8 Simple Holistic Hair Care Tips for Beginners [2023 Guide]

You’ve tried everything.

From regular trims and heat-free styling to coconut oil and rice water rinses. You’ve experimented with homemade hair masks, cutting out sulfates and silicones, getting advice from your hairdresser...

....and nothing works!

That's why we will share 8 simple holistic hair care tips for beginners that you can start today! In this post, we'll walk you through what holistic hair care is, why it will help your hair and some useful do's and don'ts so you can begin your hair care journey the right way.

What is holistic hair care?

Holistic beauty and hair health focus on the whole of you. It incorporates sustainable practices from different fields such as nutrition, psychology, and chemistry to teach you what your body needs and how to care for it naturally.

How will a holistic approach help my hair?

A holistic approach gets to the cause of your hair problems. Instead of using any organic hair products and hoping they solve hair loss, find out why you’re getting hair loss in the first place! 

What are the dos and don'ts of holistic hair care for healthy hair growth?

1. Do eat foods that scientifically improve hair growth

Holistic hair involves considering not just what you don't put in your body, but what you do. When you fuel up on hair-loving ingredients you will see changes in your skin, nails, and hair. So, it's a natural beauty win-win.

It's essential to eat foods that decrease inflammation and increase blood flow.

Your gut is your second brain. When you feel bloated it's a sign that your hair follicles are also inflamed. If your gut is not getting the nutrients it needs and your blood circulation is low, your body will send the food it has to essential parts of you, like your organs. A nutrient-deficient diet can lead to hair loss, hair fall, and thinning hair. So how do we make sure our hair's getting what it needs?

You need to fuel up on hair-loving foods.

Great foods are holistic treatments because they benefit not just your hair, but your skin, nails, overall mood, and brain function. You may have heard that biotin, collagen, and protein are important factors when it comes to hair growth. But do you know the reasons why?

Your hair is mostly made of protein and you can boost your biotin and collagen naturally, without taking any supplements.

Protein makes up the structure of thicker hair. The trick that's important to learn is how to increase protein in your daily diet. If you aren’t getting enough of it, what’s the first thing that will suffer the consequences? You guessed it! Your hair.

What foods do you need to prevent hair loss?

Foods rich in omega-3, such as salmon, flax seeds, and soybeans are full of protein for cell growth. Studies even show that Omega3 may push hair into the growth phase.

Diets that incorporate antioxidants found in berries and green tea protect the hair follicle from external and internal damage while increasing collagen production. Eggs are a natural source of biotin and cooking with coconut oil increases blood flow to the scalp and reduces inflammation.

Protein isn’t the only thing you need to take into account. 

Healthy fats and Omega-3 all contribute to healthier hair. Avocados, spinach, and sunflower seeds contain essential nutrients for hair growth. Read up on the right foods for your hair and give your diet a makeover.

2. Don’t take supplements unless you have a deficiency

Did you know that taking a supplement incorrectly can lead to a deficiency in another area?! You may have heard the buzz words biotin and keratin to promote healthy hair growth. However, there is little evidence to support that taking these in the form of supplements works.

Supplements are sold to us like healthy candy.

So we blindly spend our cash and consume them when we see an influencer or company telling us that it works wonders. What you may not know is it could be hindering your hair growth rather than helping it.

Lots of us want a healthy lifestyle but we also need a sustainable hair care routine. What’s easier? Taking 30 supplements a day or adding some spinach to your pasta?

Spinach is easier on the wallet! Some supplements benefit the body, but make sure to do your research before you start taking anything.

Consuming your nutrients through food doesn’t have to be as hard as everyone makes out.

A small change can make a world of difference while you figure out the supplements that are right for you. Create a hair care meal plan or take a deficiency test to find out what your body needs.

3. Do exercise to increase blood flow and encourage hair regrowth

You already know how a healthy diet can reduce inflammation and improve blood circulation, but how can exercise help your hair?

10-15 minutes of exercise a day increases your blood flow and oxygen in your body.

When you work out, your heart rate beats faster and you naturally inhale more oxygen. This means the blood moves quickly around your body, carrying nutrients to your hair follicles. If you exercise consistently, it provides your hair with nutrients that encourage thicker, stronger, and fast-growing hair.

Exercise is your diet's best friend.

The best way of explaining it is to imagine a hot tub. Your diet provides nice hot water for you to relax in. But life gets so much better when you turn on the bubbles. The bubbles encourage that lovely hot water to move around your body and enhance the relaxation (or nutrition!) benefits.

4. Don’t be afraid of sulfates and silicones

The clean beauty trend and Curly Girl Method have terrified consumers, pushing us towards products that are sulfate-free with no silicones or parabens. The only problem is manufacturers end up replacing those ingredients with ones that are potentially more damaging and drying to your hair.

When you use the correct sulfates and silicones, the right amount, you can grow long healthy hair, reduce breakage and overcome your hair plateau. So make sure you learn what the correct sulfates and silicones are and how to use them.

5. Do check your ingredients label for harsh preservatives

Have you ever used a hair care product that seems like it’s working wonders, only to find the same problems coming back a few months later?

The hair products you use could be the reason for your hair loss!

Many shampoos contain harsh preservatives, thickeners and harmful chemicals that damage and dry out the hair, stripping it of its natural oils.

Clean beauty products are no exception.

They are also hair care culprits when it comes to using ingredients that do your hair more harm than good. Using organic and natural products can encourage hair regrowth if used correctly.

We recommend natural ingredients such as aloe vera gel. This organic product is mother nature's gift for healthy hair growth. Use it as a hair conditioner for dull hair or apply it generously to your roots for a healthy scalp.

Remember to follow our golden rule for healthy hair!

Ensure your hair products don't contain any toxic chemicals to avoid hair loss. Maximize healthy hair growth by checking the label for toxins.

6. Do understand your individual hair needs

We all have different personalities and different life experiences. So why are we in the habit of treating our hair the same way as everyone else?

Answer? Because we don’t know what else to do.

Figure out your Unique Hair Profile (UHP), so you can grow healthy locks and help your strands flourish.

Not understanding what your natural hair needs can lead to the strands becoming brittle or weak. But it’s also one of the most challenging things to figure out, so it often gets ignored. Learning to take care of your natural texture can help you grow healthy hair and reach your hair goals.

7. Be kind to yourself (and your hair!)

Chances are you’ve heard about gently detangling your hair, using silk pillowcases, and putting your hair in protective styles.  But what about being kind to your body and mind? Holistic hair care includes taking care of your mental wellbeing, so don’t overload yourself and manage stress levels as best you can

Practice self-care by ensuring you take time out to relax and unwind each day.  

A gentle scalp massage stimulates your hair follicles, encourages hair growth, and is beneficial for your overall scalp health. Of course, I’m the biggest culprit for neglecting a bit of self-love! If you slip up or get overwhelmed, that’s where kindness plays a part. 

It’s okay to not always be on top of things, that's perfectly normal. So be kind to yourself at the moment and get back to taking care of your hair when you can.

And finally…

8. Don't be a perfectionist

We often have a black and white approach when it comes to starting new habits. People tend to go all in, which sets you up for failure. Falling short of your unrealistic expectations creates a negative experience and you might feel reluctant to start again.

See holistic hair care as an opportunity to learn.

Don't beat yourself up if you make a mistake. Tripping up and stumbling is how you learn to pave a smoother path towards your hair goals.

So, how can you start holistically caring for your hair?

• Eat hair-loving foods

• Beware of supplements

• Move your body

• Check the ingredients in your products

• Learn what your hair needs

• Be kind to yourself

• View holistic hair care as a journey of self-love

What will these habits do?

• Increase blood flow to your hair follicles

• Carry nutrients to your scalp

• Combat inflammation in your body which aids scalp health

• Reduce the stress hormone so your hair will continue with its growth phase

• Teach you to love yourself so your hair can love you back

We hope these tips and tricks are a great starting point to begin your holistic hair journey. Join our 14 Day Haircare Challenge to learn more.