She says that despite the fact that much ink has been spilled on the benefits of skipping several days between washing, and getting regular trims (say, every six to eight weeks), your hair knows best what it needs. “Plus, a lot of the facts we’ve accepted as truth are no longer applicable because today’s products and tools are gentle and actually help prevent damage,” she says (case in point: Aveda’s Damage Remedy™ line).

“In some cultures and climates, daily shampooing is customary, and that’s fine,” Watson says. “And if you’re desperately trying to grow out a style, cutting it every six to eight weeks won’t help. The smarter move is to feel your hair. It should be soft to the touch. If it’s not, or if it has dramatically changed texture in a short period of time, it may be time to assess what’s causing the damage.” One culprit? Heat. To determine whether you’re frying your strands when you’re drying them, look at your brush. “If the bristles are melted, then you can imagine what you’ve been doing to your hair,” she says. It’s actually more efficient to keep some distance between the hair shaft and dryer nozzle. “It enables the heat and power of the air to dry your hair more quickly.”

Now, imagine your hair is strong, healthy, and resilient. But you’re still stumped on how to style it. Watson has three takes on a traditional shoulder-length bob that anyone can do safely and without incurring much damage. The first is to dry the hair using a diffuser to tease out some natural texture (the tool heats hair without blowing it all over the place and lifting the cuticle, which can cause moisture loss and frizz). Tilt your head and let your tresses fall into the bowl of the diffuser rather than scrunching hair, which gives it a retro (not in a good way) look. Once it is dry, wrap random thin sections around the barrel of a curling iron to define your wave pattern further. Your second option is to blow-dry hair with a big round brush then use a straightening iron just on the ends to give it a super-polished finish. The last is to, once again, blow-dry hair using a big round brush. But this time, while your hair is still warm, set large sections in Velcro rollers (which are gentler on your tresses than the heat-up variety) to create volume at the roots. Remove after 10 to 15 minutes. But remember, before doing any heat styling, prep damp hair with a protective spray or leave-in treatment, like the Damage Remedy™ Daily Hair Repair.

Are you ready for versatile hair?