The hack: Don’t exclusively shop in bundles for your shampoo and conditioner. Unlike a coordinating workout set, matching isn’t always better when it comes to hair care. You know, those washday duos with the same end goal: hydrating wash sets, volumizing wash sets, etc.
Instead, “Buy shampoo based on what your scalp and roots need and conditioner based on what your ends need,” New York City–based hairstylist MariLynne Cosmillo, founder of professional-grade consumer hair care line hOURS, tells mbg.
When you think about it, this makes perfect sense: If your roots are flat, you’ll need a lighter, volumizing shampoo. If your ends are dry, you’ll need a heavier, hydrating conditioner, and so on. Your roots and lengths aren’t always on the same page, and your hair care should follow suit.
“I recommend having more than one set of wash products that can help you meet your hair needs for the day ahead, which change with the weather and our styles,” she says. As a general rule of thumb: Have one deeply hydrating shampoo and conditioner and one volumizing shampoo and conditioner to check the basics off the list.
Or you can sub in your hydrating conditioner for a hair mask, like the hOURS In Minutes treatment mask. Masks tend to be a bit heavier than a standard conditioner, so only use them on days you’re looking for hydration, not necessarily loads of volume.
