Has your hair care routine gotten more and more complicated over the years? Is your bathroom drawer overflowing with 20 different hair care products? If so, it may be time to take a more straightforward approach to your daily hair rituals.
Simplifying your hair care routine has several benefits: it saves you time in the morning, keeps more money in your pocket, and promotes softer, healthier hair. Plus, taking a simple approach to your hair care routine helps to reduce beauty waste, which we all know is a big problem.
Below are seven simple ways to streamline your hair care routine and make every morning a breeze.
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1. Choose products with minimal ingredients
If you want to simplify your hair care routine, finding products with more straightforward formulas is a great place to start. Many hair care products we use every day are packed with chemicals that some health advocates say could be linked to a host of health problems, including cancer and reproductive harm.
Fortunately, with the rise of the “clean” beauty movement, finding hair care products with minimal ingredients has never been easier. Here are a few simple (but effective) products we recommend:
- If you’re in the market for a new shampoo, try a hydrating shampoo bar made with plant-based ingredients.
- Follow up with a nutrient-dense conditioner bar to seal in moisture and promote natural shine.
- When you get out of the shower, treat your tresses to a splash of pure Argan oil, a product packed with vitamins A, E, and C, antioxidants, and fatty acids.
2. Get a low-maintenance haircut
People often ask their stylist for a trendy haircut, only to become frustrated a few weeks later because it requires much time and upkeep. An example of this is the bottleneck bob, which has been seen on everyone from Selena Gomez to Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney. Bob haircuts, while undeniably trendy, are high maintenance because you’ll likely need a trim every five weeks to maintain the length and style. The same goes for pixie cuts.
If you don’t want to feel like you’re constantly booking an appointment for a haircut, stick to a low-maintenance style — like long layers or a curly shag.
3. Ditch the blow dryer
Blow dryers may not be as hot as curling irons or flat irons, but they still damage your hair. Why not give your hair a break on the weekends by trading your blow dryer in for a moisture-wicking microfiber towel? (If you can do it seven days a week, even better.)
To speed up the process, blot your hair with a microfiber towel and wear the towel in your hair while you’re getting ready. While waiting for your hair to air-dry, gently tousle your hair with your fingers, focusing on the roots. This will speed up the air-drying process and add more volume to your hair.
4. Wash your hair less often
Keeping your scalp clean and free of product buildup is key to growing and maintaining healthy strands, but overwashing can lead to problems. Washing your hair daily removes the scalp’s natural oils, which contain several lipids that play a crucial role in keeping hair healthy, enhancing its shine, feel, manageability and strength.
Give hair the chance to soak up all these beneficial ingredients by increasing the time between wash days. If your roots tend to get overly greasy, use a natural dry shampoo to keep hair looking fresh until it’s time for a complete wash.
5. Default to an easy hairstyle
On days when you find yourself short on time (and patience), it’s nice to have some less-involved hairstyles to fall back on. Ponytails are a go-to for many busy people. They’re easy to do and have an endless number of variations, from the slicked-back ponytail to the sporty braided ponytail.
If you’re tired of ponytails, consider an easy half-up half-down look. For example, the half-up French twist takes minutes and can instantly dress up any look.
6. Make your products multi-task
Want to save money on hair products, simplify your routine, and reduce the clutter in your bathroom drawer? Stock up on multi-use hair care products. For those unfamiliar with the term, multi-use hair care refers to any single hair care product that can cover several hair care needs in one fell swoop.
Here are a few multi-use products to add to your beauty arsenal:
- Coconut oil. Coconut oil is chock-full of fatty acids that moisturize, strengthen and add shine to hair. You can use it to tame flyaways or achieve the slicked-back look.
- Dry shampoo. Along with prolonging the time between washes, dry shampoo works double duty as a styler and a texturizer.
- Hair oil. Hair oil can be used as a deep treatment before washing and also does a great job at taming hair before you style it.
7. Cut back on combing and brushing
Brushing your hair comes with many benefits, such as distributing your scalp’s natural oils through your hair and keeping it free of tangles. But too much brushing can cause friction on hair, leading to cuticle damage and breakage. For that reason, most hair experts recommend brushing and combing your hair minimally — and never when it’s wet.
If you need to get out stubborn tangles, wait until your hair is dehydrated and use a wide-tooth comb. Because of their wider teeth, wide-tooth combs create less friction on the hair, which means minor damage and hair loss.
Going Back to the Basics
Contrary to popular belief, hair care doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective. We’d argue the opposite — that the simpler, the better. By streamlining your hair care routine, you can focus on quality over quantity and give your hair the TLC it deserves!
