Don’t let a change in the weather give you a bad hair day. Whether you’re unsure how to put together a hair care routine or simply looking to brush up on the basics, we’ve got you covered with this expert-backed guide
Just like your skin, your hair requires proper care to maintain its healthy glow. While a hair care routine can be as simple as applying shampoo and conditioning, there are several techniques and products that, employed correctly, can effectively reduce breakage and frizz, helping to banish your tonsorial woes.
We talked to experts from top hair care brands—Samuel Ma, educator at Moroccanoil; Diana Pratasiewicz, director of education at Ouai; and Prudvi Kaka, chief scientific officer at Deciem, the parent company of personal care label The Ordinary—for insights into how to put together a basic hair care routine.
Keep reading to learn about the correct order to apply hair care products, as well as tips to prevent hair damage and promote healthy growth.
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What’s the correct order to apply hair products?
While it’s important to tailor your routine to your specific hair concerns, there are a few basic steps and essential products that will benefit all hair types.
1. Wash with lukewarm water
Don’t jump straight into applying your shampoo. Instead, start by rinsing your hair with lukewarm water for at least a minute to remove excess oil.
“Washing your hair with warm water will also further help open the cuticles, allowing the shampoo to penetrate deeper and eliminate the trapped debris and oil from the hair,” says Ma.
Before washing your hair, massage your scalp, which can help to promote blood circulation and enhance the strength of your roots.
“Our scalps also need regular exfoliating in order to avoid build-up of dead skin cells and product residue. A healthy scalp is the foundation for good hair growth, so I would highly recommend doing a scalp scrub twice a month as a pre-wash treatment,” says Pratasiewicz.
2. Shampoo sparingly
Put a dollop of shampoo on your palm with a little water and work it into a lather. Starting from the roots, massage gently with fingertips down to the ends of your hair.
“The scalp is the area that you should be focusing on when washing your hair,” explains Ma. “Make sure to apply shampoo to your entire scalp and take the time to massage it in circular motions.”