Everyone’s hair is different, so a hair care routine that works great for one person might not work so well for you. However, there are some basic guidelines that you can use to create your own hair care routine that works great for you and your hair. All you have to do is know your hair type, and do a little experimenting.
Your typical hair care routine will involve shampoo, conditioner, and then some leave-in products and the occasional deep conditioning treatment. But what you use and how often you use them makes a big difference depending on your hair type. Let’s take a look at each of these steps for a few different hair types
Shampoo
We all need to cleanse our hair, whether it’s with shampoo, a cream cleanser, or even just a rinse. Here are some shampooing tips for different hair types.
- Shampooing dry hair: When shampooing dry hair, you’ll want to consider shampooing less often. Try washing your hair once every 3-4 days. If your hair starts to feel or look oily within that time, try using a dry shampoo instead of washing; it’ll strip your hair less and make your hair less oily. You may also want to use a gentle, hydrating shampoo in place of a normal shampoo. To add a little conditioning boost to your shampoo, try our Conditioning Shampoo Bar Project.
- Shampooing textured hair: Folks with textured or coily hair should shampoo even less. Consider shampooing once every 1-2 weeks. The curlier your hair is, the more prone it is to damage and dryness.
- Shampooing oily hair: Folks with oily hair may do well shampooing daily, but sometimes the shampoo can strip enough of the lipid layer from your scalp that it starts producing more oil to compensate. You can also shampoo once every other day if that works better for you. You may not need a hydrating shampoo, but something gentle will work best.
- Shampooing normal hair: Folks with normal hair should shampoo once every 2-3 days. Excessive shampooing can dry your hair and scalp, and with normal hair you should be fine between showers with a little dry shampoo. Folks who use styling products every day may want to shampoo daily, though, to help reduce product buildup.
Conditioner
Everyone can benefit from conditioner, even if you have fine hair or oily hair. There may be some differences in the methods and products used for different hair types.
- Conditioning dry hair: Folks with dry hair should condition every time they shampoo. Rinse out conditioners lay a protective layer on the hair shaft which helps to prevent your hair losing moisture, and contain ingredients that help to hydrate your hair as well. If you have fine hair, you probably should only condition the midshaft to the ends of your hair, to avoid weighing your hair down at the roots. Make sure you let the conditioner sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing it out.
- Conditioning for textured or coily hair: Folks with textured hair also want to condition every time they wash, because textured hair is prone to dryness. Textured hair can stand up to heavier conditioners, so products that are rich with oils, butters, and other emollients are great.
- Conditioning oily hair: When you have oily hair, you still need to use conditioner. You want to just condition the midshaft to the ends of your hair, since adding conditioner to the scalp can contribute to oil and other buildup. You may also want to use light conditioners with more water-based ingredients.
- Conditioning normal hair: Conditioning for normal hair is pretty hassle free. Condition your hair as often as you need, but remember that shampooing does strip away your natural lipid barrier. You also have a wide variety of conditioners to choose from, from light to heavy, depending on the curl and thickness of your hair.
Leave-in products
All hair types can use leave-in conditioners and serums, but what’s right for one hair type might be different for another.
- Leave-in products for dry hair: Dry hair benefits from a leave-in conditioner. While rinse out conditioners do help to moisturize and protect your hair and scalp, a leave-in product helps to prevent drying and damage through the day. Because dry hair can be brittle and prone to damage, a leave-in product with hydrolyzed protein can also help prevent damage and strengthen strands. Check out our Nourishing Olive Hair Oil Project Project for tips on creating a hydrating hair oil for dry hair.
- Leave-ins for textured or coily hair: Textured hair really benefits from leave-in conditioners, in fact they’re almost necessary for some. The curlier your hair is the more prone to breakage and dryness it can be. Textured hair can stand up to heavier leave-ins, like creams and balms.
- Leave-in products for oily hair: Oily hair can still benefit from leave-in products, but you may want to steer clear of oil and butter based products. Water based leave-ins are great because they add less oil to the hair and scalp while still offering the benefits of a leave-in. Look for products that don’t have oils or butters in the top 3-5 ingredients, but instead use water based ingredients like water, glycerin, aloe, and more.
- Leave-in products for normal hair. Normal hair may not have a lot of special considerations. If you have normal hair, you can use leave-in products from creams to serums and sprays. Try some and use the one that works best for you.
- Leave-in products for fine hair: Fine hair gets a special mention here, because lots of people with fine hair think they can’t use leave-in products without flattening their hair. While folks with fine hair will want to avoid a lot of heavy oils and emollients, you can still use lightweight leave-in conditioners as well as water-based serums and sprays. The lighter the product, the less likely it is to weigh your hair down. If you don’t have a dry scalp, just apply it to the midshaft to the ends of your hair.
Styling
Everyone has their own styling preferences, but there are some guidelines that may be helpful.
- Styling for dry hair: Dry hair can break easily. For detangling, try combing out your hair in the shower while the conditioner is doing its magic. The conditioner helps the tangles come apart and helps the comb glide through your hair with less snagging. Use a wide toothed comb for detangling to minimize breakage. In terms of styling products, avoid products that have a lot of alcohol in them, because they’ll dry your hair and scalp.
- Styling tips for textured or coily hair: If you want to avoid frizz, detangle your hair in the shower. Doing this while your hair is wet or when it has conditioner in it helps your curls and coils cling to one another again, avoiding frizz. Textured hair loves a leave-in product or two; most can stand up to a leave-in conditioner and a hair oil. Scrunching your beautiful curls with a curl enhancer can also look great.
- Styling tips for oily hair: Some folks think that brushing makes oily hair look even greasier, but with the right brush that’s not the case. A boar bristle brush (or a faux boar bristle brush) is a great option to distribute sebum from the roots of your hair down the shaft. Remember, brushing is for adding shine, not for detangling. Avoid straightening your hair, because that can cause your hair to lie flatter on your scalp, letting it pick up more oil.
- Styling for normal hair: Normal hair types can tolerate a wide range of styling techniques and products. If your hair is damaged or color treated, avoid alcohol based styling products and minimize heat styling.
Deep conditioning
When we talk about deep conditioning, we’re mostly talking about hair and scalp masks and oil treatments. Once you decide on what your hair needs, check out our Luxury Hair Mask Project - 3 Ways; it's easy to customize to your hair type.
- Deep conditioning for dry hair: Dry hair loves deep conditioning. Use a hair mask that has rich emollients and hydrating humectant ingredients. To strengthen hair and improve flexibility, look for treatments that have hydrolyzed protein, like wheat protein. Use a mask once a week or so. If that feels like too much, try once every 2 weeks. Using a hair mask too often can result in build-up.
- Deep conditioning for textured or coily hair: Curls and coils need extra moisture. Look for a deep conditioning mask with butters and oils like argan oil to help keep your curls from becoming brittle. Hot oil treatments are also lovely for moisturizing hair. Textured hair can definitely stand up to overnight treatments too.
- Deep conditioning for oily hair: Folks with oily hair may not want to use a hair oil product, but you can still use a hair mask. Try a mask that’s emulsified, with water based products making up the majority of the product. You may also want to use a mask that has clay or activated charcoal to help absorb some of the excess oil on your scalp and hair. Tea tree essential oil is also great for oily hair.
- Deep conditioning for normal hair: Normal hair can still benefit from masks. Even if you don’t feel like you need supplemental hydration, masks can be applied to the ends of your hair to help keep them flexible and minimize damage. Because the oil is produced at the scalp, the ends of your hair tend to be drier than the rest and can use a little help. If you have dandruff or an irritated scalp, sometimes hair masks can help soothe that irritation.
No matter your hair type, there are methods and ingredients that can help you keep your hair and scalp healthy. One of the best ways to find the best products for your unique hair is to make your own. DIY hair care products can be customized for your specific needs and concerns. Check out our hair care products for inspiration.
