The Healthy Hair Care Step Most Of Us Aren't Doing

The ole "rinse, wash, repeat" mantra is pretty much an accurate assessment of how lots of us approach hair care: We've likely kept to the same system for years—shampoo, conditioner, a bit of styling product perhaps, with scent being a big determining factor (guilty!)—but as our hair changes, shouldn't our routine?

Scientifically speaking, they were on to something. Hair is structurally weakest and prone to damage when it's wet1. Each strand of hair, made up of keratin, is encased in an outer layer called the cuticle. The problem is that the cuticle is scale-like, which allows water to seep through its gaps into the cortex of the strand—starting the moment it gets soaked. And the longer your hair stays wet, the more your strands absorb and swell up with water, stretching the cuticle and causing weakness. The result? Ongoing hair frustrations.

Leaving your hair saturated can be really damaging (especially if you color or chemically treat your hair): The cuticle can crack and remain lifted as it shrinks, causing hair to feel rough, split, and more. Think the weather is causing all that frizziness? Think again: Frizz is literally a result of open cuticles by excess water absorption. And open cuticles allow even more water absorption, leaving the cortex more and more vulnerable in a continual cycle of damage. If you've ever been frustrated with a string of bad hair days, a new haircut might not be the best solution.

The point is, we put our strands through a lot on a daily basis, and rethinking the steps of our hair care is the least we can do to help maintain its health. Our skin isn't the only thing deserving of a cleaner, smarter routine, after all.