Hair Care Essentials

If I ever get any questions (you know, that influencer voice “eeeverybody has been asking me“) is usually about hair care products I use and my usual routine. I did a Staples post a while back, but since this is ever-changing, I thought I’d make a permanent spot for an in-depth and always-updated list. So this will be a place where you will always find everything about my haircare. I promise I will keep it updated!

Routine

1. I comb my hair before stepping in the shower, so I get rid of tangles.
2. I wash them twice: first time with Lush Rehab (clears out all the product build-up) and second time with whichever other shampoo I currently use (usually a richer, more nourishing one).
3. After washing comes the conditioner. I usually try to leave it in for a few minutes and then rinse it off.
4. When the hair is semi-towel dry, I do a few pumps of hair oil/serum and then I brush it.
5. After that, I put on my microfibre towel for a few minutes. That way I can avoid excessive aggressive towel drying and the hair is not dripping everywhere.
6. After that, I usually leave them for an hour or so to air dry and then finish it off with the blowdryer.
7. When they are completely dry, I sometimes add a bit of hair cream (only when they feel a bit rough).
8. If I’m going out straight after or usually in the morning, I also style them. Most of the time just a few strokes with the straightener.
9. When I’m done, I use a tiny bit of hair cream.
10. After a day or two, I do a few sprays of dry shampoo to prolong the freshness.

Products

Staples

Some products have a permanent spot on my shelf. For example, the Rehab shampoo is a no-brainer. The FoB custom conditioner gets swapped depending on the season (I have a lighter and heavier version). Most changes are usually happening with serums and styling primers, but even those are currently pretty standardised as I’m trying to empty them all.

1. Lush Rehab Shampoo
2. R+Co Television Perfect Shampoo
3. Function of Beauty Custom Conditioner
4. Function of Beauty Custom Serum
5. Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection & Heat Protectant Cream
6. O’Right Green Tea Moisturizing Cream

Occasional Extra Care

Sometimes hair needs some extra care. Once every 2 weeks I do a purple shampoo for my highlights. Roughly once a month or whenever my hair feels a bit straw-like, I’ll do some treatments. Hair oil the night before (leave it in until the wash) or hair mask after the wash (leave for 5 min and rinse it out). If my scalp is kinda itchy, I’ll use the scalp treatment the night before the wash as well.

1. Lush Superbalm Scalp Treatment
2. dpHUE Cool Blonde Shampoo
3. Function of Beauty Custom Mask
4. The Ordinary Argan Oil

Tools

My best investment was the blow dryer. I use a heavy-duty one, as I have so much hair and I want to speed up the drying process as much as possible (I am flirting with the possibility of Dyson when the current one dies). What also helps, is the microfiber towel, because it’s so convenient to dry your hair and keep them out of the way (to avoid touching them as much as possible). I’m pretty lazy when it comes to styling my hair. I have naturally straight hair and will usually do just a few strokes with the hair straightener, just to sort out the flyaways. If I’m feeling extra and have extra time to spare, I will use the waver, to get that lion mane. It’s the only thing that keeps some sort of shape for more than a few hours – all other curly styles get flat in a matter of minutes so I don’t even bother anymore.

1. Act+Acre Microfiber Hair Towel
2. BaByliss Diamond AC Dryer
3. HH Simonsen Straightener Divinity MK2 Pink Champagne
4. Mermade Double Waver – Black

Alternatives

I’ve tested many products throughout the years and even though I don’t currently use them, they’re still good. I will continue adding things as the routine changes.

1. Function of Beauty Shampoo & Conditioner
2. Function of Beauty Styling Primer
3. Malin+Goetz Pepermint Shampoo
4. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) 5-in-1 Styling Treatment

Testing Phase

I have a few things in my “testing” pile that I’m trying out to see if they deserve a permanent spot. I’ve been this close to a minimum since my cupboard is bursting at its seams as it is. Current things I am still searching for are some heavy-duty shampoo and conditioner for the colder season and a good dry shampoo.

1. Oribe Hair Alchemy Resilience Shampoo
2. Oribe Hair Alchemy Resilience Conditioner
3. Oribe Hair Alchemy Fortifying Treatment Serum
4. Hair by Sam McKnight Lazy Girl Dry Shampoo