Let’s face it. Not all of us have the budget to enlist top hairstylists to give us a mane worthy enough to rival the Queen of gorgeous tresses – Kate Middleton. But with a few simple tips and tricks we can try. To give us a helping hand we sought advice from our friends at Tangle Teezer who have kindly given us their ten top tips for smooth and sleek hair. 

Don’t blow dry hair when it’s dripping wet

You’ll usually only blow dry your hair when it’s dripping wet if you’re in a hurry. However, while you think you may be saving time, dripping wet hair takes longer to dry than hair that has been towel-dried.

Before you reach for the hair dryer, gently pat your hair with a towel to remove excess moisture. This will considerably reduce your blow dry time.

Don’t rub your hair

Towel drying your hair is simple, right? You just grab a towel and rub your hair — wrong. Rubbing your hair can cause frizz and damage to your hair. Instead, remove moisture by gently patting your hair.

Don’t over-colour your hair

Many women dye their hair, but it can do a lot of damage. Try to limit how often you dye your hair — if you just need to recolour your roots, look for specific root touch-up kits that only need to be applied to the problem area, minimising damage to the rest of your hair. No-ammonia hair dyes are a great choice too, as they are gentler than some other colourants.

Don’t wash your hair too often

How often do you wash your hair? Many women only need to shampoo their hair around three times a week. If you’re washing your hair every day, you could be removing too much oil from your scalp, leaving your hair feeling dry and more prone to breaking. Washing too often will also expose your hair to the blow dryer more frequently, which could cause even more damage.

Try to space out your washes through the week. If your hair does start to feel and look greasy, use a dry shampoo to refresh it in between washes.

Eat a balanced diet

Tempted by that greasy burger? Think of your hair! Many people don’t realise that what they eat can impact the strength and overall appearance of their hair. By eating a diet of the 13 essential vitamins, including Vitamin A and E, you can keep your hair strong, shiny and healthy.

Be careful with wet hair

Wet hair is more fragile than dry hair, so brushing it straight after washing is a big no-no. Before you brush, allow your hair to dry first. Even if it’s not completely dry, a slight delay between washing and brushing will give the bonds of your hair time to strengthen, minimising damage.

Keep heat to a minimum

As you’ve probably heard, heat styling can cause major damage to your hair. Whether you’re using tongs or straighteners, the intense heat can leave your hair feeling dry. Try to minimise the use of heat on your hair to improve its condition. You may need to try alternate styles to do so.

Braid before bed

As you starfish out in bed, your hair can become tangled and tatty. Before you hit the hay, put your hair in a loose plait. The structure of the plait will keep your hair tangle-free, and you’ll wake up with soft waves too — bonus.

Wash with room temperature water

Regularly hop into boiling hot showers and baths? Just like straightening and heat styling, hot water can damage your hair. It may not sound too appealing but washing your hair in room temperature water is better for it.

Keep products to a minimum

You may be tempted to layer up the haircare products on the assumption that it will make your hair appear sleeker and shinier. However, too many haircare products can weigh down your hair and sometimes make it appear greasy. As a general rule of thumb, you should use four products on your hair: shampoo, conditioner, protector and styling product.

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*Updated August 2017