Skin care has taken the internet by storm over the past year, we're now all loaded with knowledge about cleansing, exfoliating and moisturising. But what about hair care?
Hair and skin are both made up of the same thing, keratin. Just like your skin, your hair and scalp need looking after too! We're going to be discussing the key steps and products you need to start building your own hair care routine.
First we need to remember, your hair is only as healthy as you are. Products can work to an amazing degree, but looking after yourself and your body is a great place to start with hair care. This includes staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet full of vitamins.
Different hair types require different products so figuring out your hair type is essential in creating your hair care routine. You know your hair best, but if you're unsure you can ask your hairdresser what they think your hair type is. You can also try going a couple days without using hair products and see how your hair reacts. Your hair might be:
Thick and curly hair will require different products than fine, oily hair.
A good place to start building up a hair care routine is with the basics. A good shampoo should support your hair type (e.g. curly, fine) and tackle any scalp issues you might have (e.g. dandruff, excess oil). You can read more about finding the right shampoo in our previous blog post.
Shampoo your hair only as often as you need. Over shampooing (e.g. every day) will strip your scalp of its natural oils, which is not what we want! Think of it like over-exfoliating your skin and destroying your moisture barrier. We want our scalp to be healthy and it requires some oil to stay healthy, so wash your hair as less as possible.
When you get your hair washed in the salon, your stylist will always shampoo your hair twice. The first shampoo will lift the grease and dirt off of your scalp and the second shampoo rinses it all away. This is a great trick to do at home too.
A good conditioner should leave your hair feeling silky and moisturised without creating excess oil (particularly important for people with fine, straight hair).
Apply conditioner on your wet hair, focussing on the ends and working your way up through the scalp. If you suffer with greasy hair, you can avoid putting conditioner on your scalp. Follow the instructions on the conditioner bottle, it's a good idea to leave conditioner on for at least 3 minutes to let it take effect.
The great thing about leave in conditioner is that it comes in so many forms (sprays, gels, creams) so you can find one to work with every hair type. Leave in conditioner is great for providing your hair with a boost of hydration when its feeling particularly dry. It can help de-frizz, enhance curls, reduce breakage and moisturise.
Leave in conditioner can usually either be applied on damp hair (after shampoo and conditioning) or on dry hair for a little pick me up.
Here's a few brands we recommend:
If you use a hairdryer, straighteners, curlers or any other hot styling tool, a heat protectant should be an essential part of your hair care routine.
Without heat protectant, your hair is being singed with 150-200 degree heat, which unsurprisingly is incredibly damaging. Heat will cause your hair to dry out, break and snap off.
Heat protectant spray provides a protective barrier on your hair. Most can be applied on dry or damp hair and lots even have other moisturising properties and can help your hair to dry quicker.
Remember to try to put down those hot tools at least a couple times a week to give your hair a break, it's not helpful for your hair health, heat protectant or no heat protectant!
Some of our favourites include:
If your hair is severely damaged from heat or bleach, adding a bond rebuilder to your haircare routine is going to be essential in getting your hair back to health.
Olaplex is scientifically proven to rebuild the broken bonds in your hair (caused by damage), leaving your hair feeling stronger, healthier and softer. We recommend using Olaplex #3 as a leave in treatment. Towel dry your hair after shampoo and conditioning and apply Olaplex #3 all over. Tie your hair in a plait or wear a shower cap and leave on overnight to get its full advantages.
Similarly to leave in conditioner, hair oil is applied on damp or dry hair and left on all day.
The most popular hair oil used is Argan oil, which is great for all hair types. It's super lightweight so your hair won't feel greasy and pulled down. Oil is best applied just to the ends and middle of the hair to prevent any greasyness.
Hair oil will give off an instant shine, which is why some choose it over a leave in conditioning spray. Oil has benefits like added moisture, de-frizz for curls and even SPF protection.
Some of our favourite hair oils include:
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