Hair care routine: the complete guide to healthy, beautiful hair
A hair care routine starts with gentle cleansing of the scalp and conditioner on the lengths after washing. Choose a FOAM shampoo bar to suit your scalp’s needs and pair it with a conditioner bar for your hair type. All FOAM’s shampoos and conditioners are pH-balanced. DREAMY hair can be used as a solid treatment when your lengths need extra care.
A good routine should be simple to return to. When the cleansing works for your scalp and the conditioner gives your lengths the right care, it becomes easier to find the balance between softness, shine and hair that feels like your own. A few thoughtful steps go a long way.
Start with the scalp, then move on to the lengths
Your scalp and ends may need different things. You can have a scalp that gets oily easily and dry, color-treated lengths at the same time. So choose shampoo based on your cleansing needs and conditioner based on how your lengths feel.
FOAM’s shampoo bars cleanse with a gentle, sulfate-free surfactant derived from coconut. The surfactant helps water carry away sebum, dirt and product residue, creating a soft lather without the intensely stripping feel that stronger cleansers can cause. The shampoo bars are shampoo in solid form, not traditional alkaline soap.
All FOAM’s shampoos and conditioners are pH-balanced. The conditioner bars soften the lengths and make them more flexible and easier to detangle. Learn more about the basics in our complete shampoo guide.
How to use shampoo and conditioner bars
Wet your hair and shampoo bar thoroughly, work up a lather and gently massage into your scalp. Rinse thoroughly. Then wet the conditioner bar with warm water and distribute it through your wet lengths and ends. Gently detangle and rinse out.
Start with a small amount of conditioner and adjust based on how your hair feels once it has dried. Dry ends may need more care, while fine lengths often do better with a lighter amount. Find out more about how to use conditioner bars in our guide.
Curly hair routine
FOAM’s Ocean Waves shampoo bar and Salted Swirl conditioner bar create a routine for curls that need flexible care. The broccoli seed oil in the conditioner bar softens the lengths and is complemented by sea salt in a formula for curly and wavy hair. Salted Swirl conditioner bar is CGM-approved and silicone-free.
Try working in sections when applying conditioner so the underneath lengths get care too. Rinse thoroughly, scrunch your curls, and let them dry as undisturbed as possible. Learn more about the curly hair routine and moisturizing curly hair.
Routine for wavy hair
Ocean Waves shampoo bar and FOAM's Salted Swirl conditioner bar are also suitable for wavy hair. Start with a small amount of conditioner and focus most of the care where the lengths feel dry. Adjust the amount to your strands' thickness and needs.
Scrunch your waves with your hands after rinsing, and soak up excess water with a soft towel or T-shirt. Air-dry or use a diffuser on low heat and low speed. Learn more about moisturizing wavy hair and styling wavy hair.
Routine for fine hair
Choose FOAM's White Flower shampoo bar and pair it with the Wheat Gloss conditioner bar with hydrolyzed wheat protein in a formula for volume and shine. Fine strands also need conditioning care, but often in a smaller amount.
Focus the conditioner on the lengths and ends, and rinse thoroughly. Let your scalp guide how often you wash your hair, and assess how much conditioner to use once your hair has dried. Learn more about moisturizing fine hair and the complete routine for fine hair.
Routine for dry and treated hair
FOAM's Forest Treat shampoo bar and Coco Shea conditioner bar provide gentle cleansing and conditioning care for dry lengths. The organic shea butter in the conditioner bar helps make hair soft and manageable, while glycerin adds moisture-binding benefits.
Give the ends and previously lightened sections a little extra attention. Squeeze the water out of your hair without rubbing, and use heat protection when heat styling. Learn more about moisturizing dry hair and follow our dry hair routine.
A fragrance-free routine
If you want fragrance-free cleansing and care, FOAM's Rice Serenity shampoo bar and Coco oats conditioner bar with oat oil are for you. They provide a completely fragrance-free combination, with cleansing for the scalp and softening care for the lengths.
FOAM's conditioner bars are handmade in Sweden with plant-based ingredients. Choose according to your lengths' needs and your fragrance preference.
DREAMY hair when your lengths need more
FOAM's DREAMY hair complements your routine as a solid-format hair mask when your hair needs extra care. The conditioner bar is the conditioning step after cleansing, while the hair mask provides more care for dry areas.
Adjust the amount and frequency according to how your hair feels, not a fixed weekly schedule. Your routine can stay simple even when your lengths need a little extra attention.
Adapt your care to the season
When the air gets drier, your ends may need more care, even if your scalp needs the same cleansing as before. Try using a little more conditioner where your hair feels rough instead of changing your entire routine at once. Learn more about autumn hair care and how to follow your hair's needs throughout the year.
The Editor's Note: A routine is something you do automatically. A ritual is something you do mindfully. The same steps, but with attention to the scent, feel, and result, turn hair care into a moment for yourself.
The best routine is one that gives your hair the care it needs and feels simple enough to stick with.
Hair care routine by hair type: quick guide
| Needs | Shampoo bar | Conditioner bar | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curly and wavy hair | Ocean Waves | Salted Swirl | Distribute through wet hair and scrunch to bring out your natural waves after rinsing |
| Fine hair and volume | White Flower | Wheat gloss | Start with a little conditioner on the lengths and ends |
| Dry and damaged lengths | Forest Treat | Coco shea | Give rough ends and treated areas extra care |
| Fragrance-free routine | Rice Serenity | Coco oats | Choose fragrance-free cleansing and conditioning |
Learn how to turn everyday steps into a moment for yourself in our guide to hair care as a ritual.