Wondering how to create a hair care routine that works for you? Try out these suggested hair care routine and see how it can improve your hair texture, shine, and health!
It’s every girl’s dream to have super long, lustrous and healthy hair? Am I right?
I was never the person who paid any attention to my hair care before until I noticed how even the smallest factors such as an unhealthy lifestyle and using the wrong kind of hair care product can lead to disastrous results.
Achieving a great hair care routine may not be easy, but with the right guidance, it is definitely possible.
Once you find a hair care routine that works for you, it is just like embarking on a skincare one. The results will astound you.
Here’s a breakdown of everything that will help you decide on a hair care ritual that is best suited for you-
How To Create A Hair Care Routine That Works For You?
Why Do You Need A Proper Hair Routine?
For someone like me, my hair is something I’m very proud of and take care of like a baby.
Working in real estate has really boosted my confidence on how I look after my overall appearance.
My hair is one of the first things people notice about me and they compliment it on its texture, shine and color. This makes me proud because I invest in quality hair care products and undergo a rigorous hair care ritual to really give it everything it needs.
Having healthy hair ensures our scalp and hair locks are well taken care of, and provides a plethora of benefits.
This includes preventing common hair issues like split ends, dandruff, hair loss, dryness, frizziness, hair color longevity, and more!
Another fascinating fact is that the appearance of our hair is important and has a significant impact on our self-esteem and self-confidence.
Vibrant, healthy hair is a huge benefit and will not be attained without the right hair care routine.
So, stay tuned if you would like to achieve all your best hair goals and how you can provide it with the love and attention it deserves.
What Are The Factors To Consider Before Starting A Hair Care Routine?
Hair type & texture: The first thing to consider is getting to know your hair type. Each of us are blessed with different hair that needs to be taken care of and treated in different ways.
You may think this is easy, I mean you only have to determine if it is straight, curly or wavy. Right? Wrong.
Determining your hair type is easier said than done. Because this will help determine which haircare products work best for you and how you can adopt a hair care routine to meet all your needs.
So, go on a few days without using any products and note down your observations-Is it oily? Dry? Thick? Thin? Fine? Coily? Normal? Frizzy?
Hair porosity: If you are like me and have no idea what this is, relax, it is nothing but the ability of one’s hair to absorb product and moisture.
While high porosity happens usually because of dry, damaged and frizzy hair, low porosity happens when hair is too oily as a lot of product has been taken in and not distributed properly.
Weather conditions: Remember when Monica in Friends screams, “It’s the humidity!” She wasn’t kidding.
Our hair changes according to seasons, for example, you may find your hair less porous in colder months or curly and frizzy in humid and hot weather.
Lifestyle & Activity: If you are someone like me who loves to travel and exercise regularly, then your scalp can get very sweaty and oily.
If you also love to indulge in outdoor activities then hair is also exposed to more dirt, dust and pollution.
Hair density: This is nothing but the amount of hair you actually have. By gently pulling a handful of hair from the front of your head to the side, you can determine your hair density.
If you can’t see too much of your scalp, then you have thick hair density and if your scalp is too visible then you have thin hair density.
Hair elasticity: This is helpful to determine how strong your hair is and how it will hold well for any styling.
While high hair elasticity is linked to normal and thick hair, low hair elasticity is linked to thin hair.
What Does A General Hair Care Routine Consist Of?
Now that you are more familiar with your hair type and other factors, let’s get the basics of your hair care routine down which includes the following important steps-
STEP ONE: Cleansing
Just like your skin, your hair can benefit tremendously from a hair wash. You can wash your hair at least twice or thrice a week depending on your activity and hair type.
Washing your hair will leave it feeling clean, and smooth, and remove dirt and dead skin cells, grease which may have built up.
Choose a gentle and sulfate-free moisturizing shampoo to improve your hair growth and scalp health.
I started using my fingernails on the scalp to sort of create a lather and spread it evenly around.
Use lukewarm or cold water to wash your hair and avoid hot water as it may damage your hair.
Do not wash your hair every day because it will disturb your scalp microbiome and strip your hair of its natural oils.
If you have thick, curly or even dry hair, washing twice a week works well. If you have oily hair, you can even wash it thrice a week.
My humble advice is to be flexible with your cleansing routine depending on your schedule.
STEP TWO: Conditioning & Detangle
The next essential step is to condition and nourish your hair which provides moisture, and helps detangle and seal the cuticles.
I personally felt my hair to be softer and shinier once I spent more time on conditioning and leaving it on for a good fifteen minutes.
Remember to always apply your conditioner to the lengths of your wet hair and squeeze out any excess water.
Also note that if you have dry or damaged hair and even chemically treated hair, then apply conditioner to the mid-shaft of the hair and the ends.
Massaging your hair in a circular motion helps to circulate oxygen which creates healthier and stronger hair.
Believe it or not, detangling begins in the shower. I recently found using a wide-toothed comb very beneficial to evenly distribute the product after applying the conditioner.
This also helps in detangling your hair which will eliminate all those nasty knots and prevent breakage.
One helpful tip is to comb the lower portions and then work your way up to the roots.
STEP THREE: Drying & Styling
Now that you’re done with hair washing, let’s think about drying. Soak up all the excess water by gently using your towel.
Always make sure you apply hair protectant first and then use your heated tools like a blow dryer, straightener and curling tool.
This is super important to prevent any breakage from happening and enhance styling results.
Using a lightweight styling primer can help enhance hair texture, and reduce dryness and frizz but most of all will ensure optimal hold while using heated styling tools.
It would be a sin to use these heated styling tools on wet hair so make sure you at least let your hair dry for a couple of minutes before applying any heat to it.
STEP FOUR: Moisturize
After styling, you may want to consider adding a little moisture boost. This is where my superhero comes in hair oil as they are great for preventing dryness and controlling frizz.
With regular usage, you will notice your hair becoming stronger, healthier and softer over time.
Remember the saying- ‘A Little goes a long way?’ So, I would advise applying around one or two drops for thin hair, two or three drops for medium hair and three to four drops for thick hair.
For the best results, warm up the product between fingers and palms, use fingers in a combing motion to distribute evenly.
STEP FIVE: Protect
The last, and probably the most important step in your daily hair care routine is to protect your hair because of the daily damage it gets through thanks to styling products, pollution, diet, and other environmental aggressors.
Hair masks and other deep conditioning treatments are wonderful options especially if you suffer from dry and chemically treated hair.
How To Select The Products For Your Hair Routine?
Hair texture matters-
When it comes to choosing the product that works for you, first determine your hair type and other concerns or problems that you usually face.
By knowing all this, you will find the right balance that your hair needs and say goodbye to bad hair days.
Choosing the right products-
Once you identify what your hair is like, check out the best products that are specially formulated to help you flaunt the inner hair goddess in you.
Regardless of your hair type, stay a mile away from harmful chemicals, scents, parabens and sulfates.
Final Thoughts
Building a hair care routine depends on each one’s hair needs. Just follow the above basic steps and that would be a good start.
If you are looking for anything specific or confused about your hair type, then take an online hair Quiz to find out what’s best for you.
Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?
The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.
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