My hair was always my pride and joy. It’s long, luxurious, thick, and shiny. I could model for Pantene … when I was 16. Ten years later, it’s dried out, is brittle, and falls out all the time. What happened? Bad hair care, of course.

Overuse of products, overuse of dye, and overuse of appliances. We’re spammed with the commercialization of hair maintenance without actual consideration of what this does to not only our lovely locks, but our scalp. While black hair care is very different from white hair (and the many types of hair in between!), there are still some ground rules that apply to every head.Check your products: This is incredibly important, as many hair products use chemicals that are much too strong for our poor scalps, and can cause severe damage. Check the labels and make sure you’re not using toxic chemicals. And though peroxide might get you as light as you’ve always tried, it’s so bad for you. Leave it on the shelf.Go au natural: Natural products like shikakai, lemon, coconut oil, and vinegar work wonders on frizzy and lacklustre hair. Mixing honey with cream will create an excellent natural antidote for dry hair.Pull out the plug: I know it stinks, but blow-drying your hair every day, ironing it before every night out, and keeping those highlights fresh aren’t worth it. The high heats used with these appliances only cause harm to your tresses. For serial blow-dryers, pretend you’re quitting smoking; cut it down to a few days a week, and slowly eek it out of your regular lifestyle.