Combat Dry, Brittle Hair in 7 Simple Steps

Dry hair is more common than you might think. Your hair is surprisingly sensitive, and moisture can be sapped away from an onslaught of daily aggressors – including heat damage, temperamental weather, and pollution. Usually, dry hair = brittle hair, which makes hair even more vulnerable to snapping and breakage through the lengths. So, what can you do to stop dehydration from turning into an even bigger drama?

Here, we reveal the tricks to transform dry, brittle hair back to its silky best, while preventing further damage. Come rain or shine, these are the secrets to weather-proof, frizz-free, healthy-looking hair...

What Causes Brittle Hair?

Before we go into the fixes, let's look at the real causes of dry, brittle hair:

• Genetics: Some of us are just born with dry, brittle hair; our hair follicles may produce less of the natural oils needed to keep the scalp, lengths and ends healthy and hydrated.
• Harsh shampoos and overwashing: Using the wrong shampoo – and washing with it too frequently – can strip the hair shaft, leaving it extra dry.
• Pollutants: Pollution and metal particles, found in both the air and water, also affect hair's moisture levels and, in turn, its texture.
• Weather: Extreme weather – plus the heating and air con that go along with it – wreaks havoc on dry hair, whether it's too hot, too cold, too windy or too wet.
• Wear and tear: Think daily brushing, combing, heat styling and bleaching. Even friction from your pillow while you sleep can lead to dryness and hair breakage.

What Vitamin Are You Lacking if Your Hair is Brittle?

There's not one single vitamin that unlocks hydrated, healthy hair. It takes a varied and balanced diet to nourish your hair, skin and nails. However, some of the key nutrients you should eat plenty of include vitamin D, vitamin C, iron and zinc. Some believe a biotin supplement could also help to improve hair health over time.

What Does Brittle Hair Look Like? Signs of Dry, Brittle Hair Include:

• a rough, straw-like texture;
• split ends, breakage through the lengths and hair loss;
• dullness and brassy hair colour;
• frizz and flyaways;
• loss of elasticity;
• excessive tangling.

How Do You Treat Brittle Hair?

1. Focus on Repair From the Inside Out

So many shampoos and conditioners cleanse and nourish the surface of hair, but do little for the inner cortex, where the real damage occurs. To ensure you're targeting that crucial layer, look for products that specifically state they help to repair bonds, as you'll find with the ULTIMATE REPAIR regimen.

The whole range – from the Shampoo to the Conditioner to Miracle Hair Rescue – is packed with AHA and Omega-9, a skincare-inspired blend that works deeper to strengthen brittle hair. The AHA is an acid so tiny, it's able to penetrate the inner cortex, where it repairs the hydrogen bonds to improve strength. Meanwhile, Omega-9 fatty acids recreate the outer protective layer, so once-damaged hair looks as healthy as it feels.

The result: a regimen that repairs hair damage in 90 seconds¹, leaving you with 99% less breakage² and 12x smoother hair³. This is your first step to reviving brittle strands.

2. Schedule a Deep Conditioning Mask

Hair masks are essential for treating brittle, damaged hair to a concentrated boost of nourishment. For one that offers bespoke repair, use the ULTIMATE REPAIR Mask once per week. The rich, creamy formula harnesses smart conditioning agents, which are able to identify the most damaged areas, then treat them to deep-down repair.

Keep these extra tricks in mind to make your mask extra-potent:

• Gently squeeze out excess water after washing but before applying your mask. If hair is too wet, your hair mask's ingredients may be diluted.
• Supercharge your hair mask by wrapping lengths up in a microfibre towel while the treatment absorbs. Release your hair and rinse after 5-10 minutes for intense softness.
• Make sure you're washing and rinsing with warm water – not hot or cold. If the water is scorching, it may make your hair feel even drier, while cold water won't clean as thoroughly (although it's great for a final, shine-boosting rinse).

3. Eat a Balanced Diet Rich in Fatty Acids

You can eat your way to healthy hair with a diet that's rich in fatty acids, which are believed to deliver extra nourishment to the scalp and hair follicles. Fruits, seeds, nuts and vegetable oils are all good (and delicious) sources. Adequate proteins are also key to keeping hair healthy, so make sure you're eating at least one serving per day of lean meats, like fish and chicken, eggs or soy products.

4. Add a Leave-In Conditioner to Your Styling Routine

Could your hair be highly porous? Over time, damaged hair forms gaps and tears along the cuticle, which not only makes it ultra-absorbent, but also means that moisture can escape easily. That's why we recommend misting a leave-in conditioner through clean, damp lengths, so your hair can reap the rewards of nourishing ingredients that stick around until your next wash.

Try INVIGO Brilliance Miracle BB Spray or NutriCurls Milky Waves Spray. You can keep lightly topping it up in between washes, so the hair shaft gets a regular dose of nourishment. These leave-ins also make for a great detangling spray, so you can easily work through knots without causing extra harm to brittle hair.

5. Lock in Nourishment with Hair Oil

When you've completed your hair wash routine, you need hair products that lock in nourishment. Look to hair oils, which act as occlusives, meaning they seal everything in. Just make sure you're layering hair styling products in the right order, starting from the lightest texture to the richest. That means hair oils usually come last, after your serums, leave-in conditioners or blow-dry lotions.

Our pick for this step is ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum, a luxurious elixir designed to tame split ends, smooth frizz, and deeply nourish dry, stressed hair. The oil-based serum is packed with Squalane and Omega-9 to give you nourishment in 30 seconds and smoothness that lasts up to 3 days⁴ – no small feat for hard-to-tame, brittle hair. It also acts as a heat protectant and UV shield, so you get care and protection in one. Apply to damp or dry hair daily for glossy, mirror-like shine.

6. Use a Cream to Protect Hair While Heat Styling

Speaking of heat protection, this is key no matter how you style your brittle hair. Whether you're using a hair dryer, flat iron or curling iron, make sure you shield your lengths against the effects of scorching temperatures. ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum helps again here, but dry, brittle hair can also benefit from a protective cream. So, if your hair feels deeply damaged, apply ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In.

The multi-use serum doesn't just protect your lengths when using hair styling tools; it also shields fragile strands from UV exposure, breakage, frizz and mechanical damage. Layer it through while your hair is still damp and, if you're going for a straight look, blow-dry with the nozzle pointing downwards. This will encourage the hair cuticle to lie flat, so you get a smoother, sleeker finish. For curly hair, dry with a diffuser to encourage bouncy ringlets, taking care to work section by section for beautiful body and movement.

Then, before using any further hot tools (such as straightening irons), apply extra heat protectant through dry hair first. This way, you'll safeguard hair from heated styling tools, all while unlocking your perfect look.

7. Head to the Salon for Regular Trims

Dry hair is prone to breakage through the lengths – and especially through the tips. That's why you might start to notice split ends, leaving your hair looking frizzy and stressed. So, make sure you're getting regular trims to snip away snapping hair. A cut every six to eight weeks is recommended for smoother ends. Gradually, you'll notice hair looks neater and even feels thicker, with fewer dry, wispy, brittle sections.

Watch Wella Educator Eddie Sweeney reveal another big benefit of regular trims here!

How Should You Dry Brittle Hair?

Your hair is more fragile when it's wet, so a gentle approach is needed to dry it without causing further breakage. Follow these steps to dry and style with care:

1. Lightly Blot with a Microfibre Towel

Instead of rubbing wet hair with a regular cotton towel, use a microfibre towel to gently blot away moisture. If you have curly or coily hair, try a 'press and twist' motion to remove excess water while enhancing the texture.

2. Let Hair Air-Dry 80% of the Way

To reduce the amount of heat your hair is exposed to, try letting it air-dry around 80% of the way before you use the hair dryer to perfect your style.

3. Apply a Heat Protectant

Never skip heat protection. ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum is your glow-to for mirror-like, glossy shine, while ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In is a must if your brittle hair is deeply damaged.

4. Make Sure Hair is Dry Before Bed

Don't go to bed with wet hair, as the friction from your pillow while you sleep can be harmful to brittle, fragile hair. Instead, dry hair completely before bed, apply ULTIMATE REPAIR Night Serum to keep lengths protected, and sleep on a silk pillowcase to prevent any tugging.

With these tips, you can make brittle hair feel soft, smooth and silky once more. Before you know it, dry hair will have its shine back – just in time for the new season.

¹ When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.

² When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue. Instrumental test vs. non-conditioning Shampoo.

³ Vs. non-conditioning Shampoo.

⁴ If unwashed for 3 days, vs. untreated.