We’ve been rounding up hair-related wisdom from friends of all hair types—and naturally, we had to share. Whether you’ve got coily hair, straight hair, lots of hair or a little, we hope you find some good inspiration and guidance below!
The first step to better hair days:
"Good hair days start on wash day. If you don't get a strong start with your shampoo and conditioner routine, styling will present one challenge after another, including dryness, breakage, frizz or lifeless hair." - Quia Querisma, hairstylist
On embracing experimentation:
“You don’t need to take your hair too seriously. I’ve learned to embrace my natural texture over the years while still experimenting with different styles, cuts and colors—even buzzing and bleaching my hair at one point. I just like to have fun with my look while making sure to look after my hair the best I can.” - Jessica Harumi, sustainable fashion blogger
On finding the right stylist:
“When I first chopped off my hair, I wrote down a list of questions (like how often I should wash my hair and prevent dry scalp) and brought them to my stylist. She was able to prescribe the best care and regimen to help me achieve my goals. The right stylist will care about your hair as much as you do. They'll answer your questions and give you advice, sometimes without you even having to ask. The relationship I built with my stylist made me feel way more confident and equipped me with the proper knowledge to care for my curls outside of the salon.” - Tameka Abraham, writer
The trick to longer-lasting hair color:
“If your goal is to preserve your hair color, take cooler showers, or at least keep your hair out of the hot water if you’re taking a hot shower. If for whatever reason you absolutely have to take a hot shower—maybe your head hurts, or you’re just really craving a hot soak—rinse your hair with cold water at the end.” - Courtney Resch, hairstylist + salon owner
On going bald:
“Lose the hair. Not yourself.” - Harry James, founder of @baldcafe
How to make your bangs behave:
“My best hair advice is to use dry shampoo on your bangs. It’s life-changing! It keeps them from getting all greasy and chunky.” - Britta Chatterjee, Odele co-founder (and sporter of A+ bangs)
Two tips that will transform your curls:
“I have two styling tricks that have been game-changers for my 3A/3B hair. The first is to always apply products and style your hair when it is still very wet. This helps to reduce at least 80% of the frizz and increase 100% of the definition. My second tip is to section your hair when styling. I know, it’s long and tiring, but it makes a world of difference. Your curls will come out even more defined and less clumpy/knotty!” - Melodie Perez, content creator
On hairstyling and identity:
“I don't think my hair directly informs my gender expression, but it adds the perfect accessory. For example, if I’m feeling more "feminine," I may put bows or clips in my hair. And when I'm doing a more "masculine" look, I'll leave it a little more plain or untamed. [...] I feel like I was always trying to calm my hair down in fear it’ll be too loud, but now I love the conversation my hair brings. I think it shows that any hairstyle isn’t just for one gender. Any hairstyle can work, regardless of identity, as long as it feels right to you.” - Charlie Wo, drag artist
On knowing your hair type:
“Balancing my life as a health care worker and content creator can get pretty crazy for my hair. The most important thing I have learned to help get me to my healthiest hair is understanding what kind of scalp and hair I have. For my oily scalp and thin, straight hair, I like to wash my hair every three days, use a pre-wash hair oil, double-shampoo the roots only, use a clarifying shampooevery two weeks and a deep-conditioning hair mask every week.” - Helen Cai, health care provider + content creator
On postpartum hair loss:
“Be patient. While postpartum hair loss is real and can be extremely hard to go through, most women who lose hair from giving birth will regain their entire head of hair before their baby's first birthday. Use natural alternatives like rosemary essential oil (add 5 drops of pure rosemary essential oil into your palm full of shampoo 2-3x a week) to speed up regrowth, and if your hair hasn’t grown back within a year after giving birth, it may be time to see a trichologist or dermatologist.” - Taylor Rose, trichology student
On minimizing effort and maximizing results:
“I've found that less is more when it comes to hair care. It's all about the foundation: a good cut, effective shampoo/conditioner and especially a deep treatment, like the Moisture Mask. I'm a busy parent, so I don't have much time to do my hair—most days I'll throw in some texture spray and go! I take a biotin and collagen supplement daily and use Clarifying Shampoo once a week, so that's about as high maintenance as I get when it comes to hair.” - Liz Teich, fashion stylist + mother of two
On mastering the basics:
“Use the shampoo first, and then the conditioner.” - George Holden, soccer star + Rubik's cube enthusiast, age 9