As someone who has always struggled to maintain her hair - all I really wanted was a simple guide to help me understand the steps and products that I needed to keep my curly hair under control.

While I was willing to treat my skin with care and patience, I did not wish to do the same for my hair. I wanted to run into an aisle at Target, throw random products into my cart and magically wake up with salon-like styled hair and this approach is clearly unrealistic.

While some people are naturally gifted with hair that requires little to no effort, some of us might have to work a little harder to care for our hair. Nevertheless, creating and following a healthy routine should be practiced by everyone if they wish to increase the longevity of their gorgeous tresses.

Setting Goals

This will help you select the right type of product based on the end goal that you are trying to achieve. This could include - strengthening or repairing your hair, trying to increase overall volume, improving texture or shine, reducing scalp dryness or dandruff, maintaining hair color longevity, defining curls, and so on.

The goals need to correspond to the treatments and the products that you are using in order to achieve the desired result.

Product Based On Concern

You can go one step ahead by curating a product rack that assists your hair based on its primary concern.

These could include - dryness, frizz, color damage, split ends, hair loss, oiliness, dandruff, and more. Make sure you are using products that are targeted towards your specific hair concern by reading product labels and informational tags.

The bottom line is to try and understand your hair type before jumping straight in with different products and routines that might or might not suit you.

Now that you have figured out your needs - let us try and build a routine to help you achieve them.

Step One - Brushing

This might sound like a simple and obvious step but it is often overlooked. Brushing your hair before any sort of treatment can help get rid of knots and tangles to prevent hair loss and breakage that could be caused by tugging.

Using a gentle brush to run through your scalp can also improve blood circulation and act as a relaxing massage before getting started with your intensive hair care routine.

Step Two - Oil Massage

This step is rooted in age-old traditional Indian haircare practices that are known to lead to healthy and strong hair. Oils contain fatty acids and vitamins that help hydrate your hair and nourish it.

Massaging your scalp aids in blood circulation which helps promote hair growth and strengthen your hair right from the roots. Using warm oil can also prove to be relaxing. All you have to do is massage some hair oil into your scalp and leave it for around 30-45 minutes before stepping into the shower to rinse it off.

If you wish to go one step ahead in your pamper routine, you can wrap your oiled hair with a warm towel or hair steamer. This will help the oils penetrate deeper and improve results.

Step Three - Cleanse

This is a step that all of us are familiar with - shampooing. Using a gentle cleansing shampoo can help remove dirt and grime from your scalp. This step will also help rinse off the oil from the previous step.

It is important to focus on concentrating the shampoo on your scalp rather than the lengths of your hair. One of the most frequent mistakes people make while shampooing their hair is focusing on the length and rubbing their hair between their palms as a method of 'cleaning'. However, this is incorrect and counterproductive as you are not only creating friction and increasing the risk of breakage but also losing focus on the main part that accumulates dirt - your scalp.

The key here is to pick a shampoo that is formulated for your hair type and one that also targets your key concerns. Try to avoid shampoos that include sulfates and other harmful additives.

Brands like Pattern have products that are specifically made for curly hair routines.

Step Four - Deep Conditioning

This is an essential step to maintain your hair and help treat dryness and split ends. If you are someone with curly or wavy hair this step can also help in making your hair smooth and frizz-free. This step can include using an intensive hair mask that is loaded with proteins that can help give your hair the extra boost that it needs.

Many people do this step before shampooing but personally, I prefer doing it after an initial cleanse as I would prefer using a mask on clean hair rather than letting it marinate in hair that is unclean. I take this step to put on a face mask, relax, or wax.

If you are someone who has straight, thin, or sparse hair you can skip this step as it might way your hair down and give it a greasy look.

Step Five - Conditioning

This step is important to maintain your hair irrespective of your hair type. It helps lock in moisture and protect your hair post-wash. It is especially beneficial to those who have issues pertaining to dryness and frizz as it helps tame your hair significantly.

Avoid using a conditioner too close to your roots as this might lead to increased oiliness of the scalp. it is also important to let your conditioner sit for a bit before rinsing it off.

Step Six - Post-Wash Care

This is just as important as the previous steps. This can be done on damp hair for the best results as it allows better penetration of the product and helps in easier styling.

Every hair goal requires a different approach and this step comes along with various different types and textures of products that can help achieve it.

If you are looking to air dry your hair, your best bet is to use a lightweight hair serum to smoothen your hair and give it a glossy sheen whereas if you wish to use heat tools to style your hair it is essential to use a product that can act as a heat protectant.

If you have naturally curly hair and are trying to define your curls you can use a leave-in conditioner, mouse, or hair gel in this step.

There are many hair care brands such as Olaplex that have their own routine with a set of their products that you can use if you wish to have a pre-set routine.

I would also suggest using products from the same brand to have uniformity throughout the routine if possible. This helps in providing structure and also avoids any clash of ingredients that might be present in products from different brands.

Try special hair care brands like - Dae, Ouai, Fable & Main, Amika, Living Proof, and Briogeo

If there is one thing you have to take away from this - it is to - focus your shampoo on your scalp and conditioner on the length of your hair.

Here's to every day being a perfect hair day!

Love,

Rae

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Image Credit - Ba Tik