Hairdresser shares the five bad hair habits you need to break NOW if you want healthy locks 

A top hairdresser has shared the five common bad hair habits she has seen over years of treating clients, and how to fix them.

Faith Williams, from Brisbane, said she has ‘seen it all’ when it comes to people’s hair, and often men and women get into bad habits that they don’t realise are doing long-term damage.

‘There are some real myths out there when it comes to hair, such as avoiding regular trims because people are trying to grow their hair, or the need to wash your hair all the time to keep it clean and healthy,’ Faith told FEMAIL.

‘If you don’t know, you don’t know right!’

A top hairdresser has shared the five common bad hair habits she has seen over years of treating clients, and how to fix them now (Faith Williams, from Brisbane, pictured)

BAD HABIT ONE: AVOIDING REGULAR TRIMS TO ‘GROW’ YOUR HAIR

The first bad habit listed by Faith is avoiding regular trims because you want to ‘grow’ your hair. 

‘If I had a dollar every time someone has thought this, I’d be winning,’ Faith explained.

‘When you get split ends, they continually split further up the hair shaft, which leaves you with thin, wispy ends that will eventually break off.’

Even worse than this, if you get lots of breakage, this will actually stop you from being able to grow your hair.

The director of BLONDEE recommends you get regular trims at least every eight weeks.

Not only will this help to grow your hair and prevent breakage, but your tresses will also look thicker.

If you ever use a hairdryer, straightener or heated device is that you must use heat protector (stock image)

If you ever use a hairdryer, straightener or heated device is that you must use heat protector (stock image)

BAD HABIT TWO: FORGETTING HEAT PROTECTOR

The second bad habit is essential to remember if you ever use a hairdryer, straightener or heated device is that you must use heat protector.

‘Heat can be one of the worst things we can do to our hair, but let’s face it, we all love a good curl or a straighten,’ Faith said.

‘Hot tools dry out your hair which can lead to lots of split ends, as well as fading your colour and toner.’

The hairdresser said that using a heat protector is like ‘using sunscreen when you go out in the sun’.

‘It minimises damage to your hair from hot tools, but should also protect your locks from sun damage including harmful UVA and UVB rays,’ she said.

‘Heat protector creates a barrier, locking in the moisture and helping to smoothe out the cuticle and fight frizz.’

Faith in particular loves the Wella Professionals Thermal Image heat protection spray, and says you need to remember to use it every time you straighten your hair.

Washing your hair too much dries out both your hair and scalp, as your hair will generally start to overproduce natural oils to compensate for washing your hair so much (stock image)

Washing your hair too much dries out both your hair and scalp, as your hair will generally start to overproduce natural oils to compensate for washing your hair so much (stock image)

BAD HABIT THREE: WASHING YOUR HAIR TOO FREQUENTLY

If you’ve fallen into the trap of washing your hair every day because you think it will otherwise get greasy, it’s time to think again.

‘You might love that frequently-washed feeling, but it’s not always a good thing,’ Faith said.

‘It dries out both your hair and scalp, your hair will generally start to overproduce natural oils to compensate for you washing your hair so much, and you’ll always feel like it’s oily: a lose lose scenario’.

Dry shampoo is your saviour here. It will let you get extra days out of your ‘dirty’ hair. 

Simply spritz some in the morning and try a messy low bun with a scrunchie.

‘No one will notice that you have dirty hair,’ Faith said.

‘You should be washing your hair just twice a week, three at most if you get sweaty at the gym. 

‘My favourite ever dry shampoo is the DETOX dry shampoo by DRY BAR from Sephora.’

BAD HABIT FOUR: OVERDOING THE TONER

According to Faith, so many people constantly ‘overtone their blonde hair thinking that it will make it blonder and brighter’. 

Blonde shampoo and treatments help the golden tones in your hair as the violet counteracts gold. 

‘But if you have toned out the gold in one wash and continue to use it too much, your blonde actually begins to go darker as the violet and blue tones build up in the hair and make it look more lifeless and dull,’ Faith said.

If you want a ‘bright and creamy blonde’, Faith recommends you use a blonde shampoo or treatment once every three washes.

‘If you wash your hair once a week, use it every three weeks,’ she added.

Finally, if you're someone who pays a lot of money at the salon to have your hair done, but then you don't follow it up at home with the right items, you need to stop (Faith pictured)

Finally, if you’re someone who pays a lot of money at the salon to have your hair done, but then you don’t follow it up at home with the right items, you need to stop (Faith pictured)

BAD HABIT FIVE: PAYING TOP DOLLAR IN THE SALON AND NOT FOLLOWING IT UP AT HOME

Finally, if you’re someone who pays a lot of money at the salon to have your hair done, but then you don’t follow it up at home with the right items, you need to stop.

‘When you go lighter, you really do need to ensure you are using a good combination of strengthening treatments and also adding some extra hydration into the hair, for example a leave-in moisturiser,’ Faith said.

‘Add a leave-in moisturiser to your hair care routine when you get out of the shower and have freshly washed your hair,’ Faith said.

‘I recommend the Kevin Murphy “Untangled” Leave-In Conditioner Spray for hair hydration, mixed with a few drops of the System Professional “Luxe Oil” for keratin protection.

‘Those two products together will leave your hair smelling amazing!’

To find out more about Faith Williams, you can follow her on Instagram here