A basic routine needs four things: a gentle shampoo, a conditioner, a leave-in or cream, and a styler such as a gel or custard. Add a clarifying shampoo for occasional use and a deep conditioner if your hair is dry or worn. Beyond that, marketing does most of the work, and most rules about what to avoid are preferences rather than requirements.
What each product is for
| Product | Job | What to look for on the label |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | Removes oil, sweat and product from the scalp | A mild cleansing agent such as cocamidopropyl betaine, or a stronger one if you use a lot of product |
| Conditioner | Smooths the surface, makes detangling easier | Cationic conditioning ingredients such as behentrimonium chloride, with fatty alcohols such as cetearyl alcohol |
| Leave-in or cream | Softness, slip and light moisture between washes | Water first, then humectants such as glycerin and emollients such as shea butter |
| Gel or styler | Holds curl pattern and reduces frizz as hair dries | Film-forming polymers for hold; check you tolerate the fragrance |
| Clarifying shampoo | Removes build-up occasionally | A stronger cleanser, used sparingly |
Conditioners work largely by depositing a thin layer that reduces friction between strands and lets a comb glide. Cosmetic chemistry reviews describe how these ingredients bind most strongly to damaged hair, which is why a worn head of hair often responds more visibly to conditioner than healthy hair does.
How to read an ingredient list
Under the Cosmetics Regulation, which applies in Great Britain in retained form, ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight, with anything under 1 per cent allowed in any order after the rest. So the first five or so ingredients make up most of the product, and the long tail after that is mostly present in small amounts. Water usually comes first.
What you are looking for depends on the product and your hair:
- Dry or rough hair: emollients and oils (shea butter, plant oils) plus a humectant like glycerin, in a leave-in or cream.
- Fine or easily weighed-down hair: lighter creams and lotions, and less butter and heavy oil.
- Frizz and definition: a styler with film-forming polymers, applied to soaking wet hair.
- Limp, stretchy hair: a product with hydrolysed proteins may help, which is covered in moisture vs protein balance.
Sulfates, silicones and other rules
Many curl routines avoid sulfates, silicones and fragrance. There are reasons, but none is a requirement.
- Sulfates: these are common cleansing agents. A review in the International Journal of Trichology notes that anionic surfactants are the main cleansers but can increase static and frizz. A gentler cleanser can suit dry or sensitive scalps, but a stronger one is useful for removing heavy product.
- Silicones: dimethicone is the most widely used silicone and helps protect hair from abrasion. It can build up with repeated use, so occasional clarifying helps. Many people use silicone products without problems.
- Fragrance: a common cause of contact allergy. If your scalp stings, itches or flakes after a new product, stop using it.
- Alcohols: fatty alcohols such as cetyl and cetearyl are conditioning ingredients and are not drying, unlike short-chain alcohols that can be drying in some stylers.
Whether to avoid these ingredient groups is a decision about how your hair and scalp respond, not a rule of textured hair. If a product works and does not irritate, you do not need to replace it because of a trend.
Building a routine without overbuying
- Start with what you have, and note what bothers you: dryness, frizz, limpness, build-up or flaking.
- Change one product at a time and give each a few uses before judging, unless it irritates your scalp.
- Spend more on the product that stays on your hair (leave-in, styler) than on the one that is rinsed off quickly.
- Keep a note of what you used and how your hair felt a day later, as build-up and dryness often show after 24 hours.
- Test unfamiliar products on a small area of skin first, such as the inner forearm, especially if you have eczema or a history of allergy.
Hair type and porosity are only starting points. If you want to understand why a product feels heavy or does nothing, porosity and hair types explained is a useful place to look, and a clear wash day routine will do more than adding extra products.
When a product is the wrong answer
Persistent itching, burning, redness, scaling or hair loss are not product-selection problems. The NHS advises that dandruff that does not improve after about four weeks of treatment, or a scalp that is red, swollen or very itchy, is a reason to see a GP. Tell them about any new products you have started.
Marketing terms to treat with caution
Phrases such as for curls, for coils or for type 4 have no fixed technical meaning, so a label on the front does not tell you what a formula contains. The ingredient list on the back is the reliable part. In the same way, a long list of botanical extracts does not necessarily mean a product will work better, because ingredients present at low levels may do very little. Look at what sits in the first few places, how it feels on your hair and if your scalp stays comfortable.
Shampoos and other hair products can occasionally cause contact dermatitis, so a product that suits a friend may still not suit you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need sulfate-free shampoo?
Not necessarily. Gentler cleansers suit dry or sensitive scalps, but a stronger one can be handy occasionally for build-up.
Are silicones bad for curly hair?
They can build up and need cleansing off, but dimethicone also reduces abrasion, and many people use silicone products happily.
How long should I try a product?
A few uses is usually enough to judge it, unless it irritates your scalp, in which case stop straight away.
Does the first ingredient matter most?
The first few ingredients make up most of the formula by weight, but strong ingredients in small amounts can still matter.