While there are countless factors that go into creating beautiful hair, by far the most important of those factors is the hair care routine. Sure, you can spend loads of money on amazing hair care products and styling tools, but a proper hair care routine is of the utmost importance in order to properly use these products for their maximum benefit.
So, what makes a good hair care routine? The ideal hair care routine is one that works perfectly for your specific hair type. Hair care is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and products and routines that work wonders for one hair type may be a disaster for another.
Shampooing
If you only keep one step in your hair care routine, this would be it. Just as we need to wash our body and our face, so to do we need to wash our hair in order to remove the sweat and oil that accumulates throughout the day. A good rule of thumb is to wash your hair every-other-day if you have normal hair, every day if you have greasy hair, and every two or three days if you have dry hair.
Conditioning
Much in the same way that we need to moisturize our face after washing it, so to do we need to moisturize or condition our hair after shampooing it. Conditioner replenishes the hair with some of the natural moisture and oil that we remove from the hair during shampooing, keeping our hair from drying out prematurely. The key here, when it comes to your hair type, is to use a conditioner that provides the ideal amount of moisture for your hair type. Dry hair should be using a heavier, richer conditioner, whereas greasy hair needs a lighter, oil-free conditioner to prevent the hair from being weighed down.
Deep Conditioning
For many hair types, a basic conditioner following shampooing is not enough to maintain and enhance the hair’s proper moisture levels. Enter the leave-in conditioner. Used once (or twice a week for damaged hair types), this intense conditioning treatment can deeply penetrate the hair strand for a more long-lasting conditioning experience. Those with greasy hair types can skip this step, but anyone who uses a heated styling tool can benefit from a once-weekly deep condition.
Detangling
Unless you have extremely straight or short hair, you are probably familiar with the constant battle of undoing the knots and twists in your hair. Keeping your hair detangled is crucial for styling purposes as well as preventing the hair from breaking and pulling. Use a comb that is strong enough for your hair’s thickness while being gentle enough to avoid pulling or tugging.