Great hair can sometimes feel like a mystery-- one day you have it and the next… not so much. Luckily, we know a thing or two about what makes your hair behave and what doesn't, and a key part of your best hair is how you wash it. Achieving and maintaining healthy hair starts with the right hair washing routine. Read on for some of our expert hair washing tips + tricks and say farewell to bad hair days, forever!

image: @blossomofstyle

FOR HAIR PRONE TO FRIZZ

To smooth frizzy hair for good you have to maintain hydration and be gentle with your hair. Scour ingredient lists for sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate) and avoid them at all costs, as can be overly harsh and dry out hair. Ingredients like yuzu ceramides and exotic oils in NatureLab’s Smooth Shampoo hydrate hair to remove frizz. Seal the deal with a conditioner that deeply penetrates strands to tame tresses until your next wash, and follow with Smooth Hair Oil to style and prevent flyaways. 

Similarly, switch from a heavy towel to a soft microfiber towel or an old cotton t-shirt and gently pat hair dry to keep strands smooth. Normal terrycloth towels are too rough and can cause more frizz. 

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FOR COLOR TREATED HAIR

Hair color causes damage and strips moisture from hair, so again, moisture and gentle treatments are key. Avoid any shampoos considered “clarifying” or any that contain harsh chemicals like sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate in ingredient lists) since they could add additional damage to your hair or even strip/change your color. NatureLab’s Repair Shampoo is free of harsh chemicals plus it contains bamboo stem cells, smart keratin, and oils to strengthen strands. Follow up and lock in your color with a conditioner that contains antioxidants and shields your hair from UV and heat damage. For additional repair, use a hair mask weekly for deep conditioning! Finally, to keep hair looking shiny between washes, use a hydrating oil like Shine Oil Mist.

FOR HAIR PRONE TO DANDRUFF AND BUILD-UP

Healthy hair begins at the scalp. To fight flakes, use a clarifying scalp treatment like NatureLab’s Shine Clarifying Scrub once a week to clear product build-up, gently exfoliate, and help to balance the pH of your scalp. Massage it into your hair with your fingertips to get all the gunk out and boost circulation. Just be careful not to use your nails which can scratch your scalp and cause further irritation. Build-up and dandruff can also dull your hair, so make sure to use a specially-formulated Shine Shampoo and Shine Conditioner infused with platinum fiber and pearl extracts to restore shine. The final touch -- an oil to bring out maximum shine and protect hair from environmental damage. 

FOR HAIR THAT IS THIN, FLAT OR FINE

Amp up the volume by washing your hair often to ensure no oils or dirt are weighing your hair down. Our Volume Shampoo will get all the dirt out and contains rice and soy proteins to thicken hair. If necessary, keep strands smooth and soft with a light conditioner applied sparingly to ends of hair, but if you don’t need it, skip it. You can also try “reverse washing”: start with conditioner, then massage shampoo into your scalp to ensure that your ends get the moisture they need while your roots stay clean. Post-shower, blow-dry hair with your head upside-down to get an extra lift at the roots. 

To style flat/fine/thin hair, avoid products containing oils. They'll only weigh down hair. Instead, look for products that can make your hair appear thicker and hold it in place, like our Volume Texture Mist which contains proteins to coat and lift each strand. 

 

Now that you know how to tackle your individual hair issues, be sure to head to NatureLab.com for the latest product innovations specially formulated to address your hair’s needs.