Maybe she’s born with it, or maybe it’s…kale? And other veggies? And fruit and healthy fats and organic, whole foods? Yes, that’s how to get “it,” this ubiquitous idea of beauty that we see in hair advertisements. But instead of buying more and more products, first take a step back and start with what you’re eating and examine what you do to your hair already. Get shinier hair with these tips from beauty bloggers.

Our Outward Appearance Begins With the Inside

Emily from This Rawsome Vegan Life makes some delicious, raw vegan creations, and all that healthy eating is pays off! She points out that eating a healthy diet is the first step to getting shiny hair. You will notice a difference in your hair if you’re eating whole, plant-based foods than if you’re eating processed, packaged and fast food.

Don’t Wash Your Hair Every Day

Omitting shampoo days could make the difference for your hair. You do not need to shampoo every day! Shampooing daily can strip oils from your hair. As an experiment, try not washing your hair every day, and after a few weeks, see if you notice your hair is actually LESS oily than when you were washing it more often. If your hair gets oily, try talcum powder or dry shampoo in between washes.

Try an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Purchase a bottle of apple cider vinegar, grab some water, and that’s all you need to make this DIY hair rinse from Cheap Vegan Chick! It’s pretty awesome what plant-based foods can do, not just for our health on the inside, for the outside, as well!

Pamper Yourself With a DIY Hot Oil Hair Treatment

Give your hair some special attention and make a hot oil treatment using only olive oil.

Switch to Cruelty-Free Shampoo and Conditioners

Beauty bloggers like Jen from My Beauty Bunny recommend all sorts of hair care products and it’s easy to find out which are vegan without reading an ingredient list. If your shampoo and conditioner contains any animal products or SLS, consider switching to a product with all plant-based ingredients. Try one of these 10 Natural Cruelty-Free Shampoos and Conditioners and these Cruelty-Free Shampoos.

Avoid Heat

The secret to this blogger’s shiny hair starts with avoiding heat. Using a blow dryer, curling iron and/or straightener every day is a sure-fire way to frazzled, dried strands. The woman at Sam Ram Beauty Blog is cautious about her heat usage and has some good tips for how to rely on the tools less often.

Do you have any DIY shiny hair products or tips? Let us know in the comments!

Lead image source: GoMainstream/Flickr