The Better Blog

The roles of hair masks and conditioners can sometimes be unclear. If we use a conditioner, can we forgo a hair mask? In some cases, perhaps.

But as we enter our 40s, our hair starts becoming drier, duller, thinner and more brittle and our scalps start lacking the proper nutrients they need to produce healthy strands—all these factors make it even more important to understand the difference between a hair mask and a conditioner.

Aging hair can benefit from both hair masks and conditioners but knowing the differences and benefits of each is key.

When regular conditioning isn’t enough to balance our aging hair biology and address dry, damaged hair, products like hair masks can help boost moisture levels and improve scalp function. Keep reading to learn the difference between a hair mask and a conditioner.

When we think about age-related beauty routines, we usually focus on skincare that addresses fine lines, wrinkles, dullness and age spots. We've all seen tons of ads for face creams and serums. But it's super important that we don't forget the aging skin on our scalps. When we neglect our scalps, they can become irritated, unbalanced and unable to support healthy hair. 

Enter scalp serums! 

Like skincare products made for aging skin, scalp serums for mature hair help fight common concerns of aging that happen to our scalp and hair. The main difference is that scalp serums also work hard to support an optimal environment for better hair. The best scalp serums rejuvenate the scalp using natural ingredients to encourage a balanced and toned scalp, nourish follicles and support healthy hair from root to tip.

Have you heard about burdock root? If you're like many of us, you might not be familiar with this beauty and wellness powerhouse plant! Eastern medicine practitioners have used burdock root for centuries to heal and prevent illness in the body. The extract from the burdock plant has also been widely touted for its restorative benefits in skincare and cosmetics. 

There's nothing like the feeling of the sun on our skin on a warm summer day! Soaking up the sun's vitamin D is good for us. But the sun's effect on our hair? Not so good. The sun's UVA and UVB rays can damage and weaken our hair cuticles, leaving us with hair that is more susceptible to dryness, brittleness and breakage. 

But don't worry—this doesn't mean you have to forgo the sun entirely this summer! 

We dive into exactly how the sun affects our hair, along with the signs of sun-damaged hair to look out for this summer so you can adapt your summer hair-care routine accordingly. Read on to learn more about sun-damaged hair treatments and how to prevent UV hair damage!

The height of summer means the hottest days of the year, and depending on where you live, those days could be full of humidity or as dry as the desert. But either way, summer means more sweat, and more sweat usually means extra showers.

So whether you mean to or not, if you have a habit of washing your hair every time you shower, there’s a good chance your extra showers are actually depleting your scalp of healthy oils and leaving your hair feeling dry and brittle.

Summertime also means you’re likely to find yourself relaxing by the pool or at the beach. The sun, chlorine and saltwater you’ll undoubtedly encounter will all play a part in creating your dry summer hair. Learning to be proactive and protect your hair from dehydration isn’t so different from surviving summer when you have thinning hair. Remember that natural oils are healthy and swim caps can save you from a headache later on down the road.

Summer is here, and it's our favorite time of the year! Summer means family vacations, cookouts, pool time and relief from cold weather. 

But even though the warm, sunny days of summer are a welcome reprieve, the impact of summer heat and humidity is a different story! To keep your hair healthy and vibrant all summer long, it's important to tweak your hair-care routine for summer. Just a few changes will have a huge impact on your hair's health this season! 

We put together our definitive list of summer hair issues and exactly how you can prevent them. Read on to learn more about how to kick summer frizz, flat hair, dryness and more to the curb for a summer of gorgeous, healthy hair!

Hair porosity is a hot topic right now, and for good reason! Tons of factors can affect our hair's porosity, from environmental exposure to bleaches and dyes to hair texture and genetics. Understanding your hair's porosity is important so you can tailor your hair-care regimen to better address your hair issues.

 

Hair porosity is tied to the integrity and tightness or looseness of your hair cuticles and simply refers to how well your hair can absorb and retain moisture. Generally speaking, low porosity hair struggles with absorbing moisture but excels at retaining it, while high porosity hair readily absorbs moisture but struggles to hold it in.

 

So how can you tell whether you have low, medium or high porosity hair?

 

Better Not Younger compiled 10 signs of high porosity hair, along with tips and tricks for dealing with some of the most frustrating symptoms of highly porous hair!

We all know that we should use a conditioner every time we wash our hair, especially as we age and our tresses tend to become drier. But just like shampoos, conditioners are not one-size-fits-all. Tailoring your conditioner to your unique hair texture and needs is important to help fix your hair concerns and have you on the road to your best hair yet! 

Whether you're looking for a volumizing conditioner, a conditioner for damaged hair or the best conditioner for curly hair, we've got you! Read on to learn more about the best type of conditioner for your individual hair issues!

Nearly two-thirds of the human body is water. Water plays a key role in digestion, energy levels, skin health and organ function. So it’s no surprise that dehydration taxes our kidneys and liver and can make our skin look dry, dull and uneven. Being dehydrated can even cause symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Water also plays a major role in our hair health. This is why dehydration can make our hair become brittle and prone to breakage, and dehydration can even impact hair loss. 

Read on to learn more about the link between dehydration and hair loss and how to identify dehydration symptoms in your hair!

We all have a specific hair type and, as a result, different hair issues—so it makes sense that every woman’s go-to shampoo looks a little different. While shampoos that are sulfate- and paraben-free are one of the commonalities in our aging hair handbook, we recognize that our delicate tresses have unique needs. That’s why we designed a collection of hair cleansing products to cater to all the hair issues your aging tresses encounter, from strands that are flat and thin to curls that have lost their shine and bounce. Keep reading to learn all about our problem-solving sulfate-free shampoos and everything you need to know when choosing the right shampoo for you!

Beyond hair thinning, lack of moisture is a primary challenge we face as we age. Our skin glands produce less sebum making our tresses feel perpetually dry. Having low hair porosity or even high hair porosity and using the wrong products can also contribute to having dry hair, even when using a conditioner. Low porosity hair is hard to hydrate while high porosity hair loses moisture easily.

Many of us attempt to moisturize our locks, but they can remain brittle and dry, no matter what we do. For example, trying to hydrate with extra coconut oil may only lead to clogged pores and oily hair. To achieve silky, smooth locks, the key is tailoring your solutions to your aging hair and scalp.

Hair breakage can make having a good hair day even harder—but it’s easy to avoid if you take care of your hair the right way. This means more than just using high-quality products on your hair, though. Preventing hair damage or hair breakage can even come from changing up your diet, taking on new habits at the salon, and eliminating stress (easier said than done, we know). But when you do all these things and more, you’re not just preventing hair breakage—you’re giving your locks the chance to really thrive and be the luscious face-framing tresses you truly want. Keep reading for 11 hair breakage causes and their solutions.