Gorgeous, gorgeous woman sometimes wants gorgeous, gorgeous hair. That is why you might be interested in giving your hair the best possible care. This entails utilizing the appropriate products, such as shampoo, conditioner, masks, oils, and more, in addition to making routine trips to the hairdresser. But which hair care products are best? Given the variety of products available, selecting the best hair care cosmetics can be challenging. That’s what, then? Prior to learning how to choose the right products for your hair type, it’s critical to correctly identify your hair type.
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How to Determine Your Hair Type?
Knowing your hair type is crucial for selecting the hair care products that will work best for you when it comes to taking care of your hair. In fact, employing the wrong products could be the root of most of your hair concerns or issues. Knowing your hair type will help you find the right balance for your hair and put an end to bad hair days once and for all.
The four elements listed below can help you identify the type of hair you actually have:
1) Texture of Hair
Determine your hair’s diameter, also known as the width of your strands, or how thin or thick each individual strand is, to find out what type of hair you have. Typically, there are three types of hair: fine, medium, and thick. Your hair’s ability to maintain styles and respond to particular products may be affected. Because fine hair frequently does not retain hairstyles effectively, you must backcomb and use a lot of extra-strong hairsprays. Thick hair holds quite well, but because it’s usually less elastic, it can be challenging to style. The best hair is medium-length since it holds styles well and is simple to style.
This knowledge would greenlight the type of products to gravitate towards. If you’re unsure about which category you fall into, there is an easy way to find out!
Fine Hair
Test: Contrast a hair strand with a length of sewing thread (choose a similar color to your hair if you can). Your hair is fine if it appears thinner than the sewing thread; if it appears thicker, it is probably thick. Anything in between would be considered average or medium.
If the diameter of the hair is less than 0.06 mm, fine hair specialists will discuss it. Fine hair is more prone to sensitivity, and damage, and is less able to withstand high temperatures from heat styling products. Another drawback of fine hair is that it frequently lacks volume, is limp, and can get greasy more quickly. Because of this, fine hair needs the most careful maintenance.
The purpose of your hair care regimen is to make your hair appear thick. It doesn’t take much to achieve this; utilizing the appropriate fine hair shampoo, weightless conditioner, and hair mask will yield benefits. Avoid anything creamy or rich because they can also weigh the hair down. Your hair will benefit more from the clear gel texture. Look for the terms “volume,” “fine, thin hair,” “weightless,” and “light” throughout the product. Ingredients that encourage the fullness and strength of hair, such as cellulose, different proteins (wheat, rice), and polymers, are also fantastic. Instead, stay away from products that include dimethicone or behentrimonium methosulfate because they are excessively heavy and will make your hair oily right away.
Medium/Normal Hair
A typical hair typically measures 0.07 mm in thickness. Normal hair is naturally lustrous, supple, and undamaged; it is neither greasy nor dry. It requires little maintenance, looks excellent, and the hairstyle keeps its shape well. The best state of the hair actually indicates that you take good care of it.
You’re in luck if you have medium hair because you can get by with only a regular shampoo instead of using products designed specifically for this hair type. Additionally, a daily shampoo or a shampoo and conditioner combination is ideal for your hair type. Sometimes, in addition to using shampoo and conditioner, you can also treat your hair to an intensive treatment or hair mask.
Thick Hair
Hair that is thicker than 0.08 mm in diameter. While coarse hair has a lot of texture and seems thick and voluminous, it is also more prone to frizz, is harder to manage, and frequently does not hold water as well as other hair types. This type of hair has the benefit of being more resistant to breakage, damage, and extreme temperatures.
Suitable care: People with coarse hair should use additional moisturizing products in order to moisturize those strands and prevent frizz. Due to their high fatty acid content, we advise using extremely hydrating shampoos, nourishing conditioners, and masks with a rich texture, such as those containing cocoa or shea butter. Products for smoothing and taming frizz are also appropriate. Additionally, there are items created specifically for thick hair, such as shampoos, conditioners, and masks. Hair oils are another option for your hair regimen. The oils work wonders to add shine, softness, and smoothness while also acting as an anti-frizz agent. Your styling options are practically endless, provided that you stay away from anything with a recipe that contains a lot of water.
Curly & Wavy Hair
Your hair’s shape, such as whether it is straight, wavy, or curly, is also meant when we discuss the texture of your hair. Since straight hair doesn’t require particular maintenance, our attention will be mostly on curly and wavy hair, which do. Typically, this hair type is porous, dry, coarse, frizzy, and dull.
Suitable care: Curly hair generally lacks nutrients and water. Use a shampoo designed for curly and wavy hair to wash your hair. Shampoos are also ideal for dry hair. The hair mask and conditioner for curly and wavy hair should not be overlooked. Because curly hair tends to be frizzy as well, smoothing and anti-frizz solutions are also appropriate.
2) Oiliness / Dry of the Scalp
We are all aware that a healthy scalp equals healthy strands, thus taking care of your scalp is not only a good idea but also a requirement.
Wash your hair as usual for the test. Apply no products to your hair and let it air dry to avoid changing the outcome. The following morning, use a tissue to gently press your scalp, not to wipe it. Give your hair a night’s rest. Press a tissue against your scalp near the crown of your head in the morning; do not rub. You have an oily scalp if there is oil residue on the tissue.
Dry Scalp
Dry hair that seems dull and coarse is typically a sign of a dry scalp. You frequently only wash your hair once a week. However, there are many different factors that can lead to dry hair, such as over-processing hair with dye or lighteners, overusing hot tools like flat irons, curling irons, and blow dryers, using a harsh or inferior shampoo, or simply not taking care of your hair properly in general.
Appropriate maintenance: Fill your hair with good fats to keep it moisturized. In the fight against dry hair, using the right moisturizing shampoo and conditioner can greatly assist. Dry hair might benefit greatly from the use of a deep treatment hydrating mask. And since we all know how damaging heat can be to hair, the less heat you can put on it every day, the better. Use a good thermal protector to assist keep moisture if you must use a hot tool. Moisturizing leave-in treatment, which you can spritz on your hair whenever it appears dry, is an excellent aid for this type of hair. Contrarily, stay away from volumizing and deep-cleansing shampoos.
Normal Scalp
You likely wash your hair twice a week if you don’t have dry or oily skin. The maintenance will resemble that of point 1) natural hair.
Greasy scalp
Hair that is oily requires daily washing and has a flat, greasy, heavy appearance. You either shampoo your hair daily or 4-5 times per week. The oily scalp is the main contributor to oily hair. Because of this, some people (who have more “active” sebaceous glands) can go eight days with a flawless blowout while others (who have less “active” sebaceous glands) must cope with an oil slick after just a few hours.
Suitable care: You can’t really control your sebaceous glands’ activity (due to genetics), but there are certain things you can do to manage the condition.
Use specific beauty products for this hair type, such as shampoo for oily hair and a tonic for an oily scalp. Instead, stay away from oily, overly-rich shampoos and conditioners that claim to moisturize, nurture, and smooth hair. Dry shampoo can be used to treat oily hair once it appears.
3) Porosity
The capacity of hair to absorb moisture or product is referred to as porosity. You can decide what kinds of chemical treatments and products to use on your hair by finding out how porous your hair is. You can also use this information to select what kinds of products to use on your hair.
Test: Dropping a single strand of hair into a bowl of water can quickly reveal the porosity of your hair. Your hair has a high porosity if it sinks to the bottom because it is soaking up all the moisture. Your hair has low porosity and is difficult to moisten if it floats on top of the water. Finally, if the hair is floating in the water, it has a typical porosity, which means that it is well-balanced.
High Porosity
If your hair is very porous, chemical hair treatments, heat styling, or a number of other problems may have caused gaps or splits in your strands’ cuticles. This means that when you apply a product, your hair absorbs it fast, necessitating the need for additional application. High porosity people discover that while their hair dries rapidly, it doesn’t feel moisturized or nourished.
Suitable care: A hydrating hair product will offer your hair a tonne of moisture, but avoiding heat, which could further dry out your strands, is the best course of action for this hair type. Highly nutritious, creamy, or greasy foods are excellent (except for very fine hair). In order to ensure gentle washing, we advise using sulfate-free shampoo on damaged hair. You can select cleaning conditioners for an even gentler wash. After that, use smoothing conditioners, conditioners for damaged hair, rejuvenating masks, and hair oils. Additionally helpful are items with a pH that is slightly acidic (close the hair). These specialized cosmetics aid in cuticle smoothing, moisture retention, and fiber restoration.
Medium Porosity
If your hair has normal porosity, it will readily absorb the product’s nutrients and reliably hold onto moisture. You won’t experience any issues with volume or elasticity. The hair appears lustrous and healthy. No special maintenance is needed. The upkeep will be the same as for healthy hair.
Low Porosity
Because the cuticle of your hair lays flat when it has low porosity, water frequently sits on the outside of your hair rather than being absorbed. People with low porosity frequently notice that their hair takes longer to dry and that products frequently build up on their hair instead of soaking in.
Suitable care: Carefully washing shampoos and peelings should be used to eliminate product buildups and deposits from low-porosity hair in the beginning. These shampoos will aid in opening the cuticle to improve the absorption of subsequent care items. Utilize hair masks and treatments only on rare occasions (e.g. once in 14 days). Applying products to somewhat damp hair will allow for even greater product penetration. Distribute products evenly through your hair. Additionally, stay away from creamy and oily products and opt for milder ones made for fine hair.
4) Special Hair Types
In addition to the hair types listed above, there are other factors you should consider when choosing cosmetic products. Keep reading to find out more.
Colored & Blonde Hair
Constant coloring causes colored hair to become easily sensitive, frail, very porous and also damaged. Pick shampoos for colored hair, conditioners for colored hair, leave-in treatments for colored hair, and hair masks for colored hair that are made especially for chemically treated hair. These cosmetics not only maintain the hair’s quality but also shield the color from fading over time. Additionally, some toning solutions can even rejuvenate and improve the color, allowing for longer intervals between salon visits. Avoid using sulfate-containing shampoos, deep-cleaning shampoos, and shampoos for greasy hair because they have a strong cleansing impact and could hasten the fading of the color.
Blondes will appreciate the specific shampoos, conditioners, and hair masks made specifically for blonde hair since they maintain the color’s brightness and radiance and restore the hair’s quality, which has been damaged by the lightening process. Is there one among you who is a platinum blonde? No doubt. The violet/silver shampoos in your bathroom shouldn’t be missed. These violet-colored shampoos can help you get rid of unwelcome warm and yellow tones (more about it here). Additionally, purple conditioners, silver masks, and violet-pigmented leave-in treatments can be used as a complement to purple shampoos.
Dandruff
Dandruff can be a pain to manage. The issue can be quite painful, not to mention possibly a touch unsightly, with flakes and an itchy, dry scalp. Fortunately, getting rid of dandruff is as simple as using the appropriate shampoo. These are especially medicines that remove dandruff from hair effectively, such as zinc pyrithione, salicylic acid, and allantoin. Make sure to massage the anti-dandruff shampoo into your scalp and give it about five minutes to work its magic in eliminating that bothersome yeast. Also recommended by hair specialists is to alternate using these shampoos with shampoo for sensitive scalps. Anti-dandruff masks and leave-in treatments are also quite efficient at reducing dandruff.
Hair Loss
There are several potential reasons for hair loss. To support stronger, healthier hair, it’s critical to comprehend the many forms and causes. When compared to progressive hair thinning, reactionary hair thinning frequently arises from stress, dietary inadequacies, hormonal changes following pregnancy, or drugs. The best products to use in conjunction with quality shampoos and conditioners for thinning hair are stimulating serums and tonics for thinning hair. Regular and thorough application is the crucial element. Be patient, though, since the first noticeable results should appear after 3 to 4 months.
After passing all the hair tests, you can discover that you have a variety of hair types, including fine hair that is thick, coarse hair that is thin, and a variety of combinations in between. Now what? Prioritize one primary area and concentrate on it.