I used to straighten my hair nearly every day but lately have been wearing it natural or lightly curled with limited product. After high school and college, it took a while for my natural hair to become healthy again with less split ends. I hate a high maintenance routine but little steps I do each week to maintain basic hair care:
Using dry shampoo
Wearing scrunchies instead of tight hair ties
Combing my hair with my fingers and occasionally using a brush
Washing hair less frequently
Using heat protectant spray
Especially with the brush tip, this has helped my hair stay smooth and avoid frizzing as much!
If I do use heat on my hair, I do quick curls using a straightener iron that takes less time and I go over my hair fewer times. These steps have greatly improved my hair over the past few years, never again do I want to go back to using heat on my hair every day!