MissLJBeauty

Healthy hair always looks effortless. The kind of shiny, bouncy hair you see in magazines makes it look like people just wake up looking like they’ve stepped out of a shampoo advert. That has definitely never been my experience.

My hair is naturally a sort of dirty blonde/light brown, but I keep it bleached, I know you are shocked I am not a natural blonde and my hair itself is very fine even though there is a lot of it. That combination means it can look lovely when it behaves, but it is also incredibly easy to damage. 

Then add mountain biking into the mix. Long muddy rides, sweaty helmet hair, cold wind, humidity and constantly tying it up afterwards means my hair really does go through quite a lot. It’s safe to say my hair has had a journey over the years.

I’ve also had a few hair disasters along the way. At one point a hairdresser left bleach on the back of my head that hadn’t been properly washed out properly. My hair was absolutely fried and it honestly took years to get it back into good condition again.

Since then I’ve been much more careful about how I look after it. Over time I’ve realised that healthy hair usually isn’t about one miracle product. It’s usually about avoiding small habits that slowly cause damage.

Here are some of the haircare mistakes I see all the time.

Washing your hair too often (one of the most common haircare mistakes)

It can feel like clean hair equals healthy hair, but washing your hair constantly can actually cause more problems than it solves.

Your scalp produces natural oils that protect and nourish the hair shaft. If you wash your hair too often, especially with stronger shampoos, those natural oils get stripped away.

The result can be dry, brittle hair that tangles easily and feels rough instead of smooth.

I normally wash my hair every two days. I train a lot so a sweaty helmet head is pretty unavoidable, but washing every single day would absolutely destroy my hair.

Stretching washes slightly has honestly helped my hair more than constantly trying new products.

Sometimes it really is about small routine changes rather than expensive solutions.

Forgetting about bond repair treatments

If you bleach or colour your hair regularly, strengthening treatments can make a huge difference.

Bleach breaks down the internal structure of the hair, which is why coloured hair can start to feel weak, dry or fragile.

This is where bond-repair treatments come in. Products like Olaplex are designed to help strengthen damaged hair bonds and support the hair structure.

I personally like using a treatment like this before salon appointments. It just gives my hair a bit of extra strength before it goes through another round of colouring.

After having my hair seriously damaged by bleach years ago, I’m definitely more cautious about protecting it now.

Using too much heat styling

Hair straighteners, curling wands and hot brushes are amazing tools, but regular heat styling can slowly weaken the hair.

High temperatures dry out the hair shaft and can lead to split ends, breakage and dullness over time.

These days I try to avoid heat styling as much as possible. Air drying my hair is almost part of my routine now. If I can skip heat, I usually will.

When I do blow dry, I always use a protectant. I’ve been using a spray from Color Wow which helps protect the hair from heat and keeps things smoother when I need to style it.

Because my hair is bleached and fine, I also rely on leave-in treatments to add a bit of protection. Recently I’ve been using the Matrix Multi-Tasking Hair Treatment which works really well for keeping my hair manageable without weighing it down.

Bleached hair and high heat are definitely not the best combination.

Being too rough with wet hair

Wet hair is far more fragile than dry hair.

Pulling a brush through tangled wet hair can stretch and snap strands very easily, especially if your hair is fine.

This was something I was definitely guilty of when I was younger. I would jump out of the shower and immediately start brushing my hair without thinking about how delicate it actually was.

These days I try to be much gentler with it.

Using a good leave-in conditioner helps a lot with detangling. I’ve been using the Matrix Multi-Tasking Hair Treatment recently and it makes brushing much easier.

Using the right brush also makes a big difference. I’ve used Tangle Teezer brushes for years because they are great for detangling without pulling too much on fine hair.

Recently I picked up a Wet Brush Speed Dry Hair Brush in TK Maxx on a bit of a whim and it has honestly been brilliant. The design lets air move through the brush while you blow dry which helps speed things up and reduces how much heat you need.

For fine hair like mine, anything that reduces tugging and breakage is a win.

Wearing tight hairstyles all the time

This is probably one of my worst habits.

When you ride bikes regularly or train outdoors, tying your hair up quickly becomes second nature. Ponytail, helmet, done.

But tight ponytails and buns can put a surprising amount of stress on the hair over time. Constant tension can lead to breakage, especially around the hairline.

I try to switch to softer hair ties when I can and loosen styles slightly if possible.

It sounds small but it does make a difference over time.

Ignoring your scalp

People spend a lot of time thinking about their hair, but the scalp often gets forgotten.

A healthy scalp creates the environment your hair grows from, so if your scalp is irritated, dry or full of product build-up your hair can start to suffer.

Because I train regularly, I sometimes rotate shampoos depending on what my scalp needs.

Most of the time I use Kérastase Bain shampoo, but occasionally I switch to an apple cider vinegar shampoo when I feel like I need a deeper clean.

When I had a scalp condition for a while the Head & Shoulders Derma range actually helped far more than I expected.

Sometimes the simplest products work surprisingly well.

Thinking expensive products will fix everything

This is something I’ve learned after years of testing beauty products.

It’s easy to assume that expensive products automatically mean better results, but that simply isn’t always the case.

The right product depends on your hair type, your lifestyle and sometimes even things like hormones or time of life. Our hair changes more than we realise.

I don’t really listen to hype when it comes to beauty products. I test everything properly and judge them equally whether they are luxury brands or affordable options.

If anything, I’m often harder on expensive products because they have more to prove.

Sometimes the simplest routines are the ones that work best.

A small routine that helps my hair

One thing that has really helped my hair over the years is keeping my routine fairly simple.

I normally wash every couple of days and rotate products depending on what my hair needs at the time.

At the moment I rotate between Kérastase Bain shampoo and occasionally an apple cider vinegar shampoo for a deeper clean. I also use conditioners like L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Rapid Reviver when I want something quick but effective.

I swear by using a tiny amount of L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil on the ends of my hair as well. Just a small amount helps smooth dry ends and makes my hair look much healthier.

More haircare reviews you might find helpful

If you’re trying to improve the condition of your hair, you might also enjoy reading some of my other haircare reviews.

• My long-term review of Olaplex No.3 for strengthening damaged hair
• My experience using Kérastase products for colour-treated hair
• Other honest haircare reviews where I test products properly rather than following the hype

Final thoughts

Healthy hair rarely comes from a single miracle product.

For me it has been about understanding what my hair actually needs and building habits around that.

Between bleach, mountain biking, muddy rides, helmets and unpredictable weather, my hair definitely goes through a lot.

Keeping my routine fairly simple, protecting it from damage and using strengthening treatments when needed has made the biggest difference.

Sometimes the small everyday habits really are the most important part of healthy hair.

Haircare Mistakes FAQs

What is the biggest mistake people make with their hair?

One of the biggest mistakes is overwashing or over-styling hair. Frequent washing, heat styling and tight hairstyles can slowly weaken the hair over time. Small habits like using gentler brushes, avoiding excessive heat and protecting the hair from damage can make a big difference to long-term hair health.

Can damaged hair actually recover?

Hair that is already damaged cannot technically repair itself, but you can improve its condition and prevent further breakage. Strengthening treatments like Olaplex and gentle haircare routines can help hair feel smoother, stronger and healthier over time.

How often should you wash your hair?

This depends on your hair type and lifestyle. Many people find washing every two or three days works well. If you exercise regularly or wear helmets like I do when mountain biking, you may need to wash more often but using gentle shampoos can help prevent dryness.