How to Make Your Hair Care Routine More Effective

Most people just fall into their hair care routine. They buy what their friends say is good, they buy what’s on sale, they buy what mom and dad always used. Then they’re shocked that their hair doesn’t end up looking like the results they presume.

But a routine that works is not one that has more or better products. A routine that works is one that understands what the hair needs and works with those needs instead of against them.

Assess the Status Quo

Before you change anything, assess what’s there. How many products do you really use? When do you wash your hair? What do you use for styling?

If you need to write it down, go for it. People don’t often realize they use six different products before they even leave the house in the morning unless they write them all down. The kicker? They’re all working against each other. A clarifying shampoo gets rid of everything you’ve put in the day before, conditioner attempts to restore nutrients, and a styling product has so much alcohol that it dries everything out once again.

Your hair doesn’t stand a chance.

No, it’s not that you need to start from scratch. It’s just that now you have a baseline to understand what’s really working and not working for you. Maybe you don’t need a clarifying shampoo every day but once a week and you’re just overdoing it. Maybe you think conditioner is making your hair greasy but it’s really the leave-in styling product that’s weighing things down too much.

Get the Right Products

This should be easy, but most people do it incorrectly. They buy products that promise them their ideal results instead of what their hair actually needs.

You don’t need the same products as the person next to you if you have thin hair and your friend has thick/coarse hair. This seems reasonable, right? But then someone sees “volume and shine” and completely forgets that there’s oil in it which will weigh them down.

Understand what products feel in your hair versus their marketed potential. A cream may work great on your sister but leave your hair greasy and flat. This doesn’t mean it’s a bad product; it means it’s not your product.

This goes for styling products, too. Do you need a product with hold but you’re worried about scalp irritation or build up? A healthy hair gel will work with your scalp instead of against it and so is a good alternative. The right styling product will give you what you want without giving you additional problems you’ll be left attempting to fix for a week after.

The Right Order

What’s more, do you have the right order? You could have all the right products but still be doing everything wrong because you’re applying them in the wrong order.

Thin to thick is important when applying products. Your hair has only so much ability to absorb; if you go heavy first, nothing else matters.

The best thing you can do is apply leave-ins or serums when your hair is still wet because they’re typically water-based and absorb better as such. Leave oil and thicker creams to the end to seal everything in.

Also consider when you’re washing your hair and styling – some products look better on dry hair while others are more beneficial on damp. Read the recommendations, yes, but then see how your own head feels – if a product says to use it on damp hair and you like the way it looks better when it’s dry, do what’s best for your head.

Stop Washing So Much (Probably)

People wash their hair too much, plain and simple. Not everyone – if someone has exceptionally fine or oily hair, they need to do what’s best for their scalp and wash daily – but if you’re doing it out of habit instead of necessity, you’re contributing to the problem which you’re attempting to fix.

Here’s why: You wash your hair, strip it of its natural oils, and then your scalp freaks out thinking it needs to produce more oil as compensation. You notice it’s greasier sooner (in reality it’s just catching up with how it’s always been) so you wash again! Repeat to create an uphill battle!

Instead, try spacing it out for a little – if you’re someone who washes daily, try every other day for two weeks. Your hair might look worse in that meantime (because it’s transitioning) but that’s part of the process – your scalp needs to realize it doesn’t need to overproduce oil anymore.

Use dry shampoo (correctly – spray it on at night so it absorbs while you’re sleeping instead of spraying in the morning when you’re running out to work).

Temperature and Technique

Also assess how hot your water is! That’s super critical! Hot water is great but opens up cuticles which could strip too much off of your hair; cold water seals down but also doesn’t clean as well.

Best practice? Wash with warm water and give it a cool rinse at the end. That cool rinse seals cuticle down to retain moisture so you’ll feel soft and look shiny.

Apply treatment conditioners from mid-lengths down to ends – your scalp has natural oil so it doesn’t need any help retaining moisture; however, your ends are the most damaged and oldest part of your hair and needs all the help it can get.

Don’t rub your wet hair with a towel! Friction destroys cuticles and leads to frizz – squeeze excess moisture out or wrap in a microfiber towel so it absorbs better.

Don’t Fight Your Natural Texture

If you have wavy hair, stop straightening it every day; if your hair is straight but you’re curling every other day – you are working against what your body wants you to do. You’re wasting time and effort forcing something that doesn’t need to be forced.

It doesn’t mean you can’t ever change your style; it means your default style should be one that’s easy and uncomplicated so it can work with your natural canvas instead of against it. Save those hot tools for special occasions or specific looks.

Learn how your natural texture best works and find ways to accentuate it – the best products will define waves but not weigh them down or add moisture, nor create crunch in curls while straight strands need volume at the root and smoothing down at the tips for health.

Seasonal Assessment

Your hair needs more in summer than in winter (and vice versa). In dry months, richer conditioners or more leave-ins may be necessary; in humid months, less dense products may work better.

Pay attention – if your hair gets frizzy from humidity – or dried from static in winter – it needs better holds or moisture blockers (or vice versa).

This may mean rotating products according to weather patterns – that’s okay! It’s better than using one heavy cream in July wondering why your hair looks greasy (it should never).

The Secret Truth: Patience For A Routine To Truly Be Effective

Ultimately, if this all sounds like too much work – you’re wrong – because none of this will work overnight. The last step to effective product use is patience because your scalp needs time to assess stability without fearing for its life or survival stakes.

What no one wants to hear is that changes won’t happen overnight because they take time – much like growth can only happen slowly, movement that’s already been done cannot be corrected until new growth comes in.

Give everything time – three or four weeks is an ideal time frame for assessment before determining something isn’t working – and stay flexible with what does work – what works now might not work six months down the road – but an effective routine is one that adapts.

Effective means effective looking good and feeling good without spending an hour before going anywhere fighting with your head. When you find something works with your head instead of against it, everything becomes easier so you spend less time using less product for a better result. That’s what an effective routine looks like.

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Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.