If you change your hair colour on a regular basis, then you'll know that it can play havoc with your locks. While it's a fun way to experiment, it can leave you with dry, damaged straw-like hair which is just no fun at all. If you're worried about how healthy your mane is, then there's a simple test that can determine if your barnet can handle yet another dye job. Elizabeth Maloy, stylist and colour specialist at New York- based Paul Labrecque Salon spoke to InStyle recently and explained how to go about the 'water droplet test'. “Pull a section of hair smooth and very taut between your fingers. Add a drop of water onto the surface of the section, counting how long it takes to disappear. "If the water is absorbed by the hair in less than ten seconds, the cuticle is compromised and strands are too damaged to be dyed properly" said Elizabeth. If your locks absorb the water immediately, then you haven't passed the test and there's a couple of steps you can take to get your hair back in tip top shape. Applying regular deep-conditioning treatments is key and it's also important to cut back on the amount of heat damage to your hair. A hairdryer is pretty essential if you don't want to get the flu, especially during winter, but try to ease back on the use of curling tongs and straighteners.