Forget hair typing or porosity for a sec (we promise you’ll be alright). Put simply, a basic routine is truly just that. Basic. All you need is a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in/styling product (preferably water based or water soluble) and some simple tools. Anything else is extra and, depending on the style you’re trying to achieve, sometimes unnecessary.

Gone are the days of hour long routines you have to cancel plans for. It shouldn’t take you hours to wash and style your hair people! 60 - 90 mins max. And notice we made no mention of LCO or LOC or whatever else people call it these days? Direct application of raw, heavy oils or butters is a tricky game and the goal here is simplicity.

To start you on the right path, we’ve put together a basic step by step guide for all your wash day needs:

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STEP 1: Shampoo with a quality cleanser that can remove dirt, sebum and product build up without stripping your hair.

• Tip 1: Work through your hair in smaller sections, especially if you have a lot of it
• Tip 2: Instead of twisting and untwisting to keep sections separate, get some hair clips to save time!
• Note: We haven’t included a pre poo step because if you’re washing your hair every 7-10 days, which we’d recommend you do unless your hair is loc’d, it’s unlikely it would get that tangled. If it does manage to matt or knot, all you need is a spray bottle and a little conditioner to give enough slip as you work through. We recommend using your fingers at this stage so you don’t rip through the knots and cause unnecessary breakage.
• Products: Kinky Curly Come Clean Shampoo, Noughty Detox Dynamo Clarifying Shampoo, Crème of Nature Pure Honey Moisturising Dry Defense Shampoo. BTW just about any shampoo will work but these are our current faves.

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STEP 2: Conditioner, deep conditioner - po-ta-to, po-tah-to. The confusion between these two products is largely a marketing term as both should serve the same purpose in your regimen i.e. mainly reduce friction between the hair strands by temporarily smoothening the hair shaft. Generally, deep conditioners are a good sign post for a superiorly formulated conditioner. Leave it on for 10-20 minutes and then wash off (leaving it on for hours doesn’t do anything more for your hair, sorry if you didn't know).

• Tip 1: Focus on smoothening the conditioner over your hair strands in the direction you want your hair to lay and working the product into your hair with your fingers, water and a comb if needed.
• Tip 2: Most regular conditioners tend to be just moisturising, we’d recommend incorporating a protein or bon repair treatment into your conditioning regime once every 1-2 months depending on your hair’s health/needs. More damage, colour, manipulation = more reparitive needs. (See our advice on picking a good conditioner for your needs here)
• Moisturising conditioners: Trepadora Quinoa Deep Repair or Joico Moisture Recovery (for very coarse dry hair) or Innersense Colour Radiance Conditioner (for finer hair).
• Reparative treatments: Protein Defence by Healthy Hair Studio or Olaplex No. 3

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STEP 3: The key to styling, like everything else in this routine, is to keep it simple. We would almost never recommend using more than 2 products, especially because you often don’t know how they’ll work together.

• Tip 1: Mix a little of each product on the back of your palm. If they begin to form a white residue and separate, they won’t mix well.
• For a twist/braid out we’d recommend a light leave in followed by a mousse like The Doux Good Day Finishing Cream or Mousse Def Texture Foam‍
• For slicked back buns, you can use either a leave-in for extra moisture e.g. Camille Rose Twisting butter (it’s formulated like a leave in) or a Mousse, topped with your preferred strong hold gel of choice. Some of our favourites are The Doux's Big Poppa Defining Gel and RUKA's Do-it-all Gel.
• If you prefer a blow dry, the Noughty leave-in is formulated with Amodimethicone so doubles as a heat protectant. We’d also add in an anti-frizz serum like Colour Wow's Dream Coat to give a glossy, silk finish.
• For our wig and weave fans, all you need is a good leave in, and you’ll be ready to cornrow away.

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