The Ultimate Guide to Your Hair Care Routine
What Hair Products Do You Need?
When it comes to choosing the right hair products, many people feel overwhelmed. With so many different types of products available on the market, how do you know which ones are best for your hair?
In this post, we will outline everything you need to consider when choosing hair products.
We will also discuss the different types of products that are available and what each one is used for. So whether you have curly hair or dry hair, we have you covered!
Shampoo
Most people use shampoo on a daily basis to clean their hair. There are many different types of shampoo available. So, it’s important that you choose one that is right for your hair type.
If you use the wrong type of shampoo for your hair, you can create more problems.
For example, if you have dry hair, you need a shampoo that locks in moisture. Finding a shampoo that is not too harsh is important.
There are many options that will give your hair a coating to make it look shiny, but this is not good for your hair in the long run.
You want to find a shampoo that will clean your hair without stripping it of its natural oils.
Conditioner
Conditioner is another product that you will use on a regular basis. Just like shampoo, there are many different types of conditioner available.
It’s important to find one that is right for your hair type.
There are also leave-in conditioners available that can be used to help with frizzy hair or to add extra moisture.
Hair Mask
A hair mask is a product that you will use less often than shampoo and conditioner. Though it’s still an important part of your hair care routine.
Hair masks are usually applied after shampooing and left in for a few minutes before being rinsed out.
They are designed to deeply condition your hair and can be used to treat damaged or dry hair.
Hair Oil
Hair oil is another product that can be used to help with dry or damaged hair. It’s usually applied before shampooing and helps to lock in moisture. Treatments like hair masks and hair oils are only used on occasion to treat a specific problem.
It’s always good to keep in mind to protect your hair whenever you use heat. Using a heat protection serum is the best thing to use before you style.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Hair Products
Having a good quality shampoo and conditioner, and some hair treatments to repair damage is important.
However, there are many different types of hair products. Finding the right one for your hair is crucial if you want to keep it in good condition.
There are a number of key factors to consider when choosing your products.
Hair Texture
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing hair products is your hair texture. This includes things like how fine or thick your hair is.
Not to mention whether it’s straight, curly, or wavy.
Hair usually falls into three main categories; fine, medium, and thick. You can find out which one you fit into by looking at the diameter of a strand of hair. The thicker the strand, the more coarse your hair is.
You will also get a sense of your hair texture based on how easy it is to style.
Fine hair will lay very flat. You’ll find that you use a lot of hairspray or gels, and backcomb the hair to give it body.
Thick hair will have a lot of body but it is prone to going frizzy and can dry out easily.
Medium hair is the easiest to manage and usually takes product very well.
What’s Your Hair Type?
If you have fine hair, you need to be careful not to use products that are too heavy. This can weigh down your hair and make it look greasy.
You should be looking for volumizing shampoos to try as these will give you the body that you want. Plus, it won’t weigh down the light strands and make the hair look damp.
Fine hair is also more prone to damage, so using gentle products with natural ingredients is best.
Medium-textured hair is the most versatile and can usually handle a variety of different products. Thick hair also has a lot of options, but you need to be careful not to use products that are too light.
This can make your hair look fuzzy.
Lack of moisture is a big problem with thick hair. You need moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, and you will probably have to use a hair mask more often.
Curly hair is a lot trickier to deal with. Curls can be very dry and prone to damage, so you need to be careful with the products that you use.
You should look for shampoos and conditioners that are designed for curly hair. These will usually contain more moisturizing ingredients.
Curly hair also tends to frizz easily, so using a leave-in conditioner or hair oil can help to keep the hair smooth.
Wavy hair is somewhere in between straight and curly.
It doesn’t usually need as much moisture as curly hair, but it can be prone to frizzing. You should look for products that are designed for wavy hair.
They will usually contain ingredients that help to control frizz.
Oiliness/Dryness
Your hair’s natural oiliness or dryness is another important factor to consider when choosing products. If your scalp produces a lot of oil, you will need to use a shampoo that is designed for oily hair.
This type of shampoo will help to control the oil and keep your hair from looking greasy.
Dry hair can be caused by a number of different factors. It could be that your scalp doesn’t produce enough oil. Sometimes, it could be that you are using products that are stripping the natural oils from your hair.
If your hair is dry, you will need to use a shampoo and conditioner that is designed for dry hair. This type of product will help to add moisture to your hair and make it look healthier.
Although thin hair tends to be greasier and thick hair is usually drier, that is not always the case. Consider how oily your hair is and choose products accordingly.
Porosity
Porosity is how well your hair absorbs and holds moisture. This can be affected by a number of different things. Including the environment, heat damage, and chemical treatments.
If your hair is very porous, it will absorb moisture easily but it will also lose moisture just as quickly.
This means that you need to use products that are designed to add moisture to your hair. It’s just as important to choose products that will help to seal in that moisture.
If your hair is not very porous, it will be more difficult to add moisture but it will also be easier to keep your hair hydrated.
You should use a shampoo and conditioner that is designed for low porosity hair, as well as products that will help to seal in the moisture.
You can test your hair’s porosity by doing a simple strand test. Take a strand of hair and place it in a bowl of water. If the strand sinks, your hair is high porosity and if it floats, your hair is low porosity.
Damage To Your Hair
If your hair is damaged, you need to use products that will help to fix it. Heat damage is one of the most common hair problems.
It is usually caused by using hot straighteners or drying your hair on high heat.
If you have heat damage, you will need to use hair treatments that are designed to repair heat-damaged hair.
You can also get sprays that will protect against heat damage when drying or straightening your hair.
You may also have damage from chemical treatments. Like bleaching or dyeing your hair. If you have this type of damage, you will need to use a shampoo and conditioner that is designed for colored hair.
These products will help to protect your hair from further damage and keep it looking its best. They can help to preserve the color for longer too.
Lifestyle
Your lifestyle is another important factor to consider when choosing hair products. If you are a swimmer, you will need to use products that will protect your hair from the chlorine in the water.
There are special swimming caps that you can buy. Don’t forget leave-in conditioners and serums that will help to protect your hair too.
If you live in a hard water area, you will also need to use products that will help to protect your hair from the minerals in the water.
These minerals can build up on your hair and make it look dull and lifeless.
There are special shampoos and conditioners that are designed for hard water areas. There are also treatments that you can use to remove the build-up.
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Ingredients
Finally, you should think about the ingredients that are used to make the products. There are certain ingredients you should avoid.
In particular, sulfates and alcohols, which can damage your hair.
Silicone is also often used to give your hair a sheen and a protective layer. Though, it weighs your hair down a lot. You can find a full list of ingredients to avoid here.
You should also consider how sustainable the ingredients are. Try to find natural products, where possible.
Choosing the right hair products can be difficult, but if you follow this guide, you will be able to develop the perfect hair care routine.
Do you have any tips to add to this ultimate hair care guide?
Let me know, til then—cheers m’deres!
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Nancy Polanco is a freelance journalist, lifestyle content creator, and editor of Whispered Inspirations. She is a proud Mom to Gabby and Michaela and partner and best friend to Darasak. Having worked as part of a health care team for almost a decade, Nancy is happy to be back to her passion. She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, TODAY’s Parents, and an Oprah Magazine Brand Ambassador.