I’m balding.
Just kidding (not really). Stress is no joke, and other factors like environment, humidity, styling, diet, etc. can do a number on your hair.
Hair is one of the most notable symbols of beauty, and especially as a South Asian, hair can be tied to cultural identity. Thus, it’s important that we adopt a regular hair care routine to help ensure that your hair looks and feels its best. Of course, it’s necessary to choose products based on your specific hair type and concerns, but these are just a few products that are well regarded for their ability to address various hair care needs and simply how well they’ve worked for me. TW: biased. For reference, my hair is dry, wavy, and prone to frizz.
Shampoo
- Key ingredients: chelating agents, apple cider vinegar, hydrolyzed keratin
- Scent: floral, fresh
Ouai has very quickly become one of my favorite hair care brands, and I feel that this shampoo is one of their best. This is a clarifying shampoo designed to deep clean the hair and scalp, removing buildup from styling products and other pollutants without being overly stripping. This is a concentrated formula that is color safe, and one bottle has lasted me over a year using it on a weekly basis.
Conditioner
Biolage Ultra Hydra Source Conditioner
- Key Ingredients: aloe vera, algae extract, cupuacu butter, apricot kernel oil
- Scent: clean, botanical
The hydration goes crazy. The conditioner is formulated with aloe vera and other nourishing oils to moisturize dry hair and tame frizz. Typically I use conditioner in conjunction with a hair mask, but I can use this solo and be good to go. However, it’s still lightweight and does not weigh texture down, leaving hair soft, smooth, and manageable.
Hair Mask
Redken All Soft Heavy Cream Hair Mask
- Key Ingredients: Redken’s moisture complex, argan oil, gold camelina, avocado oil, olive oil, silk amino acids
- Scent: fruity, floral
I have a lot to say about Redken’s entire All Soft line, but this hair mask is honestly unmatched. They weren’t playing when they said soft, because my hair is always ridiculously soft after using this. The blend of ingredients is perfect for deep conditioning dry, brittle hair. It even improves elasticity, which in turn strengthens the hair by making it less prone to breakage and damage.
Hair Oil
- Key Ingredients: prickly pear, moringa leaf, jojoba
- Scent: citrusy, floral (fruit loops)
This is a hair oil that is both simple and multipurpose, but its key features lie in moisturizing, fighting frizz, and adding shine. I use this on damp hair straight after the shower or on dry hair if it’s looking frizzier than usual. It’s basic in the sense that it serves its intended purpose; it’s a good hair oil.
Scalp Oil
Fable & Mane HoliRoots™ Pre-wash Hair Treatment Oil
- Key Ingredients: dashmool (10 root blend), ashwaganda, castor oil
- Scent: herbal, earthy, coconut
If you’re South Asian, I’m almost certain you have memories of begrudgingly sitting on the floor while your mom oiled your hair with seemingly all her pent up rage until your scalp was sore. Now that I’m older and don’t see her as often and have to take care of my own hair, I’ve grown to appreciate those moments. My mom had a collection of oils imported from the homeland, ranging from the cult favorite coconut to more lowkey gems like amla. Fable & Mane upholds these traditions with an ingredient list that encompasses all these familiar botanical oils and then some, all of which aim to hydrate, strengthen, and promote hair growth.
Scalp Serum
- Key Ingredients: adaptogens, hyaluronic acid, peptides, red clover flower extract, rosemary
- Scent: floral, herbal, spearmint
Ouai just doesn’t disappoint. As a baldie, I can’t tell you how many scalp serums I’ve tested through the years, and I’ve yet to find another like this (except minoxidil, but that scares me). Evident in the ingredients list, this serum is formulated to optimize conditions for hair growth, stimulating hair follicles and soothing irritation. It absorbs easily into the scalp and leaves no residue. It also smells soooo good. I use it on freshly washed hair twice a week, and it’s definitely made a difference.
Leave In
Curlsmith Weightless Air Dry Cream
- Key Ingredients: babassu, mango butter, hyaluronic acid
- Scent: fruity, tropical, coconut
There is not a single Curlsmith product I’ve tried and didn’t like, and this one is no exception. With an almost jelly-like consistency, this is a non-greasy leave-in cream that provides hydration and enhances natural texture without the weight of a gel, which is perfect for those with wavy hair like me. It also provides heat protection. I actually go insane if I don’t have a backup of this at all times because my hair just isn’t the same without it, especially in the summer when humidity is my biggest enemy.
Heat Protectant
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
- Key Ingredients: proprietary anti-humidity complex, chamomilla extract, glycerin, hydrolyzed keratin
- Scent: fresh, clean, subtle
If you don’t heat style your hair often and typically stick to not-too-high temperatures, then this is a solid heat protectant. There’s a reason why it’s so popular – its heat activated proprietary complex creates essentially a waterproof and weightless barrier on your hair, leaving it glossy, silky, and de-frizzed. These effects are also claimed to last through three to four shampoos.