Building an effective hair care routine doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on key elements, such as addressing the damage caused by hard water and heat, you can create a hair care regimen that ensures healthy, strong, and manageable hair.
While heat-styling tools are often blamed for hair damage, hard water plays a crucial role as well. In cities like Dubai, where hard water is common, minerals like calcium and magnesium accumulate on the hair shaft, creating a barrier that prevents moisture from locking in. This can lead to dry, brittle hair, making it difficult to manage, no matter how well you treat it.
Start with Water Filtration
Before you reach for your favorite products, address the root cause of the problem. Installing a water-softening shower filter is one of the most effective ways to prevent hard water from damaging your hair. The filter removes the harsh minerals, creating a cleaner environment for your hair to thrive. By tackling this issue at the source, you’ll be able to improve the effectiveness of your hair care products.
Molecular Repair
Once you’ve filtered out the minerals, it’s time to focus on repairing the damage. Regular conditioners work well for surface-level care, but for deeply damaged hair, you’ll need a treatment that goes beyond the surface. Look for products with peptides, which help rebuild protein bonds within the hair. These treatments are easy to incorporate into your routine—simply apply after showering, skip the conditioner, towel-dry your hair, and apply the treatment from roots to tips.
Strengthen and Protect
If you regularly style your hair with heat tools, protection is key. A combination of lightweight oils, thermal sprays, and heat protectant foams forms the ideal defense against heat damage. These products should protect your hair up to 450°F, ensuring that your strands stay safe while achieving that perfect blowout or curl.
Color Protection and Mineral Defense
For color-treated hair, it’s crucial to use products that protect against mineral buildup while preserving color. Opt for pH-balanced shampoos that remove mineral deposits without stripping your hair’s color. Also, rinse your hair with lukewarm water to avoid opening the hair cuticle, which can cause color to fade faster. To extend the life of your color, try using dry shampoo between washes and limit washing to two or three times a week.
Multi-Benefit Treatments
An all-in-one hair mask is a must-have in your hair care arsenal. Look for masks that contain strengthening ceramides, deep-hydrating hyaluronic acid, and shine-boosting natural ingredients. These masks not only provide deep hydration but also strengthen the hair and add a glossy finish without weighing it down.
Scalp Health Matters
Hidden culprit
The hard water problem is a common denominator amongst all the hair-related issues, especially if you live in Dubai. But how does hard water damage your hair? It contains mineral deposits like calcium and magnesium that coat your hair shaft, creating a barrier that prevents moisture from locking in. The mineral deposits, in addition to the heat styling, make your hair brittle and difficult to manage. It creates a double whammy of trouble that cannot merely be fixed with your good old shampoo and conditioner.
Start at the source
Before you make a beeline for Sephora, address the root cause in your shower. Invest in a water-softening shower filter; it can immediately change the course of your hair’s health. The filter will remove the damaging minerals before they make their way to your hair. By cutting these harsh elements at the source, you’re laying the groundwork for a good hair care routine that will be conducive to all the other imperative steps you take.
Molecular repair
Fixing the hard water issue is step one; what’s next? Focusing on the repair of the existing damage, but at a molecular level. Your regular conditioners are good for surface-level treatment, but in case of damaged hair, a deeper, more effective solution is required. Think peptide-based treatment that can rebuild protein bonds from within. These peptide-rich products are easy to use—post-shower, skip the conditioner, towel-dry your hair, and apply them throughout the length of your hair
It’s time to get to the root of good hair days
Strengthen and protect
If you’re someone who styles your hair regularly for work and social events, you need to go that extra mile to care for your hair. While it may look fabulous when the blowout is fresh and the curls are holding, the real litmus test is the quality and texture it has the next day. Heat protection should never be just one product—it should be a system. Start with weightless oils that both strengthen and protect—it should provide heat protection up to 450°F. Follow with thermal sprays or foams that create an invisible shield around each strand.
Colour protection and mineral defence
For those who color their hair, you need a specialized armor that works against the mineral buildup and the color fade. Enter pH-balanced cleansers that will remove the deposits while still retaining the color. Avoid using hot water as it opens the hair cuticle, allowing the color to fade faster—always rinse your hair with lukewarm water. Pro tip: Use dry shampoo between washes and aim for washes only two to three times a week to preserve pigments and natural oils.
Multi-benefit treatments
An all-in-one hair mask is a holy grail product in your hair care arsenal. While looking for the ultimate treatment, make sure it has the combination of strengthening ceramides, deep-hydrating hyaluronic acid and shine-enhancing natural ingredients. The role of a hair mask is to strengthen, moisturise and deliver a glossy effect without weighing your hair down.
Root to rest
Don’t neglect your scalp or nighttime routine. Healthy hair starts at the root. Scalp treatments are an essential part of a healthy hair care routine, often overlooked but foundational for strong, vibrant hair. Think of it like skincare: a healthy scalp = healthy hair growth. Pre-wash scalp treatments can address itchiness, dandruff, flakiness, dryness and oil imbalance. All you need to do is apply it to a dry scalp, massage it for five to ten minutes, then rinse it off before your shampoo. The post-wash scalp treatments are applied on a clean, towel-dried scalp—part your hair in sections and apply the drops directly. Massage with fingers or a scalp tool, no need to rinse it.
If you wish to take a further step in terms of improving your scalp health, opt for LED hair brushes. It’s a scalp-stimulating tool that uses low-level light therapy (LLLT)—specifically red or near-infrared LED light—to help improve hair growth, thickness, and scalp health. They’re a non-invasive, at-home version of what dermatologists use in clinical hair restoration treatments. To seal the deal, extend the care overnight and swap your regular pillowcases with ones that are made of silk as it reduces friction, breakage and hair shedding.
When you think of building your hair care routine, it is pivotal to understand the quality and stage your hair is at. The solutions provided can be altered and customised according to your hair type. The idea is to prevent damage and actively repair what’s already been done. Start with water filtration, add molecular repair, incorporate steps for heat protection, weekly mask treatments and conclude it with some gentle scalp nurturing. After all, your hair is the ultimate accessory you wear.
Everything you need for a complete hair care routine:
SLIP Pillowcase
K18 Molecular Repair Oil
K18 Leave-In Repair Mask
Kevin Murphy Everlasting Colour Wash Colour Collecting Shampoo
Kevin Murphy Everlasting Colour Rinse
Kevin Murphy Everlasting Colour Leave-In
Augustinus Bader x La Bonne Brosse Scalp Brush
Hello Klean Rain Shower
Hello Klean Shower Head
Gisou Hair Mask
Olaplex Bonding Oil
Davines Scalp Treatment
Healthy hair starts at the root, so don’t neglect your scalp. Pre-wash treatments can address issues like dryness, oil imbalance, and dandruff. Simply massage the product into your dry scalp, let it sit for a few minutes, and rinse before shampooing. Post-wash treatments can be applied to a clean, towel-dried scalp, and should be massaged in using your fingers or a scalp tool.
Nighttime Care
To optimize your scalp health, consider using LED hair brushes that use low-level light therapy (LLLT) to stimulate hair growth and improve scalp health. These devices are a non-invasive, at-home solution that offers benefits similar to those found in clinical hair restoration treatments. And for even more hair care, switch to a silk pillowcase, which reduces friction and minimizes hair breakage.
Conclusion
A solid hair care routine should start with the basics—filtering hard water, repairing damage at the molecular level, and adding layers of protection against heat and mineral buildup. Remember to nourish your scalp and give your hair the attention it deserves, from root to tip. With the right routine, you’ll have hair that’s healthy, shiny, and resilient to the elements.
