Your best shower hair care routine.

For the past few years seemingly everyone on the planet has been obsessed with building the perfect skincare routine. Well, now it's your hair's turn. This healthy hair routine will teach you the right shower technique to leave your locks looking their best—every single time.

1. Set your water temperature to lukewarm.

Hot water may feel nice, but it strips your hair's natural oils that keep them healthy, leaving behind dull tresses. Instead, opt for lukewarm water that's just above body temperature. That temperature will be warm enough to activate your shampoo's lather while still supporting hair and scalp health.

A smart shower head can help you stay within your desired temperature range. For example, the hai shower head has a companion app that lets you customize in-shower LED temperature alerts and tracks your shower temperature over time, allowing you to maintain your preferred range. You can even get a mobile notification when it’s time to hop in.

2. Know when to brush your hair.

Wet hair is particularly stretchy and prone to breakage. If you have straight hair, it's important to detangle it before you step into the shower. Choose a wide-tooth comb or plastic vent brush, starting at the bottom and gradually working your way up. Curly hair or coily hair, on the other hand, should be detangled with a wide-tooth comb after conditioning while it's still damp.

3. Take care of your hair before cleansing your body. 

Complete your in-shower hair care routine — hair masks, shampoo, conditioner — before moving on to cleansing your body. Many hair products are loaded with active ingredients that are great for hair but can clog pores, leading to body acne and other skincare woes. Cleansing your body after completing your shower hair care regimen will allow you to rinse off products you don't want lingering on your skin.

4. Master the art of shampooing.

Spend a minute wetting your hair with lukewarm water before you even think about squeezing that shampoo bottle. A solid rinse will help loosen up dirt and oil in preparation for your cleanse.

When shampooing, make sure to distribute the product evenly, focusing on where your hair tends to be dirtiest. Put a quarter-sized dollop in your hands and work it in all over, including the nape of your neck. This often missed spot can be one of the oiliest areas on your head. Keep scrubbing for at least 30-60 seconds before rinsing, really massaging your scalp to get rid of product buildup and (possibly) help stimulate hair growth.

To prevent dried-out tresses, avoid directly shampooing or scrubbing your ends. The shampoo that rinses from the top of your head down your hair strands should get them plenty clean. You also don't need to wash your hair more than a couple of times per week—unless you have super oily hair or do activities that get it super dirty.

5. Condition like a pro.

Conditioner is essential for strong, nourished hair. Select one that is formulated for your specific hair type. If you have dry hair, look for products that contain moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and shea butter. If you have oily hair, keep your hair healthy with products that contain ingredients that will cut through grease and build-up without drying out your ends. Look for tea tree oil, clay, or apple cider vinegar.

The active ingredients in conditioners are made to go to work immediately, coating the hair's surface to smooth and protect the cuticle. Focus it on your ends where hair tends to need the most moisture and damage protection. Conditioning your roots may lead to oily, flat-looking locks.

6. Use a hair mask once a week.

Apply a hair mask every week to give your tresses extra love and deep conditioning. Find one designed for your hair type or specific needs. There are formulas for curly texture, dyed hair, fine hair—and every other hair texture and type you can imagine. Some masks, like the Hydrating Melting Mask by Christophe Robin, work well for most hair types.

7. Rinse with cold water.

After you’ve washed out your hair care products, give your hair a quick cold water rinse. Cold water seals hair follicles, leaving behind shiny hair. Rinse with the coldest blast you can handle. If you have a handheld shower like hai, you can hit your hair with a cold blast without subjecting your body to the chilly temperatures.

8. Prevent damage with a hair towel.

Just say no to your frizz-inducing terrycloth bath towel, which can rough up the hair shaft leading to breakage and split. Because wet hair is particularly damage-prone, it's important to handle it with care. Before you air dry or blow dry, gently remove excess moisture, and speed up your dry time, with a towel designed specifically for hair. We like the Lisse Luxe Hair Towel by Aquis.

9. Apply your products.

Wrap up your routine by treating your damp hair with some magic elixirs—think leave-in conditioner, heat protectant, and hair serum that will keep your strands healthy, hydrated, and shielded from damage. If you don’t use any products post-shower, your hair can become frizzy, dry, or tangled.

Look for formulas targeted to your hair type, texture, and styling techniques. If you're blow-drying or using curling irons, heat protection sprays are a must. Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray from Oribe shields tresses from environmental irritants like pollution and UV rays in addition to heat styling tools.

Perfecting your hair care routine might take practice, but with these tips, good hair days are ahead.