There’s a lot one can explore in the world of K-beauty. A 10-step skincare routine that defies logic, futuristic facial tools to further elevate them, and elaborate hair routines that’ll take up half of your wash day Sundays. Yes, Korean hair care routines are as intricate as skin routines. They are based on a holistic approach that highlights scalp health, enhancing it with cutting-edge yet gentle ingredients and technologies that deliver effective results.
The scalp is crucial for hair health; nourishing and maintaining the state of your hair follicles keeps the ends looking great too. A clean and healthy scalp affords your hair a restorative environment to grow and thrive. It also indicates less itching, flaking, and irritation, keeping hair damage and breakage at bay. However, do note that doing such an extensive hair care routine every day is practically impossible. We recommend the whole rigamarole once a fortnight and here are the haircare products that you need to accomplish it:
1. Pre-poo scalp treatment:
Think chemical exfoliation, but for your scalp. Unlike Indian hair care rituals, that call for an oil massage before wash, K-beauty relies on scalp scalers to start with a clean slate. They are power-packed with active ingredients that gently slough off product and pollution build-up from the scalp and prepare your mane for the rest of the routine. While scalp scalers are used an hour prior to the wash, hair sleeping masks can be applied overnight before wash day for extensive treatment.
2. Gentle hair cleanser:
Once you wash out the treatment, go in with a gentle, mild and non-irritating shampoo. Label-check your shampoos to avoid any harsh chemicals or sulfates that can strip the scalp of its natural oils. Look for ingredients like panthenol (Provitamin B5), houttuynia cordata extract, and aloe in your daily hair cleanser.
3. Scalp Massager:
Why put your fingers to work when you have a variety of scalp massagers to protect your new manicure. Since mild shampoos do not froth much, a scalp massager can help to spread the product more evenly and thoroughly. The massaging action also helps to increase blood flow to the scalp, stimulating hair growth and improving overall scalp health. It can also be a good way to wind down and lower stress and tension in the scalp muscles.
4. Rice or vinegar wash:
Instead of rinsing out the shampoo with water, opt for a rice water wash. Rinsing your hair with rice water has been a part of many Asian households, including Chinese and Bengali haircare rituals. It is rich in amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that help strengthen your tresses. It also helps reduce inflammation and irritation on the scalp and helps detangle your hair, making it more manageable post wash.
To achieve that coveted glass hair look, a vinegar rinse can be added at the end of the routine. Diluted vinegar can help balance the pH of your scalp, which can reduce dandruff and prevent fungal growth. This last-step rinse will help seal the cuticle of your hair, which can prevent split ends and breakage. Make sure to follow up with a water rinse to remove the scent of vinegar from your hair.
5. Deep conditioning:
Once you run your hair through a quick water rinse post rice water, go in with a deeply hydrating hair mask. Focus on reparative ingredients like ginseng, green tea, rice water, and camellia oil. Additionally, ingredients like argan oil, Jeju volcanic ash, snail mucin, centella asiatica, seaweed extract or bamboo extract can also be leveraged to improve the results.
6. Leave-in treatment:
Given the average weather conditions of the country, Korean leave-in treatments aren't as heavy duty as you would find with other routines. It usually involves a lightweight scalp tonic or scalp essence to put lost nutrition back into the scalp’s surface after a wash. They are formulated with a blend of ingredients that target specific scalp concerns such as dryness, oiliness, dandruff, itchiness, or hair loss. Additionally, ingredients like salicylic acid and witch hazel can be found in them to help with sebum regulation. Targeted scalp tonics with biotin or peptides can aid with hair growth stimulation as well. A lightweight hair serum or oil-based serum for the ends completes the routine.
