Why Quarantine Might be Exactly what your Hair Needs
Having to stay indoors for days on end is pretty depressing. Unsurprisingly, those of us who have faced job loss during this period are starting to wave goodbye to our habits that used to be the norm: “outdoors” clothes have been replaced with pyjamas; very few of us are bothering with makeup; and we’re letting our hair grow long, wild and free.
While you might feel like a bit of a slob right now, giving your hair some time off from everyday life might be exactly what it needs to rejuvenate and recover. Here’s why:
1. You’re not dying it
If you’re being sensible with your hair care, you won’t be dying it with a home hair dye. Obviously, while choosing to only get your hair dyed at your hairdressers is the much healthier option, hair dye in general contains chemicals that aren’t the best for hair.
It’s fine to visit your hairdressers for touch-ups, but giving your hair a nice break – whether intended or not – during quarantine will help it to regain strength until your next treatment. So even if you’re currently dealing with three-inch-long roots, know that it’ll be worth it in the long run.
2. You’re treating it to homemade hair masks
Many people have now reached the state of boredom that has resulted in a desperate need for home-based distraction. This has led us to scour the internet for DIY natural home hair masks and give our hair a mini spa treatment.
From yogurt and egg yolks to honey and coconut oil, there are plenty of kitchen cupboard staples that can give hair a protein boost and help it stay strong and healthy during lockdown. If you’re feeling really fancy, blend a banana and a tablespoon of olive oil, then apply it to your hair and leave for half an hour to give your hair some much-needed moisture.
3. You’re ditching the heat styling
… and, let’s face it, probably ditching the styling altogether. Who can be bothered with the effort of straightening or curling their hair to perfection when they’re going to spend the whole day in their home office? But while you might not love your appearance so much right now, taking a break from heat styling is a great way to give your hair a much-needed break altogether.
Using heat tools can help your hair look more stylish and put-together, but it can cause a whole load of damage, including dryness, breakage, and split ends. Giving your hair a rest will help it to recover before you get the tools back out post-lockdown.
4. You’re spending longer in the shower
Let’s face it, with our busy lives, it’s common for us to spend less than five minutes a day in the shower. We whip in, apply our shampoo and conditioner in a hurry, wash it out as soon as we’ve rubbed it all in, then whip back out again, already calculating how late we’ll be if we leave for work right now.
Now that we have more time at home than ever, showering can be a little more prolonged – which means we can spend more time standing about with either shampoo or conditioner massaged into our roots. Most hair-wash products need 5 to 10 minutes to sit in your hair before you rinse them out, to clean your hair thoroughly, so don’t skip out if you have the time.
Round-off
So there you have it: there are plenty of reasons why your hair is loving lockdown right now. The only thing it might be missing is vitamin D from sunlight, as it’s likely you’re not spending too much time outdoors right now. There are studies that link vitamin D to alopecia, a hair loss disorder, so it’s important to stock up on your vitamin D supplements if you don’t think you’re getting enough right now.
Don’t worry if your hair doesn’t look its best – quarantine won’t last forever, and you’ll soon be able to get your roots sorted and your ends chopped, and enjoy having a purpose for heat styling your hair once more. But for now, enjoy your break, as it’s unlikely your hair will ever experience so much respite time ever again.