How to Keep Hair Healthy: A simple routine that works for your hair type

"It doesn't have to be complicated — read on for a few easy things I like to do that help nurture hair to look and feel its most beautiful."

— Mara Roszak

Healthy hair isn't about a long product lineup. It's about quality over quantity: cleanse the scalp, condition the lengths, protect before heat, and hydrate. That's it.

The simplest healthy-hair routine

Four steps, done with ease:

How to wash without overcomplicating it?

Start at the scalp, especially the back of the head, where buildup collects most. Wet hair thoroughly, work shampoo through with your fingertips, and let the lather rinse through the lengths naturally. Follow with conditioner.

There's no single "right" wash frequency. Mara recommends washing more often rather than less, but your hair will tell you what it needs: oily roots, visible buildup, a tight scalp, or hair that's heavy at the roots and dry at the ends are all signs it's time.

When does your hair need deeper care?

Think of it as optional support, not a weekly requirement. If hair is hard to detangle, feels rough, or looks duller than usual, a richer conditioner, mask, or treatment oil is worth trying. If it leaves hair softer and easier to manage, keep it in your weekly routine. If it makes fine hair heavy or flat, use less, keep it away from the roots, or skip it.

How can you air-dry for your texture?

Gently remove excess water with a soft towel — rough towel-drying causes tangles and damage. Then work with your texture:

• Straight or fine hair — Detangle gently from ends to roots in sections, then let hair settle. A detangler adds glide and protection.

• Wavy hair — Brush through with conditioner in the shower. Towel dry gently, apply a wave-defining product to damp lengths, and scrunch upward. Twisting a few sections can help define the pattern.

• Curly or coily hair — Use fingers or a wide-tooth comb to distribute conditioner and detangle. Shape the curl, then leave it alone while it dries.

• Thick, coarse, or color-treated hair — Focus conditioner on mid-lengths and ends, working in sections so it reaches every area evenly.

How should you refresh hair on day two or three?

Mara's Stylist Secret: lightly re-wet the lengths, then scrunch or twist the sections that need a reset. The RŌZ Milk Hair Serum is ideal here — light enough to smooth and add slip without weighing hair down. If roots need lift, mist on RŌZ Root Lift Spray and blow-dry it in.

Adjusting for your hair type:

Hair type is a starting point, not the whole plan — density, processing, scalp oil, climate, and styling habits all shape what a routine needs.

• Fine or straight hair — Start with less. Keep richer products off the roots and add just enough to ease combing and styling.

• Wavy hair — Balance is everything. Too much rich product flattens the wave; too little makes it harder to detangle. Scrunch on damp hair to help the pattern form without heavy brushing.

• Curly or coily hair — Sectioning helps more than adding more products. Use enough conditioner and leave-in for your densest or driest sections, not a default amount everywhere.

• Thick, coarse, or processed hair — Lean into conditioning on the lengths and ends, especially post-color or heat styling. Work in sections and keep shampoo focused at the scalp.

Sources

1. American Academy of Dermatology, “Tips for healthy hair” (updated Aug. 12, 2024)

2. American Academy of Dermatology, “Dermatologists’ top tips for using leave-in conditioner” (updated Mar. 26, 2024)

3. D’Souza P, Rathi SK. “Shampoo and Conditioners: What a Dermatologist Should Know?” Indian Journal of Dermatology (2015)

4. Dias MFRG. “Hair Cosmetics: An Overview.” International Journal of Trichology (2015)