Hair Care

There is an adage that goes by “Invest in your hair; it is the crown you never take off.” And some believe that a long, lustrous, and healthy hair is the most beautiful accessory any woman can own. Though it is true, the process of finding an effective hair care routine for a healthy hair can be daunting at times. So understanding a few basics will help your quest to find the right product. Just like skin, each of us has a different hair texture, type, color and there is no one size fits all approach. Your hair care routine ultimately depends on factors like.

Your natural hair texture or type

Hair types tend to be thin, thick, or coarse and can be straight, wavy, coily, or curly in texture. Straight hair tends to feel greasy quicker than curly hair and needs to be washed frequently. Likewise, coarse hair needs more conditioning than fine, straight hair.

Previous hair treatments

If you have done chemical treatments like bleaching and dyeing, you might need mild shampoos and nourishing conditioners to strengthen the hair. And frequent washing can cause premature color fading and dryness.

Your go-to hairstyle

Some women prefer low-key ponytail while some never shy away from styling the hair using various tools. Look for products appropriate to each style like heat-protection serums or texturizers to protect the hair from damage.

Specific concerns you have

Whether you have an itchy scalp or dull, frizzy hair or severe hair fall, choose products specific to the concern and address one at a time. Check for actives and ingredients before buying and understand how the product works.

Climate and seasonal change

The humidity and temperature change also affect the scalp’s pH, alter sebum secretion and you need to change the shampoo or conditioner as per your hair needs. Do you know that your hair changes texture every 7 years? This could be another reason that the product once worked for you may not work now. While all these factors help you choose the product, the basic steps in any hair care routine involve:

Routine

  Cleansing
Clean hair is one of the most important steps to maintain healthy hair. Irrespective of your hair type, you need to make sure that you wash it properly with shampoo and keep it clean. If you have an oily scalp, you need to wash your hair frequently to avoid the build-up of sebum on your scalp since excess oil will make your hair appear greasy. People who have normal hair and scalp can wash their hair whenever necessary. You can wash your hair twice a week or based on your needs. If you have a dry scalp, you should not wash your hair every day since it will only make your scalp drier. A Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)-free shampoo can be good for your hair since can further dry your hair.

  Conditioning
Conditioning is equally important as shampooing the hair to keep it nourished and frizz-free. The cationic surfactants in the conditioner stick to the wet hair and coat the strands to replenish the moisture that shampoo may have removed. Apply conditioners only to the length of the hair and not to the scalp or roots. If you have an extremely dry and coarse hair, consider using deep conditioning masks or leave-in conditioners to help manage the hair.

  Detangling
Detangling is essential to prevent breakage and for a mess-free hair. Brushing the hair when it is still wet causes breakage and hence a wide-tooth comb can be a less damaging alternative. If you have curly hair, detangle it in the shower when you have applied a conditioner to avoid breaking. A detangling spray or serum further conditions the hair to manage the knots and make it softer so combs seamlessly work through their way through. Depending on your hair type, you may need to detangle every day or much less often.

  Hairstyling
Thanks to numerous tools and tricks like volumizers and gels, you can style your hair practically any way you want. But if you’re a fan of heated tools, you’ll need to protect those strands with a heat protection spray. Besides, products like mousse, pomade, texturizers, shine spray, or serums also help in adding shine and improves texture. And remember to get a break from heat styling tools, every now and then. Apart from these, using a clarifying shampoo once in a month to prevent product build-up, massaging with oil or applying a mask before shampooing, protecting the hair from sun damage, and washing the hair with warm water rather than hot water helps to maintain a healthy hair. After all, LOVE IS IN THE HAIR!!! At Shri Mitra, we help to curate a range of products based on each hair type and building routine for specific concerns at an affordable range.