This Is The Trick To Getting Your Healthiest-Looking Hair Ever
Updated: Sep. 17, 2018
These healthy hair tips are perfect for a low-maintenance beauty routine.
Joy McCarthy is known for her healthy detox recipes and smart nutrition tips.
She’s the founder of Joyous Health and has penned two books – with another on the way. When you meet her, you immediately notice her healthy glow. The other thing you can’t help but notice? Her long, gorgeous hair. Luckily, she’s been kind enough to share her healthy hair tips. Read on for all the details.
Oil is not a dirty word
The most important ingredient for shiny, healthy hair is something your body produces naturally, and yet, we tend to talk about it like it’s a bad thing. “Let your hair get a little greasy! Hair oil is the best thing for shiny hair,” says McCarthy, who says she washes her hair once every five to seven days.
We know what you’re thinking: “There’s no way I could go that long,” but hear us out. Try to gradually increase the time you go between shampoos. Maybe you go two or three days, and then four or five days, working your way up. As you shampoo less often, your body will compensate for the natural oil in your scalp by creating less oil. “It takes about a month for your oil production to adjust,” notes McCarthy.
Related: How to Go 5 Days Without Washing Your Hair
Wash with care
When she does wash her hair, McCarthy has a few tricks to hydrate hair without weighing it down. “Brush your hair before you hop in the shower and only put conditioner on the ends of your hair,” she says. “I never put conditioner at my roots.”
The detox guru has also recently launched her own shampoo and conditioner in response to requests she was getting from women about how to revive dull, lackluster hair. Made with all natural ingredients like organic lavender extract and rosemary leaf oil, – which promote hair growth – the line is lightweight but hydrating. “The challenge with conventional hair care,” says McCarthy, “is that it contains a lot of harsh chemicals like SLS which can strip your hair of its natural moisture and oils. When you strip away oils, you strip away your hair’s natural shine!”
SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) is used in some shampoos to make them foam and lather. The ingredient is listed on the David Suzuki Foundation’s “Dirty Dozen,” and Health Canada has committed to further research on its potential effects. McCarthy’s Natural Joyous Health Hair Care line ($16 each at joyoushealth.com) relies on sodium coco sulfate for its lather, which is plant-derived (from coconut) and safe to use on your body, she says.
Related: 12 Detox Foods You Should Have After Eating Too Much Junk Food
Take healthy hair supplements
You’ve probably heard that biotin is amazing for your skin, hair and nails, but are you really getting its full benefit? McCarthy swears by fermented biotin. “It’s so much easier for your body to absorb,” she says. Fish oil is another supplement McCarthy takes regularly. She recommends New Chapter Fish Oil supplements because they contain a fully fatty acid profile.
Healthy fats = healthy hair
And, of course, what you eat has an impact on your hair health. Choose healthy fats in foods like avocado, olives, olive oil, flax oil, chia and walnuts. “These good fats help create moisture from the inside out,” says McCarthy. “And all foods that are good for your hair are also good for your skin.” Foods that pull double duty with their healthy hair and skin benefits – we’re adding those to our grocery list ASAP!
Related: 6 Things You Should Know Before Starting a Detox Diet
