An effective hair routine comes down to four steps: cleanse, detangle, repair, protect. The first three happen in the shower, the fourth as you step out. Only the frequency changes from one hair type to another: the structure is the same for everyone. This guide gives the typical weekly schedule, then the adjustments to make for your own hair.
The typical weekly schedule
| Step | When | Where to apply | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | At every wash | Scalp only | 1 to 2 min of massage |
| Conditioner | At every wash | Mid-lengths and ends | 2 to 3 min |
| Mask | 1 to 2 times a week, in place of conditioner | Mid-lengths and ends, towel-dried hair | 5 to 10 min |
| Leave-in | At every dry, and for touch-ups | Lengths, never the roots | No waiting time |
The most commonly missed point: on the day you use it, the mask replaces the conditioner. Stacking both at every wash saturates the fibre without adding anything.
Step 1: cleanse
Shampoo has one job, removing sebum, styling residue and pollution without stripping the protective film. An irritated scalp overproduces sebum in response, and stripped lengths turn porous.
- Wet thoroughly with lukewarm water, never scalding.
- Emulsify a hazelnut-sized amount in your hands, then massage the scalp with your fingertips.
- Don't scrub the lengths: the lather running down as you rinse is enough.
- Rinse for a long time. A lot of dull hair is simply badly rinsed hair.
The /RESET Shampoo combines a gentle COSMOS NATURAL certified cleansing base with hydrolysed keratin and toning actives for the scalp.
Step 2: detangle
Wet hair is at its most fragile: swollen with water, scales open. This is the moment when a brush stroke causes the most breakage. Conditioner closes the cuticle back down and creates the slippery surface that makes detangling possible without tearing.
- On towel-dried lengths and ends, never closer than ten centimetres to the roots.
- Two to three minutes is enough: it works on the surface.
- Detangle with a wide-tooth comb starting at the ends, then work upwards.
The /RESTORE Conditioner does this job without weighing hair down, including fine hair. The respective roles of shampoo, conditioner and mask are set out in our comparison of the three.
Step 3: repair
The mask is the deep maintenance of the routine. Its higher concentration of actives lets it work in the cortex, where conditioner only smooths the surface. It is the step that makes the difference between decent hair and hair transformed within a few weeks.
- Always on towel-dried hair: a fibre saturated with water absorbs almost nothing.
- Five to ten minutes, no longer. Absorption plateaus, as our article on how long to leave a mask on explains.
- Once a week for maintenance, twice on damaged, coloured or exposed hair.
The /REPAIR Mask concentrates hydrolysed keratin, shea butter, wheat proteins and vitamin E.
Step 4: protect
This is the step most routines forget. Once out of the shower, your hair faces the hairdryer, friction, UV and pollution with no defence at all. A leave-in seals in the moisture delivered by the previous steps, smooths the cuticle and tames frizz.
The /REVEAL Mist goes on damp hair before drying, then as a touch-up on dry hair. It is also what makes the benefit of your mask last until the next wash, instead of watching it vanish within 48 hours.
Adapting the routine to your hair
The structure does not change. Only the amounts and the frequencies do.
| Hair type | What changes |
|---|---|
| Fine | More frequent washes, conditioner in small amounts, mask once a week on the last ten centimetres. See our 12 volume tips. |
| Thick or dry | Mask twice a week, more generous leave-in. |
| Coloured | Lukewarm water is essential, mask every time, final rinse with cool water to limit colour bleeding. |
| Curly or coily | Detangle in the shower only, conditioner left on, drying without rubbing. Often a more porous fibre: keep an eye on the protein and moisture balance. |
| Damaged | An intensive phase of 4 to 6 weeks with two masks a week, then back to maintenance. Diagnosis in the 10 signs of damaged hair. |
If you are not sure which box you fall into, start with the porosity test: it is the indicator that best guides your frequencies.
The hair routine: the essentials
- Four steps, three different frequencies: every wash, weekly, daily.
- The mask replaces the conditioner, it is not added to it.
- Shampoo on the scalp, everything else on the lengths.
- Towel-drying before the mask matters more than extending the processing time.
- Allow four to six weeks of consistency before judging a deeper result.
Frequently asked questions about hair routines
In what order should hair products be applied?
Shampoo, then conditioner or mask on towel-dried hair, rinse, then leave-in on damp hair before styling. The mask takes the place of the conditioner on the day you use it.
How often should you wash your hair?
Two to three times a week for most hair, every day or every other day for fine hair that gets greasy quickly. The right rhythm is the one where roots stay fresh without the lengths drying out.
Can you use conditioner and a mask on the same day?
In the vast majority of cases it is pointless: the mask does everything the conditioner does, in a more concentrated form. Save the combination for very thick, very dry or very damaged hair.
Is leave-in applied to wet or dry hair?
Both. On damp hair before drying it protects and makes styling easier; on dry hair it works as an anti-frizz touch-up. It is the only step in the routine with no timing constraint.
Do you really need four products for a good routine?
Four steps, yes, but not at the same rhythm: three at every wash, one only once a week. That is the minimum to cover the fibre's four needs, cleanliness, detangling, repair and protection.
How long before the routine takes effect?
Softness and shine improve from the first week. Structural results, less breakage and more hold, take four to six weeks of consistency.
Sources
- Gavazzoni Dias M. F. R., "Hair Cosmetics: An Overview", International Journal of Trichology, 2015.
- Draelos Z. D., "Essentials of Hair Care Often Neglected: Hair Cleansing", International Journal of Trichology, 2010.
Article written by the KERA NEXT editorial team. Individual results: the outcome may vary depending on the nature and condition of your hair.