Hair Care & Advice

Building a hair care routine goes way beyond how often you wash your hair.

While the basics of how to build a hair care routine lie in the foundations of wash, dry, and style, there are many other factors to consider for the healthiest, thickest, and shiniest hair. Although you don’t need a dozen products and tools to get the hair you want, there is more to hair care must-haves than shampoo and conditioner.

If you’re ready to get the most out of your hair, here’s a beginner’s guide on how to build a hair care routine.

Step 1. Determine your hair type 

Hair type isn’t just about texture. There are also factors such as how well your hair absorbs moisture or whether it breaks easily that helps determine your hair type. We list the five factors below to help determine whether you have thick, fine, coarse, frizzy or oily hair. 

Do a simple strand test to know the DIAMETER Take one hair strand between your fingertips, if you don’t feel anything this is a sign of fine hair. If you do feel the single strand, your hair is of medium width, and if it feels thick or textured, your hair is likely coarse.

Hair DENSITY refers to how much hair you actually have. To determine your hair density, take a handful of hair from the front of your head and gently pull it to the side. If a lot of your scalp is visible between the bunch of hair that you pulled, you have thin density, if you can barely see your scalp at all, your hair’s density is thick. Anything in between is medium density. 

Have you ever tried to stretch or snap a hair strand? Your hair’s reaction is the simple way to determine the ELASTICITY and strength of your hair. If the hair strand snaps immediately after trying to pull it between your fingers, your hair elasticity is low, whereas if you’re able to stretch the strand your hair elasticity is very high.  Hair elasticity helps determine how well your hair can hold any styling. Low elasticity is linked to thin hair, whereas high elasticity, thick to normal hair.

This is your hair’s ability to absorb moisture and product to achieve the POROSITY. To determine your hair’s porosity, fill a bowl with water and place a single strand of hair in the bowl. If your strand sinks to the bottom it has high porosity and is absorbing all the moisture. If your strand remains under the surface, but floats, your hair is well-balanced and is of “normal” porosity. If the strand floats above the surface of the water your hair has low porosity and does not absorb moisture easily. High porosity usually is a result of damaged, frizzy or dry hair. Low porosity can sometimes feel oily as it will take a lot of product in but may not distribute it accordingly.

Texture

This one’s easy, is your hair straight, wavy, Knowing your hair type will help you determine which products you need the most and how to build your hair care routine to meet all your needs.

It’s important to keep in mind that hair changes with seasons, for example you may find your hair more frizzy or curly in humid and hot weather or that your hair is less porous in colder months. Slight adjustments may be needed to your routine but not difficult.

Hair Care Routine Must-Haves

While the type of needed products will depend on your hair needs, there are a few must-haves for any hair care routine:

Shampoo and conditioner based on hair type 

If you’re in between washes or find yourself short on time, dry shampoo is a great addition to any hair care routine. Dry shampoo should be applied at the roots and spread or massaged in with your fingers to absorb extra oil.

Hair masks and conditioning treatments are also great options, especially for those with chemically treated or dry hair. Professional conditioning treatments can be done at your salon once a month, or if you prefer DIY, make your own hair mask at home. Depending on your needs, a hair mask can be done once a week.

Adding Hair Extensions to Your Hair Care Routine

If you’re looking for length or more thickness, clip-in hair extensions can give your fuller, longer hair with a natural look. If hair extensions are already part of your daily routine, keep in mind to wash them at least once a month, if you use more product on them, wash more frequently. To ensure the integrity and longevity of your hair extensions, store them properly in its designated packaging or hair extensions carrier.

Building a hair care routine is all about determining what your hair needs and treating it as such. It doesn’t have to be complicated and most hair care routines will follow, wash, dry, style and treatment steps. The frequency of your hair washing, properly hair drying and protecting your hair from heat easy to follow hair care routine for healthier hair.