Can washing your hair with cold water really make it grow faster? Does lemon juice cheat highlights? And should you actually ditch your conditioner if you have greasy hair? There’s a lot of myths when it comes to haircare. That’s why we’ve called on our hair columnist, Jen Atkin, to run through the biggest old wives’ tales surrounding haircare and debunk whether they actually have any truth to them.
Old wives’ tale: Washing hair with cold water helps it to grow faster
Myth: Washing with cold water will not make your hair grow faster but it seals down your cuticle which can make your hair shinier and keep it more hydrated. Try ending your shower with a cold shot if you can manage it.
Old wives’ tale: Using lemon juice on hair helps to bleach it in the sun
Semi True: Lemon juice is not an equivalent to bleach and it won’t change all hair types but the acidity, combined with the heat from the sun, can open your cuticle and break down the pigment in your hair shaft, lightening it up a bit. This works best on naturally light brown or blonde hair. It can cause warmth and brass if you’re not careful.
Old wives’ tale: Wearing your hair up all the time causes split ends and broken baby hair
Semi True: It’s all about tension and detangling. Try wearing your hair up in different ways or different heights and use something gentle to hold your hair up like a clip or a silk scrunchie. Also don’t forget to detangle your hair every now and then just because you wear it up.
Old wives’ tale: You should skip conditioner if you have greasy hair
Myth: Your ends still need hydration. Try using a shampoo like the OUAI Detox shampoo for an extra cleanse every now and then, just keep conditioner off your roots, especially if you have naturally oily hair.
Old wives’ tale: It’s better to airdry hair than to blow-dry hair
Sad but true: Heat can cause damage if you’re not careful. Be sure to use a heat protectant spray if you’re blow-drying to keep it healthy. In quarantine though, Jen strongly recommends you give your hair a little break especially since you can totally manipulate how you look on most Zoom calls.
Old wives’ tale: You should switch up your shampoo every so often
Myth: This is more of a preference than a need. It’s good to use a detoxifying or clarifying shampoo often to make sure there isn’t build up on your hair preventing your usual products from working properly.