We know you've heard of the 10-step Korean skin care routine, but did you know that Koreans take hair care just as seriously? Yup, Korean hair care routines are no joke. They have a ton of products and serums that help them achieve beautiful, healthy hair. Although it may seem intimidating at first, lucky for you, we're here to guide you through it all.
BEFORE SHOWER
Use a scalp scaler or scalp shampoo.
Before anything else, the first step to beautiful hair for any hair type is scalp scaler or shampoo. These products are specifically designed to exfoliate and remove excess oil, product build-up, and dead skin on your scalp.
Once a week, apply this before taking a shower. Part your hair in different sections and apply the product directly onto the scalp not the hair. If you're using a scalp shampoo, you can use water mists to dampen the area, but if you're using a scalp scaler, most of the time, you can put it directly on a dry scalp. Let the product sit for around 15 minutes or as directed and rinse before shampooing.
DURING SHOWER
Shampoo, shampoo, shampoo!
Before you stress about having to swap your regular shampoos for a Korean version, don't stress, Candy Girls because you can totes stick to your go-to shampoos for this step!
Vinegar rinse.
After cleansing your hair, add one part water to one part vinegar, mix it together, and soak your hair with it. Leave it for a few minutes then rinse for added shine!
Condition it!
Time for conditioner! Look for one with argan oil as it helps lock in moisture, promote hair growth, and mend split ends. Since girls with curly hair tend to tangle easily, rake your conditioner through your hair with your fingers to detangle and evenly distribute the conditioner.
Use a hair mask.
Yup, hair masks are a thing and you need to try them out now. To be used once a week, hair masks are rich with nutrients and oils that help hair grow stronger and healthier. Leave for 5-15 minutes then rinse off after.
AFTER SHOWER
Apply a volumizing essence.
With curly hair, sometimes the longer it grows, the more weighed down it looks. To fix this, try using a volume essence mist to give your hair a major volume boost and make it look bouncier and fresher in a snap. Apply volumizing essence after your shower and massage it on your scalp area rather than on your hair as most volumizing essences also contain helpful plant extracts that keep the scalp healthy.
Grab a leave-in fluid.
Don't worry, we're almost there! The next step is leave-in fluid, which helps moisturize the hair and make it crazy soft. Remember that when you're applying the leave-in product, you have to get it everywhere on your hair and not the scalp. Otherwise the sections of hair without leave-in might frizz, ruining your curl definition. For girls with denser curls, go for a leave-in that's thicker and richer since a formula that's too light might not work.
Use a styler/gel.
You don't really have to do this step, but putting on a styler or gel can help in defining your curls and creating an anti-frizz barrier from the humidity (super useful when in the Philippines!). Remember that when you apply gel to not rake it through your hair as this will separate curls into single strands and make your hair look stringy. Rather, smooth the gel over your hair and then scrunch with a microfiber towel to soak up excess product. This should help define your curls more.
Apply a smoothing serum.
Last but definitely not least is smoothing serum. Get an oil-based serum that can gently coat damaged and frizzy hair to make it softer and shinier. Smoothing serume also helps protect hair from heat damage. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone!
We know you've tried different K-beauty trends—from skin care to makeup. Now, are you willing to try their take on hair care, too?
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