Curate a line-up of essential products to cleanse and nourish your hair.
In the last few years, interest in the world of wellness has exploded. What was once seen as a niche, almost frivolous pursuit loved by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow has gone well and truly mainstream, and with good reason. Health is the backbone of life, and taking time to look after your body and brain is one of the best investments you can make. Likewise, hair is an often-overlooked indicator of your overall wellbeing, so as well as eating foods that support follicular health from the inside, it pays to look after your strands with a hair wellness routine tailored to your particular needs.
WHAT IS A HAIR WELLNESS ROUTINE?
Similar to a skincare routine or supplement stack, a hair wellness routine is a group of cleansing, conditioning and styling products chosen to address issues such as greasiness or dryness on the scalp while nourishing the lengths of your hair. The ultimate goal is shiny, strong, healthy hair. A hair wellness routine should be curated according to your hair type and current concerns, but remember these might change over time.
“It really depends on what's going on in your life at that moment in time and how that's affecting your hair,” says Sonia Surani, senior colourist at Paul Edmonds London. “If a client has their hair bleached, they would then have to keep up the protein and moisture to prevent their hair from getting dry. If they’ve had a baby, they might need something more fortifying, or if their hair’s dry they might need more hydration.”
Contrary to what advertisers might tell you, you don’t need to stick to one haircare brand or even products from the same range, Sonia says. “Some shampoos can sometimes be a bit heavy, so that might be too much for your hair if your hair is slightly thinner. You might need a different formulation that is more suitable for your hair type, products by Shu Uemura and Oribe have multiple options for different hair types and conditions.”
Whatever your hair needs, remember that cheaper products can be a false economy compared to premium ranges. “It comes down to the sulfates and ingredients, particularly in shampoo and conditioner. There are some store products that might make your hair feel nice or look shiny, but they’re formulations are simple and tend to just coat the hair, whereas with slightly more expensive products, the active ingredients actually penetrate the cuticle, so they can actually fix whatever needs to be fixed - things like dryness, hydration, breakage - as opposed to just coating it.”
Here, the team at Paul Edmonds London talk through six key hair wellness routines, explaining how to wash, condition and treat your hair to ensure optimal hair health.
JUMP TO:
1. THE REPAIR & RESTORE ROUTINE
2. THE HYDRATION & GLOW ROUTINE
3. THE FINE HAIR & FULLNESS ROUTINE
4. THE CURL & TEXTURE ROUTINE
5. THE COLOUR & SHINE ROUTINE
6. THE SCALP & LIFESTYLE RESET
1. THE REPAIR & RESTORE ROUTINE
For damaged, fragile or over-processed hair.
This routine is for you if: Your hair has been weakened by colour, bleach, chemical processing, frequent heat styling or general wear and tear. This combination of products will restore strength and resilience while giving compromised hair the nourishment it needs to feel softer, smoother and more manageable again.
How can you tell if hair is weak or damaged? “Overall, if hair's dull, feels dry to the touch, or you're struggling to have shine. Even if you have naturally frizzy hair, it should still feel soft. If you've got breakage, the most telling sign is if it's at the crown. That's where people get the most heat damage because they keep going through it with straighteners or the hair dryer without realising.” – Jennie Manzi, artistic director at Paul Edmonds London.
Suggested products:
Shu Uemura Ultimate Reset Shampoo
Shu Uemura Ultimate Reset Conditioner
Shu Uemura Ultimate Reset Masque
Shu Uemura Essence Absolue or Ultimate Reset Extreme Repair Concentrate
ROUTINE:
1. Cleanse. Apply the shampoo to wet hair and lather to cleanse without leaving already-fragile lengths feeling stripped.
2. Condition. Starting with a small amount (you can always add more), smooth conditioner through your mid-lengths and ends to replenish softness and manageability. Leave for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
3. Treat. Once a week, replace conditioner with the Ultimate Reset Masque for more intensive nourishment. “Depending on how long and thick your hair is, use a 10p to 50p piece-sized amount, applying it to towel-dried hair, only to the lengths, not the roots. Leave the masque on for at least five to 10 minutes, or if possible, leave it on overnight to allow a deeper treatment.”
4. Seal & protect. Finish with a small amount of oil through the mid-lengths and ends – either before or after blow drying – to smooth and add shine.
2. THE HYDRATION & GLOW ROUTINE
For dry, dehydrated, coarse or dull hair.
This routine is for you if: Your hair feels dry, rough, thirsty or lacks softness or shine. A bit like a facial for your hair, this routine is ideal if you have coarse textured or very long hair. It delivers hydration in layers rather than relying on heavy products, and can be adjusted depending on hair density and texture. “Look for hydrating ingredients such as argan, camellia, jojoba or rose musk oil to preserve colour and add shine,” Jennie says.
Suggested bundle:
Davines MOMO Shampoo
Oribe Supershine Hydrating Conditioner
Shu Uemura Urban Moisture Hydro-Nourishing Treatment
Shu Uemura Essence Absolue
ROUTINE:
1. Cleanse. Wash your hair with the moisture-focused MOMO shampoo, which cleanses while maintaining softness.
2. Condition. Follow with a hydrating conditioner through the lengths and ends.
3. Weekly treatment. Swap out your conditioner for a more intensive treatment once a week or when the hair feels particularly dry.
4. Finish. Use a small amount of nourishing oil on damp or dry lengths for softness, shine and a polished finish.
3. THE FINE HAIR & FULLNESS ROUTINE
For fine or flat hair that needs more volume.
This routine is for you if: You have hair that lacks body, feels easily weighed down or needs help creating the appearance of movement and fullness. This routine uses targeted products from a mix of brands to add volume while still maintaining moisture and hair health. If you’re concerned about hair thinning or shedding, this routine could also be adapted to include a scalp-focused product such as Oway Fortifying Hair Lotion.
Suggested bundle:
Shu Uemura Muroto Volume Shampoo
Shu Uemura Muroto Volume Conditioner
Davines Volu Volumizing Hair Mist
Oway Flux Potion
ROUTINE:
1. Cleanse. Start by washing your hair with a lightweight volumising shampoo.
2. Condition. “Don't put conditioner on the roots if you want a voluminous blow-dry, and rinse your hair with your head upside down so the conditioner doesn’t run onto the roots. Wrap your head in a towel on top of your head and leave it to absorb as much of the moisture as possible so that when you take it down you've already got a bit of root lift,” Jennie says.
3. Build body. “Apply volumising mist into the roots onto towel-dried hair before blow drying. Tip your head upside down when you’re blow drying to give even more lift at the roots,” Jennie says.
4. Style. Finish with a flexible styling cream or lotion to create definition and movement without making the hair feel stiff.
4. THE CURL & TEXTURE ROUTINE
For wavy, curly and coily hair.
This routine is for you if: You have 2A to 4C textured hair according to the Andrew Walker Hair Typing System, which needs a balance of hydration, definition and frizz control. This hair wellness routine aims to support your natural pattern to maintain hydration and definition between salon visits.
Suggested bundle:
Davines LOVE Curl Shampoo
Davines LOVE Curl Conditioner
Kérastase Curl Manifesto Crème de Jour Fondamentale Leave-In Cream
Kérastase Curl Manifesto Refresh Absolu Spray
ROUTINE:
1. Cleanse. Wash the hair with a gentle shampoo formulated for curly hair that won’t compromise the hair's natural moisture balance.
2. Condition. “Apply a generous amount of conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends, then comb it through with a really big wide-tooth comb before rinsing,” Jennie advises.
3. Define. Apply curl cream to damp hair and scrunch as you dry to encourage the natural curl pattern.
4. Refresh. Between washes, rather than starting the routine from scratch, spritz a curl refresh spray through the lengths to reactivate your curls.
5. THE COLOUR & SHINE ROUTINE
For colour-treated, highlighted or bleached hair.
This routine is for you if: You have colour-treated hair that needs more than just colour protection. Depending on your hair type and colour service, it may also need hydration, strengthening, anti-frizz care and protection from environmental and heat-related stressors. This routine aims to prolong your salon result, whether that’s bright blonde, rich brunette, or anywhere in between.
“We always recommend a colour-saving shampoo like Shu Uemura Color Lustre after a colour service, as it helps to close the cuticle so it locks the pigment in and makes the hair look vibrant and shiny. If you use other shampoos, you risk opening the cuticle too much and losing the colour. Blondes might prefer to use a tailored range such as Kérastase Blond Absolu or Shu Uemura Yūbi Blonde to maintain brightness,” Jennie says.
Suggested bundle:
Shu Uemura Color Lustre Shampoo
Shu Uemura Color Lustre Conditioner
Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Spray
Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Cream
ROUTINE:
1. Cleanse. Wash your hair with a colour-preserving shampoo to cleanse while maintaining the vibrancy of the hair.
2. Condition. Pair with a colour-saving conditioner applied to the lengths and ends. Leave to soak into the hair for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
3. Protect. “Applying heat protection spray is really important because heat opens the cuticle, so if you're not protecting your hair from that heat, as soon as you've put the straighteners, hair dryer or curling tongs on the hair it will start to fade the colour and damage the hair,” Jennie says.
4. Style. Colour-treated hair is more prone to dryness, so finish with a small amount of smoothing cream through the ends to enhance gloss and polish.
6. THE SCALP & LIFESTYLE RESET
For busy lifestyles, frequent washing, build-up or scalp concerns.
This routine is for you if: Your hair and scalp are in need of a bit of a detox. Rather than replacing your everyday essentials, this wellness routine is helpful as a temporary measure if you’re washing your hair more during the festive period, on holiday, during a heat wave, or while doing more exercise than usual. “Itching, flakiness and excessive oil are all signs your scalp needs help,” Jennie says.
Suggested bundle:
Davines Naturaltech Detoxifying Shampoo
Oway Fortifying Hair Lotion or Oribe Serene Scalp Oil Control Treatment Mist
Iles Formula Rinseless Root Refresh
ROUTINE:
1. Reset. Wash your hair using detoxifying scalp scrub or shampoo periodically when the scalp or hair feels coated or congested.
2. Treat. While your hair is still wet, apply a targeted scalp treatment chosen according to your individual concern from the Oribe Serene Scalp, Oway or Kérastase scalp serum ranges. “Scalp treatments do many things,” Jennie says. “If you have dryness, it can hydrate it; if there’s tightness in your scalp, you could add collagen to help loosen the follicles; they can also help with things like dermatitis, inflammation, and calming the scalp, or a fortifying lotion helps promote hair density. Whichever you choose, massage it into the roots before styling.”
3. Refresh. To cut down on how often you wash your hair, use a rinse-free root refresh to absorb oil between shampoos. Spray at the roots, leave for a minute or so, then brush the excess powder out.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why is it important to have a hair wellness routine?
A: A hair wellness routine helps you address your hair’s specific needs, from dryness and damage to volume, curl definition or scalp concerns. Like skincare, it combines cleansing, conditioning and targeted treatments to maintain the condition and appearance of your hair. Choosing products according to your current needs can help keep hair looking and feeling healthy.
Q: Should you always stick to the same hair routine?
A: No. Your hair’s needs can change depending on factors including colouring, bleaching, lifestyle and even major life changes such as pregnancy or menopause. Your hair wellness routine should evolve with your hair rather than relying on one fixed combination of products.
Q: How do you know which hair wellness routine is right for you?
A: Start by considering what your hair and scalp need right now. Dryness, damage, lack of volume, curls, colour maintenance and scalp concerns each require different approaches. Your hair type also matters: fine hair may need lighter products, while thicker or coarser hair can benefit from richer formulations.
Q: Do all your haircare products need to be from the same brand?
A: Not at all. Mixing products and brands can help you curate a routine tailored to your hair rather than restricting yourself to one range. Some shampoos may feel too heavy for finer hair, while richer products can work well for thicker or coarser textures. The key is choosing products according to your needs.
Nail the routine
Just as your daily skincare lays the foundation for clear, healthy skin, a hair wellness routine is the starting point for strong, shiny hair.
With these six bundles, we’ve laid out expert-backed suggestions and application tips to help you build a foolproof but flexible routine that’s right for you.
Can’t work out what your hair wellness routine should be? Have a chat with one of the team at Paul Edmonds London.
