How to Refresh Your Hair Routine for the New Year

Hoping that 2026 will bring you plenty of good hair days? The start of a new year is always a good time to reevaluate your hair care efforts to ensure that you’re really giving your locks all that they need. If your mane could do with a boost, keep reading as Nubi shares some tips on how to refresh hair routine habits so that you can rock healthy-looking strands all year round.

Reassess Your Hair-Washing Habits

It goes without saying that your hair-washing routine has a huge impact on the health of your hair. If you don’t wash your hair enough, your strands will end up limp, dull, and dirty. On the other hand, wash your hair too often and you’ll strip away your hair’s natural oils. For some, this can lead to extreme dryness and brittleness, along with scalp irritation. Others experience the opposite – an overproduction of oil, which leaves hair greasy. 

So, how often should you wash your hair? Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer as it varies between individuals. This is why you need to regularly reassess your hair-washing efforts. Your hair’s needs will change throughout your life. You’ll need to continually refresh hair routine habits to adapt to these changes. Learn how to listen to your hair so that you can save the shampoo for when your strands actually need it, rather than shampooing your hair simply because it’s a scheduled wash day.

Of course, the shampoo that you use matters too. A common mistake that many make is using a shampoo that’s too harsh for their strands. Again, this strips away natural oils, causing a whole host of problems. Pick a shampoo that’s suitable for your scalp type, whether this may be dry, oily, sensitive, or normal. It should also be a good match for your hair’s specific needs, such as colored hair that needs protection or dry hair that needs extra moisture. 

Focus on Scalp Care

As we’ve just discussed, the shampoo that you use should be tailored to your scalp type. This is something that many don’t think about when choosing hair products. However, with your hair growing from your scalp, keeping your scalp healthy and happy will go a long way in ensuring healthy strands. 

If your scalp is currently an afterthought, one good way to refresh hair routine is to really hone in on scalp care. Now that more and more people are recognizing how crucial this is when it comes to hair care, scalp care products are becoming increasingly popular, making them easier than ever to find. 

Which scalp care products do you actually need? Once again, this answer varies depending on your individual circumstances. However, most people would benefit from adding a scalp exfoliator to their routine. This will prevent the buildup of dead skin, oil, and other impurities, which not only enhances growth and shine but will also leave your strands feeling stronger. Scalp scrubs are great for people with thick, oily scalps, whereas gentle chemical exfoliators work well on dry scalps. 

Take Heat Protection to the Next Level 

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How much attention do you pay to heat protection before you heat style your hair? If this is something that has become second nature rather than a task that you put plenty of thought into, focusing on heat protection could end up being a game-changer for your locks. 

As you probably know, excessive heat isn’t your hair’s friend. Over time, it damages the keratin proteins within each strand. This leads to rough, dry, and frizzy hair that’s brittle and highly susceptible to further damage. 

Here are a few steps to take to step up the way in which you protect your hair from excessive heat:

• Always apply your heat protectant product to damp hair. This is when your hair is most permeable, meaning that the product will absorb more effectively. 
• Make sure that your hair is fully dry before heat styling. This means that you’ll need to plan ahead – applying a heat protectant to dry locks immediately before heat styling is a big no-no. 
• Section your hair before applying your heat protectant. This will ensure even coverage. Combing the product through your hair will help with this too. With that said, pay extra attention to the ends of your hair – this area is most prone to heat damage. 
• Make sure that the heated styling tools you’re using allow for temperature adjustment so that you’re not forced to use a higher heat than needed. The Nubi Soft N’ Straight 1.25” Ceramic Purple Styler, for example, offers a range of 180-450ºF. This enables you to pick a temperature that will successfully style your hair type without giving it extra, damage-causing heat. 

Start Deep Conditioning

If you’re looking for a way to refresh hair routine results, a deep conditioner would be a useful product to invest in. Many believe that they don’t need a deep conditioner since they already use a regular conditioner after shampooing, but these formulas are usually much more intense. Regular conditioners focus on providing surface-level moisture, whereas deep conditioners penetrate deeper and need to be left on the hair for longer (sometimes up to 30 minutes) as a result. 

When choosing a deep conditioner, your first priority should be moisture. Ingredients like shea butter, honey, and aloe vera will work to boost your hair’s moisture content, giving your strands a glossier finish. 

Deep conditioners are also great for improving how strong and resilient strands feel. Formulas infused with proteins, such as hydrolyzed keratin and amino acids, support this. 

Once you have the perfect product, make sure that you’re applying it correctly. Conditioners, including deep conditioners, should be focused on your mid-lengths/ends. Avoid applying the product to your roots – this will only lead to scalp problems. 

Switch Up Your Go-to Hairstyles

Do you often find yourself turning to the same hairstyles each day? Mix things up this year by experimenting with some new styles. Not only can this give you a whole new look, but it can also be beneficial for your hair. Wearing the same hairstyle all the time places strain on the same part of your hair follicles each day, which can cause stress and damage to your strands in the long run. Rotating hairstyles counters this, giving your hair a chance to rest. 

Need some inspiration for hairstyles that look great but are quick and easy to create? Here are some ideas:

• Half up, half down – this hairstyle is a classic, and you can easily add your own twist to it. Try a half-up ponytail, bun, braid, or anything else your imagination comes up with! 
• A braided headband – while this may need a little practice, it’s so easy to whip together once you know how.                                                                                                                                              
• A slicked-back high ponytail – wrap a small section of your hair around the base of your ponytail to create a seamless look. 
• A messy bun – casual, carefree, and so easy to put together. 

Consider UV Protection

It’s common knowledge that the sun spells bad news for the skin. However, people often don’t consider the impact that those UV rays have on their strands. Just like excessive heat exposure, UV rays, particularly UVB rays, also break down the proteins in your hair. Meanwhile, UVA rays affect hair color and trigger oxidative damage. 

Does this mean that you need to start using a sunscreen for your hair? Possibly. Hair care products containing UV filters can be useful, especially if your hair is already showing signs of damage. 

Another option would be to put more effort into physical forms of protection. Hats, for instance, will block UV rays from reaching your strands. 

Care for Your Hair While You Sleep

Did you know that a large amount of hair damage often occurs while people are asleep? All of that tossing and turning that takes place overnight, combined with a pillowcase that has a rough texture, causes friction that plays havoc with hair. 

Think that you’re safe because your pillowcase feels smooth when you touch it? Unless it’s made from silk, this isn’t actually the case. Cotton and other similar fabrics are the biggest culprits when it comes to creating friction. It doesn’t help that they’re also absorbent materials. This means that they drink up the moisture from your strands while you sleep, exacerbating dryness the next day. 

If silk pillowcases are out of your budget, satin is a good alternative. As a New Year treat for your locks, you could also invest in a silk hair wrap that keeps your hair encased in silk while you snooze.

Be Gentler With Your Locks

While there are many external influences that damage hair, people sometimes unintentionally cause this damage themselves, simply by being too rough with their strands. The more aggressive you are with your hair, the weaker it will get. Over time, it will be even more susceptible to damage from other sources. 

How can you be gentler with your locks? Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Always start brushing from the ends, gently working your way up, as opposed to running your brush from root to tip and yanking through any tangles. 
• Save the detangling for after you’ve applied a conditioner. This will give your hair some extra slip, making it easier to work those knots out. 
• Don’t roughly rub your hair with a towel to dry it. Gently blotting it with a microfiber towel to absorb excess moisture is much kinder to your strands. 
• Don’t scrub at your scalp with your nails when shampooing your hair. Use your fingertips to apply pressure, but try not to go overboard with this.

Summary

There are so many ways in which you can refresh hair routine habits to ensure healthier-looking locks. Start with the tips that we’ve shared above, and you should start to see some improvements in your mane in no time! 

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