How to break these 4 horrible hair habits now!

We've all dreamed of having a head full of gorgeous, healthy hair, but chances are you have a few bad hair habits standing in your way. While genes may play a big part in what kind of strands you were born with, how you care and handle your hair ultimately determines how good or bad it will look. Here are a few bad hair habits, along with some advice from Hollywood's preeminent hair treatment expert, Philip B. on how to break them!

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Brushing wet hair: Hair is most vulnerable when it's wet, so if you normally brush your soak strands, you're probably causing your hair to frizz and break off. Gently pat dry hair with a towel and only use a wide-tooth comb when it's wet.

Overdrying: If your hair is colored or chemically-treated and you flat iron often, you may be just a couple of heat styling days away from a hair disaster! "Heat styling tools and chemical treatments burn precious moisture out of your hair," says Philip, "unless you replace that moisture with frequent botanical oil treatments (2 to 4 times per week), eventually it will start breaking off." Cut down on the amount of times you reach for the hot tools and try a hair treatment designed for color treated tresses like Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque for Brittle, Dull Colour-Treated Hair. Also, make sure to always apply a heat-protective spray to hair before styling.

Not protecting bleached hair:  Made a lot of trips to the pool this summer? If you dye your hair, chances are all that chlorine and salt water dried up your strands and faded your color. Using products that are specifically made for color-treated hair is essential to keeping your locks from developing a straw-like texture. "Now that summer is officially over, treat your hair by soaking it in a vinegar-and-water bath to help eliminate some of the remaining chlorine molecules," says Philip. After that, an oil treatment is key to restoring moisture and shine. Try Kerastase Elixir Ultime The Imperial, a great versatile oil that provides color protection and radiation for color-treated hair!

Neglecting to brush: Brushing your hair regularly not only stimulates cell turnover which causes growth, but it also transfers the natural oils from your scalp down to ends, keeping them shiny and conditioned. "Aim for 10 to 20 strokes (a day) depending on the thickness of your hair. Use a boar bristle brush if you have fine, wispy hair," Philip suggests. "If you hair is normal to thick, look for a brush that contains a mix of natural boar's hair and nylon bristles."

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