How to Take Care of Over Processed Hair: Best Shampoos + Home Treatments
We’re all guilty of this. Dyeing our hair whenever we want, maybe going for some rebonding, or maybe even going to the extreme of bleaching our hair to get as close to blonde hair as we can. At the end of the day, however, all these treatments result in having over processed hair that can be dry, brittle, and extremely damaged. It can be rather stressful having to deal with very damaged hair but don’t worry because you can always turn things around by making amends in helping your hair and scalp recover. Continue reading to know how you can bring damaged hair back to life with some home remedies and a roundup of the best products for over processed hair.
Is Your Hair Over Processed?
First things first. Is your hair over processed? Among the most common indicators of overly processed hair include having dry and frizzy hair, split ends, hairfall, breakage, dry patches, uneven length over time, tangles, and the like. If you’ve been having frequent chemical treatments done to your hair or may have been overusing that hair straightener, then it should really come as no surprise if you start noticing the texture of your hair change for the worse.
The key to treating your damaged hair is by knowing the main cause of it — and the causes can be numerous. Among the most common causes of having over processed hair include hair dyes, bleaching, heat tools, frequent washing with chemical-ridden products, and even prolonged hair growth without haircuts in between. Once you have an idea of what certain processes led to your hair getting damaged, treating it would come much easier.
How to Repair Over Processed Hair
Regardless of the root cause of your over processed hair, the good news is that there are many ways in which you can start helping it recover and heal. No, it doesn’t entail you getting more treatments. In fact, most of it is directly connected to your daily hair care habits and lifestyle.
1. Get More Frequent Trims
Let’s say you haven’t been really doing any kind of invasive chemical hair treatments but still end up seeing split ends or tangles. Chances are, it has a lot to do with not getting scheduled hair trims. Don’t ignore your hairdressers calls and schedule trims maybe on a quarterly basis to ensure that your hair grows healthily.
2. Be Gentle When Washing Your Hair
How hard do you wash your hair? Maybe you’re not even that mindful of it but harshly scrubbing your hair with every wash can lead to breakage and dryness because of the damage it’s causing to your cuticles. Hair is most vulnerable when it’s wet so make sure to just gently scrub your hair and the roots. Avoid rubbing your hair together too firmly to avoid breakage.
3. Avoid Using Heat Styling Tools
It can be tempting to style your hair day in and day out but all of that accumulates and results in having frizzy and heavily damaged hair. If you keep a hair dryer, curler, or straightening iron in your arsenal and use it on a constant basis, you may want to cut back for a bit to let your hair heal and recover. If you’re seeing more and more damage, then it’s time to keep those tools for now and focus on reviving your over processed hair.
4. Give Your Hair a Break
Speaking of keeping the heat styling tools, you may also want to hit pause on several other treatments you’re guilty of that cause over processed hair. Depending on the level of damage that you’re experiencing, you may want to give your hair a couple of months sans any kind of damaging process or treatment. Trust us, your hair’s going to thank you and you’re bound to see the results of having healthier and more thriving hair in no time.
5. Protect Your Hair from Heat
Heat can be very damaging to your hair. Whether it’s caused by tools or by natural means, you have to make sure to keep your hair and scalp protected as much as possible. This can be done by applying heat protectants when using heat styling tools or by simply wearing a hat or cap if you’re under the sun for an extended period of time.
6. Eat a Balanced Diet
Sometimes it also all boils down to how you take care of your body by being more mindful of what you take in. If you want to heal your hair from the inside, then go for whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that have a wide range of benefits for your hair. You can also target food and drinks that are rich in Biotin, vitamins A and C, and iron — all of which are important to have that strong and luscious hair.
Best Products & Home Remedies for Over Processed Hair
Now that you have the habits down pat, it’s time to talk about the best products for over processed hair that you can use. We’ve gathered the best shampoo, conditioner, DIY deep treatments, and even home remedies that you can use to bring life and nourishment back ton your hair and scalp.
Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Over Processed Hair
1. Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Color Revive Ultra Conditioner
If you’re suffering from dry hair because of over-coloring, then we recommend that you start using this conditioner from Cream Silk with every wash. What’s great about this product is how it gives you the three benefits of keratin treatment: tames frizz, revives damaged hair, and restores shine to dry and dull hair.
2. Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Oil & Ylang Ylang Repair Shampoo & Conditioner
This eco-friendly shampoo and conditioner pairing is infused with virgin coconut oil that’s known to have a host of benefits for the hair. It has deep moisturizing properties that can gently remove dirt, nourish your hair, and best of all, realign your strands to prevent further damage. This combo works well in treating over processed hair with symptoms like split ends, breakage, and dryness.
3. Sunsilk Damage Reconstruction Shampoo
Another local favorite of ours is this Damage Reconstruction Shampoo by Sunsilk. Specially formulated for damaged hair, this shampoo has keratin and max calcium that nourishes and strengthens each strand with consistent use. It’s also co-created by hair expert Thomas Taw so you know your hair is in good hands.
4. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo & Conditioner
Another shampoo and conditioner combo worth checking out is TRESemmé’s Keratin Smooth Shampoo and Keratin Smooth Serum Conditioner. Powered with argan oil and keratin, the shampoo cleanses your hair while also delivering on all of the benefits of a keratin treatment such as detangling, calming frizz, adds shine and smoothness, tames flyaways, and more. The conditioner, on the other hand, is also rich in keratin and oleo serum that also work just as hard in moisturizing your hair with frequent use.
5. Dove Intense Repair 1 Minute Serum Shampoo & Conditioner
If we’re talking about extremely damaged and over processed hair, then Dove Intense Repair 1 Minute Serum Shampoo and Conditioner might be what you need. It has keratin-infused serum capsules that penetrate deeply into your hair and repair it from within. Combine it with the conditioner and you’re looking at having healthier hair in no time.
6. Dove Amino Restore 1 Minute Serum Shampoo
This one’s another serum shampoo from Dove that helps repair your hair from the inside out. If you have rough and frizzy hair, then this shampoo infused with amino-serum capsules ought to do the trick in leaving your hair smooth and silky in one minute.
7. Love Beauty and Planet Sea Salt & Bergamot Deep Restore Shampoo & Conditioner
Get rid of all the toxins and chemicals that are attached to your hair follicles with this sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner from Love Beauty and Planet. This pairing is infused with Bali sea salt that cleanses your hair while also leaving it balanced and healthy. If that’s not enough, it also has ethically-sourced bergamot aroma that gives off a fragrant and fresh smell to your hair.
Best DIY Treatments for Over Processed Hair
1. Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Straight Treatment Creme
If you have “rebelliously frizzy hair,” then we recommend using Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Straight Treatment Creme. Like its conditioner counterpart, it also delivers on giving your hair the benefits of 3 keratin products in one: keratin relaxers to tame frizz, keratin serum to revive hair from damage, and keratin essence to restore over processed hair from extreme dryness.
2. Vitakeratin Deep Repair
Infused with Vitamin E, this Deep Repair treatment from Vitakeratin gives you salon-quality keratin to make your hair smooth and straight. It also has argan oil to take care of the damage caused by various hair processes like color treatment, rebonding, straightening, and frequent styling.
Best Home Remedies for Over Processed Hair
The next best treatment for over processed hair may be found at the comfort of your own home. Check out these home remedies for over processed hair that you can use to reverse the effects of over processing your hair.
Olive Oil
Olive Oil works amazingly well in helping smoothen the broken and burnt ends of your hair. Thanks to its primary chemical elements like oleic acid, palmitic acid, and squalene, olive oil can help in softening and strengthening each strand of your hair. To use, use a tablespoon or two and gently massage onto your hair. Use more if you have thick hair. Let it soak for about 15 minutes before rinsing completely.
Argan Oil
Argan Oil is a favorite when it comes to treating damaged hair. As you can see from the products above, a lot of it had argan oil as its main component simply because it works great in moisturizing your hair and scalp, as well as protecting it from further damage. To use as a hair mask, massage about 8 to 10 drops of argan oil into your hair and scalp. Adjust the amount based on your hair length and thickness. Wrap your hair with a towel or hair wrap and leave overnight. Rinse it off in the morning and style as usual.
Treat Your Hair Right and Say Goodbye to Over Processed Hair
Treating your over processed hair begins with an attitude of actually wanting to treat your hair for the better. Doing various hair processes is completely fine so long as you know how to balance it out by letting your hair rest and recover. Choosing the right products to take care of your hair also plays a key role so be sure to recognize the root causes of your damaged hair and know how to properly remedy it from there.
