How to Repair Damaged Hair *Fast* – 8 Quick Steps
Are you in a hair SOS situation? While maintaining the condition of your hair is a long-term goal, there are ways you can get locks looking healthier and more hydrated in a hurry. So if you've got a big event coming up – one where a glossy mane is needed for extra confidence – we've got all the tips and remedies you need to dial down the damage. Here's how to repair damaged hair fast at home...
8 Quick Tips to Fix Hair Damage at Home
1. Trim Split Ends Away First
This isn't technically an at-home tip, but before you start your hair repair journey, book a visit to your nearest Wella salon to get split ends trimmed away. Hair breakage is one of the key signs of damage, and trimming off split ends instantly makes your hair look healthier. If you're nervous about losing length, you can ask your hairdresser to try 'dusting', a technique that sees just the tips of strands targeted, so your length stays intact.
2. Lather Up with a Nourishing Shampoo
Use a hard-working yet gentle shampoo to nurture damaged hair; one that whisks away dirt and oil while boosting repair and supporting internal hair bonds. ULTIMATE REPAIR Shampoo is as nourishing as it gets, with a luxurious lather to remove all the impurities that can be harmful to hair, such as metals, pollution and product build-up. All you have to do is work it into wet hair (without any vigorous rubbing!), then rinse it out with lukewarm water. Remember: hot water can have a damaging effect on dry hair strands, so turn the temperature down if needed.
3. Treat Dry, Frizzy Hair with Deep Conditioners
Follow your moisturizing shampoo with a luxurious conditioner. Choose one with a rich, creamy yet lightweight formula to top up moisture levels and get the condition back on track. You'll love ULTIMATE REPAIR Conditioner, which targets hair damage with a transformative blend of AHA and Omega-9. Perfect for all hair types and textures, it leaves hair soft to the touch and intensely conditioned without weighing strands down. To get the best results, apply the conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends of damaged hair, then use a wide-tooth comb (straight or wavy hair) or fingertips (curly or coily hair) to gently smooth out knots. Leave on for up to five minutes while the conditioning ingredients absorb, then rinse thoroughly to reveal smoother strands.
Top Tip: Gently squeeze out excess water or blot hair with a microfiber towel before applying conditioner. This stops wet hair from diluting the creamy formula, helping you reap all its nourishing goodness.
4. Add a Hair Mask to Your Regimen
No damage-defying regimen is complete without a deep treatment or mask, and ULTIMATE REPAIR Mask is the answer to total hair restoration. Most of us with damaged hair might notice that the damage isn't consistent from root to tip; it might be more visible in areas where you most often use heat styling tools or through the crown if you're a fan of up-dos. But ULTIMATE REPAIR Mask works to fix that with a dose of smart conditioning agents, which are designed to track down and then treat the areas that need the most care. The result? A bespoke balancing treatment that makes hair appear healthier and 6x easier to detangle¹. Smooth it through clean, damp hair after shampooing, and let it absorb for five full minutes to let the sumptuous formula absorb.
Top Tip: To help your hair treatment penetrate deeper, wrap your hair in a warm towel while the mask is absorbing. This quick trick locks in the creamy formula, helping it transform your mane.
5. Repair with a Nourishing Leave-In Hair Treatment
When it's fast results you want, nothing works quicker than ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue. The potent leave-in hair treatment repairs hair damage in 90 seconds², leaving you with 99% less breakage³. Here's how:
- A supercharged dose of AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) penetrates the hair fiber at the deepest level, where it helps with bond repair inside the hair for a stronger core.
- Omega-9, a nourishing fatty acid, replenishes the outer layer by coating the hair's surface and filling in the cuticle to re-create a protective barrier.
To fast-track your own repair journey, mist it through clean, damp hair from roots to ends, let it absorb for 90 seconds, and then style locks as you usually would. It's the perfect remedy for all damaged hair types.
6. Tame Frizz and Flyaways
One of the most obvious signs of damage is frizz. When strands are stressed out and broken, split ends and flyaways may appear, making your style tricky to tame. Enter ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum, a hair serum-meets-hair oil in one hero hybrid formula, infused with moisturizing Squalane and replenishing Omega-9 for inside-out care. Not only does it nourish your hair in 30 seconds but it also delivers smoothness that lasts up to 3 days⁴. Plus, it features a built-in UV shield and heat protectant, so your hair is polished, perfected and protected. Talk about a multitasker.
It's easy to apply, too. Pump ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum into the palm of your hand, and then apply it to the mid-lengths and ends of damp or dry hair. Because it's so lightweight, you can even layer it over the top of ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue, creating a power pair that’s big on repair and high on mirror-like shine.
Best of all, it works on all hair types, from straight to wavy to curly to coily. Here's how you can add this versatile hair product to your daily regimen:
For Straight Hair
After applying the sumptuous hair oil through the mid-lengths and ends, blow-dry hair with the nozzle of your dryer pointing down the hair shaft. This encourages the cuticle to lie flat for an even smoother surface. If you're looking for that glass hair glow, add another drop once hair is dry. You can even apply it before smoothing hair with your flat iron to prevent heat damage.
For Wavy Hair
After giving ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum at least 30 seconds to absorb, boost movement through naturally wavy hair with a misting of EIMI Ocean Spritz. The supercharged salt spray can be scrunched through damp or dry hair and set with the diffuser attachment on your hair dryer. You could also braid freshly spritzed hair to get that beachy surfer finish.
For Curly and Coily Hair
On clean, damp hair – and after ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum absorbed – apply NutriCurls Curlixir Balm, a leave-in curl cream that lends definition and bounce. Make sure you work it through evenly to nourish every curl or coil, before drying your hair with your go-to texture-boosting method. This could mean plopping hair with a microfiber towel, blow-drying with a diffuser, or finger coiling strands and letting them air-dry.
7. Embrace Silk Pillows and Scrunchies
Now is the time to swap elastic bands for silk scrunchies. While elastic is prone to pulling and snagging on strands, silk glides over hair and holds it gently in place. Ideal if you suffer with brittle hair, making the switch means snags will be reduced right away, which in turn prevents breakage and hair loss through the lengths.
Silk isn't just for your scrunchies though. You can also go to bed with silk pillowcases, which keep hair healthy by dialing down friction as you get a restful night's sleep. They're also less absorbent than cotton, so if you go to bed with a leave-in conditioner on, your pillowcase isn't going to 'steal' and soak up that much-needed hydration.
8. Brighten Dull Hair Color with a Tinted Treatment
When damage strikes, your hair color can start to look brassy and dull – cue a trip to your nearest Wella salon for a zero-damage, zero-lift SHINEFINITY Color Glaze. But, once a colorist has fixed up your shade, what can you do to revive it at home? Your quickest fix is the Color Fresh Mask, a tinted treatment in a range of shade-reviving colors, from blondes and brunettes to pastel and bolds.
Once you've found your shade match, the steps are easy. Simply...
- Apply your chosen mask to clean, damp hair.
- Allow it to develop for 10 minutes.
- Rinse out thoroughly and style as usual.
You'll reveal refreshed hair in a flash with an added dose of radiance. Did we mention it's also damage-free and packed with conditioning ingredients? All the more reason to make it a weekly ritual.
Looking for more ways to repair and rehydrate damaged hair? Check out our complete collection of hair care advice, featuring salon-approved, expert tips for every hair type.
¹ Vs. non-conditioning shampoo.
² When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.
³ When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue instrumental test vs. non-conditioning Shampoo.
⁴ When using ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum, if unwashed for 3 days, vs. untreated.
