While looking good in the freshest threads and flawless makeup is crucial in making a good impression, your hair also plays an important role in enhancing your overall image. Here are 6 simple healthy hair habits to create the right foundation for truly beautiful, healthy and strong hair that will put Victoria’s Secret models to shame.

1. Good diet

One cannot just rely on multiple hair products alone, but work from within to repair, restore and to maintain your tresses. Just like every other part of your body, getting strong and lustrous hair owes a lot to a healthy diet. Having a balanced, varied diet is an effective home treatment for strengthening and nourishing your scalp and hair follicles. So load up on salmon, nuts, leafy greens, beans and carrots! Never starve your body of important nutrients because it can lead to brittle hair, or worse, hair loss.

2. Hot And Cold

Hot water can strip the protective oils in your hair, making it dry and brittle. So whenever you wash your hair, use lukewarm water, or a temperature that is just a tad warmer than your body temperature instead. Remember to rinse your hair with cold water after conditioning. This helps to seal the cuticle, making it harder for moisture to enter the hair follicle and cause frizz.

3. Scalp stimulation

Stimulating the scalp brings nutrients to the hair follicles, promoting hair growth. Massaging shampoo into the scalp for a minute or two helps to ‘refresh’ the hair follicles, reduce excessive oil production, loosen dead skin cells and increase blood circulation.

4. Lay Off The Heat

When it comes to drying your hair, try to let it dry naturally as often as you can. (But don’t damage your hair by vigorously towel-drying it, stick to just blotting wet hair gently.) The harsh heat from tools such as blow dryers and flat or curling irons can be damaging to the hair shafts when used often. If you are in a hurry, then use the blow dryer sparingly and on the cool setting instead. And do protect your hair with a heat protectant before using such hot styling tools.

5. Elemental Protection

When heading out in the sun, try to wear a hat or use a light hair spray with SPF protection to protect your locks, especially if they have been coloured. The sun is not necessarily kinder to your hair than it is for your skin. Similarly, before entering a swimming pool, rinse your hair and wear a swim cap. Hair that is already saturated with water won’t absorb as much hair-damaging chlorine from the pool.

6. Get Hair Trimmed

The bottom ends of hair would’ve been subjected to the most styling and colouring, so they get dry and frizzy quickly, sometimes resulting in split ends. So don’t wait too long in between your haircuts. Those who can’t make it to the salon in time can take matters into their own hands and snip those pesky split ends off at home.

What are YOUR own secrets to healthy hair? Share with us in the comments section below!