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7 nighttime habits that ruin your hair

<p><strong>Bad hair habits</strong></p> <p>Keeping your hair healthy goes beyond shampoo and conditioner. Celebrity stylists explain why and how you should kick these bad evening hair habits.</p> <p><strong>You sleep with wet hair</strong></p> <p>Hair is weakest when it’s wet, which is why sleeping with wet hair right after you shower could cause damage and split ends, says celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson. </p> <p>“Rubbing on the sheets at night if hair is wet can make the cuticle ends rough up, which makes hair frizzy and dry,” he says. If you shower at night, make sure your hair is dry, or you braid it before going to sleep, he says.</p> <p><strong>You leave your hair up</strong></p> <p>On some occasions, a topknot can preserve your style from the day before, says Gibson, but tying your hair in a tight bun or ponytail can damage your strands. “If you wear your hair up in the same place all day or every night while sleeping, that hair tie will stay in the same place and cause breakage,” says celebrity hairstylist Kylee Heath. </p> <p>If you can’t stand to leave your hair down, try sleeping in braids, which are easier on the hair and will create pretty waves, she says.</p> <p><strong>You use a hair tie</strong></p> <p>If you do decide to keep your hair up, don’t use a tight elastic. “Elastic, especially if the hair is wet, will make a crease, and within that crease can damage the whole area,” says Gibson. </p> <p>He recommends a hairpin, while Heath says a scrunchie is a good alternative because the fabric surrounding it is softer on the hair.</p> <p><strong>You skip brushing</strong></p> <p>Turns out your mother was right: brushing your hair before bed can promote a healthier mane. Your scalp produces natural oils, and brushing dry hair distributes them through your strands. “Running that natural oil through your hair before bed helps stimulate the scalp and hair follicle to promote hair growth,” says Gibson. </p> <p>As a bonus, brushing is relaxing, so it could help you drift off to sleep (and more sleep means healthier hair), he says.</p> <p><strong>You have cotton sheets</strong></p> <p>Silk is gentler than cotton, meaning it won’t be as rough on your hair when you lay your head on your pillowcase. “There’s no friction when it’s rubbing against the hair,” says Heath. “It helps with frizz and getting your hair stuck as your hair rubs back and forth.” Treat yourself to a silk pillowcase for a luxurious slumber and great hair.</p> <p><strong>You ignore a chance for extra moisture</strong></p> <p>If you shampoo in the morning, nighttime is your opportunity to condition your hair with products you’ll wash out when you wake up. Heath likes to run a deep conditioner through her ends, while Gibson recommends using coconut oil. </p> <p>“It helps to fill in the cuticle and helps moisturise for those eight hours while you’re sleeping,” he says. In the morning, wash out the conditioner or oil for super silky strands.</p> <p><strong>You sleep with hairspray </strong></p> <p>“If you have a lot of hairspray in your hair, it can be really drying,” says Heath. She doesn’t recommend showering before bed to wash it out, because wet hair is damaging too. </p> <p>Instead, take out any bobby pins holding up your style, then break the hairspray down with a bit of leave-in conditioner, and brush it out.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/beauty/hair-and-nails/7-nighttime-habits-that-ruin-your-hair" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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8 healthy habits you’re better off doing at night than in the morning

<p><strong>Get clean</strong></p> <p>You might not feel like bathing at night after a long, exhausting day, but it’s best to wash away the dirt of the day before your head hits the pillow. Not only will showering the night before save you time in the morning, but you’ll rinse away any allergens, like pollen and dust, that could be clinging to your hair or skin. You’ll also wake up in the morning already feeling fresh, clean and ready to conquer.</p> <p><strong>Comb it out</strong></p> <p>Press the snooze button guilt-free knowing that you’ll wake up with fewer tangles. Shave minutes off of your morning routine by running a comb through wet hair at night. Instead of waking to a knotted mop, comb through your hair from top to bottom the night before, and consider sleeping in a braid to ward off tangles. The result: less damage, fewer split ends, and time shaved off the morning rush.</p> <p><strong>Stop the stink</strong></p> <p>You’ve likely been swiping, rolling, or spraying on your antiperspirant in the morning hours, but, as it turns out, it’s best to apply the product at night. The added time it stays on your skin allows the active ingredients – usually a combination of an antiperspirant and odour reducer – to get into your sweat ducts. Worried about washing off the white stuff when you’re getting ready in the morning? Don’t be. By then the product will have sunken in, and the ingredients should remain active for 24 hours.</p> <p><strong>Baby your face</strong></p> <p>The same circadian rhythm that controls when we fall asleep and wake up also directs other dynamics in the body – including the behaviour of our skin. Research shows that while during the day our skin is busy regulating body temperature and protecting against assaults like sun damage and oxidation, at night it goes into makeover mode, with cells being renewed and repaired. This is when cells need nutrients the most, and when their anti-ageing benefits have maximum impact, so go ahead and apply a generous layer of essences, serums, lotions, and creams before you hit the sheets.</p> <p><strong>Use a razor</strong></p> <p>If you shave at night, stubbly legs won’t limit your options when you’re picking out your outfit in the morning. No nicks or razor burn from a rushed shave job is always a bonus. Moisturise just after you shave to lock in all-night hydration.</p> <p><strong>Take it off</strong></p> <p>You probably know how important it is to clean off your foundation, bronzer and blush, lest they clog pores and trigger acne. But it’s also a good idea to remove your eye makeup – mascara, liner, and eye shadow – to protect against brittle lashes, lash loss, and potential eye irritation (not to mention a dirty pillowcase).</p> <p><strong>Tie one on</strong></p> <p>Choose a soft hair tie – or better yet recycle a 1990s scrunchie – and sleep in a loose bun or braid. This small nighttime ritual can help prevent hair breakage, as you toss and turn and otherwise tangle your hair while you sleep. It’s also a neat hair styling trick: Braid your hair the night before and wake up to soft, beachy waves.</p> <p><strong>Add humidity</strong></p> <p>Turning on a humidifier will help you breathe easier and potentially reduce your risk of colds and infections, as moist air is good for the natural germ filters in your nose but bad for viruses and bacteria. A humidifier can also keep skin soft and appear less wrinkly (dryness makes lines look more pronounced), and can help prevent dry throats and sinuses, reducing the risk of snoring while encouraging a good night’s sleep.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-f8f25299-7fff-00dd-f0f5-f7967ecb5848">Written by Stephanie Smith. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/8-healthy-habits-youre-better-off-doing-at-night-than-in-the-morning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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