Hair Care by Hair Type

BEAUTY · GLOBAL

Hair Care by Hair Type

What your hair actually needs, washing frequency, protein and moisture, and heat

Hair care advice is usually generic, and the products that suit one head make another worse. Two characteristics explain most of it.

Porosity

Low porosity hair has a tightly closed cuticle that resists water going in and out — products sit on top and it takes a long time to dry. High porosity hair absorbs quickly and loses moisture just as fast.

Drop a clean strand in water. Floating suggests low porosity, sinking suggests high. It is a rough guide rather than a test.

Texture and density

Fine hair is weighed down by heavy conditioners and oils. Coarse hair tolerates and needs them. Density — how many strands you have — determines how much product you need rather than which type.

Washing frequency

There is no correct interval. Oily scalps need washing more often, and washing an oily scalp less does not train it to produce less oil, which is a persistent myth.

Wash the scalp and condition the lengths, which is where the two products actually belong.

Protein and moisture

Damaged and high-porosity hair benefits from protein treatments that temporarily fill gaps in the cuticle. Too much protein makes hair stiff and brittle.

If hair feels straw-like after a protein treatment, it needs moisture instead. Alternating rather than choosing one is usually the answer.

Heat

Heat damage is cumulative and permanent, since hair cannot repair itself. Use the lowest effective temperature, always with a heat protectant, and air dry where you can.

Scalp care

The scalp is skin and responds to the same things — build-up, dryness and irritation. Persistent flaking that returns is usually seborrhoeic dermatitis rather than dry scalp, and it responds to medicated shampoos.

Use those as directed and leave them on for the stated time rather than rinsing immediately.

Buying products

Buy small sizes of anything new, since hair products are personal and a large bottle you dislike is waste. Give anything a few weeks before judging it.

Colour-treated hair

Colour fades fastest with heat and hot water. Wash less often, in cool water, with a sulphate-free shampoo, and dry in shade rather than direct sun.

Bleaching is where damage happens rather than the colour itself, so space lightening sessions several weeks apart and use bond-building treatments.

Reading ingredient lists

Silicones are not harmful and do build up on some hair, which a clarifying shampoo removes. Sulphates clean effectively and strip colour faster.

The mechanical things

A wide-tooth comb on wet hair, detangling from the ends upwards, a satin pillowcase and loose ties rather than elastic bands.

Persistent hair loss, scalp pain or scaling needs a doctor or trichologist.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Unineed? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Unineed — official site

Visit this site