Do you apply dry shampoo in the morning? Do you towel-dry your hair? Do you apply shampoo straight to your hair? Stop now.. All the habits and routines that use for our hair may be the reason why it’s dull, damaged, greasy, or frizzy. Read on to find the wrong and right way to use your hair products.

Don’t use regular scissors on your hair

Don’t just grab the nearest pair of scissors to trim your bangs or split ends. These are too blunt to give you a good cut, and blunt scissors will damage your hair and give you an uneven cut. Get haircutting scissors, and use them only for your hair.

Dilute shampoo and massage for at least 1 minute

Don’t just squirt out shampoo, rub it quickly through your hair, then rinse. You need to wet your hair first (wet hair absorbs more product). Then put shampoo in your palm, add a little water to dilute it, then work it through your strands. Massage it into your scalp until you get a good lather. Rinse off before you apply conditioner. If you’ve still got shampoo in your hair, most of the conditioner will just slide off instead of penetrating the strands.

End your shower with a cold rinse

Always do a final rinse of your hair with cold water, to seal the cuticle. This helps prevent hair damage and makes your hair colour last longer.

Don’t use dry shampoo more than twice a week

Dry shampoo can help a blowout last longer, or help refresh your hair in the middle of the day. But it leaves product residue that irritate your scalp, clog hair follicles and cause hairfall, and make hair look dry and lifeless.

Use dry shampoo just 2 or 3 times a week, and be sure to remove product build-up twice a month with a clarifying shampoo.

Always apply dry shampoo at night

Dry shampoo actually looks better if you apply it before sleeping. It absorbs hair oils and sets, so all you have to do in the morning is brush your hair! If you apply it in the morning, you’re more likely to rush through the steps and end up with white, chalky hair.

Don’t towel dry your hair

Wet hair is very fragile, so the worst thing you can do is rub it dry with a towel. (Even wrapping hair up and leaving it in a turban for a long time is damaging.) Instead, wrap a towel around your hair and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. When it’s damp but not dripping, you can air-dry it in front of an electric fan, or use a blowdryer.

Apply mousse in the middle of blowdrying

Do you blowdry then apply mousse? Wrong. The best time and way to apply mousse is when your hair is about 60% to 7% dry. The mousse helps set your hair, so it has more volume and retains any shape or curls you add in the last stages of styling.

Use your blowdryer’s nozzle attachment

“The nozzle provides distance between the hair and the lip of the dryer, which is the hottest point. Additionally, the nozzle keeps the air flow concentrated, and without it, the hot air disperses, causing undesirable frizz,” says Giovanni Vaccaro, Glamsquad’s creative director.

Apply heat protectant evenly

Heat protectants help prevent hair damage when you curl or blowdry your hair. However, we often put too much on the top of the hair, and neglect the nape and sides. To get even application, divide your hair into sections and then spray from left to right, top to bottom.

You’re using the wrong blowdrying brush

If you have straight hair and want it to have volume but still stay sleek, use a round ceramic brush. If you have frizzy hair that’s very thick, use a boar bristle brush.

Don’t blowdry very wet hair

Blowdrying wet hair overexposes it to too much heat for too long. Squeeze excess hair out with a towel, and air-dry it until it’s about 60 to 70% dry. Use the blowdryér’s cool setting first, then switch to a higher heat.

Finish with a cool shot

The best blow dryers have a cool shot button. After you blowdry, press it to blast your hair with cold air as the final step. It helps cool down your hair, and will even help make your hair look shiny.

You’re holding hair spray too close

Hold the hair spray 8 to 10 inches away from your hair, so you get a light and even mist.  If it’s any closer, the hair spray will clump and weigh down your hair.

You use too much leave-in conditioner

According to TRESemmé celebrity stylist Jeanie Syfu, you only need a pea-sized amount of any hydrating leave-in conditioner or hair serum. (If you have very long hair, you can use about a quarter-sized amount.) She recommends rubbing it in your palms first, then running your hand through your hair.

You don’t work in your hair salt spray

Salt spray can add volume and texture (hello, beachy waves!) and act as a primer to help your hair hold a style. However, you have to apply it even to the bottom layers. Divide your hair into sections, and then lift your hair so that you also reach the strands underneath.

Apply anti-frizz products to wet hair

They work better and longer if you work it into wet or damp hair, rather than dry hair. Work it into your hair with your hands, comb through to distribute it even more, and then start blowdrying.

Apply hair oil only where you need it

If you apply too much oil, your hair will lose volume and look greasy. So, apply a small amount and apply it just where you need it — whether it’s the scalp, or just the tips of your hair. Then, just rub your hands and pat the excess on the rest of your hair for a bit of shine.