Hair Care For Men
Keeping a healthy head of hair is just as important as keeping your body healthy. While it’s true that you need to focus more on the latter, personal grooming works wonders for everyone. It’s very important for every man to develop and religiously follow a hair care routine( which also includes the scalp by the way), in order to preserve its strength, elasticity and shine.
A good haircut is obviously the first step towards looking good, but without constant maintenance it can go to waste. Which is why we at Limeroad, bring for you a comprehensive hair care guide where we’ll walk you step by step to all the aspects that are important for healthy and great looking hair along with our favorite product recommendations for your hair.
Pre-Wash Care
Yes, there is a thing called pre wash care and it is very essential for smooth hair and a healthy scalp. Pre wash care basically consists of pre-conditioning your hair and scalp to essentially form a barrier between your hair and the harsh detergents in your hair cleansers and shampoos so as to minimise the damage.
Shampoos have very harsh detergents in them, like sulphates, parabens and silicones (unless you’re using specially formulated no sulphate, no silicone shampoos) which strips the hair of its natural oils and makes it dry and prone to breakage. Shampooing on a daily basis without pre-conditioning your hair can wreck havoc on your hair in the long run, which is why it becomes very important to include this step in your hair care regimen.
Tips For Pre Washing Hair Care
The best way to pre-condition your hair is, you guessed it right, a champi! Your mothers were always right when they told you to massage oil in your scalp and hair before washing. Apart from conditioning your hair strands and protecting your hair, a massage serves a very important purpose as well-it stimulates the scalp which gets the blood flowing and helps in healthy hair growth and de stressing! A good hair massage can work wonders for your hair if you do it regularly. You can use coconut, jojoba, castor or any other oil for this. We recommend this set of 2, Amla and Castor oil by Aruba Essentials. Other than this, you can also use organic hair mask and washes. You can also use oil for use moustache and beard to keep them soft and healthy. We recommend this premium quality beard and moustache oil for men by PRZ.
Washing
It’s very important to wash your hair the right way and the right time. Your washing cycle will depend upon your hair type, i.e. if you have a really oily scalp and your hair gets greasy by the end of the day you should shampoo every day. If your have very healthy, resilient hair- you can wash it once or twice a week. If you use a lot of product ( gel, mousse, hairspray) on a daily basis, you should wash everyday to relieve the product build up and clogged pores. Usually the shampoo cycle should be every 2-3 days. Shampooing daily can strip your scalp of its natural oils and make your hair dry and prone to breaking.
The right shampoo plays a key role here. You should always customize your hair products according to your needs rather than depending upon popular advertisements. If your hair is dry, you should focus upon something that is hydrating, conditioning and gentle.
A good choice would be this Moroccan argan oil shampoo by Organix which conditions and protects hair from heat and uv damage. Whereas if your hair is oily, try shampoos especially made for oily scalps. If you have other issues, like dandruff you should opt for shampoos curated for treating dandruff. We recommend this neem-anti dandruff shampoo by Tvam. If you like to have your hair colored on a regular basis, you should look for shampoos which are made for colored hair for best results.
The Right Comb
A comb is an essential in the style process and goes without saying. A good comb will help detangle wet hair more easily than a brush and is perfect for disseminating products in the hair. Combs come in many different types and materials like plastic, wood, horn, carbon and metal. Depending upon your hair type, you can choose among combs which are:
-
Fine tooth
-
Medium tooth
-
Wide tooth
-
Tail
Blow Drying
While blow drying gives you bouncy and shiny hair, doing it on a daily basis can cause irreparable damage to your hair in a long run. But that doesn’t mean that you can not do it. Using the right techniques and products to blow dry your hair will give you fuller, shinier hair while causing minimal damage.let’s look at some tips and tricks to efficiently blow dry your hair:
-
Always use some form of protectant before blow drying your hair, like a nourishing oil, creme or a protective hair spray.
-
Do not dry your hair when it’s soaking wet. Pat dry your hair gently with a towel, comb it and dry it in the natural direction.
-
To make your hair look more fuller, apply a matte styling product after blow drying.
-
Set the dryer on cool mode rather than maximum heat. This will take up some time, but this will keep your hair healthy.
-
Invest in some good quality blow dryers.
We recommend this professional foldable hair dryer for men by Nova.
Styling And Maintenance
Last but not the least is styling and maintenance. While it’s important to eat the right nutrients and diet to keep your hair shiny and healthy from the inside, proper styling goes a long way.
There are a lot of hair styling products for men in the market:
-
Gels
- Gels do a lot of things- hold moisture, protect hair, enhance hair definition, style hair into place, control frizz, create a flexible hold and add shine and body to your hair. They also help with hair manageability and provide a smooth comb through the hair. They are generally applied in soaking wet hair for best results. Usually a coin sized amount is enough for short hair. An important tip is to avoid gels that contain alcohol as it dries out the hair. We recommend this strong hold hair gel by Ustraa.
-
Wax
- Hair wax is a styling product which has a thick consistency and has wax in it. It helps in holding the hair firm. The difference between gel and hair wax is that the latter does not have any alcohol in it. Pomade is a type of hair wax which adds shine to your hair. It is best to apply hair wax on dry hair and a pea sized amount is enough to style it. We recommend this matte styling hair wax by Gatsby.
-
Hair spray
- Hair spray is a common hair styling product which helps to protect hair against wind and humidity. It helps to keep the hairstyle in place. It also adds a nice texture and volume to hair. Hair sprays should be sprayed from a distance or they can end up greasing the hair. It should be applied after you have combed and styled your hair into place. We recommend set & keep hair spray by Gatsby with an ultra strong hold.
-
Creme
- Hair cream or styling cream adds a natural and subtle shine to your hair. It provides a low to medium hold but still allows natural movement to your hair. It doesn’t weigh your hair down or make it look stiff. It is a very versatile product and works perfectly with every kind of hair be it fine, coarse thick or straight, wavy or curly. If you’re looking for a natural, effortless shine to your hair then you should definitely invest in hair cremes.
Come and explore a wide range of hair care products for men and ace your hair styling game now!