After working behind the chair since 2009, I've heard a long list of home-hair-care myths. Some are harmless, some can be damaging, and many have circulated for years. Here are the ones I wish would stop and what to do instead.
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Myth: You Need to Wash Your Hair Every Day
Most people over-wash. Washing strips natural oils (sebum) that protect and moisturise the hair shaft. For fine straight hair, every 2–3 days is enough. For thick or wavy hair, 2–3 times a week. For curly hair, once a week plus co-washes. Greasy-feeling hair in the first week of washing less is the scalp rebalancing — push through it and it settles in 2–3 weeks.
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Myth: Trimming Makes Hair Grow Faster
Trimming doesn't change growth rate — hair grows at the root, not the tip. What trimming does do is prevent splits from travelling up the shaft, which means more hair stays on your head instead of breaking off. So yes, trim every 10–12 weeks if you're growing hair out. But you're preventing loss, not accelerating growth.
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Myth: 100 Brush Strokes a Night for Shiny Hair
This one won't die. 100 strokes of a bristle brush on dry hair causes breakage, especially at the mid-lengths where the hair is most fragile. If you want shiny hair: detangle gently with a wet brush or wide-tooth comb, use a leave-in with a small amount of oil on the ends, and let your scalp's natural oils distribute over the day. Aggressive brushing is not a shine strategy.
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Myth: Cold Water Rinses Add Shine
Barely. The cuticle-flattening effect from cold water is minor and temporary. What actually adds shine: cuticle-smoothing products (silicone-lite leave-ins, shine sprays), heat tools below 180°C with heat protection, and avoiding hard-water mineral buildup with a clarifying wash monthly. Cold rinses aren't wrong, they're just not doing what you've been told they're doing.
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Myth: Natural Oils Fix Damage
Coconut oil, argan oil, castor oil — all helpful for moisture and sealing the cuticle. None of them repair damage. Damage is broken disulfide bonds inside the hair shaft, and once bonds are broken, only professional bond-repair products (Juuce Bond Repair, Olaplex-type treatments) can rebuild them. Natural oils sit on top of the hair — they mask damage, they don't fix it. The fix is a bond-repair mask weekly plus a trim of anything beyond repair.
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Myth: Expensive Shampoo Is Always Better
Price correlates with quality but not perfectly. A $25 sulfate-free shampoo that suits your hair will outperform a $70 one that doesn't. What matters: sulfate-free formula, pH-balanced (5.0–6.5), no heavy silicones if you're curly or fine. Ask your stylist for a recommendation based on your hair type rather than buying the most-expensive option.
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What Actually Works
The basics that actually move the needle on hair health: sulfate-free shampoo, conditioner on mid-lengths to ends (never the scalp), a weekly bond-repair mask if you colour or heat-style, heat protection every time you use a hot tool, and a trim every 10–12 weeks. Skip the rest. No supplement, brush technique, or rinse temperature replaces those basics.
Questions from the chair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is brushing 100 strokes a day good for hair?
No — that's an old myth that causes breakage. 5-10 strokes from mid-lengths to ends is enough. More than that and you rough the cuticle, which causes frizz and split ends.
Does cutting hair make it grow faster?
No — hair grows from the follicle, not the ends. Trimming removes split ends, which makes hair LOOK longer and healthier, but it doesn't change the growth rate.
Is it true that you should switch shampoos regularly?
No — once you find a shampoo that works, stick with it. Switching every few weeks confuses the scalp and can cause flare-ups. The 'switch to avoid build-up' advice is marketing, not science.
Does cold water rinse really make hair shinier?
Yes — cold water closes the cuticle, which reflects light better (shinier) and locks colour in. A 30-second cold rinse at the end of every wash makes a visible difference.
Is it bad to brush wet hair?
It's bad to brush with a regular comb — that's where mid-lengths breakage comes from. A Wet Brush is designed for wet hair. Use one, brush from ends to roots, never yank.
