Start from what your hair is doing
Four of the most common reasons people scan their hair, explained from the fibre up: what is going on, what helps, which ingredients to look for, and the signs that mean a dermatologist rather than a new conditioner.
Frizz
Hair that puffs up the moment the air gets humid.
Frizz is lifted cuticle plus humidity: water gets into the fibre unevenly and strands swell and separate. The fix is smoother cuticles, sealed moisture and the right amount of humectant for your weather.
Dryness and breakage
Hair that feels rough, snaps when combed, and never seems to hold moisture.
Dry hair is usually hair that cannot hold water: a porous cuticle lets moisture out as fast as it goes in, and the fibre loses the flexibility that stops it snapping. The routine is water first, then something to keep it there, plus protein where damage has created gaps.
Curl definition
Waves and curls that fall flat or separate into fuzz instead of clumping.
Definition is curls clumping together and staying that way as they dry. It takes enough water in the hair, a film-former to hold the clump, and a technique that does not break it up.
Scalp comfort
Itching, tightness, flaking or greasiness that a shampoo change has not fixed.
A comfortable scalp is mostly about cleansing that removes oil and product without stripping, and leaving out the things that commonly irritate: fragrance allergens, harsh surfactants and heavy build-up. Persistent flaking, redness or pain is a medical question.
Educational only, not medical advice. Persistent scalp irritation, sudden hair loss or unexplained breakage warrant a visit to a dermatologist. Written by Cosmixxology R&D.