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How to build a Hair care routine for your hair type

17 June 2024
Dyson expert is giving advice to a customer on how to take care of her hair

How to build a Hair care routine?

Hair experiences stress daily. UV radiation, pollution, hair dyeing and lifestyle habits all place pressure on strand integrity, and cumulative exposure can lead to damage. Adding to this, conventional stylers which use extreme heat increase the risk of weakened strands and breakage.

Damaged strands can’t be repaired, so a supportive hair care routine is needed to keep your hair’s health in check. Dyson’s research into hair science has enabled us to understand what motivates healthy hair and what places stress on strand proteins.

If you’re wondering how to build a hair care routine, there are a few factors to consider. The key to shiny and strong hair is balanced moisture. A healthy hair routine can help to reduce frizz, grow your hair, and maintain moisture. Ahead, see how to create a hair care routine for your hair type with Dyson haircare technology.

What to consider when creating a hair routine

The best hair care routine for you will depend on your individual needs and concerns. Your hair type, the environmental stressors you face and the status of natural or dyed strands all play into what your daily hair care routine should look like.

Hair care routine steps address current concerns such as oiliness or dandruff, while working to strengthen strands against environmental stress and damage. Below, see what hair care tips to consider when developing your routine.

Hair type and texture

Your hair type is one of the biggest factors to consider when determining the right hair routine. More than straight or curly, there are 4 distinct types of hair, with 3 subcategories in each:

  • Hair type 1. Straight

    1a Poker straight
    1b Straight with a slight wave
    1c Straight with a slight wave and one or two visible S waves

  • Hair type 2. Wavy

    2a Loose S-waves throughout
    2b Shorter more distinct S-waves
    2c Distinct S-waves with some loose curls

  • Hair type 3. Curly

    3a Big loose spiral curls
    3b Bouncy ringlets
    3c Tight corkscrews

  • Hair type 4. Very curly to kinky

    4a Tightly coiled S-curls
    4b Z-pattern, tightly coiled, sharp angled
    4c Mostly Z-pattern, very tightly kinked

Current hair health

Bleaching, dyeing and other chemical treatments like perms or keratin straightening leave strands with reduced moisture. The dyeing process works by penetrating the shaft of a strand to alter its natural pigment, which causes moisture to leak. Chemicals used in dyeing also affect the natural proteins and lipids in hair, which can cause some damage or stress.

Additionally, if you use conventional stylers on a regular basis, your hair is likely damaged through extreme heat. Temperatures above 230° cause strands to melt. To rebuild strength and encourage growth, focus on establishing a hair care routine for damaged hair.

Everyday styling preference

Your everyday styling influences the stress placed on strands and the products that you’ll use as part of your hair routine. For example, those who use conventional blow dryers to dry hair every time will experience damaged hair at a faster rate than those who allow their hair to dry naturally. Popular styling preferences include:

  • Drying hair with a hair dryer
  • Blow waving with a dryer
  • Beach waves with a straightener or hair dryer
  • Straightening or curling
  • Wearing hair up – in a ponytail, bun, braids or slicked back
  • Hair concerns

    Alongside general strengthening, your hair care routine helps to improve individual concerns. The concerns we have are often informed by our hair type, so the best hair care routine will work to support your specific needs. Common hair concerns include:

  • flakiness from a dry scalp
  • oily scalp
  • split ends
  • heat damage
  • frizz
  • flyaways
  • dryness
  • Hair washing frequency

    • How often you wash your hair will depend on lifestyle, styling preference, hair type and natural oil levels. You may need to wash your hair more often if you work out regularly or face higher amounts of pollutants and debris. However, balanced moisture does rely on a healthy natural state, so it’s recommended not to wash your hair any more than three times a week.

      Overarchingly, the regularity of your hair care routine depends on the texture and type of hair you have:

      Thin, fine hair: tends to become greasy and oily more quickly.
      Medium, thick hair: can withstand impurities for longer and typically doesn’t feel oily or lank.
      Course, coily hair: tends to be dryer and doesn’t become as greasy.

    • A girl is washing her hair

    Step-by-step Hair care routine

    • Step #1: Cleanse with shampoo

      Cleansing is the first step of hair routines for all hair types. Shampoos contain cleaning agents to combat impurities, excess sweat and environmental stress. Depending on how you style your hair, shampoo also helps to remove product-build up. 

      Shampooing helps to retain balanced oil-flow and encourages follicle growth. To support your hair type and texture, choose a shampoo designed for your needs, such as dryness or damage. Shampoo should be applied to the scalp and top parts of your hair to remove excess oil and product build-up. Finally, one of the most important shampoo hair care tips is to avoid using it in daily hair care routines, as excessive cleansing can strip essential oil. 

    • Step #2: Condition hair

      The same as with shampoo, it’s recommended to choose a conditioner that has been formulated for your hair type. Those with fine or thin hair should consider a lighter weight conditioner that won’t weigh hair down, while those with thicker hair may want something more nourishing. 

      When applying conditioner, concentrate on placing the product from the mid-shaft downwards, where hair is drier and needs more moisture. After applying, you can use a wide tooth comb to ensure the conditioner is evenly distributed. We suggest allowing the product to absorb fully (around 3–5 minutes) before moving on to your next hair care routine step.

    • Step #3: Apply targeted treatment

      Hair is most vulnerable when wet, as strands are at their most elastic. After towel drying, gently untangle your hair with a wet brush or wide-tooth comb, then apply any heat protectant or strengthening products. As with shampoos and conditioners, post-shower treatments are designed to support different hair types and needs. 

      Consider hair oils and serums, leave-in conditioners, heat protectants, and air-dry creams. At this point if you use styling tools, a heat protectant should always be applied. This helps to coat strands and protect against heat exposure from tools alongside UV radiation. Follow the directions for each product to ensure they work correctly in this step of your hair routine.

    • Step #4: Dry hair carefully

      If you use a hair dryer to dry or style your hair, it’s important to use a tool that protects the integrity of strands. Unlike traditional hair dryers, the Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer measures air temperature over 40 times a second to regulate temperature output and prevent extreme heat damage. Dyson’s engineers developed the Supersonic™ to be quieter than conventional models, and with focused airflow to cut drying time.  

      For naturally curly hair, it’s recommended to use a Diffuser attachment. For straight hair, use a paddle brush to straighten as you dry or a Vented barrel brush to add volume. 

    • Step #5: Use supportive styling tool

      Styling is typically the final step in hair care routines. Even the best hair care routine won’t be able to retain strand strength alongside frequent use of conventional stylers. Instead, opt for heat-controlled straighteners and stylers which work to keep strands intact while achieving seamless style. 

      The Dyson Corrale™ straightener uses pioneering Dyson technology such as flexing copper plates and intelligent heat control – to create curls, smooth hair and perfect ponytails without causing frizz or damage from extreme heat. 

      The next generation Dyson Airwrap™ multi-styler curls, shapes, and hides flyaways using the enhanced Coanda effect. Unlike conventional stylers, Dyson’s hair tool employs aerodynamic airflow to attract, shape, and smooth hair. 

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