I almost called this post “Hair Hacks” instead of “hair tricks.”  I just couldn’t do it though. I DESPISE the word “hacks.” With a fiery passion. FIERY. PASSION. It’s a buzz word that the internet came up with, it’s not really used properly and it’s just annoying. Hair hacks really means: “hair rough cuts” or “digital hair that was accessed without your authorization.” Neither sound like something that make my life easier. No offense to the “hack-lovers.” 😀 To each their own.

There. I got that out of my system. NOW! Hair tricks! That I can do! I have a lot of hair, after all! On my head. I shave properly elsewhere. Usually. Ewww! TMI. Speaking of TMI, I accidentally had a typo in the title that said “hair tricks for EASY moms.” Oops. Whole different demographic there. Although no judgment from me if that’s your thing. Moving on.

Hair Tricks & Tips for BUSY Moms

I broke this up into different sections to make it easier, but I had a few tips left over that didn’t fit anywhere. So you have everything else down there at the bottom!

Getting rid of static

With winter fast approaching, static is quickly going to become your number one hair problem. Nothing ruins a great style faster than the Bride of Frankenstein look! My best tips for getting rid of static in hair include:

• Running a dryer sheet over your hair
• Putting a little lotion on your hands, rubbing it in, then running your fingers through your hair
• Same as above, but with conditioner. Not the leave-in kind, that’s usually not strong enough for thick hair static issues. Although, by all means, use it! Leave-in conditioner is your friend in the winter.
• Weigh down your hair with just a tiny bit of gel  (just a smidge, you don’t want to look like you’re wearing a helmet)

Dealing with Roots

If you dye your hair, you’re going to have to deal with roots at some point. We can’t always do touch-ups the minute (or week, or heck, even month) they start peeking through. Here’s how I cope:

• Root Touch Up markers: They sell them at places like Sally’s Beauty Supply. They’re basically crayons and markers that color your roots. They typically last until you shampoo your hair. While they’re not the best fix- since they don’t come in every color under the rainbow- if you have a “normal” hair color (i.e. you didn’t dye it plum like me), you can get away with this for a while.
• Change your part: Woman’s Day magazine recommends the zig-zag part, and it works kind of well, because it pulls your colored hair over-top your roots a bit.
• Barrettes: If you have long hair, pull the first couple of inches forward, the up and back, sort of 1970s “good girl” style. It hides your roots perfect.
• Liquid Eyeliner: In a pinch, liquid eyeliner in the shade of your hair actually does a pretty darn good job of coloring those roots! Just make sure it’s waterproof!

Natural Hair Care

Sometimes you just need a break from all the “stuff.” A few easy DIY natural hair care solutions that you can do at home to make your hair beautiful include:

• Coconut Oil Mask: Cover your hair with coconut oil (the solid stuff), then let it sit for about 15 minutes. Rinse like crazy! It takes some work to get it out of thick hair, but it’s worth it.
• Corn Starch Dry Shampoo: If your hair is a bit on the oily side, or you just don’t have time to shampoo, corn starch is a quick and easy dry shampoo option. Baking soda also works well.
• Brown Sugar Scalp Scrub: Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or sweet almond oil, if you have it!) and 2 tablespoons light brown sugar. Lightly massage into your dry scalp. Rinse and shampoo as normal.

Flat Iron the Right Way

I love the look of flat ironed hair, but hate the process. It’s so rough on your locks. Do it right so you don’t have to do it again.

• Use the right heat setting for your hair type. Coarse hair needs higher heat. Sorry, that’s life. If you go too low, you’ll just have to go over it again, and again, and again.
• Don’t assume that “right” setting is the highest. Yes, your hair may need a HIGHER setting. But at least give the higher-but-not-highest settings a good old-fashioned try first before you move on to “fryer” high!
• Dry your hair first. I don’t care if the flat iron says it can handle damp hair. Your hair isn’t meant to sizzle. End of story. Besides, when I ignore my own advice, I end up with half-straight hair anyway.
• Be patient. If you section off too much hair, you won’t get that great flat look that your stylist gets. You need to go with smaller sections to get the most bang for your buck.
• Just do the underside. If you really just want to depoof your hair and don’t care if it’s all that straight, just flatten the underneath a bit. That’s what I do when I don’t want my hair sticking out to Istanbul but also don’t have time to go all flat. It helps my natural waves on top lay better.

Washing Your Hair

• Always go sulfate-free when possible. You DO NOT need lather. Lather is a trick. It was added to make you think your shampoo works better. Nothing needs to lather. Nothing. Sulfate-free does not lather or lie. It just cleans your hair better.
• Don’t over-do the dry-poo. It’s just as bad as overdoing the wet shampoo. You do not need to shampoo- dry or otherwise- nearly as often as you probably think you do. Unless you’re thinking maybe every 2-3 days. Then you’re right. If you have super oily or fine hair, then yeah, wash more often. Really thick, coarse-haired people (like me) can get away with the 3-days end of the spectrum.
• Skip the towel turban: The towel turban may be a right of passage for long-haired women, but it’s also a great way to break the heck out of your hair. Skip it. Instead, leave your hair down and blot it dry in sections.
• Comb wet hair and brush dry hair. Remember that and you’ll end up with less breakage. The rules may have changed for combing dry hair, but I was always taught to use a brush on dry and my hair doesn’t get split ends very often.

Hair Tricks for Everything Else

• If you have a stubborn part and you want to force it to change, switch it while wet, then hold it down with a brush or your hands (I’m talking with all your might, restrain that baby!) and blow dry your hair until it’s dry. Then stick a barrette in it and don’t wash it for at least two days. It’ll get the hint. I managed to change my VERY stubborn part this way.
• Those little Clearasil cleansing pads work wonders for getting hair dye off your skin, your sink and your wall. You do have to get it off your wall as soon as you notice it though.
• Repeat after me: “I can’t cut hair.” Unless, of course, you actually CAN. Otherwise, don’t try to cut your own bangs. Or your child’s! Trust me, it ends with your kid getting a “sick day” off from school so you can “take me to a professional and get this fixed before anyone sees it because I look like a girl, Mom!”

I think that about covers it! This should keep your hair looking pretty fantabulous without too much effort! I didn’t cover the millions upon millions of ways to style your hair because, honestly, we’d be here all year. Plus there are sites that can do that better, since they’re actually dedicated to hair styles.

What is your best hair trick or tip (but not hack!)? Tell me in the comments so that I may learn from YOUR infinite wisdom!