How to Spring Clean Your Hair Care Products

The days are getting longer, the temperatures are starting to rise, and our allergies are seriously kicking in. You know what that means. Spring is on the way.

Seasonal changes can have a surprising effect on both our mental health and our physical appearance. Your skin and hair are extremely responsive to environmental factors, from the humidity in the air to the UV index to the average high and low temperatures. What’s more, it’s natural around spring to want to refresh your routine, as the longer days may make you feel more energized and motivated.

Hence, spring cleaning.

When we talk about spring cleaning, we tend to talk about closets and clutter, but today we’re going to focus on the bathroom, specifically on hair care products. What products do you actually need and which ones may be doing more harm than good. Everyone has different hair goals and comes to the table with different hair types, textures, and curl patterns.

In today’s post, we’ll provide a guide to how you can streamline your healthy hair care products and declutter your shower and medicine cabinet, whether you’re looking to improve hair growth, hair strength, preserve your curls, or achieve overall healthier hair.

Decluttering Your Shower Shelf

No matter what your natural hair is like, everyone can build a routine towards healthy hair. That starts with understanding your scalp health and its needs. We want this post to serve as a guide toward developing your perfect hair care routine for a healthy scalp, but remember you can and should modify it for your own hair.

Okay, let’s get organizing. Do us a favor and bring your phone or laptop into the bathroom. We’ll go through the products there together.

Picking the Right Shampoo and Conditioner

Shampoo and conditioner are the basic building blocks of most hair care routines, but they come in all sorts of packages. But what is their purpose, really?

Shampoo cleanses the scalp while conditioner restores the bonds of hair strands. The frequency with which you use each product varies person to person. Someone with a more naturally oily scalp and straight hair may choose to cleanse often while a person with a dry scalp and curly hair may choose to wash less often.

And while it’s important to consider frequency, we also think more people should be considering the ingredients inside their shampoos and conditioners. Take a look at your shampoo, for example. Does it contain sulfates? If so, you may want to consider tossing it, as sulfates can strip the scalp of its natural oil, sebum, and strip your hair strands of protein, which make up the hair’s cuticle.

Sulfates can amplify the effects of hair thinning and hair damage, so if your products contain them and you struggle with hair loss, it’s time to kick them to the curb and opt for sulfate free product that use natural, essential oils with anti inflammatory properties to cleanse the scalp and protect hair.

Choosing Supplementary Shampoos and Conditioners

Now it’s time to look at your supplementary products. We’re talking about clarifying shampoos and deep conditioners. Depending on your hair’s needs, it’s important to integrate a few key supplementary products into your hair care routine so you can achieve healthier, more resilient, and fuller looking hair.

Clarifying shampoo can be beneficial for people with both dry and oily hair. If you find you end your week with a lot of product residue from dry shampoo or styling products, a clarifying shampoo will effectively clear away that build up and leave your scalp feeling refreshed.

If dealing with dry hair and damaged hair is your top priority, then you need to bring in a deep conditioning hair treatment or a hair mask. This is especially true for people who have bleached their hair or applied permanent dye. Conditioning treatments like a leave in conditioner can help seal the cuticles and prevent split ends.

So, let’s recap. All you need in your shower is a shampoo and conditioner (with lots of plant based ingredients), plus a clarifying shampoo and/or a deep conditioner to keep your hair healthy.

Decluttering Your Cabinets

Now let’s step out of the shower and take a look behind your medicine cabinet. What hair care products are really necessary and which ones are just taking up room?

Finding the Best Hair Supplement For You

For us, there’s no more important product than a daily supplement.

Healthy hair starts at the root. Your hair follicle’s ability to generate strong, new hair growth is determined by the nutrients in your body. If you’re not feeding your body the vitamins and minerals it needs, your hair follicles simply won’t be able to function at their best.

To ensure you get your daily intake of vitamins like vitamin E, vitamin A, zinc, and iron, consider adding a hair supplement to your routine. But it’s worth noting that not all hair growth products are made the same. Seek out a supplement which features clean and vegan ingredients without drugs or chemicals, like Wellbel.

Our specially formulated supplements help support noticeably softer hair, thicker hair, and also help reduce shedding to keep the scalp healthy, without any of those harmful ingredients.

Choosing Styling Sprays and Serums

So how about products? How many does it really take to tame your mane? Healthy hair looks different for everyone, so here are some factors to consider when picking styling products, whether you deal with frizzy hair or heat damage:

Hair density: If you’re dealing with thinning hair, volumizing products can be super helpful in bringing life back to limp hair. On the other hand, if you have thick hair or denser hair, sleek serums like argan oil can help prevent frizz and damage. The more hair you have, the larger the task is of keeping it healthy and happy, but the reward is worth it in the end.
Curl pattern: It’s not a rule, but it is true that people with curly hair tend to deal with a dry itchy scalp and people with straight hair deal with grease. Moisture and curl pattern go hand in hand and your hair’s ability to keep and retain moisture is essential when it comes to its strength and appearance. Styling products can help you close the gap. If you have 1A hair, meaning your hair is totally straight, styling with a dry shampoo can give you volume without the grease. If you have 4C hair, meaning your hair has tightly coiled curls, styling with moisture-focused products like serums, creams, and made-for-curls gels will help your hair strands fight frizz.

Natural oil production: Using the wrong styling product can disrupt the natural balance of oil production on the scalp, leading to greasy or dry hair and even scalp issues. That's why it's essential to choose hair styling products that are specifically designed for your hair type and natural oil production. Say you have an oily scalp, using a scalp serum that helps to regulate oil production may be beneficial. On the other hand, if you have dry or damaged hair, a nourishing hair oil can help to restore and maintain hair health.

Quality and ingredients: Now, many products claim to address different issues with hair, but just like with hair supplements, it’s important to find the ones who do so without compromising on quality of ingredients. Natural ingredients, such as essential oils and plant extracts, can nourish and strengthen the hair, promoting healthy growth and reducing breakage. They can also help to restore the hair's natural shine and softness, without the use of harsh chemicals that can strip the hair of its natural oils.

The key here is being responsive to what your hair naturally does and says. Don’t try a new product just because it’s doing wonders for other people. Listen to your body and seek out a small number of hardworking products that will result in stronger hair.

Build a Hair Care Routine You Feel Good About

One last reason why we think spring cleaning your products is a great idea? Expiration dates! Did you know your hair care products expire? We’re willing to bet you have more than a few bottles past their prime.

Toss ‘em and upgrade to healthy hair products that contain natural key ingredients that reduce breakage and support hair growth.

That routine will look a little different for everyone, but our essentials are:

A hair supplement.
A plant-based shampoo and conditioner — look for ingredients like tea tree oil or coconut oil.
A supplementary cleansing product and deep conditioning treatment, like a scalp scrub, a clarifying shampoo, or a shea butter hair mask.
A safe styling product that suits your hair type and scalp needs, like a mild scalp serum, hydrating mousse, or gentle styling and volumizing spray.

At the end of the day, the best hair growth products are the ones who focus on internal health. Make sure that you’re listening to your scalp and hair type and giving both what they need to thrive.