How to Start the Best Hair Care Routine for You

Hair care routines are important to keep your hair healthy and protected. All basic hair care routines involve steps such as cleansing and conditioning, but using products and practices tailored to your hair type and individual needs helps your hair look and feel its best.

Factors to Consider

Things to consider when developing your ideal hair care routine include:

• Your hair type and texture
• Which products to use and how to use them
• How often to wash your hair
• Any hair concerns you have

Hair Type and Texture

Your hair type and texture depend on a number of factors.

Diameter/Thickness

Place a strand of your hair between your fingertips and take note of the following:

• If you cannot feel it, your hair is likely fine.
• If you can feel the single strand, your hair is likely medium-width.
• If it feels thick or textured, your hair is likely coarse.

Elasticity

Elasticity refers to how well your hair stretches before it breaks. Degrees of elasticity can be detected as follows:

• The elasticity is low if a strand breaks immediately when you try to pull it between your fingers.
• If the strand can be stretched, the elasticity is high.

Low elasticity is more associated with thin hair, while high elasticity is associated with medium to thick hair. Elasticity helps determine how well your hair can hold a style.

Density

Hair density is determined by how much hair you have. To help determine your hair density, grasp a handful of hair from the front of your head and gently pull it to the side to observe the following:

• If you can see some of your scalp, your hair is likely medium.
• If you can see a lot of your scalp, your hair is likely thin.
• If you can barely see any scalp, your hair is likely thick.

Porosity

Porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb moisture and hair products. To test your hair’s porosity, place a strand in a bowl filled with water and if it reacts as follows:

• A strand with high porosity sinks to the bottom because it is capable of absorbing the water.
• A strand that floats but stays under the surface indicates medium porosity.
• A strand with low porosity (does not easily absorb moisture) floats above the surface of the water.

Type/Shape

Hair type includes:

• Straight falls flat from the roots, tends to be soft and smooth, does not hold curls easily, and gets greasy more easily.
• Wavy is between straight and curly, holds hairstyles well, and has big curls and waves from roots to ends.
• Curly has prominent curls from roots to ends and usually is more dry and frizzy than straight or wavy hair.
• Coily is tightly curled. Is fragile and needs proper care to avoid breakage.

There are three types of curly and coily hair.

Curly hair includes types:

• 3A: Loose curls
• 3B: Medium curls
• 3C: Tight curls

Coily hair includes types:

• 4A: Dense, curly texture and in an S-shaped pattern
• 4B: Highly porous and in a tight zigzag pattern that is often accompanied by compressed S-shaped coils
• 4C: Tightly coiled zigzag pattern

Bleach, Hair Dye, and Chemical Processing

Hair that is color treated, bleached, or otherwise chemically processed is often more dry and needs moisturizing products.

Color-treated hair is also vulnerable to fading, discoloring, and heat damage. Products developed specifically for this type of hair can help.

Hair Concerns

Certain hair or scalp conditions may require specialized medicated shampoo.

Medicated shampoos for dandruff include active ingredients such as:

• Ciclopirox
• Coal tar
• Ketoconazole
• Salicylic acid
• Selenium sulfide
• Sulfur
• Zinc pyrithione

Scalp psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition, may also require the use of medicated shampoos. It also makes your scalp easily irritated, so gentle hair styling important.

Lifestyle practices can also affect hair care. For example, those who swim regularly need to protect their hair from damage due to chlorine.

Basic Components of a Hair Care Routine

Each person’s hair care routine is unique, but most include some form of cleansing, moisturizing, and styling.

Cleansing

Shampoos clean the hair and scalp. They usually are made up of the following:

• 80% to 90% water
• 2% to 8% detergents and foaming agents
• 1% fragrance and preservatives

Different types of shampoo are formulated to meet certain hair needs, such as:

• Baby shampoo
• Body-building/thickening
• Clarifying (deep cleans hair and scalp)
• Color-protecting
• Moisturizing
• Revitalizing or replenishing
• Shampoo and conditioner in one

Follow the directions on your product, but generally speaking:

• Apply a small amount of shampoo to your palm and rub your hands together.
• Apply shampoo to your scalp only.
• Gently massage for about 30 seconds to form a lather.
• Rinse thoroughly.
• Repeat, if necessary (such as with an oily scalp).

Conditioning

Conditioners help to:

• Avoid or minimize frizz, friction, and static
• Enhance shine and smoothness
• Make hair more manageable and easier to comb
• Restore hydrophobicity (ability to repel water) and protect from humidity
• Seal the hair cuticle (the outermost layer of a hair)

Types of conditioners include:

• Rinse-out conditioner
• Deep conditioner
• Leave-in conditioner

Apply rinse-out conditioner after each shampoo. Apply to ends only if you have fine or straight hair. Apply to the whole hair length if your hair is dry or curly.

Leave-in conditioner is a spray, cream, or lotion applied to damp hair after washing and conditioning, and not rinsed out. It is used in addition to rinse-out conditioner, not instead of it.

Leave-in conditioner may benefit people who have hair that is:

• Brittle
• Color-treated or chemically treated
• Curly
• Dry
• Easily-tangled
• Frizzy or flyaway
• Heat styled
• Long

Moisturizing

Hair masks, oils, serums, and conditioning treatment may be helpful if your hair needs extra conditioning.

If you have curly, dry, or easily-tangled hair, look for conditioning products that contain ingredients such as:

• Argan oil
• Fatty alcohol like cetyl or stearyl alcohol
• Glycerin

You may also want to massage oils such as jojoba, argan, and coconut into your hair once a week.

Monthly professional conditioning treatments at a salon are also an option.

Products designed for Black hair can help meet its unique moisturizing needs. These may include oils, sheens, and greases.

Detangling

If your hair tends to get tangled, you can try tips such as:

• Detangle your hair while wet, ideally in the shower with conditioner in your hair, or wet thoroughly between washes, with leave-in conditioner applied.
• Be gentle, hair is more fragile when wet.
• Use your fingers first to detangle.
• Use a wide-toothed comb or brush for thick or curly hair.
• Work in sections.
• Use a detangling spray or serum, if needed.

Styling

After washing your hair, use a microfiber towel to soak up excess water.

If you are letting your hair dry naturally, apply your desired products and allow it to air dry.

If you are going to be using heat to dry or style your hair, it’s important to apply a heat-protectant product first to prevent heat damage.

Some tips for helping to protect your hair while heat styling include:

• Use low or medium heat settings.
• Limit the use of heat tools.
• When using a hair dryer, hold it at least 6 inches away from your hair and use continuous motion.
• Allow your hair to air dry partially before drying to minimize blow dryer time.
• Use flat irons on dry hair with a low setting.
• Hold your curling iron in place for no more than one or two seconds.
• Use heat styling tools like flat irons or curling irons infrequently (aim for once a week or less).

Products you may choose to use before and/or after styling your hair may include:

• Gel
• Hair spray
• Heat-protection product
• Mousse
• Pomade
• Shine serum

Styling tips to minimize damage to your hair include:

• Avoid continuously wearing hairstyles such as tight ponytails, hair extensions, braids, and cornrows, which cause tension and could lead to hair loss.
• Avoid or minimize styling products that create a “long-lasting hold.”
• Brush only as much as you need to (more brushing does not make your hair healthier).
• Use covered elastics instead of open rubber bands.

Chemical treatments that alter the natural curl pattern may be used.

Relaxers are the most common chemical treatment used for Black hair. Relaxers permanently straighten the treated hair (new hair growth will be its natural texture).

Typically, relaxers are applied every six to 12 weeks. Relaxers can make the hair more fragile and prone to damage, especially when applied more often than every six weeks or in combination with hairstyles that cause tension. A protective base should be applied before the relaxer.

Spot Treatments

Dry shampoo is a powder or spray applied between washings to soak up excess oil. Dry shampoo is not a replacement for hair washing, but it may be helpful after a workout, or during times when washing your hair is not possible or inconvenient.

It can also help prolong the wear of hair styling like blowouts and up-dos and minimize washings that can fade hair coloring.

Some dry shampoo contains pigments that can help mask gray hair.

When using dry shampoo:

• Choose dry shampoo formulated for your hair color and type.
• Continue to wash your hair regularly with shampoo and water for good hygiene.
• Follow the directions on the product.
• Use it sparingly and only where you need it.
• Use store-bought instead of homemade (which can clump).

How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

How often to wash your hair depends on factors such as hair type, how often it gets oily or dirty, and special hair considerations such as dandruff. Some people need to wash their hair daily, while others do best washing their hair every two to three weeks, and everything in between.

You may need to shampoo more often if:

• You tend to have a greasy or oily scalp and roots.
• You have fine, thin, and/or straight hair.
• You work or spend a lot of time outside, exposed to dirt and allergens (normally harmless substances, such as pollen, that can trigger an allergic reaction in some people).
• You exercise or sweat frequently.

You may need to shampoo your hair less often if you:

• Have chemically treated hair
• Have dry hair
• Have dyed hair
• Have thick and/or curly hair
• Have natural, coiled hair
• Notice dullness and shedding

Choosing Hair Care Products for Your Hair Type

If you have straight and/or oily hair:

• Choose shampoos that remove oil and grease.
• Use a light conditioner.
• Avoid leave-in conditioners.

If you have wavy, curly, or dry hair:

• Choose shampoo formulated for waves or curls.
• Use moisturizing conditioners.
• Consider deep conditioning treatments and leave-in conditioners.
• Style with curl-defining products.
• Look for conditioning products that contain ingredients such as glycerin, argan oil, or a fatty alcohol such as cetyl or stearyl alcohol.
• If using a dandruff shampoo, follow directions, then use a moisturizing shampoo after.
• Use a comb or brush designed for curly hair.
• Choose products specially formulated for dry and/or curly hair.

If you have coily hair:

• Choose mild shampoo.
• Consider deep conditioning at least once a week.
• Use a daily moisturizing spray.
• Use a comb or brush designed for coily hair.
• Use hot oil treatments twice a month.
• If using a relaxer, have it applied by a professional hair stylist.
• Look for products formulated for coily or Black hair.

Your Needs Change Over Time

Your hair care routine is likely to change with age and circumstances.

For example:

• Sebum (scalp oil) production can be affected by medications and underlying health conditions.
• Sebum production tends to reduce with age, making hair more dry.
• Lifestyle changes can change your hair care needs, such as spending more time in the sun, which can lead to ultraviolet (UV) damage, or regularly swimming in chlorinated pools.

Other Tips for Healthy Hair

Other tips for maintaining healthy hair include:

• Choose styles that do not require frequent heat or chemical treatments.
• Make hairstyles such as ponytails and braids loose, or leave your hair down.
• Wear a hat or other head covering in the sun.
• Get regular trims (every two to three months).
• Wash hair in cool or lukewarm, not hot, water.
• Reduce damage-causing friction at night by pulling hair into a loose ponytail on top of the head and/or using satin or silk bonnets or pillowcases.

Your Diet Can Also Boost Hair Health

Like the rest of your body, eating a variety of nutritious food helps support hair health.

While taking in additional vitamins and minerals may not do much for your hair, supplementing may be necessary if you have a deficiency in micronutrients such as:

• Folate
• Iron
• Selenium
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin D

Check with a healthcare provider before taking supplements.

Summary

Most basic hair care routines involve cleansing, conditioning, and styling. Products and practices, such as how often to wash hair, depend on factors such as hair type, lifestyle, and individual needs.

Fine, thin, straight hair is typically more prone to being oily, requiring more frequent washing and lighter conditioning. Thick, curly, or coily hair tends to be more dry, requiring less frequent washing and more conditioning.

If you are unsure about your hair type or needs, make an appointment with a professional hairstylist.