How To Take Care Of Your Hair At Home: Tips From Celebrity Hair Stylists

A version of this story first appeared on Forbes.com

Most of the country is a month or so into quarantining in efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus, us included. We’ve adapted to a new work-from-home routine, found some comfy new clothes to wear, and are adjusting to our current normal. However, there is one aspect that we’ve noticed could use a little help, and chances are you are starting to feel it too: hair.

With salons and barbershops closed for the time being, individuals around the world are wondering what to do with their grown-out hair. We asked a few hairstylist friends for their recommendations on how to take care of hair at home.

Here’s what they had to say!

Ashley Wahler

HER ADVICE: When going to bed with wet hair, make sure you tie it in a loose braid or a low ponytail to keep the hair from breaking. Your hair is at its most fragile when it is wet, and some of us are less graceful when we sleep.

Scotty Cunha

HIS ADVICE: Whatever you do, do not cut your hair! Hydrate instead. It might seem like the length is getting out of control, but cutting your own hair is rarely worth it. No one is seeing you, so instead of messing with your cut, take advantage of this time to use a hydrating mask like Rosé Rescue!

Anastasia Stylianou

HER ADVICE: Mother Earth has called, so let’s utilize this time to go natural. Let your hair breathe, lay off the heat and allow your hair to just be. Once quarantine is over you will be glowing from within, and your hair will never feel better.

One treatment I do recommend is to massage black Jamaican castor oil into the roots and organic coconut oil into ends. The castor oil supplies valuable nutrients to hair follicles, and the coconut oil is nourishing and strengthening.

Leave this treatment in throughout the day or overnight, then rinse out. Apply a small amount of product or oil to the ends, comb through, and let it dry naturally, avoiding touching or brushing your hair as it’s drying. Once dry, shake out slightly from the roots.

Jhonatan Rhendon

HIS ADVICE: This is the time to give your hair a break from any hot tools and let it grow healthy. It’s the time to do homemade hair masks using natural ingredients and actually nourish and hydrate your hair without harsh chemicals from hair colors or pollution. Keep a hair mask on for a good amount of time, and let your hair air dry!

Gina Kleinschmidt

HER ADVICE: This is a great time to get your hair healthy using natural oils instead of washing them away everyday! Below are some ideas for “second day hair” so you can go longer in between washes:

Day One: wear your hair down and straight
Day Two: braids
Day Three: Wear down with the natural waves from your braid
Day Four: Tie your hair into a ponytail, and wash at night.

Remember to use dry shampoo every day, even on clean hair, so that it starts absorbing excess oil right away.

Miles Jeffries

HIS ADVICE: Your main hair goals: cleanse, condition, and protect.

Now is the time to make sure we are taking good care of our hair by using hydrating and strength-building products in addition to keeping hair detangled and organized. This way, your hair will come out of this looking healthier than ever.

Fallon Toni Chavez

HER ADVICE: 1) Don’t cut your own hair. Sometimes growing out mistakes is worse than the reason you cut your hair in the first place.

2) To cover gray hairs, you only have to worry about your hair part and hairline.

Depending on your hair color, there are great things you can use that you probably have at home. Brunettes can often get away with using mascara; a light brown mascara for lighter shades. Blondes and brunettes can often find makeup powder—either eyeshadows, bronzers, face powders, and so on—in a similar shade to “paint” over gray hairs with a brush. Always finish powder with a little hair spray to hold the color in place.

3) Get in touch with your regular stylist! If you don’t have their number, look them up on Instagram and message them. Ask for their advice; they may even be able to drop off a bit of your color. My recommendation is to only cover your hairline and your part with hair color if you are a novice, especially if you have highlights. If you are an amateur, hair color can get all over your highlighted hair and cause spots that will require color correction later. Focus on temporary fixes until you can safely see a professional.