How Dull Hair Happens and How to Bring Back the Shine

Dull hair can manifest in a number of different ways. It might look heavy, frizzy, rough, coarse, dry, or lacklustre.

Dull hair can be caused by a variety of factors such as using harsh hair products, not moisturising your hair enough, heat styling, environmental factors like pollution or hard water, and more. Never fear, the True Grit team are here to help you identify the problem and get the shine back! 

Heat Styling

Ongoing heat styling can lead to stripping hair of its natural oils and lifting the cuticle, causing stress and damage to hair, including breakage, resulting in the dullness. Fine hair, in particular, is susceptible to this damage. To fix this, air dry your hair a few times a week to give it a break. When you do use heat, be sure to use a heat protectant and use a lower heat if possible. You also may like to you a leave in hair mask once a week to help manage any hair damage from heat. 

diet

Our hair requires a good dose of nutrients in order to live its best life. If your diet is less than ideal, you may notice your hair looking limp and dull. Hair is essentially made of protein, so we recommend a healthy serving of protein where appropriate to nourish your locks from the inside. Omega 3 fatty acids are also great for sebum production for hair – think salmon and nuts. 

over dying or processing

Treating your hair with too many chemicals can put it under stress. This is why we recommend getting your colour done in the salon where we can colour your hair safely. Stretching out the time between your treatments will help allow healthy new growth. 

sun exposure

Although being in the sun can feel great during the warmer months and lighten our hair, UV exposure can also fade colour, resulting in the dullness. To prevent this, we recommend you pop on a hat outdoors. It’s also a good idea to put in some conditioner before any saltwater activities and use a hair mask regularly. 

over washing

Overwashing your hair can lead to colour fade and dry and brittle hair. We recommend you space out your washes by using a dry shampoo. This can be added to clean hair to help prevent grease before it is made. You also might like to do a cold shot of water at the end of a shower to help seal the hair cuticle, which will lock in moisture for a lasting shine. 

over-brushing

Too much of a good thing can be harmful to your hair. We suggest you brush morning and night and avoid brushing your hair wet as this can cause breakage. Instead, detangle wet hair with a wide-tooth comb or tangle teaser after showering. When hair is dry, a natural boar bristle brush is excellent for distributing the scalp’s natural oils and smoothing the cuticle for glossy locks.  

SHOULD I BUY HAIR PRODUCTS TO GET THE SHINE BACK? 

Quality hair care products are fantastic at fix your dull-looking hair. However, it’s important to first understand the underlying causes of your hair’s dullness, like those listed above.

If your hair is dull due to lack of moisture, then using hair products like deep conditioning treatments or leave-in conditioners can help improve its appearance. However, if the dullness is due to using harsh hair products or excessive heat styling, it’s important to address those issues first. Once you have the original cause of your dull hair under control then we recommend any one of these shampoos, conditioners, treatments and styling products to keep the dullness in check.

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Buy hair products online and receive free shipping NZ-wide PLUS 10% off your first order with the code 10OFF. Visit our online store to buy hair products by L’Oréal Professionnel, Kérastase, Pureology, Evo and Cloud 9.