Wash, rinse, repeat. This is how many guys choose to execute their hair care regimen—if you can even call it a “regimen”. (Yeah, we’re coming for your 3-in-1 shampoo-conditioner-body wash…)

On top of that, the repeat part of that “regimen” shouldn’t be there, at least not on a daily basis. If we had it our way, the regimen would look something like this: Wash, rinse, condition, let set, rinse. Next day, condition, let set. Next day, debate between wash or wash + condition… repeat. If that looks confusing, then worry not; it’s much easier in practice.

Additionally, the types of ingredients found in your shampoo and conditioner should distinctly benefit your hair health and scalp balance. One of the easiest ways to ensure this is to start by buying separate products, as washing and hydrating the hair should never be combined into one step. (Not to mention, combined with a body wash. Please!)

Read on for the basic steps you can take to improve your hair health, by building a foundational, informed hair care regimen. It’s simple, we promise. Check out our NEW line of hair and body care!

Prioritize Hair-Fortifying and Scalp-Balancing Ingredients

It’s easy to buy the cheapest shampoo on the shelf, and consider it “good enough”. But how does your hair feel after using that product? Probably bone dry—and don’t even get us started on the scalp. You want to choose products and brands that use a roster of active ingredients to benefit scalp and hair alike. After all, your hair sprouts from the scalp, and the scalp health plays a monumental role in how strong and healthy the hair grows at the follicle. And it’s the shampoo that tends to play a bigger role in this than the conditioner, whereas the conditioner focuses more on the strands themselves (though it can also further nourish and calm the scalp).

Consider the ingredients we have added to our Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner, in a two-step regimen that cleanses and balances the scalp, while building fuller, thicker, stronger strands:

Niacinamide: Soothes and smooths scalp surface, while boosting circulation to the hair follicles (in turn promoting hair growth, strength, and retention).

Salicylic Acid: Balances oil levels and counters inflammation, while also exfoliating dead skin cells to prevent flaking.

Dexpanthenol: Strengthens and moisturizes hair, preventing further hair loss.

Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract: Yeast extract (yes, from beer). Boosts scalp hydration and stimulates hair growth.

Menthol: Cools and calms the scalp, mitigating irritation.

If your shampoo and conditioner of choice don’t have an impressive roster of ingredients to tout, then chances are they do the bare minimum to clean and hydrate your hair, whereas the alternatives out there can do the same job while encouraging healthier, stronger hair growth and preventing annoying scalp conditions all the while.

Not to mention—and this is something that is rarely advertised by brands—it is important to use products that mirror the skin/scalp’s own natural pH levels. In doing this, you can prevent irritation and over dryness, and a host of problems that snowball as a result. Look for products that promise to clarify or balance the scalp. Cardon’s hair products maintain the median human pH level of 5.5 (a slightly acidic level on the 0-14 acidic-alkaline spectrum). Which is to say, our shampoo and conditioner work without causing any such disruption—and they even help reset and balance the scalp if it’s otherwise out of whack from the start.

And while it should go without saying, make sure your shampoo and conditioner are free of sulfates and parabens. Those $5 drugstore options are often packed with sulfates, which is why your hair feels as dry as a desert after each wash.

Wash Every Second or Third Day

Every time you shower, it’s natural to want to cleanse yourself from head to toe. And, while you should be washing your face twice daily, and your body at least once daily, the same can’t be said for your scalp and hair. Try to resist the urge to shampoo every single day, because doing so can dry out your scalp and strands, even if the product is packed with nourishing and fortifying ingredients. The fact is, that the oil secreted by your scalp is good for your hair; it’s packed with all sorts of natural nourishing factors, and flushing it away every day can be more damaging than good, even if you have a naturally oily scalp. A simple rinse on the non-shampoo days will wash away a majority of these oils without stripping them from the strands entirely, and will promote healthier, stronger hair in the long haul. Secondly, you can often use your conditioner between washes (on the non wash days, that is), to help pull away excess grime and sebum, while simultaneously fortifying the hairs. (This is a process called “co-washing”, wherein the conditioner is substituted in for the shampoo on occasion.)

So, if you can, try to shampoo your hair every other day, or every third day. Be sure to rinse out your hair products every day, regardless, and consider conditioning daily.

Condition Daily (Or Nearly Daily)

You need to condition your hair after every single shampoo. Doing so will restore softness and strength back into the strands. However, there are two main things to remember: First, don’t combine conditioner with shampoo, because then its powers are rendered useless (for this reason, never buy multitasking 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 products). The conditioner is supposed to revive hair after a wash, and cannot do so when the cleansing ingredients are present. And secondly, let the conditioner set in your hair for 1-2 minutes after application, so that it has time to be absorbed into the strands (and even to calm and nourish the scalp). Then, rinse and proceed to wash your face. (It can be good to wash your face after your hair care regimen, just to make sure that you clear away all ingredients from your mug and prevent clogged pores.)

As mentioned above, you can also use conditioner on the non-wash days, to further plump and fortify the hair strands, and to help rinse away the day’s grime, product buildup, and sebum. That’s optional, depending on how your hair feels—what’s most important is that you rinse the hair clean with warm water every night, at least.

Conditioner can also be used in wet hair for 10-15 minutes as a treatment mask. Simply wash the hair, towel away the excess moisture, and then apply the conditioner thoroughly. Let it set, then rinse it away for the most soft, healthy, and fortified hair you've ever known. You can do this once weekly on a wash day for a periodic boost and perennial strength.

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