Everybody makes mistakes...everybody has bad hair days. We're here to help you have less of them! Here are 10 key hair mistakes you're making and how to stop them. 

1. Wearing a Ponytail Too Tight and Too Often 

While a ponytail is a simple and quick fix to a not-so-great hair day, it's extremely important that you don't use this as your everyday hairstyle. This style and others like it (braids, buns, etc.) tug at the hair follicle, which can even lead to hair loss. Let your hair follicles relax! Your hair and scalp will thank you for it. 

2. Brushing Too Often

Brushing your hair is a pretty necessary part of any daily routine, and we're not here to tell you to stop detangling your hair. All we'd like to advise is to do it far less often. Brushing your hair too often can lead to weakening the hair shaft and can also pull out entire hair follicles. We recommend brushing it in the morning to start the day and then before bed to prevent over-tangling while you sleep. 

3. Conditioning Your Roots

Since your scalp's natural oils are more concentrated at the hair follicle, it's usually not necessary to condition your roots - especially if your hair tends to be flatter or oily. We recommend focusing conditioner from the mid-length to the ends of your hair. 

4. Not Taking Care of Your Scalp

Just like you should use an exfoliating face wash to detox the pores on your face, exfoliating your scalp to clear the pores on your scalp is just as important. Just like the pores on your face, your hair follicles are extremely vulnerable to things like product buildup, pollution, etc. To make sure you're cleansing your scalp for optimal scalp health and hair growth, we recommend using our Scalp Revival charcoal + coconut micro-exfoliating shampoo. This cleansing formula made with Binchotan charcoal works to efficiently draw out impurities, while the gentle, vegetable-derived micro-exfoliators remove dead skin cells and product build-up from the scalp to support a clean, balanced, and healthy scalp.

5. Towel Drying Your Hair 

Towel drying your hair definitely speeds up the drying process, but at a cost. Even the softest of towels tend to have a coarse texture that your dainty hair strands shouldn't have to handle. This rough texture can lead to more breakage and also leave small holes in the hair shaft that weaken the hair and can lead to frizziness. 

We recommend wrapping the hair with a large T-shirt instead! The softer texture is gentler on the hair strands while absorbing the water to shorten the drying process. 

6. Blow Drying Hair Right Out of the Shower 

Your hair is the weakest when it's wet, so it's never a good idea to blowdry your locks when they're sopping wet. The longer you have to spend drying your hair, the more heat you expose it to, and the more heat you expose it to, the more damaged it can get. We recommend waiting until your hair is around 60% dry before adding the heat! 

7. Not Using a Heat Protectant 

Let's be real, most of have exposed our hair to heat tools, and most of us probably won't stop anytime soon. This is why it's absolutely necessary to use a heat protectant before styling your hair. Using a protectant coats your hair with a protective barrier to defend against heat damage while also keeping your hair looking healthy and nourished. 

8. Not Using a Hair Mask 

Just like using a weekly face mask is vital to any good skincare routine, using a conditioning hair mask is absolutely essential to maintaining a good haircare routine! Our Don't Despair, Repair! deep conditioning mask is formulated with a blend of transformative nutrients from B-vitamins, rosehip and argan oils, algae, and biotin to restore essential hydration and natural vibrancy to dry, brittle, over-processed, and otherwise lackluster hair.

What are some hair no-nos you try to stay away from? Drop your best haircare tips in the comments below!