5 quick ways to check if your hair is healthy

Woman holding long hair standing back to camera

Typically, there are four signs of hair health: strength, moisture, elasticity and shine. These are the four areas our exclusive H4 complex works to restore and protect, targeted by every Nexxus shampoo and conditioning product.

But the signs of healthy hair can vary due to hair type, color, texture and length: for example, curly hair can be less shiny than straight, irrespective of its health, simply because light bounces differently on smooth and textured surfaces. Here’s how to conduct your own health check to understand your hair’s wellbeing – and what to do if it needs a little boost.

Check breakage and split ends

So this one’s fairly obvious and universal to all hair types: when it comes to split ends vs healthy hair, there’s a clear winner. If your hair has split ends and is visibly broken, it is not considered to be healthy. If you suffer from an abundance of flyaways, then these are likely to be caused by breakage higher up the strands, too. Try Nexxus Keraphix Keratin Protein Shampoo, Conditioner and Mask for Damaged Hair: it creates stronger and visibly healthier hair after just one use, thanks to an exclusive PROTEINFUSION blend with Keratin Protein and black rice.

Check smoothness

Take a strand of your hair and run a finger along it: does it feel bumpy or smooth? If your finger slides easily, then it’s likely that the hair is healthy, while strands that feel uneven may be suffering damage. This comes down to hair science: the outer layer of the hair, called the cuticle, looks like fish scales under a microscope: when healthy, these scales lay flat and feel smooth, when damaged, these scales are raised, resulting in a bumpier texture. Support and smooth hair without weighing it down with Nexxus Ultralight Smooth Weightless Protection Shampoo and Conditioner. Sulfate-free, they strengthen hair from within and form a weightless, invisible barrier around every strand to block out humidity and frizz by securing the cuticle.

Check for dryness

Dry hair is often down to its porosity - how much moisture it needs. The drier your hair, the higher its porosity, as it needs to suck up all the extra moisture it can get. There’s an easy test. Pluck out a strand and drop it in a big glass of water. After a couple of minutes, check whether it’s floating (low porosity), suspended (medium), or if it’s sunk (high porosity, and therefore likely pretty dry). If you find your hair’s on the drier side, choose Nexxus Therappe & Humectress products with deep conditioning elastin protein and green caviar. It’s our #1 best-selling collection designed to help rescue and visibly repair dry hair.

Check your shine

The reason shiny hair means healthy hair has to do with the all-important cuticle again: light is able to bounce off hair – causing that enviable sheen – when the cuticle lies flat, sealing moisture and essential proteins in. So, while shine certainly creates great looking locks, it also indicates your strands are strong and well moisturized. When the cuticle is raised, hair can appear lackluster and dull. Try Nexxus Therappe Ultimate Moisture Shampoo and Humectress Ultimate Moisture Conditioner to inject some much-needed moisture into hair, thanks to green caviar and elastin protein. Or if you have colored hair, look for our Color Assure range.

Elasticity

How your hair reacts to a gentle tug is an indicator of its elasticity (another key factor that indicates healthy hair). If hair returns to its natural state when pulled, then it's showing great elasticity. If it snaps, then it's lacking moisture – a sign of poor hair health. If it stretches too much and doesn’t ping back to its original form, feeling limp or even mushy, then it’s likely to be lacking protein. Try gently tugging a strand while wet to see where you fall on the elasticity spectrum. If you use Nexxus Repair and Nourish Ultra Lightweight Hair Oil after every shower you’ll weightlessly nourish hair thanks to a restorative formula made with rose of Jericho and damascus rose oils. This light oil seals in moisture, brings dry, tired strands back to life and also protects hair health with a 72-hour humidity shield, 48 hours of frizz control, 450 degree heat protection and color-safe ingredients. And, like the rest of our styling range it’s formulated with StyleProtect Technology to maintain hair health as you style.

Still pondering your hair’s health? Utilize our new Nexxus diagnostic tool, powered by AI to diagnose your hair health and recommend a customized regiment based on your score.