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Y
OU KNOW ALL
those bad hair days where your locks are totally flat and lifeless, or worse, frizzy and out of control? You weren’t born that way, lovely. Mainstream hair care is tough on our heads. Heat styling and coloring dry out and damage the hair follicles, making us even more prone to frizz because the hair shaft is constantly roughed up and trying to suck up whatever little bit of moisture it can find in the air. Plus most of the products we use at home contain harsh detergents and more dehydrating ingredients like alcohol or silicones and gels that just weigh you down.

Since my hair is put through the ringer on most acting jobs, whenever I’m not shooting, I give it a chance to detox: no heat styling, just a gentle shampoo and a deep conditioner or a leave-in one. Sure, we’d all love blowout-perfect hair all the time, but these recovery days are so important—and I actually like that beachy, free-flowing, air-dried look, especially in the summer. And remember: Your next blowout will be even more awesome because you’ve given your hair this opportunity to bounce back.

How often you need to shampoo depends on your hair and scalp. I try really hard not to overwash my hair because it gets subjected to so much heat styling and such; I need to let it breathe when I can! But my hair is too fine to go for very long between shampoos (it just falls flat). Like my preferences for soap and shower gel, I like to stick with a pretty basic, plant-based formulation for gentle cleansing. If you’re dealing with dandruff or buildup, try to avoid conventional dandruff shampoos—they’re very harsh. Rinsing your scalp weekly with apple cider vinegar (see
recipe
) will help keep flakes at bay naturally. But do rinse well with water and follow up with a conditioner—otherwise you’ll smell like a salad! For oily scalps, adding a bit of tea tree oil to your shampoo and only conditioning the ends will work best even if you have to shampoo daily.

If you have coarse, frizzy, or curly hair, you’ll need to be careful
not
to shampoo it too often. In fact, a lot of curly girls I know swear by the DevaCare No-Poo method—or rarely even shampoo their hair at all! Shampooing strips hair of the natural oils it needs to keep frizz at bay, so when you switch from shampoo to a cleanser, your curls will have more definition and fewer flyaway issues.

If you are used to daily shampooing, going No-Poo does require a serious level of commitment—I suggest starting on a vacation (like camping!) when you can rough it and not care how you look for a week, because there’s definitely a detox period where your scalp sort of freaks out and gets mad oily, wondering why you aren’t sudsing it up every day like usual. But after a week or two, this usually calms down and you start to see hair ah-mazingness.

Other curly girls find they really do need to wash a couple times a week—every two or three days, say—to keep the grease at bay. Experiment and figure out what works for you . . . and don’t worry if it’s not the beauty gospel you’ve read in fashion magazines or whatever! For more tips on how to ditch the suds, search “curly hair” on
www.nomoredirtylooks.com
; cofounder Alexandra Spunt has amazing curls and she hasn’t shampooed her hair in I don’t know how long.

Conditioner is so important for keeping your hair soft and shiny. But remember that less is often more here. If you use gobs of product, you’ll run out faster (which gets expensive!), and it can also weigh your hair down so it looks flat and dull. I like to comb conditioner through my ends in the shower but keep it off my scalp to prevent buildup. As usual, avoid lots of added fragrances and opt for plant-based moisturizing ingredients where you can.

As much as I enjoy a sleek blowout, I also love that curls—and embracing your natural wave!—are big again. This is especially helpful if you live in a humid climate; it’s like, why fight it? Let your hair be free. So what’s the key to happy (not fuzzy) curls? Making sure your hair is properly hydrated. Frizz is just your hair follicle’s way of trying to suck up more moisture from the air—that’s why it gets so much worse when it rains. A good, hydrating curl cream can combat this problem. Look for a lightweight, water-based formula and steer clear of gels containing alcohol, which can be super drying.

After the Brazilian blowout made headlines a couple of years ago because it was found to release formaldehyde, I got a lot more careful about the kinds of products I use when I want sleek, straight hair. When it’s not too humid, I find that a little dab of argan oil or another natural leave-in on my ends is enough to keep everything shiny and smooth. When you need something more hard core, you might want to steer clear of keratin-containing products—we’re still trying to figure out which brands are safe and which are problematic. You’re better off using a lightweight silicone gel (although, I know, the results won’t last as long—such a bummer!). Divide damp hair into sections and blow it out a piece at a time using a big round brush. Then smooth everything over with a flat iron. All this heat can be tough on your hair, so I’d advise against making this your everyday style . . .  but it will give you that sleek look without the toxicity.

Since my hair is put through the ringer when I’m working, I like to give it a chance to detox.

Honor has such fine, curly hair—it tangles easily and can become such a battle! I’ve learned that detangler (like Honest Conditioning Mist) is key. And so is gently combing out her hair with a wide-tooth comb while it’s still wet—the snarls slide right out. If we’re doing braids, I’ll do those wet, too—they hold much better, and we make hair time fun by letting her choose clips or ribbons. I love my little girl’s curls!