Will today be a good hair day? Unfortunately, many of us have to ask that question each day, hoping that all life's variables—when we last shampooed, how grown-out our hair is, how humid or dry the climate is, the products we're using, etc.—work in our favor.
Don't let it be a guessing game anymore, and don't resort to a buzz cut just because you can't deal with the daily upkeep (no shame to buzzcuts; the best thing about them is that they're carefree). For advice on how to have a good hair day every day—and to take complete control over those variables—we spoke with hairstylist and celebrity groomerAnthony Joseph HernandezofCutler Salonin NYC.
His top advice? "To have great hair every day, you need to be willing to put in at least a little effort," Hernandez says. "And honestly, a little goes a long way for men." He says it can be as easy as deploying a leave-in conditioner, a little styling product, or a 10-minute blow dry—more on these and other "good hair day" tips below.
1. Consistently Condition Your Hair
There's more to hair care than shampoo and conditioner—specifically, multiple conditioning products can help keep your hair in a constant state of calm. Hernandez suggests using a leave-in conditioner for all-day nourishment and a hair mask for intense moisture boosts. Keeping your hair in a continuous state of maximum moisture makes it less susceptible to environmental variables, meaning each hair's cuticle stays closed, resulting in fully hydrated hair—no matter how humid or dry the climate you're in may be.
2. Get Haircuts at Consistent Intervals
Hair growth can sneak up on you, which means that what worked yesterday might not deliver the same results today. The shorter your hair, the more you'll notice these changes, says Hernandez, especially considering that hair grows half an inch monthly. So, he recommends getting a haircut once every month to have the same day-to-day rubric over your haircut of choice—before it evolves into some slightly longer style. "For medium lengths, you can go a little longer, like every six weeks," he says. If you're activelygrowing out your hair, it can be hard to navigate these gradual changes; the awkward stages are part of the experience, but they can be mitigated by having a tidy-up at the barber or salon every eight weeks
3. Familiarize Yourself with Hair Product Nomenclature
Rarely is there a one-size-fits-all regimen for hair routines, especially regarding the products you use. That's because no two people are working with the same head of hair hair: "Hair care and styling products are like skin care products," Hernandez says. "What works amazingly for one person may not work for another."
The best favor you can do yourself is to understand your hair's needs, which typically boils down to your strands' texture (coily, curly, wavy, or straight) and density (thick, fine, or thinning). These factors will point you toward products tailored to your needs and can also determinehow muchproduct you need. Together, the two help to determine the type of product you should use, along with how much you need.
For example, if you have fine hair, you'll likely need to use less product altogether, and the product that will give you the best results will be something “volumizing” or “thickening," whereas if you have thick, straight hair, you may need something “smoothing” to help your hair lay better. If you have curls or coils, you will likely need something, “moisturizing." Usually a quarter-sized amount of product is standard, but you can tweak based on how much hair you have. Understanding the nomenclature can help you to get better results on repeat.
4. Never Sleep on Wet Hair
It’s okay to shower and rinse your hair before bed, but never go to sleep with wet hair, says Hernandez. “Wet hair is prone to more damage when it’s wet,” he notes. On top of that, the bedhead scenarios that you could wake up with abound. So, if you're looking to save time on your morning routine, sleeping on wet hair could actually take more time when you're trying to get out the door in the morning.
5. Only Shampoo When Your Hair is Dirty
While our general advice is to space out yourshampooeverysecond or third day, tailor your wash cycle to how dirty your hair is. Hernandez says to wash hair only when it's dirty and needs that detergent. "For some, that's every other day because they use a lot of product," he notes. Frequent gym-goers, too, need to wash more often. "But for others, that's just once a week because they use very little or no product." And if that feels gross to you, know that a daily rinse—and a conditioner-basedco-wash, even—can help bridge the gap between shampoo cycles so your scalp never feels gnarly.
6. Let Your Hair Texture Dictate Your Conditioner Needs
Conditioning cadence is also typically determined by your hair texture. "Everyone needs to condition their hair at least once a week," Hernandez says. "But the coarser the hair, the more you'll need." That's becauseconditionercan smooth coarse hair and help moisturize it, whereas finer strands might become lifeless and flat under all that nourishing weight.
