Haircare - A Practical Approach

If you’ve landed on this blog you’re probably already experiencing stress about your hair/scalp. You’ve noticed that your hair is dry, your scalp is malnourished even though the products you’re using claim results otherwise. Your head floats back to your last salon visit, to that intimidating hairstylist who convinced you to purchase 6k worth of hair products, shampoos, masks, conditioners, we name it, you bought it. Scary dude, so pushy! As you run your fingers through your hair and see them return with multiple dry, straw-like strands, it hits you that nobody cared! Not the stylist, not the product manufacturers. It's Google to the rescue. You start to type “help” but type “haircare” instead and that’s how you ended up here.

Hi! I’m Isha and I’m here to help you, and I mean it! By the end of this read, I aim to educate you enough so you can identify your hair type yourself and decide the right haircare products and routine too. All roads are going to lead to natural, organic and sustainable products so if you’re a chemmies person, ABORT MISSION!

Before getting to the “Dos” let’s cross off the unwanted with the “Don’ts”.

1.       DON’T listen to everyone else

Don’t allow someone else to tell you what to do and not do to your hair, unless they’re a hair professional that actually cares about your locks (cue the free promotional music).

2.       DON’T be impatient and unrealistic

Healing of any kind requires time and love. When you start with a new product, give it time to settle and work. Unlike make-up, these haircare products take time to transform your hair. Wait, watch, observe and heal.

3.       DON’T give up!

Nothing is worse than “xyz product only worked best for me, I’ll go back to that”. Unless you commit to a conscious, educated hair routine, change will be far out of your reach. Return when you’re ready to shed the cosmetic façade.

4.       DON’T freak out and go overboard

A reformed hair care routine does not require you to splurge on 10 different products and overdo them over a week. It’s a systematic, slow process.

5.       NO Sulfates/Silicones/Parabens

Sulphates = Cleansing agents that make your shampoo lather. Ever noticed how your hands become dry when you use detergents and utensil cleaners? It’s the same stuff. Now imagine that on your scalp.

Silicones = Found in conditioners and leave-ins to give the silky, shiny look. They act as a sealant and don’t actually allow any moisture in. The stickiness also causes dirt and dust to stick to your hair.

Parabens = The preservatives in your products that can cause scalp irritation, dryness and long term exposure to them can lead to hormonal imbalances since it gets absorbed into the system through your scalp.

When the market is filled with multiple haircare products, with new ones coming everyday, which should you choose?

Summing it all up, your hair products that should be working towards improving your hair health are making it drier, frizzier and irritating your scalp. Now, do you really want to go back to that shampoo you used to use?

So how do you pick the right haircare products and routine?

1.       Pick your Shampoo for your SCALP

Choose your shampoo with ingredients that work for your scalp type. Dry, oily, itchy, normal, dandruff prone are all scalp types and each will have certain natural ingredients that work best for it. Do a quick search for shampoos with those ingredients and invest in those products. Eg. shampoos with oils and proteins would provide nourishment to a dry scalp.

2.       Pick your conditioner for your HAIR

Conditioners are meant to close the hair cuticles and give nourishment to the hair shaft. A conditioner addresses problems of dryness, frizz, limp, brittle hair, damaged and chemically treated hair, etc. The ingredients in your conditioner should address your hair complaints. And if you already have smooth hair, pick a light conditioner but NEVER not use one. Conditioner is to your hair what toner is to your skin. It closes the pores and prevents pollution, dust and anything bad from entering.

3.       Include a WEEKLY CARE RITUAL for your hair and scalp

Pamper your hair and scalp at least once a week with hair masks and oils to ensure maximum nourishment. Address both your scalp and hair separately since they’re different and equally important when it comes to a care routine.

4.       Pick your styling products to make your hair look the way you want

Haircare also includes styling to make your hair behave the way you want it to. To control frizz, use a leave-in cream. To hold your styles, use gel/clay. For the perfect curls use a curl cream etc. There are multiple natural styling products available that not only style, but also nourish your hair.

5.       Incorporate a DETOX ritual once a month

The build-up of products, dust, pollution, toxins in our hair and scalp is inevitable considering our exposure to the outside world and quantities of products used. Use a detox mask and a clarifying shampoo at least once a month to clean your hair and scalp.

The goal is to educate, not sell. And with everything mentioned above, you should now be in a position to figure out what your scalp and hair needs and buy products accordingly. Always remember, natural is best so look for brands accordingly.

If you’re still feeling overwhelmed and intimidated by all this information, you can get a hair consult with me. I’d be happy to help!

Sending you happy hair vibes! <3