Step-by-Step Guide to Build the Perfect Hair Care Routine

Don’t have a proper hair care routine yet? Want the perfect curls, shine, or length? Well, firstly, it isn’t that complex as they say. You need some foundation, and you will be good to go. This foundation can be built up in a few weeks of consistency.

All you need to know is a few basics, which this guide will give you. Remember, there isn’t a one-fit-all hair care routine, as it depends on your lifestyle, hair type, and length. You will need to experiment a little, and you will create a personalized hair care routine that is perfect just for you. So, without any delay, let’s start with the first step, which is knowing what type of hair you have.

Step 1: Understand Your Hair Type

This is on you to discover, honestly. Suppose your hair is straight like a needle, and then you have the straight hair type. On the other hand, if you see noodles on your head, it means you have curly hair. But there are two more hair types as well. Here’s what you should know about different hair types.

Straight Hair: Naturally shiny and less prone to frizz but can get oily quickly.
Wavy Hair: Falls between straight and curly, with a slight wave pattern.
Curly Hair: Characterized by defined curls that can range from loose to tight and are prone to dryness and frizz.
Coily Hair: Extremely tight curls or coils that need extra hydration and care.

This is just a general tip for understanding your hair type, but there’s much more to this than this. In reality, the hair type is determined by two factors: texture and porosity. To get a better idea, here’s what these two factors actually mean:

Hair Texture

Hair Texture means the width or, simply put, the thickness of the hair strands. Normally, there are three types of hair textures: fine, medium, and coarse. Your hair texture means how each strand feels every touch and impact while you style or manage. The major factor is the diameter of each hair strand.

Hair Porosity

Unlike hair texture, porosity means the hair’s ability to retain and absorb moisture. It is different across different hair types. If you want to know where your hair stands in the porosity level, it’s easy to peasy. Simply put a strand of your hair in a glass of water, and you will know.

Here’s what the outcome means:

Low Porosity: If your hair floats on top, this means you have low porosity. At this level, your hair will resist moisture absorption but retain it well.
Medium Porosity: Your hair has medium porosity if your hair stays in the middle. This level is actually at the sweet spot and easy to manage.
High Porosity: Hair sinks to the bottom when your hair has high porosity. This means your hair will absorb moisture quickly but lose it just as fast.

For additional tips on maintaining hair health during different life stages, check out Hair Care Tips During Pregnancy.

Step 2: Why You Need a Hair Care Routine At the First Place

This step is as important as the first one. You should know what you’re dealing with in the first place in order to cure it, right? If you don’t know the disease, can you fight it? Absolutely no! Therefore, you need to know your specific hair concern. The following are some of the common hair concerns:

Dandruff

This is a skin condition that results in flaking and itchiness on the hair scalp.

Hair loss

It’s exactly as it sounds. You start losing hair due to multiple factors.

Damaged hair

The hair cuticles develop cracks, which result in hair damage, mainly breakage.

Split ends

This occurs when your hair strands become extremely damaged or dehydrated.

Frizzy hair

If your hair absorbs too much moisture from the hair, you get frizzy hair.

Dry hair

When hair runs out of natural oils and moisture, your hair becomes dry.

Learn how celebrities manage their tresses with Actress Hair Care Routine.

Step 3: Make a Scalp Cleansing Routine

Write this on paper if you must; a healthy scalp is the foundation for healthy hair. For starters, regular washes remove any product buildup, dirt, and oil. This allows your hair to breathe properly and grow under the best-suited scalp conditions.

But don’t think that washing is enough for the perfect scalp; you need more than that.

Washing Frequency

Here’s a rough idea of how frequently you should wash your hair:

Fine hair: 2-3 times a week
Thick or curly hair: Once a week or as needed

Proper Washing Technique

Wet your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water.
Apply shampoo to your scalp and massage gently.
Rinse thoroughly and avoid overwashing the ends.

Useful Tip:

Pre-wash treatments like rescue growth rosemarymint elixir can provide added nourishment and hydration, especially for dry or damaged hair.

Rescue Growth Rosemarymint Elixir

Choosing the Right Shampoo

Before you go ahead and buy a shampoo, you should consider the issue that you are dealing with and then purchase:

Dandruff-Prone Hair: Use medicated shampoos with ingredients like tea tree oil or salicylic acid.
Dry Hair: Choose a moisturizing shampoo with ingredients like shea butter or coconut oil.
Oily Hair: Look for clarifying shampoos that control excess sebum.

For hair fall concerns, explore the Best Hair Fall Shampoo in Pakistan Recommended by Experts.

Step 4: Condition and Moisturize

Shampooing is not enough because your hair needs moisture, which you can’t get from a shampoo. Conditioners bring moisture and protect your hair from all sorts of damage. Moreover, your hair becomes easy to detangle and style afterward.

Choosing the Right Conditioner

Like shampoo, you need to brainstorm a little to find it. For starters, remember these two points:

For fine hair: Lightweight formulas
For thick or coarse hair: Rich, creamy conditioners

Types of Conditioners

Rinse-Out Conditioners: Apply after shampooing to restore moisture.
Leave-In Conditioners: Provide ongoing hydration and protect against environmental stressors.

Useful Tip: Deep conditioners or masks can repair damage and provide intense hydration. Use them once a week for best results.

Step 5: Protect and Strengthen

Once you have well-conditioned hair, it’s time to proceed to step number five: Protection and strengthening. You should immediately lock in the moisture with a serum. This will work well to lock in the moisture and add shine to your hair.

By protection, we mean using a heat protectant if you are going to heat style your hair. This will act as a barrier that will minimize damage from the hot temperature.

Strengthening Treatments

Protein treatments can repair weak or damaged strands.
Keratin treatments smooth the hair and reduce frizz.

Avoiding Heat Damage

Use tools at the lowest effective temperature.
Limit the use of heat styling on hair to once or twice a week, maximum.

For DIY remedies, check out How to Make Hair Roots Strong with DIY Remedies.

Step 6: Style with Care

With all the precautionary measures completed, you should then move on to the next step, which is to finish things up and style your hair. But everything isn’t done yet; you need to style it with care as well. Here’s a quick look at things to consider to style with care:

Styling Products

Choose products that suit your hair type:

Gels: Provide hold for curly hair.
Mousses: Add volume to fine hair.
Creams: Define curls or waves.

Detangling Techniques

Detangling is also as crucial as any other step through your hair care routine. Make sure to keep the following detangling tips in mind:

Use a wooden comb or a detangling brush.
Start from the ends and work your way up your hair to avoid breakage.

Detangling Wooden Comb

Air Drying Vs Blow Drying

Feature	Air Drying	Blow Drying
Time Required	Longer	Quick
Hair Damage	Minimal	Possible heat damage
Volume	Natural finish	Adds more volume
Convenience	No tools needed	Requires a blow dryer
Best For	Healthy hair preservation	Styling and shaping

Step 7: Maintain and Adjust Your Routine

You are almost there in creating the perfect hair care routine; give yourself a pat on the back. But as we said earlier, you will need to experiment a little to get the perfect hair care routine for you. Here are some considerations:

Seasonal Adjustments

Your hair’s needs change with the weather. Use heavier products in winter and lighter ones in summer. But you should be extra careful in winters and should know how to take care of your hair in winter.

Monitor Your Products

If a product stops working, it might be time to switch. Hair can adapt to products over time, reducing their effectiveness.

Regular Trims

Trimming split ends every 6-8 weeks prevents further damage and keeps your hair looking healthy.

Professional Consultation

Seek advice from a hairstylist or dermatologist if you notice persistent issues like excessive hair loss or scalp irritation.

Common Hair Care Mistakes to Avoid

The above-mentioned steps are enough for you to make a proper hair care routine, but there are a few things to consider. These mistakes are very common and are overlooked by many. But don’t stress, as we will provide you with everything that you should not do:

Overwashing Your Hair

Washing is a great practice, but too much of it can lead to serious problems. This is because your hair will lose all its natural oils and become dry. You will experience irritation and, in the worst-case scenario, will trigger the scalp to produce excess oil, leaving hair greasy. It also depends on the hair type and how it reacts to frequent hair wash.

How to Ideally Wash Your Hair

There are three general tips that we would like to give you on how to ideally wash your hair.

Wash 2–3 times a week if you have oily hair.
If you have dry or curly hair, once a week or as suggested by an expert.

Using the Wrong Products

Quick tip: Don’t go for a Sulfate shampoo.

Why? Because it can damage your hair excessively, unlike a sulfate-free shampoo, which is gentle on hair and offers actual benefits. Another major mistake is choosing a shampoo without knowing whether it’s ideal for your hair or not.

Don’t stress, as it is not that complex to understand. If you have fine hair, don’t go for nutrient-rich/heavy products, and if you have thick or curly hair, light products may not provide enough hydration.

Recommended Sulfate-free shampoo

Bond Repair Shampoo

Not Using Heat Protectants

Too much heat styling can lead to hair breakage, dullness, and split ends. This is why you need heat protection before using tools like flat irons, hair dryers, or curling irons.

One more thing: Try to limit heat styling to protect your hair from hot temperature damage further. The best would be if you only style once or twice a week and always set the temperature to the lowest settings.

Not Applying All the Way to Scalp

This is a very common mistake that many people make when neglecting the scalps. What this does is fail to provide nutrients of oil, shampoo, or conditioner that you will apply. Moreover, your scalps will become unhealthy, which can lead to hair loss from the least to most disturbing type of dandruff.

In order to make sure that your scalps get all the nutrients, first use a clarifying shampoo or scrub your scalps once a month to remove buildup.

Bonus Tip

Massage your scalp with oils like rosemary oil to improve blood circulation and nourish the hair roots.

Combing Wet Hair

If you are combing your wet hair, you are not alone. There are many people who comb aggressively, let alone comb their wet hair. Wet hair combing, especially roughly, can cause split ends and hair loss, especially during winters.

So, what to do? The best solution is to use a wooden wide-tooth comb and detangle gently. While you comb, make sure that you start from the very end all the way up.

Bonus Tips for Healthy Hair

To conclude everything, here are some bonus tips to follow for healthier and longer hair:

Nutrition and Hydration

A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals can significantly impact hair health. Focus on:

Biotin: Found in eggs and nuts
Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in fish and flaxseeds
Vitamin E: Found in almonds and spinach

Head Massages

Massaging your scalp improves blood circulation and promotes hair growth. Use oils like coconut or rosemary for added benefits.

Supplements

If your diet lacks specific nutrients, consider taking supplements like biotin or omega-3 capsules.

Avoiding Harsh Chemicals

Choose products free from sulfates, parabens, and silicones to minimize damage.

Ending Note

We hope that this guide has everything you are looking for in a perfect hair care routine. From the 7-step hair care routine to mistakes that you should avoid, everything is there for you to know and experiment. Do let us know if you have any questions; we would love to answer them.

Remember: “Your hair is an investment in yourself. Treat it with the care it deserves.”