, diuretics, and acne treatments can also cause dry hair as a side effect.
• Genetics: some people are simply more prone to dry hair due to their genetic makeup. For example, people with curly or coily hair textures are more prone to suffer from dry hair because it’s more difficult for the natural oils from the scalp to travel down the hair shaft and moisturize the ends.

In other words, there are many causes that can lead to dry and brittle hair. So, it’s important to identify which one is affecting you in order to fix it effectively.

What are the symptoms of dry hair?

Some of the main symptoms of dry hair include: brittle or rough texture, split ends (dry hair is more prone to splitting), dull appearance, tangles and knots, itchiness and breakage.

Sounds like you? If you are experiencing these symptoms, the next step is to take the right steps to restore moisture to your hair. So, let’s take a look at the best tips on how to fix dry hair:

How to fix dry hair: 15 tips

1. Get hair trims every 2 months

If you are suffering from dry hair, make sure to get regular trims! If going frequently to the beauty salon sounds like too much time or money, you can learn how to do it at home - however, don’t underestimate the power of trimming.

It helps with the overall health of your hair because it removes damaged ends, prevents split ends from forming or worsening, and stimulates the hair follicles to encourage new hair growth. Ideally, you should aim for a trim every 6-8 weeks.

2. Use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner

As we mentioned earlier, dry hair occurs when the scalp doesn’t have enough moisture and natural oils. Thus, one of our best tips on how to fix your dry hair is to ensure that you are using the right products to hydrate and replenish moisture.

If you are looking for something truly effective, try out the NuMe Vegan Tourmaline hair care set.This trio of hydrating shampoo, conditioner and hair mask is made with natural ingredients such as parkii butter, argan oil, hydrolyzed quinoa and essential fatty acids to replenish dryness with intense moisture.

This powerful combination of vegan, tourmaline-based products not only coat your scalp with antioxidants, but also help fight free radicals while delivering optimized hydration.

3. Lead a healthy diet

The human scalp consists of +100,000 hair follicles which require proteins, minerals and vitamins to produce strong and healthy hair. For this reason, if you are looking to fix dry hair long-term, don’t forget to pay attention to your diet.

Foods like eggs and salmon provide the hair with essential Omega-3 fatty acids and B-vitamins, which play a vital role in the production of keratin (the building block of healthy hair). Other great foods for hair include nuts and seeds, berries, dark leafy greens and more.

4. Use a high-quality flat iron

Dryness is among the biggest signs of heat-damaged hair. The frequent exposure to high temperatures not only strips the natural oils of your hair, but also causes it to lose moisture by evaporating the water molecules found in the cortex.

That’s why it’s essential to invest in a high-quality flat iron such as NuMe Megastar. This award-winning flat iron is made with tourmaline plates, which emit up to 6 times more negative ions than other types of flat irons, neutralizing the positive ions that are present in dry, damaged hair, sealing in moisture.

In addition, the Megastar comes with unmatched temperature control settings, allowing you to stick to the best temperature for your type of hair.

5. Avoid products with excessive chemicals

If you are wondering how to fix dry hair while using products with a lot of chemicals, or doing chemical-based procedures such as perming, the answer is simple: try to avoid them at all costs.

Chemical treatments break down the protein bonds in the hair and weaken its structure, making it more prone to breakage and damage. Furthermore, they strip the hair of its natural moisture and disrupt its natural pH balance, increasing dryness even further.

6. Brush your hair gently

While some of our previously mentioned tips on how to fix dry hair were obvious, there is one factor that you could be under-estimating, but strongly contributes to dryness as well - and that is, how you brush your hair.

Aggressive brushing can cause the hair to break or snap, especially if it’s already damaged. It can also lead to split ends, making it have a dull or frizzy appearance. Make sure to brush gently, and avoid brushing wet hair altogether.

7. Avoid excessive washing

You may be surprised, but excessive washing can also lead to dry hair! That’s because it strips the hair of its natural oils, leaving the hair dry, dull, and prone to breakage.

In addition, frequent washing can overstimulate the scalp, which will lead to inflammation, irritation and of course - dryness. So, make sure that you aren’t washing your hair more than 2-3 times per week.

8. Use natural oils

If you are looking for the best tips on how to fix dry hair, here is one more: make sure that you are using natural oils to hydrate your hair, nourish it and seal in moisture.

We recommend the NuMe Argan Oil Serum - a lightweight, non-greasy moisturizer based on macadamia seed oils that softens the hair and moisturizes it all day long. It smooths and conditions the hair for a perfect look.

9. Take vitamin supplements

Vitamins such as A, C, D, B, E and D play an essential role in promoting strong, shiny and healthy hair.

While a balanced diet is key for getting your vitamins, minerals and proteins, sometimes getting vitamin supplements can help ensure that you are getting everything you need for a healthy, hydrated hair.

10. Use a thermal heat protectant

If you are like us and love your thermal hair styling, make sure to always protect your hair with a thermal heat protectant. It creates a protective barrier between your flat iron and your hair, shielding it from high temperatures.

Remember - excessive exposure to high temperatures can lead to dry hair, so make sure to use a protectant such as the NuMe Watch Me Werk to avoid damage.

It is one of the most important products to apply before straightening or curling hair.

11. Don’t wash your hair with hot water

Among the most important tips on how to fix dry hair is to avoid using excessively hot water. It can strip the natural oils of your hair and make it dry and brittle.

Hot water can also cause damage to the hair cuticle, which is the outermost layer of the hair shaft. This can lead to the cuticle becoming rough and damaged, making the hair more prone to breakage and dryness.

12. Use a hair mask

One of the best ways to deeply hydrate your hair and reduce dryness is by using a hair mask. Hair masks are formulated to penetrate deeply into the hair shaft, providing moisture and nutrients to the hair where it's needed most.

This can help to repair damage, reduce dryness, and improve the overall health of the hair so you can rock your mane with full confidence.

There are many hair masks on the market, but a lot of them are full of harsh and damaging chemicals which are bad in the long run.

A great option is the NuMe Vegan Tourmaline hair mask, a deep conditioning treatment that uses a proprietary blend of proteins that result in longer, stronger, thicker and more beautiful hair.

13. Protect your hair from UV rays

When we go out in the sun, we always think about protecting our skin from the harmful UV rays with sunscreen. However, we often forget that the skin is not the only thing that gets damaged from the ultraviolet radiation - our hair is, too.

Using a product such as the NuMe Watch Me Werk is a must if you are planning to spend long hours under the sun and avoid hair dryness because of it.

14. Use a silk pillowcase

Another underestimated tip on how to treat dry hair is using a silk pillowcase. Compared with cotton, which creates a lot of friction against the hair, the smooth and soft silk fabric reduces friction and prevents hair breakage, tangle and frizz.

It also helps to retain moisture, preventing dryness and damage over time.

15. Use a gentle microfiber towel

If you are used to getting out of the shower, wrapping your hair around a regular towel and rubbing your hair vigorously with it, you may want to rethink this part of your hair routine.

Many towels have a rough texture, which can be harsh on delicate hair strands. This can cause the cuticle layer to become roughened and damaged, leading to frizz, tangles, and breakage.

You can also consider using a microfiber towel, which is gentler on hair and absorbs water more efficiently.

Conclusion

There are many factors that can contribute to dry hair - from having an improper heat styling routine and using low-quality tools to age and genetics, it is important to determine what causes your dry hair so you can tackle it effectively.

Make sure that you are implementing good practices such as using a hydrating shampoo and conditioner, a hair mask, and a thermal heat protectant into your routine. In addition, you can take it one step further and use a microfiber towel and a silk pillowcase to further retain moisture and prevent breakage.