Whether it’s grease, uncontrollable frizz, or hideous split-ends and fly-aways, bad hair days can ruin your look and your otherwise beautiful day. Lucky for you, bad hair days aren’t permanent, and there are tricks you can do to fix or prevent them entirely.

What causes a bad hair day?

There can be different reasons why your hair is acting out, but here are the most common causes of a bad hair day:

Over washing

If you wonder why your hair’s still a mess even though you keep cleaning it, you might be overwashing your hair. Washing your hair often, especially with shampoo, strips away the moisture and oils that keep your hair shiny and healthy.

Stress

Relax and take a breather. Believe it or not, your hair would know if you’re feeling stressed. Studies have shown that higher levels of cortisol increase your scalp’s production of oil while your strands remain dry and brittle. In some cases, stress can even lead to hair thinning or hair loss.

Hot water

Just like your shampoo, hot water strips your hair of its needed oils and nutrients. It weakens your hair follicles and makes them brittle and porous. When this happens, your hair will be prone to breakage and frizz.

Bad diet

Your hair uses all the nutrients it can get from the food that you eat. This means a poor diet that is deficient in protein, fatty acids, and micronutrients such as iron, vitamin D, and zinc can lead to bad hair growth.

Humidity

If your hair is frizzy and flat, blame the weather because it might be because of the humidity. The water vapor in the air causes your hair to coil in different directions. The result? Frizz. If your hair is already damaged, to begin with, it gets even harder to manage.

Missing haircuts

Your bad hair day could also be caused by flyaways or ugly split-ends. This is more likely to happen if you haven’t had a haircut in a long time.

How to style your hair on a bad hair day

You might have a bad hair day today, but it’s not the end of the world! In fact, there are several tricks you can do to style your hair so other people wouldn’t have to know.

Here’s what you can do:

Wear A Headband

If you’re struggling with your roots, cover them up with a headband or a wide hair accessory. Go crazy with printed scarves, or stick to simple designs. Either way, it adds character to your outfit without you worrying about your hair ruining the look.

Quick Wash

Can’t stand the oil on your fringe? Perhaps you can squeeze in a quick wash. You don’t have to step into the shower for this one. All you need is a spray bottle of water, a little bit of shampoo, and a hair dryer.

The Wet Look

When you can’t tame the frizz and your hair is going in all sorts of directions, just spray your hair with water and comb it back. Damp hair is significantly easier to manage than dry frizzy hair.

Embrace Your Roots

Do your grown-out roots bother you? The good news is, they’re not exactly unfashionable. Celebrities like Chrissy Teigen and Blake Lively have, at one point, embraced the ombré, so it wouldn’t hurt for you to embrace your own roots too. If you want to ensure great color despite your roots showing, try the gradient look with a balayage on your next appointment with a hairstylist.

Don’t Overplay

Stop touching or playing with your hair all the time. Not only does it get your hair dirty, but it also promotes oil production which is bad in excess.

Slick It

It’s a fool-proof way to keep your hair out of the way. Slick your hair back into a ponytail for a simple yet elegant look.

Top Knot

If you don’t like a ponytail, gather all of your hair into a top knot. It’s very easy to do, and the messy bun adds a cute touch to any outfit.

Clip And Go

Bangs can look amazing one day and terrible the next morning. When you find yourself struggling to get your bangs to stay in one place, accept your defeat and use a clip to move it out of the way.

The Lazy Fishtail

If you’re looking for a hairstyle that’s fancier than a ponytail or a top knot, go for a lazy fishtail braid. Not only does it look elegant, it’s also a style you can sleep in. No one will ever know if you don’t say anything!

Sea Salt Spray

Freshen up your hair with a sea salt spray. Sea salt sprays are popular for adding texture and volume to lifeless hair. They also absorb oil so your hair won’t look like it hasn’t been washed for days.

Bobby Pin Twist

Play around with bobby pins. When you don’t know what to do with your hair, pin them away with style. Take out sections, twist them, and wrap them around your head. It’s incredibly fast and easy to do, but it sure doesn’t look that effortless.

The Disheveled Chignon

Take your messy bun to the next level and bring it down just above your nape. It’s a popular hairstyle for fancy events and for bad hair days like this.

The Braided Knot

The braided knot can be done in several ways but they all follow the same rule: section your hair in braids and wrap them around your head in a knot. It’s a lovely way to keep your hair out of the way in style.

Sweep Over

If you’re not the type to do the previously mentioned hairstyles, simply flip your hair over to a different side to hide the “greasy” part. Comb it nicely and do a simple braid.

Dry Shampoo

Reach for your trusty dry shampoo. If you find yourself struggling with greasy hair, a good dry shampoo should take care of it. It not only removes dirt and oil, but it also leaves a fragrance so no one can tell the difference.

Avoid Straighteners

It might be tempting to reach out for your straighteners when you want more manageable hair, but heat only aggravates the damage and worsens the frizz over time.

How to prevent a bad hair day

You can have the perfect makeup and the perfect outfit, but a bad hair day always ruins the look. Fortunately, a bad hair day doesn’t always have to stick around, and there are steps you can take to prevent a bad hair day from happening.

Brush your hair before you take a shower

Wet hair is a lot weaker than dry hair, so brushing it when wet can cause a lot of breakages. To avoid this, try brushing your hair before you take a shower. This loosens the knots so you don’t have to worry about them after.

Always use a conditioner after using shampoo

Many people think using shampoo is enough. However, they don’t realize that although shampoo cleans and gets rid of dirt and oil, it doesn’t always have the extra power to help keep your hair soft and manageable. Avoid bad hair days by treating your hair with a conditioner after using shampoo.

Use conditioner properly

To condition, your hair, make sure you rinse out all the shampoo first. Next, apply the conditioner to the bottom half of your hair, avoiding the scalp. Let it lather for a few minutes before rinsing everything off.

Take time for a hair mask

Take the extra step and schedule a hair mask treatment. You can do it at home or at a salon for a more thorough and professional application.

Breathe in, breathe out

Don’t forget to give yourself time to relax. Breathing exercises help reduce stress, and reduced stress is good news for your hair.

Cold shower

If hot water can cause damage to your hair, a cold shower does wonder. Cold water seals the cuticle of your hair so it does not only get stronger, it looks shinier and healthier too.

Eat healthily

To replenish your body and your hair with the sufficient nutrients required to grow better, make sure you eat clean and add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Stay away from crash dieting as well as it may affect the health of your hair.

Avoid tight rubber bands

Tight rubber bands are stressful to your hair because they pull at your hair and cause breakage since they can be difficult to take out.

Cool your hair

If you use a hair blower, straightener, or curling iron, you’d notice that even after you’re done, your hair can still be warm. Prolonged exposure to heat can worsen your hair strength and texture. To avoid this, use the cold function right after you finish styling to cool down your hair and your scalp.

Go to the hairdresser

Finally, when all else fails, or when you’re tired of the same hair problem and simply want professional help, it’s best to go to the hairdresser right away. A professional hair stylist knows what’s causing your bad hair day and what the best options for your hair are. At Ashford & Parker, an experienced hair stylist will evaluate your hair and offer solutions that meet your needs.

Preventing a bad hair day starts with proper hair care

It may seem like a no-brainer, but the hair only gives what it receives. The more you care for your hair and prevent damage, the healthier and stronger it’s going to be, and the better it’s going to look. Start with these tips and give your hair the love it deserves.

Last updated on September 22, 2022