How Celebrities Keep Their Hair Looking Healthy And Heat-Damage Free

At some point or another, we've all wondered how celebrities maintain their luscious locks. On our journey to healthy and gorgeous hair, we learn about golden rules like heat styling is damaging, dyeing your hair regularly isn't a good idea, and generally speaking, we should steer clear of harsh chemicals. But then we see stars constantly switching out their hair colors, alternating between curly and straight, using chemical treatments, and seemingly racking up hair concerns they shouldn't ignore and we begin to wonder if these rules are rules at all. 

For dyeing to be effective, you need a harsh chemical like ammonia to open the cuticle and let the color properly deposit. This process weakens the cuticles and can contribute to hair loss. Of course, there are ammonia-free options, but even those require the cuticle to open properly. Bleaching is a pre-requisite if you're going lighter, and the chemicals involved cause cuticle damage and weaken the hair bonds. However, you can minimize the damage by spreading your appointments out, using gentler dyes, and working with a professional.

Despite having a busy schedule, A-listers prioritize a well-rounded haircare routine because of how vital good hair is to their overall appearance. For instance, although it may seem like a celeb has changed their color overnight, it's a lengthy process where they gradually transition to a new shade over weeks or months to minimize the damage as much as possible. Likewise, they always keep heat damage to a minimum too. 

The Kardashians' go-to hairstylist and OUAI haircare founder Jen Atkin informed Marie Clarie that if a celeb is looking for a faster route to a new color, they manage to keep the damage low by conditioning throughout the process. She also shared a simple hack that could be a game-changer for us mere mortals too: "I always suggest my clients dry their hair with an old cotton t-shirt instead of a towel out of the shower." 

As Atkin pointed out, "Wet strands are much more fragile and prone to breakage and the harsh fibers of a towel can be too aggressive." And generally, you should take special care of your hair post-shower because that's when it's at its weakest. Your strands absorb water throughout your shower, which causes the hydrogen keratin bonds to weaken. And if you're not careful, you can damage the cuticle by overstretching the hair strand to the point of breakage. 

If you have straight hair, always let your locks air dry completely before combing. For curly-haired folks, brushing damp hair can be beneficial for detangling and definition as long as you're doing it with the right brush. If you're experiencing dryness or hair loss, consider taking a specialized haircare vitamin so you can encourage strength and growth from the inside out. 

Regularly subjecting your hair to high temperatures can alter the shape of your keratin strands, which in turn can cause your tresses to become dry, brittle, and lose their shape. When celebrities are heat-styling their hair, they minimize the damage by always choosing the right heat protectant. Likewise, they use hair masks to replenish lost moisture too.  As Jen Atkin advised Marie Claire: "If you're crunched for time, apply to your strands pre-workout and braid in to let the nourishing ingredients absorb into the hair with the added heat from your exercise." 

As you can imagine, your favorite stars use loads of products to keep their hair flawless. Over time, they can build up and leave the hair greasy. Many celebs regularly cleanse their tresses with a clarifying shampoo. Some stars take a more natural route to keep their locks well-nourished, though. In an interview with Women's Health magazine, hairstylist to the stars Mark Townsend recommended regularly oiling up your hair for some extra nourishment. 

"I make a hair-treatment recipe and give bottles to Diane Kruger, Kate Bosworth, and Ali Larter," he revealed. "It's half a cup of coconut oil and a tablespoon each of jojoba oil, almond oil, macadamia oil, and vitamin E oil. Once a week, apply it from mid-shaft to ends, leave it on for 20 minutes, and then shampoo your roots." Celebs also get regular trims to prevent split ends while avoiding overwashing to prevent dryness.