“But you don’t know MY hair!” many of you are saying right now as you read that headline. You’re right, we don’t know your hair. But whether it’s long or short, curly or straight or in between, dry or oily, color-treated or natural, there are certain principles that apply to everyone (everyone, who has hair, that is). Here are our top 10 universal guidelines for helping your locks look their best.

Let It Be

That is, let your hair be itself, let it live as it wants to live. Embrace your natural texture, growth patterns, and color. You can beat your mane into submission with heat, chemicals and brute strength, and you may get the look you’re aiming for. Hair strands can be shaped, to an extent. But if the manipulation is too severe, over time you’ll create damage and your tresses will eventually rebel. Accepting what you have is freeing, encourages you to work with your best features, and will result in healthier, better looking hair.

Shampoo Less Often

No more than twice per week, once a week if you can do it. Simply rinse your hair and scalp when you shower. You can always condition, just don’t use shampoo every time.

Add Moisture

Conditioners and treatments give moisture back, which is critical for healthy hair. Think of your fingernails and cuticles. In the winter you may apply lotion or oil to your fingernails several times a day because you can readily see the dryness. Hair strands have a cuticle also. Dryness leads to cracked cuticles which leads to frizziness and breakage. Caretrico Privy Treatment Slim Though is a deep conditioning treatment that can be used as a hair mask twice per week as well as a daily conditioner. Ideal for thick, course and/or curly hair. Caretrico Privy Treatment Moist Sleek  is a moisturizing treatment for those with finer or wavy hair.

Deep Condition With a Professional

Good salons have thorough conditioning treatments that include several steps using rebuilding products and heat and/or mist processes that help deliver the products into the hair. Do a bit of research in your area to find the salons with the best recommendations. Doing this on a regular basis will make a big difference in your hair. At Salon Ishi we have a number of deep conditioning treatments including our exclusive Sherpa Treatment.

Use Protection

On your hair, we mean. After shampooing and conditioning, or anytime you style, give your hair some protection from the strong heat of your styling tools and from dehydrating environmental elements by using products specifically designed to give your hair a bit of armor for defense. Caretrico After Treatment Enrich Milk is a leave in conditioner and styling treatment that not only infuses the hair with moisture but protects it from pollution, the elements and heat damage from styling tools.

Take Care Of Your Scalp

Healthy hair grows from a healthy scalp. Keep your scalp clean. If you have a problem with dryness, oiliness or fungus, treat it. While you may need to see a dermatologist, there are steps you can take on your own. S-Heart-S Scalp Brush Mini is a great tool for massaging and cleaning the scalp, removing dry flaky skin and product buildup from the scalp and hair cuticle. For a flaky or oily scalp, you may also want to try a scalp toner.  The skin on your head requires care too.

Get Your Hair Cut Regularly

There is no “treatment” that will fix split ends. They will keep on splitting, higher and higher. Weak ends result in breakage and unhealthy looking hair. Regular cuts get rid of weak ends and give a fresh appearance.

Take Your Vitamins

Yes, they help. Hair and nails are made of protein and a healthy diet that includes vitamins created to promote the growth of hair and nails is helpful. Vitamin A, Omega 3s and B-complex vitamins like folic acid and biotin all promote cell turnover.

Have a Personal Consultation With Your Hair Care Professional

Okay, we agree, your hair is special. Therefore, talk with your hairdresser to get personalized recommendations for products, treatments, regimens, schedules, and processes that will help you have the healthiest, most beautiful hair possible

Use Color and Chemical Treatments Sparingly, and Have It Done Professionally

Sometimes we just gotta have that color, cover that gray, or get those curls. If that’s you, go to a reputable salon and work with a professional who knows how to use the products while maintaining the integrity of your hair. It is undeniably more expensive than doing it yourself. But your hair will be much healthier in the hands of a professional and you’ll end up with much better looking hair.

The good news is that with a little effort you CAN have healthier, better looking hair. Here’s to you and your best hair!

I have always had thick, curly hair. Growing up in New York City in the 90s when stick straight hair was en vogue, I always felt like the odd woman out.

Strong anti-curly cues

Many women of the curly persuasion seem to feel societal pressure to straighten their hair or even worse, pull it back in an effort to hide it. It’s as if a message has been communicated that straight hair is preferable. Is curly hair not good enough? I have observed this phenomenon in all types of woman: Caucasian, Afro-Caribbean, Asian, Hispanic…the list goes on. This message is so strong that demand has created not only straightening balms, industrial strength blow dryers and flat irons, but also more permanent solutions, like hair straightening processes – some taking 6-7 hours.

Today, on the precipice of 40

I have learned to appreciate my curly situation. Every day is a little different and even if you have the best products – you’ll always have a day where a little frizz infiltrates the system. That said, there is very little maintenance involved. I never have to blow out my hair; just wash, scrunch and go. Make no mistake, when dealing with thick, curly hair, curating the right product selection is a process and finding a hair care expert that is intimately familiar with cutting curls and how they behave is an imperative. At the end of the day my curls are never a surprise.

Let your hair be

The best way to care for any type of hair is to let it do what it does naturally – if you are forever straightening your hair, it will never look as good straight as it would if you let it do its thing. Commit to who you are naturally and let your hair be. As soon as you start going with the flow of your hair texture, working with it instead of against it, your hair will look superb. Finding the right products is a huge piece of the puzzle, especially as we move into summer.

It’s all about the products

Finding the right products for curls can be akin to a science experiment. You have to be patient and willing to try different combinations of products to see how they work together with your hair. I have tried so many different products in so many different categories. To some extent, I tweak my regimen depending on the weather or season and recently due to new product finds.

I’ve just revamped my regimen and wanted to share.

Shampoo daily

I typically use Caretrico’s Type H Shampoo. Give your scalp most of the attention in this step. Do let the shampoo run down the length of your hair though and give your scalp a 5 second massage. Twice a week I alternate with Christophe Robin’s Cleansing Mask with Lemon. This line has been around for years. Christophe Robin is a world renowned, Paris based, hair colorist to the stars. His client roster includes Natalie Portman, Catherine Deneuve, Tilda Swinton, Kylie Minogue, Kristin Scott Thomas and my mother. I stumbled upon this particular product last month while in St. Barths. I have not changed any part of my hair regimen in 7 years – so this is a monumental occasion. I leave this in for at least 15 minutes before I get into the shower and use it as a shampoo. Once in the shower, apply a little bit of water and mush it around your scalp and hair. Carry on with your shower routine and then add a little more water to the hair, scrub it around and rinse. This product leaves hair silky and smooth, which any curly cue will tell you, is an oxymoron.

Use a leave-in conditioner or leave your conditioner in

This particular step is one that many hair care professionals will not advise. But if this is wrong, I don’t want to be right. My favorite absolutely can’t live without hair product is Caretrico Privy Treatment Slim Through. If your hair is on the medium to finer side, try Caretrico Treatment Moist Sleek. Ishi introduced this line to me. It is meant to be used as a conditioner or 10-20 minute hair treatment. Since there is not enough moisture for my hair, I leave it in, and once applied, run a Du-Boa Scalp Massager through my hair to distribute the product and rid my scalp of any excess product residue that may have built up.

Priming products

Start with a quick spritz of Vine’s Care Water. This boosts the efficacy of all the styling products that you use subsequently. It also adds moisture, defrizzes and adds volume to fine hair! If it’s good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for me! Next I apply 3 – 4 pumps of Caretrico After Treatment Enrich Milk. This is a leave in conditioner that is light enough for even fine hair. It contains hyaluronic acid and infuses the extra dose of moisture that dry, curly, bleached hair needs. This can be used as a styling product for men or those with short hair.

Styling products

Another Christophe Robin must have for thick and/or curly hair is the Intense Regenerating Balm with with Rare Prickly Pear Oil. It’s magic! It is almost the texture of a thick facial cleansing balm with a little more of a pomade feel yet not so vaseliney. It is all natural and is meant to be used as a hair, body, cuticle, feet and lip balm. I use it as a styling and moisturizing product. Take a quarter size dollop (use less if if your hair is medium thick), warm it up between your hands and scrunch it in your hair while standing upright and then repeat with your head flipped. I follow this with a nickel size of Ouidad Climate Control Heat and Humidity Drops. Just scrunch that on right on top.

Believe it or not, this is the paired down version – I’ve cut out a number of steps.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter @AlyssaBarrie

Most women with curly hair seem to feel societal pressure to straighten it. It’s as if a message has been communicated – if only subtly – that straight hair is preferable. Is curly hair not good enough? I have observed this phenomenon in all types of woman: Caucasian, Afro-Caribbean, Asian, Hispanic…the list goes on.

Strong Anti-curly Cues

This message is so strong that demand has created not only straightening balms, industrial strength blow dryers and flat irons, but also more permanent solutions, like hair straightening processes – some taking 6-7 hours.

I’m OK, You’re OK

As a curly cue myself, it took me a long time to accept my curly situation. I realized I needed to commit to who I was and let my hair be. The truth is that soon as I started going with the flow of my hair texture, working with it instead of against it, my hair looked much better. Finding the right products is a huge piece of the puzzle, especially as we move into summer.

It’s All About the Products

Finding the right products for curls can be akin to a science experiment. You have to be patient and willing to try different combinations of products to see how they work together with your hair. I have tried so many different products in so many different categories! To some extent, I tweak my regimen depending on the weather or season and occasionally due to new product finds.

Here’s my current regimen:

Shampoo Daily

I either use Caretrico’s Type H Shampoo or Philip Kingsley’s Re-moisturising Shampoo. This shampoo can be found in Philip Kingsley’s Smooth & Shiny Jet Set. Make sure to shampoo your scalp ONLY and give yourself a 5 second scalp massage. (or 3 if you have zero patience like me) I recommend trying both for a period of 4 weeks each to see if one is better for your hair. If you like them both, rotate seasonally. You may find that one works better for you in colder weather, etc. Also, depending on where you live, one may react better with your water supply. Here in New York City we have hard water, which is tough on dry, curly hair. In the Caribbean, or other parts of the world where the water is soft, you may find that your hair dries nicer, softer and/or shinier.

Use a Leave-in Conditioner or Leave Your Conditioner In

This particular step is one that many hair care professionals will not advise. But if this is wrong, I don’t want to be right. It works! My favorite, absolutely can’t live without hair product is Caretrico Privy Treatment Slim Through. Ishi introduced this product to me. It is meant to be used as a conditioner or 10-20 minute hair treatment. Since there is not enough moisture for my hair (my hair is coarse, curly and bleached), I actually leave it in, and once applied, run my Du-Boa Scalp Massager through my hair to distribute the product.

Use a Scalp Toner

Right out of the shower, use Philip Kingsley’s Scalp Toner. Healthy shiny hair, starts with a clean scalp.

“Priming” Products

Start with a quick spritz of Vine’s Care Water. This boosts the efficacy of all the styling products that you use subsequently. It also adds moisture, defrizzes and adds volume to fine hair! If its good enough for NASA, its good enough for me!

• Spring & Summer Hair Primers: Arimino’s Bamboo Moisture Veil .
• After Coloring or Going to the Beach: If you have just colored your hair, or plan on going to the beach, use Arimino’s Aqua Moisture for this step. It’s super moisturizing and will get you through the 3 days after color application that tend to leave hair looking its driest. This product will also sand guard your hair at the beach.  (Yes, I am completely OCD about this entire process.)

Styling Products

I use Philip Kingsley’s Curl Activator followed by Ouidad Climate Control Heat and Humidity Drops.

What About Killer Humidity?

If it’s humid out, even with all of the above steps, I always seem to accumulate frizz close to the strands that frame my face. When your hair is almost completely dry (never use a hair dryer) take 5 drops of Cosmetics 27 Huile 27 and scrunch it around the dry areas. I also wrap it around particularly fuzzy curls.

On Hair Masks

Use Philip Kingsley Elasticizer treatment 2 x per week. It makes such a difference. For those with finer hair, and Claire has talked about this before, once a week should do the trick.

Uber Important Note

All these steps should be done separately and you must flip your head over and scrunch to make sure you coat every hair with product.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter @AlyssaBarrie