It isn’t hard to convince people to indulge in self-care these days—the importance of doing so has become top of mind in recent years. Hence an explosion in the sales of fragrant candles, soothing lotions and 10-step skincare regimens. Now it’s time to add hair to the self-care conversation. Paying a little extra attention to hair at home will go a long way to achieving the strong, shiny, healthy hair everyone is after. Here are some effective ways pros can advise their clients on hair self-care designed to heal and enhance every strand.

1—Commit to a Regimen

When it comes to their skin, many women now religiously double cleanse, tone, mask, gua sha massage and moisturize on a regular basis. And when it comes to hair, similar rituals are helpful. It starts with selecting the right formulas for cleansing and conditioning. Biolage Color Last is the go-to for shampooing and conditioning color-treated hair, for example, while damaged hair can benefit from Biolage Strength Recovery which contains vegan squalane, sourced from olive trees, to protect and strengthen hair. Then, a deep-penetrating treatment mask, such as Biolage Ultra Hydra Source Deep Treatment Pack for extremely dry hair or Biolage Strength Recovery Deep Treatment Pack for damaged hair that needs extra love, is a logical extension of every hair care regimen. Applied to clean, damp hair, the mask can work its magic while a client is luxuriating in a self-caring bubble bath, enjoying a cup of chamomile tea or even meditating.    

2—Assess Tools

Combs and brushes that snap fragile strands or dryers, heat brushes and styling irons that fry the hair may be in need of replacement. Encourage your client to do an inventory of all the old implements and thermal tools in her repertoire. Modern blow dry brushes made with natural boar bristles and ceramic barrels, for example, will dry hair quicker and more gently, resulting in less breakage and less heat damage. Thermal tools that offer temperature control let you style hair with less heat damage if you place them on a lower setting, while new technologies like tourmaline ceramic treat fragile hair with TLC. 

3—Use Those Tools Properly

A whisk is only as good as the baker who’s wielding it, and brushes and blow dryers are much safer when used properly. The rules include avoiding a brush on wet hair (unless it’s specifically designed as a detangling brush), detangling wet strands with a wide-tooth comb starting from the ends and working upward, setting thermal tools on the lowest possible temperature setting needed to get the job done and using thermal protection products like Biolage Thermal Active Spray to protect hair from heat damage. Another must? Leave-in treatments like Biolage All In One Multi-Benefit Treatment Spray which reduces snarls and breakage when hair is wet and allows combs and brushes to glide through strands easily.

4—Pay Attention to Scalp Health

For anyone experiencing dry scalp, flaking or product buildup, it’s important to focus some time and effort on scalp heath. It’s impossible to have healthy hair without a healthy scalp. Remember that the scalp is skin, and it needs the same cleansing, exfoliating and conditioning as any other skin on the body. To remove buildup, a deep-cleansing formula like Biolage Clean Reset Normalizing Shampoo can be added to a hair care regimen from time to time. It deeply cleanses hair and scalp without dryness. For excess oil or dandruff, add Biolage Scalp Sync Cooling Mint Shampoo for Oily Hair & Scalp or Biolage Scalp Sync Anti-Dandruff Shampoo to the mix. These formulas remove excess scalp debris and wash away impurities, and they’re formulated with mint to cool irritated scalps.

5—Rethink the Fibers in Towels and Pillowcases

Each day, hair comes up against a variety of fibers, and these materials can have a huge effect on hair health. Take towels for example. Rubbing hair vigorously with a rough cotton bath towel creates all kinds of friction that leads to breakage and frizz. A better choice? A soft, microfiber towel that will blot hair and remove moisture quickly and more gently, reduce frizz and prevent breakage. Nighttime is the right time for a silk pillowcase. Unlike a rougher cotton, silk prevents knotting and tangling; reduces breakage and split ends; and helps maintain the moisture in hair. And when it comes to hats, cotton or wool may not be the best choice for keeping hair in the best condition. If possible, look for a silk or satin-lined chapeaux, which can go a long way to preventing tangling and dryness.

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